By the standards of the organ chorale genre, Alain's Choral Dorien is beefy; its four-minute duration and rich polyphony extend beyond the realm of a simple miniature. Alain built this piece on the dorian mode—but the dorian mode in the ancient Greek usage, which is thought to have been more like the medieval phrygian mode. Whatever one chooses to call it, this modal structure is only a foundation for the chorale; it moves quickly into a more chromatic harmonic language, making only vague references to specific scales and tonal centers. At a slow, processional tempo, the piece evolves from a cautiously rising four-note motif; melodically, the piece wanders up and down the scale from there, but it always returns to some form of the original motif. Dominated by long, ominous pedal notes, the chorale increases gradually in volume, though it never reaches a loud climax; instead, it falls away gently into silence.

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