Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Messiaen: Vingt Regards - II. Regard de l'étoil


Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano

I am going to post Olivier Messiaen's Twenty Meditations on The Baby Jesus this Advent.  I was thinking of renewing the posts of Magnificat settings I did last December with associated antiphons as those entered into the liturgical calendar,  I will probably post some settings but I don't have the free time for research I did last year.

Messiaen was a Christian mystic, a Catholic mystic and his music is a product of his mysticism.  If you would like to hear these played, all at once, the recording by his wife, Yvonne Loriod, a great pianist and, she being his closest and most intimate associate,  as close to the composers' intent as you are likely to find.   At just over two hours, it is a real challenge to sustain your attention.  I'm not sure but taking one meditation at a time is likely to give you more.

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