Jean Langlais: The Man And His Music by Ann Labounsky (Chair of Organ and Sacred Music, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an exhaustively researched biography of a grand virtuoso of twentieth-century French music, Jean Langlais (1907-1991). It is interesting to note that in addition to asking Labounsky to be his authorized biographer, Langlais also requested her to record his complete organ works. This is an impressive twelve volume project for the Musical Heritage Society begun in 1979 and which is still in progress today. Though he was a blind man born in poverty, Langlais lived to create unique and wondrous music as well as enjoy a long career as a traveling performer. This outstanding biography focuses heavily on his life, his virtues and flaws, as well as a thoughtful assessment of his great musical contributions. Highly recommended for students of 20th Century music history and academic reference collections.

Ann Labounsky, former pupil (and one time love interest) of Jean Langlais, composed this biography at his own request. Just as Paul Hillier has been for Arvo Part, so Labounsky proves herself to be for Langlais: uniquely and wonderfully understanding of both the man and music; definitely qualified to write authoritatively about him.

The book is brilliantly laid out. Taking as a frame narrative the composer's life story itself, Labounsky charts his progress as a musician from first lessons with various teachers at the French Institution for the Blind to his further education at the Paris Conservatoire, under Paul Dukas and Marcel Dupre and alongside some equally celebrated names (including Olivier Messiaen and Jehain Alain). It focusses in great depth on Sainte Clothilde, his lodestar, where he worked with Charles Tournemire, succeeding as director of music and holding the post for over forty years. It continues with tales of his work in America, his two marriages, children and grandchildren, his late-life heart problems and the obvious effect on his career, right up to his death and commemoration, before finishing with a complete list of works and some interesting notes on his teaching method, quoted from one of his own treatises.

Tied neatly in with this historical account is a description of Langlais' developing musical style- with each passing event, Labounsky provides a guide to the principal works composed at the time, showing how the music was affected by what happened and where, in addition to describing the essential features of the music itself.

Some surprising details of Langlais' life are revealed- for instance, his reputation as something of a ladies' man (he was attracted to women depite being married, and often gained inspiration for new works from his relationships with pupils, friends and acquaintances) may shock those who have thus far only seen him as an austere, mystical and religious figure, characteristic of his music. Fundamentally, we learn from this book that Langlais was as human as any of us, musicians and otherwise, and it makes his life seem all the more rich and poignant for knowing how he lived it and what it brought him.

This is a great book, an indispensable guide for any who wish to explore Langlais and his music in more detail than is provided by CD notes and concert programmes. Even having read only a little, I am already finding myself engrossed, enthralled and moved by it...