When Messiaen made the orchestral arrangement of his song cycle Poèmes pour Mi in 1937, it was considered unplayable because of its rhythmic complexity. Its difficulty lay in the composer's desire to have it sound like it was being freely improvised, which was not quite so tricky in the version for voice and piano (where he simply eliminated the bar lines), but which required extraordinary coordination to pull off with unanimity in a large orchestra of many dozens of individuals. For modern orchestras weaned on the music of ...
Read More
When Messiaen made the orchestral arrangement of his song cycle Poèmes pour Mi in 1937, it was considered unplayable because of its rhythmic complexity. Its difficulty lay in the composer's desire to have it sound like it was being freely improvised, which was not quite so tricky in the version for voice and piano (where he simply eliminated the bar lines), but which required extraordinary coordination to pull off with unanimity in a large orchestra of many dozens of individuals. For modern orchestras weaned on the music of the middle and late twentieth century, though, it holds no particular terrors, and the musicians of Orchestre National de Lyon play it like it was second nature. Jun Märkl leads a beautifully nuanced performance that does in fact have the spontaneity of an unpremeditated ecstatic effusion. The rhythmic fluidity, nuanced dynamics, and supple phrasing of Märkl's reading capture the romantic sensuality and mystical spirituality that are interwoven in the score. Messiaen wrote the solo...
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!