Olivier Messiaen joue son « Livre d’orgue » (1951-1952)

Livre d’orgue [Organ book]
7 pièces pour orgue [Seven pieces for organ]
This video does not present the original manuscript in its entirety (images have been grabbed from Drouot, low quality); but rather merely its first three pages. Please be warned - I apologise.
Composer and organist - Olivier Messiaen
Organ - Sainte Trinité (Trinity Church), Paris, recorded 1957
00:00 - i. Reprises par interversion [Resumption by permutations]. Modéré
06:27 - ii. Pièce en trio [Piece in trio], pour le dimanche de la Sainte Trinité. Modéré
08:25 - iii. Les mains de l'abîme [The hands of the abyss], pour les temps de Pénitence. Bien modéré - Lent [etc.] - Bien modéré
15:39 - iv. Chants d’oiseaux [Songs of birds], pour le temps Pascal. Modéré
23:20 - v. Pièce en trio [Piece in trio], pour le dimanche de la Sainte Trinité. Bien modéré
31:57 - vi. Les yeux dans les roues [The eyes in the wheels], pour le dimanche de la Pentecôte. Vif
33:32 - vii. Soixante-quatre durées [Sixty-four durations]. Modéré
Score published by Alphonse Leduc (copyright for manuscript extracts)
Recording by EMI France, copyright 1959
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livre_d...)
As an extension of the soundworld of his Messe de la Pentecôte (indeed, the music of the Livre d'orgue is also partially derived from the Livre d'études rythmiques), Messiaen continues his exploration of sound-fields with the seven pieces of this Livre d'orgue, composed in Paris and in the Dauphiné mountains from 1951 to 1952. The major work, one of the composer's most important (we may compare its place in his œuvre as being like JS Bach's 'Kunst der Fuge') and most radical, stems from his experimental period. was published in March 1953 by Éditions Alphonse Leduc, and premièred by Messiaen on 23 April in Stuttgart for the inauguration of the organ at Villa Berg. The Paris premiére in the Church of the Trinity, on 21 March 1955, as part of the concerts of the Domaine musical, gave rise to an incredible rush: Pierre Boulez, expecting few people, had wanted to let the public enter through a small door by the side; however, a gigantic crowd pressed around the church, squeezing each other, and Messiaen had great difficulty in entering. “All of Messiaen's rhythmic technique is summed up in the seven parts of this Book, a magnificent synthesis in which enter the songs of birds and the other elements specific to his language; likewise, the essence of his thought is concentrated with such vigour that he touches on an ideal that is always coveted, if not realised. [...] the intensities, the timbres and the durations have an equal importance to the sounds. Sound-durations are now an intimate part of his grammar [...] In each of the seven pieces, Messiaen solves a particular problem of a technical nature” (Pierrette Mari). In a language marked by dodecaphonism and the serial spirit, with the rhythmic complexities developed by Messiaen, in particular from Hindu rhythms, the work reveals a formidable difficulty of execution; it lasts about 45 minutes. ([mostly from] Drouot)
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.

[@peterkrustig9983]

Is it just me or does Messiean play le yeux a bit slower then people do in a lot of recordings you can find online? Interrestingly I think both ways of playing it work quite well to get the "message" of the piece across. Messiaens version sounds a lot less like the musical sledgehammer that it usually becomes (especially in Latrys recording but thats obviously also due to the very different organs used in each recording).

[@ThatcherNelson]

Glad to see you upload : )

[@chronochromie772]

Duly forgive my sporadic activity...

[@themoonfleesthroughclouds]

Do you think you'll come back to SVC/Discord again? :0