My entrance into the works of Olivier Messiaen started with his organ music, which I find entirely unparallelled in it´s deep felt spirituality and ability to communicate faith. And surprisingly to me, I found it the most easily accessible of his music. For me, it started with this recording, moving me for days upon my first listening. I have never experienced faith, spirituality and the sense of eternity communicated so powerfully through music (or indeed through anything) before.
Newcomers to Messiaen´s music may find his organ works easier to approach than most of his other output, as I did. Subsequently I have discovered much of the same beauty in his orchestral pieces. I still have trouble with the Vingt regards and the rest of his piano music and the Quartet for the end of time as well, but I suppose I am getting there...And I´m looking very much forward to the Francoise d´Assise in Amsterdam (see below).
2008 is Messiaen year, celebration his 100th birthday with events covering the entire year. Plenty of opportunity for ondes martenot listening and thus I might finally experience a live performance of the Turangalîla symphony.
More background on Messiaen and the festival year on his website here and at co-blogger On an overgrown Path.
A full list of all concerts may be seen on Messiaen´s website here. There are hundreds of events to attend all over the world. Special website for the 2008 Messian year here.
The South-Bank Centre in London has a year-long Messiaen Festival, "From the Canyons to the stars". More here.
Events which I find of particular interest:
February 2nd: Olivier Messiaen Des Canyons aux etoiles. Ensemble Intercontemporain. Susanne Mälkki and Pierre-Laurent Aimard. London. More here.
February 7th: Turangalîla Symphony w/ Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia. London. More here.
February 17th: Boulez Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna and Messiaen "Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum" London Sinfonietta; Peter Eötvös, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK. More here.
May 1st: Ascension day service at Westminster Abbey with the organ version of l´Ascension. More here.
Spring 2008: Listening to Messiaen´s complete organ works at various London locations. More here.
June 2008: Saint François d´Assise musical director Ingo Metzmacher, director Pierre Audi; Camilla Tilling, Rodney Gilfry at Amsterdam Opera, Holland. More here.
August 31th 2008: Turangalîla Symphony, Simon Rattle with Berliner Phil. Salzburg. More here.
October 16th: La Transfiguration de notre seigneur Jesus-Christ for chorus & orchestra, Nagano with the Philharmonia. London. More here.
December 10th: Couleurs de la cité céleste and Sept Haïkaï, Boulez: sur Incises, Ensemble Intercontemporain w Pierre Boulez. London. More here.
Monday, 31 December 2007
2008 - The Messiaen Year
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3 comments:
Thanks for making me aware!
I do not understand or enjoy most of contemporary music, however much I try, but Messiaen is a big exception. Somehow his music moves me very deeply.
Contrarily to you, I have found the organ music quite difficult, probably I need to hear it more times and more often. However, I love his piano and chamber music (especially the Vingt regards and the Quatour), the Saint Francoise, and of course the Turangalila Symphony and the Eclairs sur l´Au-delà, which was the first work of him that I heard, and is probably still the one which I most like, with that finale which truly belongs to another world.
In connection to this, it can be mentioned that the Concertgebouw Orchestra will be performing in June 2008 both the Turangalila and the Eclairs, so Amsterdam will be that days promised land for all Messiaen lovers.
Good to hear about the Amsterdam programme, since co-blooger Gorzelak has just informed me on the completely miserable Danish programme which consist of a few organ performances...In the ideal world I would be hearing all of Messian´s orchestral pieces next year. Will definitely try to go to Amsterdan for Francoise d´Assise. Maybe I just have to give the vingt regards another try..
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