Messiaen, Olivier (1950-1951): Messe de la Pentecôte pour orgue - Olivier Latry

Composer: Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (10 December 1908 - 27 April 1992)
Performer: Olivier Jean-Claude Latry (born 22 February 1962), Notre-Dame de Paris
Organ: Various builders (1402-2024); Cathédrale-Basilique Notre-Dame, District IV, Paris, France
Published by Alphonse Leduc in December of 1951 following its completion in January of that month and première held in discretion at the noon Pentecost Mass of the Église de la Sainte Trinité de Paris with the composer at the grand organ of the church (13 May 1951).
For an alternate interpretation played by Catharine Crozier and a typeset by Eugène Mylen, see this video:
• Olivier Messiaen - Mes...
The composer's recording:
• Olivier Messiaen joue ...
With the exception of the Offertoire, the first page of the manuscript of each movement (as well as the title page) is displayed before the presentation.
00:00 - Introduction
00:21 - i. Entrée (les langues de feu) // Entry (The Tongues of Fire). Bien modéré
03:03 - ii. Offertoire (Les choses visibles et invisibles) // Offertory (The Things Visible and Invisible). Bien modéré
14:50 - iii. Consécration (le don de sagesse) // Consecration (The Donning of Sagacity). Modéré
18:51 - iv. Communion (les oiseaux et les sources) // Communion (The Birds and the Sources). Modéré
25:42 - v. Sortie (le vent de l'Esprit). // Recessional (The Wind of the Spirit). Très vif
en.wikipedia.o...
Pentecost is a Christian observance that comemmorates the founding of the Catholic Church and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Virgin Mary and Apostles of Jesus Christ in the year 33.
The Messe de la Penecôte (originally Messe du Saint Esprit) was, according to Messiaen, “written in 1950, but improvised on the organ long before”. However, this is false: sketches exist for the work, which had been carefully refined, and even reuses music from the unpublished (and unfinished) Études rythmiques pour orgue and also a scrapped piano study. It is a synthesis of his famous improvisations on the organ of the Trinity. It was finished on 21 January 1951 and then published by Éditions Alphonse Leduc in December 1951. Messiaen discreetly premièred the work on the organ of La Sainte Trinité on 13 May of that year, during the Pentecost mass, and then replayed it regularly at the occasion of Pentecost. The work lasts 30 minutes, and is designed to be played during the office, the five pieces corresponding to the five occasions reserved for the organ during the mass.
Pierrette Mari says: "This mass is considered Messiaen’s masterpiece of organ music. […] the message it transmits is intimately linked to language, as it is the act of faith of a deeply religious musician, inhabited by the cult of spirituality and philosophy. Nature is within the poetry of this work; cataracts, avalanches bury the Offertoire under heaps of deep chords; in the Communion, birdsong and drops of spring water mark the melodic passage, eloquent, easy and seductive by its natural harmony, as there have always been in the music of Messiaen until now; on the exit blows the wind, fast, impetuous; finally, the larks sing a chorus that maintains the joyful vivacity and also the emotion that emerge from the work. As for the principle of composition, Messiaen explains it himself: 'I treated Hindu rhythms in rhythmic characters, Greek rhythms in irrational values, inversions over five chromatic durations and timbre melodies. To this must be added counterpoints of rhythms, series of timbres, pitches and intensities, a few embryos of neumes, all these processes articulated in a spirit familiar to serials.' […] The originality of the work is certain; it seems spontaneous. On closer inspection, we see that it is methodically organized. One touches the celestial spheres, but one reaches them by means of carefully calculated combinations; this is one of the many aspects of the Messiaen paradox".
([mostly from] Ader)
Selon la description de cette chaîne, je ne possède rien dans cette vidéo. La musique et les performances ont été téléchargées à des fins de divulgation uniquement.
As per the description of this channel, I do not own anything within this video. The music and performances have been uploaded for divulgation purposes only.

[@simon-holt]

Incredibly moving final piece, wonderfully well played. Liberated and unleashed! As it should be, like Pentecostal flames. The whole cycle is marvellous and one of Messiaen's greatest and most original (which is saying something).

[@joshuagearing937]

I absolutely love this work. Very obscure, and yet hauntingly beautiful. I'm sure that this element of mysticism plays a large part in this, especially concerning Messiaen's deep faith. I have to also say that listening to Messiaen has further strengthened my faith, and whilst not Catholic, I love incorporating his style into my playing (as an organist), and to find the beauty in the unknown.
Thank you for this upload- it is a gift to the TH-cam community! ❤

[@yagiz885]

Messiaen's wildest organ work after Meditations, I appreciate the recording preference as well.
8:40 Haydn Contrabassoon vibes

[@chronochromie772]

Isn't the Livre d'orgue wilder, perhaps?

[@yagiz885]

​@@chronochromie772 for few pieces, yes.

[@notgonnadoxxmyself2219]

excellent

[@marghorayeb5928]

Me in the last notes of the piece : 😶‍🌫