Messiaen: Orchestral Works

SWR Sinfonieorchester des Südwestrundfunks; Lang, Franz; Maier, Markus; Naef, Yvonne; Latzko, Reinhard; Boffard, Florent; Lentz, Thierry; Hartmann-Claverie, Valérie; Cambreling, Sylvain; Schorer, Jochen; Europe Choir Academy; Muraro, Roger; Ott, Gunhild; Pencz, Wolfhard; Friedel, Horst

This album is a rerelease of a SWR Classic bestseller, which features orchestral music by Olivier Messiaen. To characterize music, art, and nature of the French there are several stereotypes provided by the French themselves, such as brevity, clarity, brightness, transparence, and elegance. There are also a number of French artists who only fulfill these stereotypes to a modest degree. Olivier Messiaen, however, is most decidedly the least “French” of any composer to come out of the country known for its measured, discreet treatment of music. When asked about his aesthetics, he at first doubted that he had any at all, but then dared to express the much quoted confession: “I can probably say that my preference is for colorfully resplendent, refined, even voluptuous music, a kind of music that is familiar with tenderness and vehemence, love and impetuosity; a kind of music that moves listeners back and forth, that sings out; a kind of music that is invigorated by fresh blood, that knows about unmistakable gestures, that exudes a scent never before perceived, like a restless bird…”

Price: $66.98