Messiaen: Concert à Quatre

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Concerto á Quatre was Messiaen's last work, left unfinished on his desk at his death. His widow undoubtedly followed his wishes and style in completing the orchestration. But we can still wonder whether the diffuse impression this score makes is inherent in its conception--that was sometimes a flaw of Messiaen's music--or if it needed revisions he didn't live to make. Don't use this disc as your introduction to Messiaen's orchestral works; try the collection on Chandos (CHAN 9301) instead. For the Messiaen collector, though, this disc is indispensable, not only for his last thoughts but also for the rarely-heard works that fill the remainder. Messiaen never heard this disc, but he loved Chung's conducting of his music. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

Variations On 'Mein Junges Leben Hat Ein End'
Allemande From Partita II, BWV 1004
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Shenandoah
Elegy
Semaine Sainte A Cuzco
Vocalise-Etude, Pour Voix Elevees
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully Addictive CD!.......2006-02-08

Inspired by a recent recital performance I attended featuring Ms. Balsom, I purchased her latest CD ("Bach Works for Trumpet"). I was completely blown away by her performance and immediately fell in love with the disc. And so began my quest to find "Music for Trumpet and Organ"- her debut album, released in the US in 2003.

I finally got it yesterday. I decided to put it in my CD player, and take it in while reading the program notes she included in the CD jacket. Wow, what a performance!

Ms. Balsom plays everything from Sweelinck's "Variations on 'Mein junges Leben hat ein End'" to Petr Eben's "Windows" with a sweet and captivating tone, and with virtuosic technical ability to match. Her performance on the "suite" of excerpts from Act IV of Purcell's "King Arthur," played on the baroque trumpet (basically a trumpet with no valves) was especially remarkable; and her performances of "Shenandoah" and George Thalben-Ball's "Elegy" on the flugelhorn were incredibly passionate. She captures the emotion of the pieces well.

Whether your interests are in late Renaissance or Baroque music, 20th century music, or anything in between; it's on this CD. And it's all played incredibly well. I would recommend reading her program notes that accompany the CD, they really add a lot to her performance.

Average customer rating:

Violence and peace
Have to love it

Olivier Messiaen: Concert à Quatre

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Olivier Messiaen: Éclairs sur l'au-delà (Illuminations of the Beyond)
Olivier Messiaen: Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum; Chronochromie; La Ville d'en haut
György Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets - Arditti String Quartet
Messiaen: L'Ascension
Des Canyons Aux Etoiles

ASIN: B000001GPE
Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

Concert a quatre: 1. Entree
Concert a quatre: 2. Vocalise
Concert a quatre: 3. Cadenza
Concert a quatre: 4. Rondeau
Les Offrandes Oubli - Meditation symphonique
Un Sourire
Le Tombeau Resplendissant

Amazon.com

The Concerto á Quatre was Messiaen's last work, left unfinished on his desk at his death. His widow undoubtedly followed his wishes and style in completing the orchestration. But we can still wonder whether the diffuse impression this score makes is inherent in its conception--that was sometimes a flaw of Messiaen's music--or if it needed revisions he didn't live to make. Don't use this disc as your introduction to Messiaen's orchestral works; try the collection on Chandos (CHAN 9301) instead. For the Messiaen collector, though, this disc is indispensable, not only for his last thoughts but also for the rarely-heard works that fill the remainder. Messiaen never heard this disc, but he loved Chung's conducting of his music. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Violence and peace.......2001-07-05

What's interesting in this recording is that it allows you to hear music from the youngest as well as the oldest Messiaen.

While his last work, Concert à quatre, is close to his usual mature style (including various birdsongs), it could be the concerto of a young man, full of poetry and optimism, with beautiful fresh melodies and an exciting final "dance".

But two orchestral pieces are also included in the CD form the early years of Messiaen: both Le Tombeau and Les Offrandes are fascinating as they already show the genius of a composer who immediately found his own style and own approach of music. they also emphasize something which is hardly noticed in Messiaen's music: violence. Far from always being sweet and peaceful, his music can be sometimes incredibly harsh, allowing a very interesting use of brass among other things.

Of course, peace and faith always conclude even his worst moment of violence, and few music are more moving than the end of Le Tombeau: on an everlasting chord whispered by the strings, the cellos sing a peaceful and heavenly melody which climb higher and higher until it finally fades in the major chord.

A very good direction and a high-class orchestra gives this music all its youthful energy... and all its wisdom.

Have to love it.......2000-12-10

This is Messiaen's last work and without doubt, one of my favorite. The recording couldn't be better since the concert was dedicated to all of those who play.

Average customer rating:

Ravel, Messiaen and Koechlin

Manufacturer: Ars Musici
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00003A9M6
Release Date: 1999-11-29

Mystic: The Musical Visions Of Olivier Messiaen

Average customer rating:

Discover a divine composer for just pennies
DON'T JUDGE THIS CD BY ITS COVER
Insightful collection of sublime music
Sounds like Debussy

Mystic: The Musical Visions Of Olivier Messiaen

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001GRV
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Concerto For Four: 'Volcalise'
Turangalila Symphony: 'Joy Of The Blood Of The Stars'
Turangalila Symphony: 'Garden Of Love's Sleep'
Quartet For The End Of Time: 'Praise Eternity'
Illuninations Of The Beyond: 'To Remain In Love'
The Ascension: The Ascension: Movement 1
The Ascension: Movement 2: 'Majesty Of Christ...'
The Ascension: Movement 3: 'Alleluia Of The Trumpet...'
The Ascension: Movement 4: 'Prayer Of Christ...'

Customer Reviews:

Discover a divine composer for just pennies.......2006-12-05

Anyone who takes a walk down the classical aisles at any record store will notice the sheer amount of compilations produced in this genre. From opera arias to ambient mixes to the greatest hits of a particular era, there's hundreds of them. But compilations of modern composers are rare, and Deutsche Grammophon deserves praise for this disc offering samples of the ecstatic music of Olivier Messiaen. The music of this devout Roman Catholic who saw colours when he heard notes and thought birdsong was the voice of God is full of majesty and glittery effects like no other.

The selections cover the two ends of Messiaen's career. Four selections are early. "The Ascension" for orchestra is from 1932, one of the his first major pieces he ever wrote. From the "Quartet for the End of Time", the masterpiece he wrote while held by the Germans in a prisoner of war camp, we have the passionate "In Praise of the Eternity of Jesus" movement. And from the "Turangalila Symphony" of 1948, the massive composition highlighting Messiaen's interest in exotic rhythms and praising romantic love, we get the two most exhuberant movements. The compilation skips over the 50s, 60s, and 70s. From the late end of Messiaen's career we get the "Abide in Love" movement from his last full work "Illuminations of the Here-After", and the "Vocalise" movement from his "Concerto for four soloists", completed by his wife Yvonne Loriod after his death.

The orchestral works here are performed by the Orchestre de l'Opera conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. I've never been too passionate about these, preferring the Rattle recording of the "Illuminations" and the Nagano of the "Turangalila Symphony". Ditto for the "Quartet for the End of Time", here in the old Barenboim recording, for which I prefer the TASHI ensemble's performance. Still, while the material here seems second-best to this review who has built up a whole Messiaen collection, none of the performances here are poor. You'll be entertained from all. There's also an informative booklet with enlightening details on the pieces.

If you're curious about Messiaen's music, this compilation, used copies of which go for pennies, is a great way to encounter the work of this highly individual and supremely listenable composer.

DON'T JUDGE THIS CD BY ITS COVER.......2000-11-30

As averse as I am most of the time to compilations, and with good reason (e.g. Mozart's Greatest Hits, Vol. 25), this CD is a find and, if not exactly altering my opinion, does serve up a little crow for me to munch.

At first I didn't know what to make of it; I'd seen it bouncing around the library bins for weeks, its purple "presence," with the DG logo hidden discreetly at the bottom left corner, throwing me completely offguard.

"MYSTIC." That's all the cover says. I thought--- not thinking at all, actually--- "Mystic," what? Mystic Moods (for a Rainy Night)? The Mystic Moods Orchestra?

So out of obstinate curiosity, and looking for something new to hear, I pulled the "plum" from the bin... and opened it.

Egad! Messiaen! Who would have suspected? (Purple for passion, I guess.) Regardless of this rather ludicrous marketing gambit, what we have here is an otherwise intelligently-packaged collection of superb music by Messiaen (1908-1992), crowned by the glorious "L'Ascension" (Four Symphonic Meditations for Orchestra) and sprinkled by excerpted "gems" like the "Vocalise," "Garden of Love's Sleep" and "To Remain In Love." Even a die-hard, anti-compilationist (like me) cannot fail but to be moved by these--- dare I speak the word!--- MYSTICAL, serene, beautiful and devotional pieces that form the very core of the composer.

In the very kindest sense of the analogy, this CD is the musical equivalent of CLIFF NOTES (except we're not drudging through WUTHERING HEIGHTS, here). And my feeling is: For those not familiar with Messiaen, any appreciable method to enlightenment is fine, any approach valid.

This CD offers the gentlest of entrees into the sound world of Messiaen, and for this, alone, it must be enthusiastically recommended.

[Running time: 75:18]

Insightful collection of sublime music.......2000-07-17

While Messiaen's music is finding increasing interest in recording and performance, it is still sometimes difficult "break the shell" to get to the heart of it. This disk not only serves the purpose of approaching his music, but itself provides a glimpse of the broad musical landscape, extraordinary tone color and inspiration in his writing. And the performance and production are first rate. A beautiful collection of music by one of the great composers of the last century.

Sounds like Debussy.......1999-09-28

Messiaen sounds like Debussy to me. I enjoyed this album very much and it seems to be a good introduction to his work. If you like meditative classical music, give this one a try.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

24 Off the Board [Live]

Dinners for Two

Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play the Blues

The Most Relaxing Jazz Piano in the Universe

Gate to the Mind's Eye

Essential R&B: the Spring Collection 2005 [Import]

Cole After Midnight

Famous European Organs: Krevese (Gansen Organ) - Dietrich Kollmannsperger

Dark Horses [CD-single] [Import]

BLOCH : Poems Of The Sea - Violin Concerto - Voice In The Wilderness

Early Autumn

Chayito Valdez, Las Mañanitas, En Tu Dia - Mañanitas A La Madre - Nochecitas Mexicanas

Coleccion Furia Tropical [Import]

Broken Wheel

The Italian