Messiaen, Olivier: The Works for Orchestra
2000-2008
2018
Olivier Messiaen
Roger Muraro
Yvonne Naef
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg
Sylvain Cambreling
CD 1 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: The Forgotten Offerings
CD 1 Tr. 2 Olivier Messiaen: The Ascension for Orchestra (Four symphonic meditations)
CD 1 Tr. 6 Olivier Messiaen: Poems for Mi
CD 2 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphony for Piano, Ondes Martenot and large Orchestra
CD 3 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: The Awakening of the Birds for Piano and Orchestra
CD 3 Tr. 2 Olivier Messiaen: Exotic Birds
CD 3 Tr. 4 Olivier Messiaen: Chronochromie for large Orchestra
CD 4 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum for Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion Instruments
CD 4 Tr. 6 Olivier Messiaen: The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ
CD 6 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: From the canyons to the stars
CD 7 Tr. 6 Olivier Messiaen: The city on high
CD 7 Tr. 7 Olivier Messiaen: A Smile for Orchestra (1989)
CD 8 Tr. 1 Olivier Messiaen: Illuminations of the beyond
A unique box set featuring outstanding performances of Olivier Messiaen's complete orchestral works. Both conductor and orchestra are fine exponents of Messiaen’s music, as demonstrated in these wonderful interpretations. First-class soloists Roger Muraro and Yvonne Naef are an additional draw. Re-release of an SWR music bestseller (ex. 93.225).
Olivier Messiaen's artistic creed is built on music that highlights sensuality, melody, Catholic mysticism and an unbridled palette of colour, all of which has made him a unique figure in French music. Messiaen's cosmos is full of paradox and perplexity, conceived on a visionary scale. The combination of rationality and mysticism, of the worldly and otherworldly, of paeans to nature and dances of the stars - this is all constantly intertwined with the aim of praising God. Messiaen was an ardent catholic, he was an ornithologist, and he gathered important elements of his musical idiom from East Asia. These fuse with an unusually large orchestra to produce an ecstatic and mystic sound world.
Sylvain Cambreling's in-depth knowledge of Messiaen's works is peerless, which led to performances with the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg that remain unrivalled.