Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Started by bhodges, January 03, 2008, 09:35:19 AM

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Mahlerian

I have the middle two, and I prefer the latter, though the tempos are definitely slower than normal, and that might be a problem for some.
"l do not consider my music as atonal, but rather as non-tonal. I feel the unity of all keys. Atonal music by modern composers admits of no key at all, no feeling of any definite center." - Arnold Schoenberg

snyprrr

Quote from: amw on December 27, 2016, 04:58:49 AM

Anyway, using my highly scientific and exhaustively researched methods of randomly listening to a few seconds of various things

Trial results will be posted when I get around to it. The match will use a double elimination system with the grand prize recording receiving untold wealth and prestige. All of the musicians will be monitored for performance enhancing drugs and such

excellent!!!

Shall I get the wetsuit out now, or wait?

Turner

#442
It was perhaps mentioned here before, but there´s an interesting recording of the "Quatuor ..." with Messiaen himself too, Pasquier etc.
The sound is not that bad.

I also have 2) Loriod/Poppen, and 3) New York Philomusica Ensemble (double-CD with interesting couplings, a Vox Candide recording).
Skipped one with the Danish Funen Trio, coupled with Bartok.

Am pretty satisfied with the contrasts provided by those three.

PotashPie

One of my favorite Messiaen works is  Couleurs De La Cite Celeste.


amw

Quote from: Mahlerian on December 27, 2016, 05:00:26 AM
I have the middle two, and I prefer the latter, though the tempos are definitely slower than normal, and that might be a problem for some.
For all that I go on about how great fast tempi are, I actually am not totally opposed to being slow. Wouldn't wanna be without Fiorentino's Schumann Fantasy or the Belcea Quartet's Op. 132 or the Talich Quartet's Brahms sextets etc. So that's not a huge problem.

Quote from: Turner on December 27, 2016, 06:05:36 AM
It was perhaps mentioned here before, but there´s an interesting recording of the "Quatuor ..." with Messiaen himself too, Pasquier etc.
The sound is not that bad.
Didn't make the cut tho. I guess I prefer Messiaen's wife when it comes to the ivories.

Quote
I also have 3) New York Philomusica Ensemble (double-CD with interesting couplings, a Vox Candide recording).
Skipped one with the Danish Funen Trio, coupled with Bartok.
don't know these two.

Crudblud

Quote from: millionrainbows on December 27, 2016, 08:35:44 AM
One of my favorite Messiaen works is  Couleurs De La Cite Celeste.



I came here to post about this piece, this exact recording in fact. It's extremely dazzling in that way Messiaen does so well.

PeterWillem

#446
One of my very top desert island discs, definitely. I've heard few other versions of those tunes but this one firmly stands above others. Hats off to Mrs Bate.

Mahlerian

Jennifer Bate's whole set of Messiaen's organ works is available in Mp3 form for a very low price on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Messiaen-Organ-Works-Jennifer-Bate/dp/B00XMB7SG8
"l do not consider my music as atonal, but rather as non-tonal. I feel the unity of all keys. Atonal music by modern composers admits of no key at all, no feeling of any definite center." - Arnold Schoenberg

PotashPie

I found this used, and it's one of the best I've heard. I keep coming back to it. The recording is what I like, rather close and not a hall sound. The delicate bird embellishments are very convincing, just right. The other parts are not overly forceful, but just right. It seems to create a good calming mood when that is called for.


Maestro267

I recently purchased Warner/Erato's 18-disc Messiaen Edition boxset, so I've been listening to a fair bit of his music in recent days. I particularly enjoyed the Meditations sur le Mystere de la Saint-Trinite (forgive me if I've got the title wrong). I love the colours Messiaen comes up with on the organ.

Maestro267

At some stage, I'm going to have to tackle the two enormous piano cycles in this boxset, Catalogue d'oiseaux and Vingt regards, although I'm beginning to think that, unlike other "concert length" works, I may have to split them across several listening sessions, possibly over a day or two. I want to give them a go, but the thought of 2½ hours of nothing but piano music (and that's just for one of those works) is rather daunting.

CRCulver

Quote from: Maestro267 on April 22, 2017, 12:10:03 PM
At some stage, I'm going to have to tackle the two enormous piano cycles in this boxset, Catalogue d'oiseaux and Vingt regards, although I'm beginning to think that, unlike other "concert length" works, I may have to split them across several listening sessions, possibly over a day or two. I want to give them a go, but the thought of 2½ hours of nothing but piano music (and that's just for one of those works) is rather daunting.

Vingt regards is pretty easy to sit through if you watch the Roger Muraro DVD, as then you have all the visual element of watching a pianist perform this often challenging score. That said, while Muraro was my way into the piece, it is the Aimard recording on Teldec that I now go back to when I'm in the mood for the work.

James

Interesting bit of theory .. Messiaen's 3rd mode, the all-interval tetrachord, and Giant Steps

https://www.youtube.com/v/sQGWAnYd7Iw
Action is the only truth

James

Quote from: CRCulver on April 22, 2017, 01:38:05 PMit is the Aimard recording on Teldec that I now go back to when I'm in the mood for the work.

That disc is mind-blowing. Along Ligeti's studies .. the best Aimard recording (thus far).
Action is the only truth

snyprrr

Quote from: James on April 22, 2017, 02:04:13 PM
Interesting bit of theory .. Messiaen's 3rd mode, the all-interval tetrachord, and Giant Steps

https://www.youtube.com/v/sQGWAnYd7Iw


I got sour kitty face listening to his improv :P Monk+Rihm= aye caramba!!




yes, I know, they're just random,... but that's what it reminded me of, lol :)



I'm still on the hunt for the best overall Catalog of Birds... I wish Teldec had one, or a great Philips...

James

Quote from: snyprrr on April 23, 2017, 08:46:44 AMI'm still on the hunt for the best overall Catalog of Birds... I wish Teldec had one, or a great Philips...

You check out Peter Hill on Regis?
Action is the only truth

Monsieur Croche

Quote from: snyprrr on April 23, 2017, 08:46:44 AM
I got sour kitty face listening to his improv :P Monk+Rihm= aye caramba!!
yes, I know, they're just random,... but that's what it reminded me of, lol :)

Lol.  It is not at all random, it is improvised by a guy who -- clearly enough -- comes from a jazz background, and his ear, motor habit, and rhythmic habits and impulses naturally come to the fore, even in Messiaen / sets theory mode :-)  NB, too, how he was much more interested in the Chord aspect vs. what can arise from the mode in various horizontal lines.  Ergo, from this player, you get what you get.
~ I'm all for personal expression; it just has to express something to me. ~

snyprrr

Quote from: Monsieur Croche on April 23, 2017, 01:42:08 PM
Lol.  It is not at all random, it is improvised by a guy who -- clearly enough -- comes from a jazz background, and his ear, motor habit, and rhythmic habits and impulses naturally come to the fore, even in Messiaen / sets theory mode :-)  NB, too, how he was much more interested in the Chord aspect vs. what can arise from the mode in various horizontal lines.  Ergo, from this player, you get what you get.

every now and then you'll hear THE boogie woogie riff pop up once in the course of a Serial piece, lol

btw- by random, I meant the Monk, because I thought some jazznazi might correct me on Giant Steps being... Coltrane?  but, it DID sound like Monk+Rihm (and, I've heard Rihm use the boogie riff in his Klavierstucke 7, I think)

Rons_talking

Quote from: James on April 22, 2017, 02:04:13 PM
Interesting bit of theory .. Messiaen's 3rd mode, the all-interval tetrachord, and Giant Steps

https://www.youtube.com/v/sQGWAnYd7Iw


While soloing with PC sets like the 0146 might be interesting over bluesy tunes (Blue Monk) or modal tunes (Footprints, Impressions), where the harmonic background is understood by all, the use of this on Giant Steps is meaningless. The trick is to play with and around the changes (the harmonic rhythm on GS is too fast for many improvisers to keep up) as Coltrane does so brilliantly. If one can't hear the implied progression in the soloists' notes--though not limited to it--the player sounds like he can't hear the changes. If I hear 0246 sets on Giant Steps I'll assume the player doesn't have it.

snyprrr

Quote from: α | ì Æ ñ on August 24, 2017, 03:12:16 AM
I've always been a big worshiper of his big orchestral works (and Catalog of Birds/organ works) but damn his smaller assorted chamber works are really fun to slice through. Lots of awesome lesser-known stuff. I've heard it all before, just not for a while. It's good to be back to Messiaen again  8)

BUT- did you hear the Foo Fighters with Rick Astley singing?????? that's what's important!!! ;) :D ;D :laugh: