Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Messiaen's Vingt Regards is a monumental work whose 20 pieces, each with a programmatic religious-spiritual title, run over two hours and demand a pianist, like Steven Osborne, with the virtuosity and idiomatic mastery to do them justice. To the unwary, there's a contradiction between the music's elevated spiritual concerns and the richly textured sounds that reach the ear, especially since those sounds are bathed in sensuous harmonies and modernist chords. But while religiously inspired music is usually austere, Messiaen's color-drenched sound world is his analogy for spiritual transcendence. On another plane, this work is an adventure in exciting listening--from the hushed mysteries of the first Regard to the rhetorically powerful final "Theme of God." Once heard, the Vingt Regards can't be forgotten, as they teem with inventiveness and originality, still sounding fresh 60 years after they were written. Osborne's performance is among the best on disc: virtuosic, well-paced, with a huge dynamic range, fiery in the explosive moments and caressingly sweet in the contemplative ones. Engineering and notes are exemplary, too. --Dan Davis

Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus, Music, Olivier Messiaen, Steven Osborne, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Keyboard

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus
Average customer rating:

Indescribably Beautiful

A brilliant take on some difficult music

An indescribable accomplishment

This is amazing, otherworldly music

Tremendous

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004R7UX
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: I. Regard du Pere: Extremement lent. Mysterieux, avec amour
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: II. Regard de l'etoile: Modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: III. L'exchange: Bien modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: IV. Regard de la Vierge: Bien modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: V. Regard du Fil sur le Fils: Tres lent
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: VI. Par Lui tout a ete fait: Modere, presque vif
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: VII. Regard de la Croix: Bien modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: VIII. Regard des hauteurs: Vif
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: IX. Regard du temps: Modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: X. Regard de l'Esprit de joie: Presque vif

Tracks:

Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XI. Premiere communion de la Vierge: Tres lent
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XII. La parole toute-puissante: Un peu vif
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XIII. Noel: Tres vif, joyeux
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XIV. Regard des Anges : Tres vif
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XV. La baiser de l'Enfant-Jesus: Tres lent, calme
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XVI. Regard des prophetes, des bergers et des Mages: Modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XVII. Regard du silence: Tres modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XVIII. Regard de l'Onction terrible: Modere
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XIX. Je dors, mais mon coeur veille: Lent
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant - Jesus: XX. Regard de l'Eglise d'amour: Presque vif

Amazon.com

Olivier Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (Twenty Ways of Looking at the Infant Jesus) is just that--20 intense miniatures in which the composer explores his religious, spiritual, and musical convictions. Over the course of its two hours, you'll hear birdsongs, a bit of Liszt, and plenty of dissonance, along with some genuine moments of tenderness and even sensuality. It's easily Messiaen's greatest work for the piano, and playing its many facets effectively is a challenge few musicians have accomplished. Despite stiff competition from Hakon Austbo and the composer's wife (Yvonne Loriod), Pierre-Laurent Aimard delivers what is undoubtedly the finest recording to date of the piece. Aimard, who studied under the composer and Loriod herself, rises to the difficulties of this work and all its tonal colors. He's rhythmically precise, yet he brings out the subtleties of the music as well. Messiaen's great work has never sounded better, due in part to Teldec's great recording, but mostly to Aimard's versatile playing. An impressive release and a must-have for Messiaen lovers. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Indescribably Beautiful.......2004-11-10

My concert-going days go back to hearing Artur Schnabel in 1947, and when I say that a recital I heard a year ago by Pierre-Laurent Aimard in which he played five of the 'Vingts Regards' is among the greatest musical experiences I've ever had, it is against that background of almost sixty years of wonderful music heard in many different venues and with many wonderful musicians. (I must add that he also played several of the Ligeti 'Études' and that made it all the more special.) At the same time I must say that my knowledge of Messiaen's piano music had been pretty meager until the past couple of years. The reason for that was that I had been very much turned off by Peter Serkin's recording of 'Vingt Regards' of some years ago (and which I see has just been reissued by RCA in a 'remastered' edition.) I will admit that I may not have been ready for this work when I first heard the Serkin; people whose judgment I respect have told me I'm mistaken in my original assessment of the Serkin recording. Be that as it may, I believe that this Aimard is an amazing document of great beauty and understanding on his part, not surprising considering he studied for seven years with Yvonne Loriod, the composer's wife and primary interpreter in earlier years.

For those who find Messiaen a bit difficult to get into, I'd suggest that this work may not be the first work they should hear, but once one has Messiaen's style from some of his orchestral works, say, in one's ears, it is a logical next step. And the next thing to remember is that for all its intellectual and religious underpinnings, the best way into Messiaen's world is through simply letting it happen. It matters not to most listeners that Messiaen used Hindu rhythms, or scales of his own devising, or transcribed birdsong, or whatever other esoteric technical strategy. What matters is the overall impression. And that can only be gotten by simply letting the music wash over you, seep into your pores so to speak. Eventually, even if his language seems strange at first and even if his time-scale is at odds with your own probably more fast-paced one, just let it happen. From the performer's perspective, of course, one cannot do that. And this is where Aimard shines. He completely understands the technicalities of Messiaen's style, and he has complete mastery of the virtuosic technique involved, but he presents the music in a way that does not call attention to those things. Rather, he plays the music the way an earlier generation must have presented the music of the then-new Debussy--for the sound experience itself. Debussy confused early listeners, too, but they were soon won over, strange as it must have sounded to them initially. However, once one understands more about Messiaen's technical procedures (the use of leitmotivs, for instance) this performance is all the more wonderful, because one can also then hear Aimard's complete identification with it.

Finally, I want to comment that the recorded sound of the piano is quite lifelike, and as a pianist myself I will add that the instrument is an exceedingly attractive-sounding one that is well-regulated.

Two thumbs up.

2 CDs: TT=116 mins.

Scott Morrison

A brilliant take on some difficult music.......2004-03-16

I'll admit this right at the start: I am not a devotée of Messian's music. Maybe it's because, having been raised by French Catholics, I find his religiosity annoying. I also think that he has tendency to go on and on (wouldn't *ten* contemplations of the Infant Jesus have been enough?). With that off my chest, however, I'll also say that the Vingt Regards contains some gorgeous stuff, and is probably the greatest work for solo piano that Messian created. It takes a pianist of extraordinary skill and sensitivity to make these sprawling, ecstatic pieces sound like something more than a jumble of crashing chords and twittering birds. Aimard is just such a pianist. If this recording can make even a sceptic like me sit up and take notice, he's really doing something. Of course, no one who owns the old Peter Serkin set should discard it, but since that's unavailable on CD, I'm grateful for Aimard's astonishing account.

An indescribable accomplishment.......2003-12-17

Having just seen Aimard perform this piece last night, I am compelled to try and share with others an experience unlike any other. The chance to hear this mammoth work live is once in a lifetime, but the ability to hear Aimard's interpretation over and over again is a true gift that should not be passed up. Aimard plays possessed by this music, and his utter devotion and belief keeps him sounding bold and inspired from the first moment to the last. Messiaen's distorted kaleidoscope of a score is so multifaceted, all-encompassing, and overabundant that you may almost forget there is only one piano (if not one instrument), and this intimate recording captures it all.

I cannot speak about what this music does for Catholic listeners, but as someone who is not Catholic, nor Christian at all, I believe that this overtly religious score must not be read only on its surface symbolism. Like Bach's music, it is the spirit that dominates more than any pictorial representation of the nativity. Its themes transcend denominations to speak with terror and joy of the human condition.

In the end, it's an experience so monumental as to be ultimately indescribable.

This is amazing, otherworldly music.......2002-12-05

First things first. Olivier Messiaen was a 20th century composer. This is not Vivaldi. This is not this stuff you hear piped into Victoria's Secret stores. This is raw, powerful, atonal music. And I love it.

I've only started to discover the amazing world of Messiaen, and in my opinion, solo piano is a good starting place for dissonant music. Instead of trying to interpret an entire orchestra's motives, you can concentrate on just one instrument.

This particular piece is stunning in its scope (about two hours long) and subject matter (a musical interpretation of twenty different viewpoints on the infant Jesus). Messiaen's deep religious faith has produced a work of amazing clarity and focus.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, a former pupil of Messiaen's, tackles this daunting piece amazingly well. This is a beautiful piece of music that may be difficult to digest, but those with the patience to explore it fully will be greatly rewarded.

Tremendous.......2001-09-23

Aimard reveals an amazing understanding of this wonderful music. Having worked with Messiaen perhaps more than any other pianist (besides the composer's wife), he is in an advantagious position to interpret this music. Most of all Aimard ushers you into the sound world of Messiaen, letting one linger in the galaxy above. The Teldec sound is clear, very present, and has excellent depth. I could not recommend this recording more highly.

Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur l'Enfant Jesus

Average customer rating:

Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur l'Enfant Jesus
Zehn
Manufacturer: Arte Nova Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000B9EXTO
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

I. Regard Du Pere
II. Regard De L'etoile
III. L'echange
IV. Regard De La Vierge
V. Regard Du Fils Sur Le Fils
VI. Par Lui Tout A Ete Fait
VII. Regard De La Croix
VIII. Regard Des Hauteurs
IX. Regard Du Temps
X. Regard De L'Esprit De Joie
XI. Premiere Communion De La Vierge

Tracks:

XII. La Parole Toute Puissante
XIII. Noel
XIV. Regard Des Anges
XV. Le Baiser De L'Enfant-Jesus
XVI. Regard Des Prophetes, Des Bergers Et Des Mages
XVII. Regard Du Silence
XVIII. Regard De L'Onction Terrible
XIX. Je Dors, Mais Mon Coeur Veille
XX. Regard De L'Eglise D'amour

Album Description

Messiaen's approximately 130-minute piano cycle Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus was written in 1944. The composer describes the twenty scenes of the cycle as "Gazes at the infant Jesus," whereby the beholder's contemplative gaze is placed at the center of events. Pianist Martin Zehn, a native of Berlin, specializes in modern and contemporary music and is currently recording the complete piano music of Messiaen. He is the winner of several scholarships and awards, including the German Academy Competition, second prize at the Vienna Beethoven Competition, and special prize there for the best interpretation of contemporary music. His is a major contribution to the recorded legacy of France's greatest modern composer.

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Average customer rating:

One of the best versions available!
A journey through new aspects of the piano
Deeply compelling into the realm of impassioned spirit
Another Naxos triumph
A masterful and spiritual performance of a Great Work!

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000013Z2
Release Date: 1994-11-29

Tracks:

Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: I. Regard du P
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: II. Regard de l'ile
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: III. L'ange
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: IV. Regard de la Vierge
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: V. Regard du Fils sur le Fils
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: VI. Par lu tout a fait
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: VII. Regard de la Croix
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: VIII. Regard des hauteurs
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: IX. Regard du temps
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: X. Regard de l'Esprit de joie

Tracks:

Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XI. Premi communion de la Vierge
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XII. La parole toute-puissante
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XIII. No
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XIV. Regard des Anges
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XV. Le baiser de l'enfant Js
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XVI. Regard des prophs, des bergers et des mages
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XVII. Regard du silence
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XVIII. Regard de l'onction terrible
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XIX. Je dors, mais mon coeur veille
Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus: XX. Regard de l'Eglise d'amour

Amazon.com

I like this translation of Twenty Ways of Looking at the Infant Jesus. This exhaustingly long and difficult suite by Messiaen, which expresses his religious dedication with great fervor, is not an easy listen, and is probably best digested a few pieces at a time. But it stands as a masterpiece of 20th-century piano writing, filled with the composer's most extravagant inspirations and an excitingly bold approach to the instrument. You can spend a lot more money to hear the series played by Messian's wife, Yvonne Loriod (Ades 203752), but frankly I think Håkon Austbø plays with a lot more power and color and he is certainly better recorded. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

One of the best versions available! .......2005-12-24

This is a superb reading of this immense cycle of difficult but otherworldly-beautiful music. I listen to this every Christmas Eve...it's my favorite Christmas music by far. I equate this cycle with the tremendous "Turangalila Symphony" of Messiaen, in that the large number of movements have recurring motifs and conceptual seedlings that germinate from movement to movement, binding the whole together in a majestic, cosmic conception very much appropriate to the subjects. The depth of feeling, from tender mystery to ecstatic joy are rendered with matchless perfection in this recording. Highly recommended!

A journey through new aspects of the piano.......2002-04-21

I was unaquainted with Messiaen before borrowing this cd at the local library, and this accessible, yet difficult work served as the trigger for my interest in one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

The 20 regards vary immensely in character, from the tranquil "Regard du Pere"(Glimpse of the Father) to the violent, barbaric "Par lu tout ete fait"(behold, all that summer has made). People who normally have prejudices against modern music(and there are many, trust me), are more likely to be open for it after hearing Vingt Regards, which is devoid of serialism, a definitive turn-off for the common ear.

Austbo is a fantastic pianist, and delivers a flawless recording, bursting with emotion and technical brilliance. The quality of the recording itself is great, and it is a pleasure to listen to. The feeling of quality permeats this cd, a rarity from Naxos, not the most respected label around.

Deeply compelling into the realm of impassioned spirit.......2002-01-16

Austbo has Yvonne Loriod and her pupil Pierre Aimard as contenders for the citadel interpretive realm of spirituality.Yes Aimard is recommended as a centrist reading, no great challenges or interpretive dangers ventured.Yet deeply compelling,as his Ligeti.
In contrast Austbo is quite overwrought at times,summoning(unnecessarily) the organ timbral dimensions, the lower depth octaves. Yet he restrains himself and is deeply compelling,dangerous at times in his interpretive demeanor. Reminds me of John Ogden(who had introduced this work to England in the Sixties) at moments, clean, razor sharp timbre,strident, deeply 'affretando' emotional equal to Loriod, who's performance cannot be considered definitive, simply one interpretation amongst others, "une jour comme une autre".

Austbo is very direct, compelling, engaging, without transgressing the dignity of the work's deep emotive spirtuality,And maintains with vigour, the work's Baroque structural dimensions firmly within grasp. And added to this is able to reflect, and impart the work's myterious transcendental content.

Deep respect for the 'Virgin',is revealed,as in the Fourth Movement "Regard De la Vierge" as well as the subsequent transgressive violence and brutality the work contains. Tenth Movement "Regard de l'Esprit de joie".

Messiaen had virtually reinvented the timbre of the piano, with his now well-known "mystical chords" as the very opening "Regard du Pere".
There are three structural means utilized here. Chords "Theme De Dieu" as the opening,Then "Theme De L'Etoile et de la Croix", a upper bass melody,or line of notes, and finally the "Theme d'Accords"four chords without rhythmic assignment,simply to be utilized within the frame of the work. These structural features appear prominently in the beginning movements,as points of clarification.
Messiaen's conceptuality as well had an element of the progressive,his Catholicism ventured into liberal realms, in the various depictions here as moments, spiritual experiences,canonical imagery from Catholic beliefs that were transgressive,ugly,and expressionistic.Something I doubt the Church in Rome had accepted at the time this work was written

Morton Feldman, a genius of restrained timbre once criticized(perhaps twice)Messiaen's "oldness"((more the purely musical)) that 'he was dead' as a creator, Nonsense Morty!, an old "Source Magazine",1969,0r 1970 quip essay,is evidence of this quote, perhaps he, Feldman was feeling a bit neglected,

Another Naxos triumph.......2000-12-18

This is very refined playing. The range of pianistic colors are huge, and Austbo plays with a lot of dedication. Of course, this isn't easy listening music, but the more adventurous listeners will be highly rewarded by this extraordinary fascinating, rich and varied score. Austbo won a Norwegian Grammy for this performance - and for good reason. Don't let the price/label tempt you to think there's something "cheap" about this performance - it's highly authorative and one of the jewels in the Naxos catalogue. Recorded sound is first-rate. Highly recommended!

A masterful and spiritual performance of a Great Work!.......1999-05-03

Messiaen's "Vingt regards..." has been one of my favorite piano works for many years. I had a front-row seat when Mr. Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod came to Swarthmore College, where Ms. Loriod performed the entire 20-mov't work FROM MEMORY. It was a wonderful experience. However, I never felt that Ms. Loriod expressed the subtlties of the work as well as the RCA recording of the work performed by Peter Serkin. Unfortunately, that recording is not available on CD. Which brings us to this superb performance by Mr. Austbo. I know this work intimately, and Hakon Astubo does a magnificant interpretation of one of the most profound major works for the piano of the 20th century. In the 20 movements of this score virtually every emotion, expression, and compositional element explored (by the late 1940's) was taken into account (and then some). The price of the 2-CD set is also very reasonable. I might also recommend Astubo's 3-CD recording of Messiaen's "Catalog d'oiseaux". It is equally remarkable. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

An astonishing recording
Osborne's Kapustin was good, but this is off the map...
First place among Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus

Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus
Messiaen , and Osborne
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006GO67
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Vingt Regards sur lEnfant-Jesus (Nos. I X)

Tracks:

Vingt Regards sur lEnfant-Jesus (Nos. XI XX)

Amazon.com

Messiaen's Vingt Regards is a monumental work whose 20 pieces, each with a programmatic religious-spiritual title, run over two hours and demand a pianist, like Steven Osborne, with the virtuosity and idiomatic mastery to do them justice. To the unwary, there's a contradiction between the music's elevated spiritual concerns and the richly textured sounds that reach the ear, especially since those sounds are bathed in sensuous harmonies and modernist chords. But while religiously inspired music is usually austere, Messiaen's color-drenched sound world is his analogy for spiritual transcendence. On another plane, this work is an adventure in exciting listening--from the hushed mysteries of the first Regard to the rhetorically powerful final "Theme of God." Once heard, the Vingt Regards can't be forgotten, as they teem with inventiveness and originality, still sounding fresh 60 years after they were written. Osborne's performance is among the best on disc: virtuosic, well-paced, with a huge dynamic range, fiery in the explosive moments and caressingly sweet in the contemplative ones. Engineering and notes are exemplary, too. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

An astonishing recording.......2005-10-18

Steven Osborne's recording of Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus gets to the heart of the matter. It realizes the two-fold nature of Messiaen's masterpiece; and in doing so, it fully reveals this music as not only an enormously intellectual challenge but as an immensely powerful emotional and spiritual one as well.

That this music poses a great conundrum for the pianist hadn’t impressed itself upon me so vividly until I heard this recording: it is both very passionate and very spiritual. This is exactly as it should be, since its subject is the infant Jesus, the Son of God. Messiaen made this music for Him, believing that mankind would never have known the deep spiritual truths if the Son had not become incarnate: God’s mind is too mysterious for man to know directly. For Messiaen, the passion inherent in being human and the spirituality of the Godhead came together in the Christ he worshiped. And so the two paradoxical elements are one in his music. Osborne communicates these two elements as I haven’t heard them before now.

This duality is evident in the very first piece in Vingt Regard, “Regard du Père,” ("Gaze of the Father"). The movement is marked Extrêmement lent. Mystérieux, avec amour. My previous standard in Vingt Regards has been Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who is rather matter-of-fact in this movement, his phrasing regular. His dynamic range varies from about mezzo piano to mezzo forte. Osborne’s approach to the piece is quite different. It is much slower. In fact, it is two full minutes slower! (Aimard, 6:10; Osborne, 8:10) Its dynamic range extends from about mezzo piano to some of the most amazing pianissimo recorded sounds I have heard, with perhaps one brief instant of mezzo forte. And here, I think that we are approaching the point at which all this technical business intersects art. We are listening to Messiaen’s aural picture of God the Father viewing his mortal Son, and Osborne’s vision spreads out at great length and is very hushed; the great chords of the God the Father theme (to be heard throughout Vingt Regard) impress the listener as imponderable and immensely tender. Aimard’s playing of this music, as much as I’ve enjoyed his recording in the past, now seem to miss the mark. Remember Messiaen’s directions: extremely slow, mysterious, with love. Osborne makes the music sound no less than that, and a great deal more, besides. The music has a sensuous, mesmerizing beauty. From the opening bar, Osborne’s use of the pedal causes chords to blur together. This, combined with Messiaen’s dissonances, causes this unworldly experience to seem very beautiful, not unlike the sensation of being beneath the sea. But that mixes metaphors. There is never any doubt that we are in the presence of the awe inspiring.

The fifth piece “Regard du Fils sur Fils,” ("Gaze of the Son upon the Son") is another case that speaks to the same point. It contains some of Messiaen’s’ famous bird music. Here Aimard’s birds, however beautifully they may sing, are earthbound creatures. Under Osborne’s spell, they sing a divine music. Osborne’s wonderful lightness of touch simply transforms this music into something unearthly. (This simply must be heard to be believed.) Again, the theme of God the Father wafts quietly through the left hand; but now, bright creatures, drunk on heavenly light, flutter in the right.

Steven Osborne performed Vingt Regards in Wigmore Hall, London, on January 5, 2000. That was two hours, ten minutes, of exhausting music making, without intermission. I’d really love to have been there. Failing that, I have this magnificent recording. It is full of the kinds of revelations I’ve described. While I have come back to Aimard’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus regularly, because it was the finest recording of the piece and because it is filled with amazing pianism, I play Steven Osborne’s recording often—sometimes repeatedly—because it allows me to experience the essence of the music, because it is beautiful and awe inspiring, and because I love it.

Most warmly recommended.

Osborne's Kapustin was good, but this is off the map..........2003-05-10

Let me start by saying this release is one of the best piano discs I have ever heard. The music, performance, sound, and presentation are all superlative.

I had enjoyed Osborne's Kapustin recordings (though I preferred Hamelin's live versions of the same material), but his newer Messiaen disc completely stunned me. Most obviously, Osborne has suddenly become a master colorist. I can't imagine a more immediately effective performance or recording of this material.

For me, Osborne's Messiaen disc has quickly become as cherished as Richter's 1958 Sofia Recital, Hamelin's Wigmore Hall Recital, or Hough's Mompou recordings. Please do yourself a favor and invesigate.

First place among Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus.......2002-11-01

This is a work which inspires passion - one way or another. Like the Goldberg Variations, it attracts pianists seeking an Everest to climb.

Of the CD versions of this work, I believe this recording is the finest now available. The colors achieved by Osborne, the delicacy of sound, the tone of the instrument, even the recording quality itself all lend itself to a superior recording.

The Aimard recording is good - but cooler. The opening work, "Regard du Pere" really sets the mood for the entire performance. It is hauntingly beautiful...sound rising from nothingness...exquisite tones...Aimard plays quicker and cooler -- Osborne's music is more sensual...captivating.

Tracks:

La Colombe
Chant D'extase Dans Un Paysage Triste
Le Nombre Leger
Instants Defunts
Les Sons Impalpables Du Reve
Cloches D'angoisse Et Larmes D' Adieu
Plainte Calme
Un Reflet Dans Le Vent
Regard Du Pere
Regard De L'etoile
L'echange
Regars De la Virege
Regard Du Fils Sur Le Fils
Par Lui Tout A Ete Fait
Regard De La Croix
Regard Des Hauteurs

Tracks:

Regard Du Temps
Regard De L'esprit De Joie
Premiere Communion De La Vierge
La Parole Toute Puissante
Noel
Regard Des Anges
Le Baiser De L'enfant-Jesus
Regard Des Prophetes, Des Bergers Et Des Mages
Regard Du Silence
Regard De L'onction Terrible
Je Dors, Mais Mon Coeur Veille
Regard De L'eglise D'amour

Average customer rating:

Still the best
A devotee's early--and very fine--performance of Vingt Regards

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3
Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3; 5 Études-tableaux
Italy

ASIN: B0002VYDYG
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Amazon.com

Written in 1944, when Messiaen was 36, this work is often viewed as a masterpiece of the 20th century. It is formidable in size, length, volume, and visionary ambition. A devout Roman Catholic, Messiaen drew inspiration from the Church and its symbols, as well as from the sights and sounds of nature, especially the bird-songs that he loved and incorporated into his music. The 20 movements of this work are meant to illustrate different ways of contemplating the Nativity. They bear elaborate titles, which however do not seem to illuminate the music, at least for those unfamiliar with the religious background. But this does not really matter to the actual musical experience. The work's most pervasive characteristics are its obsessive repetitiousness, and, apart from a few soft, beautifully lyrical sections, its relentlessly high decibel level. The sustained intensity and aggressive ferociousness of the banging and crashing can be quite terrifying. Contrast is created through different textures, tempi, moods, and sudden short-lived drops in dynamics. Messiaen's genius found expression most arrestingly in his orchestration; he exploits, combines and contrasts instrumental colors and timbres with extraordinary mastery and imagination. Here, he almost succeeds in turning the piano into an orchestra, making it sing, speak, growl, clang, crash, and scream. Sometimes it seems to carry on a conversation between different registers or between contrapuntal, chordal, and call-and-response elements. The harmonic structure is fairly simple and essentially static. There are strong echoes of Debussy, of jazz, and of waltzes a la Richard Strauss. The performance is spectacular. Peter Serkin, long one of Messiaen's foremost interpreters, triumphs over all pianistic, sonic, intellectual and emotional demands. Piling sonority upon sonority, finding melodic voices in the huge chords and contrapuntal lines in the thick textures, he keeps even the slowest sections from sagging and turns the fast ones into powerful, scintillating cascades, leaving the listener dazzled and exhausted. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Still the best.......2006-11-20

Peter Serkin is both the pioneer and definitive performer of this work. His attention to the composer's tempo, dynamic, and rythmic markings are impeccable, though never slavish. He never tries to smooth over dissonances, though he also never exploits them for effect. Serkin also manages to bring out the recurring harmonic and thematic elements (peculiarly called "repetitiousness" by the reviewer) essential to understanding the architecture of the piece. This is especially apparent in his "Regard du fils sur le fils" in which the various dissonant chords in the extreme treble never detract from the "theme of love" in the left hand. His "Baiser de l'enfant Jesus" is incredible, especially the close with its sublime arpeggios. In Serkin's performance, one immediately detects the influence of Liszt ("Benediction de Dieu dans la solitude") on Messiaen, as well as Debussy in the wonderfully static "Je dors, mais mon coeur veille." Serkin's recording techniques for this piece were also quite innovative and give the work a strange out-of-this-world feel that doesn't exist in more recent recordings (Beroff): I own the original vinyl and couldn't believe my ears on relistening. Check out especially the descending figure in the treble in "Premiere communion de la Vierge": the notes sound as if they were beamed in from outer space!

A devotee's early--and very fine--performance of Vingt Regards.......2006-06-14

The Amazon reviewer is right that these "Twenty Views" of the Christ Child are not made more understandable by their Biblical subtitles, or for that matter their main title, either. One senses ntothing especially religious, devotional, mystical, or child-like in Messiaen's various episodes. The idiom is nowhere near as fierce as the Amazon reviewer warns, however. There is little obsessive repetition, and the music is actually more often soft than loud. It's colofrful to say that the piano is made to "sing, speak, growl, clang, crash, and scream," but many of the episodes are gently reflective.

Messiaen has invented a variation on Debussy's discovery that the piano can be released from formal structure into free expression, color painting, and mysteriously shifting moods. However, Debussy employed a much wider harmonic range. Messiaen has some favorite chords and exotic effects, including his famous birdcals, that are displayed across a wide range of rhythms and fragmented phrases.

You'd never expect that such a long, rather opaque work could become a hit with audiences, but it has. I msut admit that Messiaen's idiom becomes hypnotic, and the simple forms, plus the absence of much dissonance, makes it easy for listeners to sink into the music.

Peter Serkin was a pioneer in the Vingt Regards, and although later recordings have shown wider dynamic ranges and fiercer attack, his inward way seems perfect--this CD is a classic of modern music performance.

Olivier Messiaen: Complete Works for Piano, Vol. 2 (Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus)

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Olivier Messiaen: Complete Works for Piano, Vol. 2 (Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus)

Manufacturer: Centaur
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000D9PPL
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus / Préludes - Michel Béroff

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Heaven-Sent Piano Playing

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus / Préludes - Michel Béroff
Olivier Messiaen , and Michel Béroff
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024E0G
Release Date: 2002-08-05

Tracks:

Prld No.1: La Colombe
Prld No.2: Chant D'extase Dans Un Paysage Triste
Prld No.3: Le Nombre Leger
Prld No.4: Instants Defunts
Prld No.5: Les Sons Impalpables Du Reve
Prld No.6: Cloches D'angoisse Et Larmes D'adieu
Prld No.7: Plainte Calme
Prld No.8: Un Reflet Dans Le Vent
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.1 - Regard Du Pere
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.2 - Regard De L'Etoile
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.3 - L'Echange
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.4 - Regard De La Vierge
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.5 - Regard Du Fils Sur Le Fils
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.6 - Par Lui Tout A Ete Fait
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.7 - Regard De La Croix
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.8 - Regard Des Hauteurs

Tracks:

Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.9 - Regard Du Temps
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.10 - Regard De L'Esprit De Joie
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.11 - Premiere Communion De La Vierge
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.12 - La Parole Toute-Puissante
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.13 - Noel
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.14 - Regard Des Anges
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.15 - Le Baiser De L'Enfant Jesus
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.16 - Regard Des Prophets, Des Bergers Et Des Mages
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.17 - Regard Du Silence
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.18 - Regard De L'Onction Terrible
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.19 - Je Dors, Mais Mon Coeur Veille
Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus: No.20 - Regard De L'Eglise D'amour

Customer Reviews:

Heaven-Sent Piano Playing.......2003-04-21

It's the stupendous piano playing - both virutosic and musical - that puts this classic Messiaen set at the top of the pile. The pleasingly natural piano sound is captured in a most beautiful recording. The range of Beroff's touch is wonderfully varied, from the gentlest chord to colossal accumulations of sound, yet his tone is never forced. Above all, Beroff is second to none in his ability to let you hear what is going when the music is at its most rhythmically complex and technically demanding. In Regard No 6 ("Par lui tout a ete fait") and No 10 ("Regard de l'esprit de joie"), for example, the strength and clarity of his fingers is miraculous, his agility in covering the entire keyboard in extremely fast and multilayred music breathtaking. These recordings are among the great piano recordings of all time, regardless of repertoire. I originally bought this set, despite already owning Austbo on Naxos, because I was intrigued by excerpts played on BBC Radio 3's Building a Library. The reviewer noted how Beroff captured the birdsong imitations that crop up here and there even in this cycle. I came back to the Beroff set a number of times before I realised that what was drawing me in was the sheer beauty of the piano playing. Beroff puts his virtuosity at the service of the music so successfully that it takes time for you to listen to the music as pure piano playing and to realise how perfectly the artist's technique serves this extraordinarily demanding music. This is really great Messiaen playing, virtuosity that is right at the top of the pantheon, up there with the greatest things achieved by whoever you care to mention- Argerich, Hamelin, Horowitz, Richter etc etc. Bravo!

Olivier Messiaen: The Piano Works - Peter Hill (including Catalogue D'Oiseaux (Complete 7 Books); auvette des Jardins; Petites Esquisses; Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus; Visions de l'Amen; etc.)

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Olivier Messiaen: The Piano Works - Peter Hill (including Catalogue D'Oiseaux (Complete 7 Books); auvette des Jardins; Petites Esquisses; Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus; Visions de l'Amen; etc.)

Manufacturer: Regis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000V86LO
Release Date: 2003-10-13

Album Description

OLIVIER MESSIAEN (1908-1992)

THE COMPLETE PIANO WORKS

Peter Hill, piano
INCLUDING: Catalogue D'Oiseaux (Complete 7 Books); laFauvette des Jardins; Petites Esquisses; Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus; Visions de l"Amen; Preludes; Quatre Etudes, Canteyodjaya; fantasie Burlesque, Rondeau and more...