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See and read full transcript (in French)of the anniversary Mass held in Avignon on 10th December 2008 with the homely read by P. JEAN-RODOLPHE KARS. The mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Avignon, Mgr Jean-Pierre Cattenoz, in the church St Didier, where Messiaen was baptised, 15 days after his birth, on Christmas 1908. During the whole evening, Olivier Latry was at the organ. After the mass, two poems of Messiaen’s mother, Cécile Sauvage, were read, with improvisations at the organ. And finally, “La Nativité du Seigneur”, concluded this memorable celebration.

In the French Alps, in the heart of the Dauphiné, rises the Matheysin. Plateau Situated between Grenoble and Gap at an altitude of 900M this region is composed of lakes and mountains.  Many birds familiar to Olivier Messiaen populate the landscape with its quietude.  Messiaen bought his first house here in 1936.  This modest residence at the edge of the lake Laffrey was Messiaen summer refuge and an important composing environment.  Thus Messiaen wanted to protect this setting that inspired so many compositions.  The surrounding paths and byways were trodden by the composer while notating the songs of blackbirds, larks, warblers and so on.
This is the unexplored dimension of Olivier Messiaen, his favourite places that the festival "Messiaen in Matheysine" wishes to discover for enthusiasts of his music. See all details

Fantaisie (1933) pour violon et piano
(from Durand press release)

Composed in Paris in 1933 and hitherto unpublished, this work is dedicated to the violinist Claire Delbos.

Messiaen's output for the violin is very slight, limited as it is to two extremely well-known pieces: the Théme et variations of 1932 and the 'Louange a l'immortalité de Jésus' from the Quatour pour la fin du temps. So violinists will be especially glad to discover his Fantasie, a work for violin and piano.
It is dedicated to 'Mi', as the composer affectionately referred to Claire Delbos his first wife, whom he had already dedicated a cycle of melodies with piano or orchestral accompaniment called Poemes pour Mi.
The Fantasie is a continuous composition of 161 bars with three distinct themes, though the different sections also comply with the standard structure of exposition, development and recapitulation.

The first theme, stated by the piano alone, has considerable rhythmic variety and anticipates the 'gigantic' music of the Danse de la fureur of the Quatour. The second theme is based on a triplet motif followed by four repeated notes and a trill.
The third theme is a melody (marked molto appassionata) sustained by a variegated piano accompaniment.
Fantasie for violin and piano has a duration of 15 minutes.

American violinist and film maker Paul Festa premiered Fantaisie in the USA.
Read his insightful perspective and analyses of the piece here.

Read more here.

Read more here.

Apparition of the Eternal Church ~ A film by Paul Festa. Paul Festa’s award-winning and critically acclaimed first film Apparition of the Eternal Church captures a spectacular confrontation between thirty-one mostly nonreligious artists and the music of French Catholic composer Olivier Messiaen. Faced with the challenge of putting Messiaen’s apocalyptic music into words, listeners including literary critic Harold Bloom, filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell, actor and Pulitzer-nominated playwright Eisa Davis, Tony-nominated drag star Justin Bond (“Kiki & Herb”), Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic and the late harpsichord virtuoso Albert Fuller tell a story that ranges from scenes of torture and hellfire to sex and spiritual ecstasy. OH MY GOD: Messiaen in the Ear of the Unbeliever is based on Paul Festa's award-winning and critically acclaimed film Apparition of the Eternal Church. The book and movie capture the explosive responses of 31 mostly nonreligious artists to the apocalyptic music of the Christian visionary Olivier Messiaen.

NEW BOOK: Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d'Assise. Cammino verso la joie parfaite - by Silvia Corbetta. see bibliography

MESSIAEN MAGNIFIED - Banquet pour O by C. Scott Tresham

Banquet pour O is one of the most unique tributes to the work of pre-eminent French composer Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Banquet pour O is based on Messiaen’s own recording of Le Banquet céleste for organ, his first published composition. “I’ve carefully catalogued every duration of every note in that recording” says Tresham, “it’s not simply a case of saying all the quarter notes last this long, all the eighth notes are x number of seconds... many notes that look like they’re the same duration on the page are in fact completely different in Messiaen’s performance.” Each duration is then multiplied so that the entire performance (originally just over seven minutes long) will last 100 minutes. “I’m sure it will take [the audience] a while to adjust to this new level of slow, but once you do you enter a real contemplative state. There’s a whole universe to explore in each one of these sonorities. The experience can actually be euphoric.” Read more

12th festival Messiaen au pays de la Meije 2009 The 12th Festival 'Messiaen Au Pays de la Meije' has the theme: "La Tentation de l’exotisme " 25 July to 2 August 2009 www.festival-messiaen.com

!!!NEW RELEASE!!! Currently available for streaming and download only. This recording will be issued on physical CDs in 12/2009.
Naxos Catalogue No: 8.572189. Hetna Regitze Bruun, sop; Kristoffer Nyholm Hyldig, piano.

!!!NEW RELEASE!!! Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Myung-Whun Chung
Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France. Decca 478 1466

!!!NEW RELEASE!!! A new set in 4 volumes of the complete organ works performed by Eberhard Lauer / Kuhn-Orgel St. Johanniskirche Hamburg. Ambitus , DDD, 2005.

!!!NEW DVD of Saint François d´Assise out now!!! From OpusArte. CAT NO: OA1007D FORMAT: All Formats REGIONS: All Regions PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9 LENGTH: TBC SOUND: 5.0 DTS SURROUND / PCM STEREO SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/NL RELEASED: 01/03/2009 NO OF DISCS: 3 Messiaen's breathtakingly intense opera on the life of St Francis of Assisi stars Rod Gilfry as the charismatic visionary, beguiled by the glory of creation, yet fearful of both its imperfections and its transience. Pierre Audi's thoroughly engaging production for The Netherlands Opera brings out the naive imagery, the grandeur, and above all the vast tenderness of the resplendent score, revealed as a grandiose ritual with the meaning and purpose of life as its central theme. But the real drama of the work takes place in the orchestra. Elevated to stupendous heights by the sublimely inspired Ingo Metzmacher, The Hague Philharmonic and the Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera combine forces with a brilliant cast to produce the finest possible musical pilgrimage. forces with a brilliant cast to produce the finest possible musical pilgrimage.  The Angel: Camilla Tilling Saint François: Rod Gilfry The Leper: Hubert Delamboye Frère Léon: Henk Neven Frère Massée: Tom Randle Frère Élie: Donald Kaasch Frère Bernard: Armand Arapian The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher Stage Director: Pierre Audi

!!!NEW RELEASE!!! Messiaen et autour de Messiaen, for Onde Martenot and Piano ReR OM1 (May 2009 Release) Works by Olivier Messiaen, Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus (1941), Feuillets inédits Quatrepièces restituées et éditées par Yvonne Loriod- Messiaen. Vocalise-Étude (1935), Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus (1941). N’Guyen- Thien Dao, 2 - Bai Tap (1974) (for onde Martenot and prepared piano) Jacques Charpentier, Suite karnatique (1958) (for onde Martenot solo)and Tristan Murail, Tigres de Verre (1974). Nadia Ratsimandresy - onde Martenot Matteo Ramon Arevalos – piano and prepared piano

!!!OUT NOW!!! Claude-Samuel Levine new CD of a sequenced version of Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps with Claude-Samuel performing all the parts. Plus works for Ondes Martenot and Piano. More details here

!!!NEW RELEASE!!! New recording of Oiseaux Exotiques performed by The Norwegian Army Band, Bergen with Håkon Austbø piano conducted by Peter Szilvay. Aurora ACD 5057.

DVD BRL9022 Label: Brilliant Classics
Organ works (2 DVD)
Willem Tanke (Marcussen Organ of the Saint Laurens Church, Rotterdam)

2008 was the centenary of Messiaen’s birth, and this 2 DVD set of a selection of his organ music is a superb introduction for those new to his music and an essential purchase for all organ aficionados. Messiaen wrote in many genres, chamber, orchestral, piano solo, and enriched greatly the organ repertoire of the 20th century. Although Debussy and Ravel influenced his earliest works, (orientalism and famously the songs of birds were life long influences and a source of fascination to him) Messiaen became a significant influence upon avant-garde composers such as Boulez and Stockhausen. You can sample Tanke’s approach to Messiaen, which is influenced by his study of Buddhist faith and philosophy, on YouTube (keywords: Tanke and Messiaen). The technology afforded by DVD allows the listener to view from several angles, including underneath the bench to see Messiaen’s ferociously mobile pedal parts at first feet, as it were. ( Brilliant Classics )

Tanke plays the Marcussen organ in St Laurens Church, Rotterdam
Tanke has recorded the complete organ works of Messiaen for Brilliant Classics on CD, recently reissued in time for Messiaen’s centenary
‘This new set by Willem Tanke is most certainly Messiaenic heaven to me, and has placed the music far closer to my heart than any of the previous sets. This recent release is as close to perfect as I think I will find’ The Organ
Tanke is a specialist in the organ works of Reger, JS Bach and Messiaen. He is also famous as an improviser and champion of contemporary Dutch music. He is a professor of theory and improvisation at Rotterdam Conservatoire

DVD 1 [53:08]
Livre d'orgue
1. Reprises par interversion 6:47
2. Piece en trio 2:40
3. Les Mains de l'abime 9:35
4. Chants d'oiseaux 9:33
5. Piece en trio 8:36
6. Les Yeux dans les roues 1:54
7. Soixante-quatre durees 12:03

DVD 2 [51:12]
1. Adoro te (from: Livre du Saint Sacrement) 4:59
2. Entree (from: Messe de la Pentecote) 4:07
3. Meditation 3 (from: Meditations sur le mystere de la Sainte-Trinite) 4:09
4. Meditation 2 (from: Meditations sur le mystere de la Sainte-Trinite) 14:06
5. La Resurrection du Christ (from: Livre du Saint Sacrement) 6:23
6. Le Verbe (second part, from: La Nativite du Seigneur) 8:49
7. Les deux murailles d'eau (from: Livre du Saint Sacrement) 8:39

Bonus Track: Willem Tanke counting out loud:
8. Piece en trio, Soixante-quatre durees and Entree 18:56

Recorded: 14,15/05/2007
16:9, PCM Stereo, NTSC, Region All

Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet Hakim performs Livre du Saint Sacrement at the organ of Sainte-Trinite Paris Label: Ifo , DDD, 2008

On the occasion of 100th birthday of Olivier Messiaen, the Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg des SWR have prepared a sumptuous 8-CD-Box set. It is the first time that Messiaen's complex orchestral scores have been performed by a single orchestra and a single conductor Sylvain Cambreling and Roger Muraro piano. This results is a uniform interpretation, which in this case is characterized by an orchestra renown for its sensitive and insightful interpretations of the newest scores and a conductor who has been devoted to the cause of Messiaen's music. Hänssler Classic Verlag Doppel-CD 093.225.000

Lieder. 3 Melodies; La Mort du Nombre; Vocalise; Chants de Terre et de Cie Thema & Variationen für Violine & Klavier. Suzie Leblanc, sop, Lawrence Wiliford, tenor, Laura Andriani, violin, Robert Kortgaard, piano. Label:Atma DDD, 2008

Fête des belles eaux, Ensemble d'Ondes de Montréal. FEUILLETS INÉDITS, Louise Bessette (piano)
ATMA ACD22621 Label:Atma DDD

Les Oiseaux Louise Bessette, piano. Cantéyodjayâ, Prélude 1954. Petites esquisses d’oiseaux, La fauvette des jardins. ANALEKTA AN 2 9960

First recording (European Premiere) of Turangalila Symphonie recorded at Aix-en-Provence Festival on 25th July 1950. Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Télévision Française. Yvinne Loriod piano, Ginette Martenot Ondes Martenot, Roger Dèsormiére conductor. Part of a 6CD box set from INA Mémoire vive Aix-en-Provence (Festivals 1954-1957) IMV078

Hommage a Messiaen. Pierre-Laurent AIMARD. Preludes +La Bouscarle & L'Alouette Lulu from "Catalogue d'oiseaux"; Ile de Feu Nr. 1 & 2 from "4 Etudes de rythme"

New – Remastered edition of Messiaen Complete Organ Works (8-CDs) by Willem Tanke organ St. Bavo Basilica, Haarlem, issued by Brilliant Classics 8639 in over 40 countries.

7 CD box from Accord Les Premiers Enregistrements 1956-1962 Olivier Messiaen & Yvonne Loriod & Pierre Boulez & Maurice Le Roux Visions De L'Amen ~ Cantéyodjayâ ~ Catalogue D'Oiseaux ~ Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps ~ Sept Haïkaï ~ Turangalîla-Symphonie ~ Oiseaux Exotiques ~ Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jésus

9 CD SET of Messiaen's orchestral and chamber music. Includes: Turangalîla-Symphonie, Eclairs sur l'Au-Delà..., Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Des Canyons aux étoiles...,La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Les Offrandes Oubliees, Le Tombeau Resplendissant, L'Ascension, Chronochromie, Sept Haikai, La Ville D`en Haut, Et Exspecto, Concert A Quatre, Theme Et Variation, Poemes Pour Mi, O Sacrum Convivium. DGG UCCG4313

17 CD Box set ORGAN WORKS - PIANO WORKS - SONGS complete Willem Tanke, organ, St. Bavo's Cathedral, Haarlem Peter Hill, piano Ingrid Kappelle soprano Håkon Austbø piano. Brilliant Classics 8949 EAN Code: 5029365894920.

7 CD Box set of COMPLETE ORGAN WORKS performed by Hans-Ola Ericsson / Grönlund-Orgel Lulea Cathedral (Sweden).
BIS , DDD, 1988/1989.

Signum Classics SIGCD126 Matthew Schellhorn (piano) Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra TRACK LISTING 1. Fantaisie [8.59] Quatuor pour la fin du Temps 2. Liturgie de cristal [2.37] 3. Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps [5.04] 4. Abîme des oiseaux [8.21] 5. Intermède [1.48] 6. Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus [7.26] 7. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes [6.08] 8. Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'Ange ui annonce la fin du Temps [7.21] 9. Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus [6.56] 10. Le Merle noir [6.24] 11. Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes [3.07] 12. Morceau de lecture à vue World Première Recording

NEW SERIES OF DOWNLOADABLE TALKS BY P. JEAN-RODOLPHE KARS This transmission series, was recorded in 1997 for Radio Espérance.  Although these talks are directed to listeners of a Catholic culture they also provide a valuable musicological resource from a man who has experienced Messiaen and his music at first hand. The files are in MP3 format and available from Maison de l’Emmanuel Full pdf list of the files here

REGARD DE L'ETOILE. Latvian pianist Dzintra Erliha plays music by fellow Latvian Lucija Garuta and selections from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus. www.dzintraerliha.com

EMI CLASSICS Olivier Messiaen 1908 / 1992 : The Anniversary Edition (14 CD set) featuring Martha Argerich, Serge Baudo, Michel Beroff, Yvonne Loriod, Andre Previn, Olivier Messiaen, Michelle Command, Antal Dorati etc. see Full CD track details

6 CD set to celebrate the centenary. Works include: La Transfiguration / Visions de l'Amen / Sept Haikai / Couleurs de la Cite Celeste / Un vitrail et des oiseaux / Oiseaux exotiques / Des Canyons aux etoiles...

3 CD set to celebrate the centenary. Portrait: 35 Pages Essentielles

NEW RELEASE FROM DECCA MESSIAEN EDITION II Piano & Organ Music CD 1 [69:08] [1]Oiseaux exotiques (1955-56)13:35 Catalogue d’oiseaux(1956-58) Book 1 [2] Le Chocard des Alpes 8:49 [3] Le Loriot 7:27 [4] Le Merle Bleue 12:31 Book 2 [5] Le Traquet Stapazin 13:12 Book 3 [6] La Chouette Hulotte6:26 [7] L’Alouette Lulu 6:48 CD 2 [81:45] Book 4 [1] La Rousserolle Effarvatte 27:09 Book 5 [2] L’Alouette Calandrelle 4.27 [3] La Bouscarle 10:13 Book 6 [4] Le Merle de Roche 15:18 Book 7 [5] La Buse Variable 9:02 [6] Le Traquet Rieur 6:52 [7] Le Courlis Cendré 8:39 CD 3 [79:59] [1] Cantéyodjayâ (1949)12:27 Quatre Etudes de rythme (1949-50) [2] I Ile de feu I1:59 [3] III Neumes rythmiques 6:35 [4] IV Ile de feu 4:21 Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus(1944) [5] I Regard du Père 8:02 [6] II Regard de l’étoile 2:35 [7] III L’échange 1:50 [8] IV Regard de la Vierge 6:44 [9] V Regard du Fils sur le Fils 8:36 [10] VI Par Lui tout a été fait 9:12 [11] VII Regard de la Croix 4:28 [12] VIII Regard des hauteurs 2:01 [13] IX Regard du temps 2:28 [14] X Regard de l’Esprit de joie 8:23 CD 4 [73:58] [1] XI Première communion de la Vierge 7:38 [2] XII La parole toute-puissante 2:32 [3] XIII Noël 3:53 [4] XIV Regard des Anges 4:41 [5] XV Le baiser de l’Enfant-Jésus 12:24 [6] XVI Regard des prophètes, des bergers et des Mages 3:41 [7] XVII Regard du silence 5:39 [8] XVIII Regard de l’Onction terrible 8:33 [9] XIX Je dors, mais mon coeur veille 11:48 [10] XX Regard de l’Eglise d’amour 13:03 CD 5 [63:04] [1] O sacrum convivium! (1937) 3:55 La Nativité du Seigneur (1935) [2] I La Vierge et l’Enfant 5:55 [3] II Les Bergers 6:41 [4] III Desseins éternels 6:43 [5] IV Le Verbe 10:29 [6] V Les Enfants de Dieu 4:10 [7] VI Les Anges 3:26 [8] VII Jésus accepte la souffrance 4:17 [9] VIII Les Mages 9:11 [10] IX Dieu parmi nous 8:36 CD 6 [74:47] L’Ascension(1933-34) [1] I Majesté du Christ 6:37 [2] II Alléluias 7:25 [3] III Transports de joie 4:44 [4] IV Prière du Christ 7:13 [5] Diptyque (1930)11:06 [6] Apparition de l’Eglise éternelle (1932) 9:48 Messe de la Pentecôte (1949-50) [7] I Entrée (Les langues de feu) 2:24 [8] II Offertoire (Les choses visibles et invisibles) 11:22 [9] III Consécration (Le don de Sagesse) 3:54 [10] IV Communion (Les oiseaux et les sources) 5:59 [11] V Sortie (Le vent de l’Esprit) 3:22 CD 7 [62:56] [1] Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace (1960) 9:50 [2] Le Banquet céleste (1928, rev.1960) 6:16 Les Corps glorieux: Sept visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités (1939) [3] I Subtilité des Corps glorieux 6:31 [4] II Les Eaux des la Grâce 2:49 [5] III L’Ange aux parfums 7:44 [6] IV Combat de la Mort et de la Vie 13:24 [7] V Force et Agilité des Corps glorieux 3:20 [8] VI Joie et Clarté des Corps glorieux 5:32 [9] VII Le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité 7:03 Jean-Yves Thibaudet - piano (CD 1 track [1]) Robert Sherlaw Johnson - piano (CD 1 tracks [2]-[[7]; CD 2; CD 3 tracks [1]-[4]) John Ogdon - piano (CD 3 tracks [5]-[14]; CD 4) Simon Preston - organ (CD 5 tracks [2]-[10]) Thomas Trotter - organ (CD 6; CD 7) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (CD 1 track [1]) Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge (CD 5 track [1]) Riccardo Chailly (CD 1 track [1]) Decca 7cds 4780353

The Messiaen Edition - 100th Anniversary Set DECCA Orchestral & Chamber Works, Song Cycle CD1 Turangalîla-symphonie (1946-48) (76:36) 1. I Introduction 2. II Chant d’amour 1 3. III Turangalîla 1 4. IV Chant d’amour 2 5. V Joie du sang des étoiles 6. VI Jardin du sommeil d’amour 7. XII Turangalîla 2 8. VIII Développement de l’amour 9. IX Turangalîla 3 10. X Final CD2 (76:00) L’Ascension – Quatre méditations symphoniques pour orchestre (1932-33) (19:40) 1. I Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père (Très lent et majestueux. 2. II Alléluias sereins d’une âme qui désire le ciel (Bien modéré, clair. 3. III Alléluia sur la trompette, alléluia sur la cymbale (Vif et joyeux. 4. IV Prière du Christ montant vers son Père (Extrêmement lent, ému et solennel. Cinq rechants (1948) 5. I Modéré - Presque vif 6. II Bien modéré 7. III Lent, caressant 8. IV Très vif 9. V Vif Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1964) 10. I Des profondeurs de l’abime. Je crie vers toi, Seigneur: Seigneur, écoute ma voix! (Psaume 130) 11. II Le Christ, resussité des morts, ne meurt plus; La mort n’a plus sur lui d’empire (Epitre aux Romains) 12. III L’heure vient ou les morts entendront la voix du Fils de Dieu (Jean) 13. IV Ils ressusiteront, glorieux, avec un nom nouveau dans le concert joyeux des étoiles et les acclamations des fils du ciel (Corinthiens, Apocalypse, Job) 14. V Et j’entendis la voix d’une foule immense (Apocalypse) La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1965-69) Premier Septénaire 15. I Récit évangelique 16. II Configuratum corpori claritatis suae 17. III Christus Jesus, splendor Patris CD3 (75:28) 1. IV Récit évangelique 2. V Quam dilecta tabernacula tua 3. VI Candor est lucis aeterna 4. VII Choral de la sainte montagne Deuxième Septénaire 5. VIII Récit évangelique 6. IX Perfecte conscius illius perfectae generationis 7. X Adoptionem filiorum perfectam 8. XI Récit évangélique 9. XII Terribilis est locus iste 10. XIII Tota trinitas apparuit 11. XIV Choral de la lumière de gloire CD4 (73:03) Poèmes pour Mi (1936, orch.1937) Livre I 1. Action de graces 2. Paysage 3. La maison 4. Epouvante Livre II 5. L’Epouse 6. Ta voix 7. Les deux guerriers 8. Le Collier 9. Prière exaucée Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1940-41) 10. I Liturgie de cristal 11. II Vocalise, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps 12. III Abime des oiseaux 13. IV Intermède 14. V Louange à l’Eternité de Jésus 15. VI Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes 16. VII Fouillis d’arcs-en-ciel, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps 17. VIII Louange à l’immortalité de Jésus CD5 (77:00) Chants de Terre et de ciel (1938) 1. I Bail avec Mi 2. II Antienne du silence 3. III Danse du bébé-Pilule 4. IV Arc-en-ciel d’innocence 5. V Minuit pile et face 6. VI Résurrection Harawi (1945) (51:13) 7. I La ville qui dormait, toi 8. II Bonjour toi, colombe verte 9. III Montagnes 10. IV Doundou Tchil 11.V L’amour de Piroutcha 12. VI Repétition planétaire 13. VII Adieu 14. VIII Syllabes 15. IX L’escalier redit, gestes du soleil 16. X Amour oiseau d’étoile 17. XI Katchkatchi les étoiles 18. XII Dans le noir CD6 (80:46) Poèmes pour Mi (1936) Livre I 1. Action de graces 2. Paysage 3. La maison 4. Epouvante Livre II 5. L’Epouse 6. Ta voix 7. Les deux guerriers 8. Le collier 9. Prière exaucée 10. Rondeau (1943) Visions de l’Amen (1943) 11. I Amen de la Création 12. II Amen des étoiles, de la planète à l’anneau 13. III Amen de l’Agonie de Jésus 14. IV Amen du désir 15. V Amen des Anges, des Saints, du chant des oiseaux 16. VI Amen du Jugement 17. VII Amen de la Consommation Jean-Yves Thibaudet - piano Yvonne Loriod - piano Olli Mustonen - piano Robert Sherlaw Johnson - piano Paul Crossley - piano John Ogdon - piano Brenda Lucas - piano Takashi Harada ondes martenot Joshua Bell - violin Janos Starker - cello Steven Isserlis - cello Michael Collins - clarinet Felicity Palmer - soprano Noelle Barker - soprano Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra National Symphony Orchestra, Washington D.C. BBC Symphony Orchestra John Alldis Choir Westminster Symphonic Choir Riccardo Chailly Leopold Stokowski Bernard Haitink Antal Dorati Pierre Boulez Decca 6cds 4780352

Complete Edition. DG 32cds label: Deutsche Grammophon Apparition de l'Eglise éternelle L’Ascension (4 méditations symphoniques) L’Ascension (version pour orgue) Le Banquet céleste Cantéyodjayâ Catalogue d'oiseaux Chant dans le style de Mozart Chants de Terre et de Ciel Chants des déportés Chronochromie Cinq Rechants Concert à quatre Les Corps glorieux Couleurs de la Cité Céleste Des canyons aux étoiles Diptyque Eclairs sur l'Au-Delà Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Fantaisie burlesque Fantaisie pour violon et piano La Fauvette des Jardins Fête des belles eaux Harawi Huit Préludes Hymne Livre d'orgue Le Livre du Saint Sacrement Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité Le Merle noir Messe de la Pentecôte Monodie La mort du Nombre La Nativité du Seigneur O sacrum convivium, motet pour le Saint-Sacrement Offrande au Saint-Sacrement Les Offrandes oubliées Oiseaux exotiques Petites Esquisses d'oiseaux Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes Pièce pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas Poèmes pour Mi (soprano et piano) Poèmes pour Mi (soprano et orchestre) Prélude pour orgue Prélude pour piano Quatre Etudes de rythme Quatre inédits pour piano et ondes Martenot Quatuor pour la fin du Temps Réveil des oiseaux Rondeau Saint François d'Assise Sept Haïkaï Thème et variations Le Tombeau resplendissant La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ Trois Mélodies Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine Turangalîla-Symphonie Un Sourire Un Vitrail et des oiseaux Verset pour la Fête de la Dédicace La Ville d’en Haut Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus Visions de l'Amen Vocalise-Etude Pierre-Laurent Aimard . John Alldis Choir . Martha Argerich . Daniel Barenboïm . Noelle Barker . Pierre Boulez / The Cleveland Orchestra . Catherine Cantin . Riccardo Chailly / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra . Myung-Whun Chung / Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France . Myung-Whun Chung / Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille . Catherine Cournot . José van Dam . Sir Andrew Davis / BBC Chorus and Orchestra . Guy Deplus . Georges Guest / Saint John’s College . Jay Gottlieb . Heinz Holliger . Daniel Hope . Joela Jones . Jean-Paul Kreder / Ensemble Le Madrigal . Gidon Kremer . Hervé Lamy . Christian Lardé . Olivier Latry . Jeanne Loriod . Sextuor d'ondes Jeanne Loriod . Sylvia McNair . Maîtrise de Radio-France . Nathalie Manfrino . Olivier Messiaen . Chris Merritt . Yvonne Loriod . Roger Muraro . Kent Nagano / Hallé Orchestra . Yumi Nara . Françoise Pollet . Karl Anton Rickenbacher / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin . Quatuor Rosemonde . Mstislav Rostropovich . Robert Sherlaw Johnson . Albert Tétard . Jean-Yves Thibaudet . Dawn Upshaw . Marie Vermeulin . Luben Yordanoff… The Messiaen celebrations come to an overwhelming climax with this superb 32-CD set of his complete works. The only complete edition - Released on Deutsche Grammophon - Limited edition. 400-page booklet in English and French, including complete sung texts and libretto OVERVIEW: The solo piano works with Roger Muraro (7 CDs); the organ works with Olivier Latry (6 CDs); Orchestral and Choral works with Myung Whun Chung and Pierre Boulez, with Pierre-Laurent, Yvonne Loriod as soloists (ca. 10 CDs); the opera Saint Francois directed by Kent Nagano (4 CDs); Chamber Works with Daniel Barenboim,. Gidon Kremer and Martha Argerich, Daniel Hope (new recording); vocal works with Noelle Barker The whole is rounded off with a performance of the two-piano Visions de l'Amen by Yvonne Loriod and Messiaen himself (recorded in Paris in 1962) Specially recorded for this edition: Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine, Coulers de la Cité Céleste and the rare Hymne (1932) with Myung Whun Chung; the recently discoverd Fantaisie for violin and Piano with Daniel Hope. Don't miss: Fetes des belles for six Ondes Martenot on CD 27! DG 32cds 4801333

!!!LE DOMAINE MUSICAL!!! Accord have re-released much of the old Vega recordings made by Le Domaine Musical under Pierre Boulez of 20th century works by Messiaen, Berio, Stockhausen, Boulez. Henze, Pousseur, Nono and more. These recording were made between 1956 and 1967. The set also includes an exclusive interview between Pierre Boulez and Claude Samuel.

MESSIAEN EDITION Warner Classics 18 CD set that replaces and updates the original 17 CD set released by Erato in the 80s 2564-62162-2 (18CD) Artists include: Yvonne Loriod Soloist: Pierre-Laurent Aimard Soloist: Katia Labèque Soloist: Marielle Labèque Soloist: Marie-Claire Alain Soloist: Olivier Messiaen Ensemble: Ensemble Ars Nova Conductor: various Orchestra: Orchestre Philharmonique de l’O.R.T.F.

This 18-CD set offers a comprehensive overview of Messiaen’s work in recordings made between 1963 and 2000 by the Warner labels Erato and Teldec. The performers include the composer himself, his wife the pianist Yvonne Loriod, Pierre Boulez, Marie-Claire Alain and other champions of Messiaen’s work.
As a tantalising and unique bonus, a full CD is devoted to an extensive interview with Messiaen recorded in 1988 in which he speaks, in French, about bird-song, colour, travel, religious faith, opera and the avant-garde. The richly illustrated 149-page booklet includes a full English translation of the interview as well as the composer’s detailed commentary about most of the works included in the set – with booklet editor Fabian Watkinson supplying information about the remaining works.
Gramophone described the 80th Birthday Messiaen Edition released by Erato in 1988, on which the current edition is based, as “a treasure chest of great music and fine music-making.” see reviews

CD 1: Petites esquisses d’oiseaux (1985); Huit Préludes (1928-29);
Quatre études de rythme (1949-50)
Yvonne Loriod, piano
CD 2: La nativité du seigneur (1935) Le banquet céleste (1928);
Apparition de l’église éternelle (1932)
Marie-Claire Alain, organ
CD 3 : Poèmes pour Mi (1936); Chants de terre et de ciel (1938)
Maria Oràn, soprano · Yvonne Loriod, piano
CD 4 : Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1940-41)
Huguette Fernandez, violin · Guy Deplus, clarinet
Jacques Nielz, cello · Marie-Madeleine Petit, piano
Cinq rechants pour 12 parties vocales réelles (1948)
Solistes des chœurs de l’ORTF/Marcel Couraud
CD 5 : Visions de l’Amen (1943)
Katia and Marièlle Labèque, pianos
Les offrandes oubliées (1930) Hymne au Saint-Sacrement (1932)
Orchestre philharmonique de l’ORTF/Marius Constant
CD 6 & 7 : Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus (1944)
Yvonne Loriod, piano
CD 8: Harawi, (Chants d’amour et de mort) (1945)
Rachel Yakar, soprano · Yvonne Loriod, piano
CD 9: Turangalîla-symphonie (1946–48) 1990 Revised Messiaen Edition
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano; Dominique Kim, ondes Martenot
Berliner Philharmoniker/Kent Nagano
CD 10, 11 & 12: Catalogue d’oiseaux (1956–58); La fauvette des jardins (1970)
Yvonne Loriod, piano
Réveil des oiseaux (1953)
Yvonne Loriod, piano; Orchestre National de France/Kent Nagano
CD 13 : Couleurs de la cité céleste (1963); Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1964)
Yvonne Loriod, piano; Groupe Instrumental à Percussion de Strasbourg;
Orchestre du Domaine Musical/Pierre Boulez
L’Ascension (1932–33) Quatre méditations symphoniques pour orchestre
Orchestre philharmonique de l’ORTF/Marius Constant
CD 14 : Trois petites liturgies sur la présence divine (1943–44)
Yvonne Loriod, piano; Jeanne Loriod, onde Martenot
Maîtrise et Orchestre de Chambre de la RTF/ Marcel Couraud
Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969)
CD 15: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969) (cont’d.)
Olivier Messiaen, organ (Recorded on the Cavaillé-Coll organ in La Trinité Church, Paris)
CD 16 & 17: Des canyons aux étoiles ... (1971–74)
Yvonne Loriod, piano · Georges Barboteu, horn _ Alain Jacquet, xylorimba ·
François Dupin, glockenspel _ Ensemble Ars Nova/Marius Constant
Sept Haïkaï (1962)
Yvonne Loriod, piano _ Ensemble Ars Nova/Marius Constant
CD 18: Olivier Messiaen interviewed by Claude Samuel (in French), 1988

First available recording of TIMBRES-DURÉES realised in 1952
see Audio/Visual resources

HYMNE DES PASSEREAUX AU LEVER DU JOUR
The first recording of this work. Also includes Abîme des Oiseaux and transcription of Subtilité des Corps Glorieux.
Aurelian-Octav Popa (clarinet) Caliope CAL 9354

TURANGALILA SYMPHONIE. Kaori Kimura piano, Takashi Harada ondes martenot
Recorded in the Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University on 21 May 1985. First Australian performance. First commercial release.
Hiroyuki Iwaki conductor
Label: ABC Classics 12472 Australia Available from BuyWell.

JOYCE HATTO 1928 – 2006 It has emerged that this recording of Vingt Regards is in fact the recording made by Paul Kim and not Joyce Hatto.

The enterprising Explore label are re-issuing many old Decca and Headline releases from the 70s among which is Visions de l'Amen by John Ogden and Brenda Lucas EXP0013

FÉTES DES BELLES EAUX for 6 Ondes Martenots with Takashi Harada playing all parts. Also presented on this fine CD is FUEILLETS INEDITS for Ondes and piano.

MARCEL DUPRÉ DVD DVD of Dupré performing and speaking. Messiaen joined Dupré's organ class in October 1927 at the Paris Conservatoire continuing and maintaining the great French improvisor/composer tradition that had gone before him. www.marceldupre.com

Roger Muraro performing Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus on Accord DVD 476-719 0 As well as an astonishing performance of Vingt Regards recorded at l'Eglise de La Grave, Roger Murarao provides a fascinating insight to the lives of Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod and their influence on his musical career.

OLIVIER MESSIAEN ~ The Crystal Liturgy ~ A film by Olivier Mille Finally Olivier Mille's film is now commercially available!!! THE CRYSTAL LITURGY recreates the universe in which Messiaen evolved. Numerous archival clips, filmed between 1964 and 1987 - predominantly of Messiaen discussing his methods and creative processes, have been brought together to create a self-portrait, illustrated with a great number of excerpts from his oeuvre. Picture Format: 4:3 Sound Format: Dolby Digital Stereo Languages: French, English and German Running time: 88 mins EXTRAS: Includes excerpts from films about Olivier Messiaen and interviews with key figures such as Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, Gilbert Amy, Alain Louvier, Pierre Boulez, Pére Jean Rodolphe Kars and many more. Juxtapositions DVD NTSC DVD9DS44 Distributed by Naxos.

Paul S. Kim's recording series on Messiaen's complete piano works is now finished. The final 4th volume (The Early Works) was released in 2005. The repertoire in this album includes the Eight Preludes, Les offrandes oubliees, Piece pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas, Fantasie burlesque, Rondeau, and Prelude (1964). This 4th volume was among those selected in the prestigious All Music Guide (AMG) Best of 2005 Classical Keyboard Music . Available on the Centaur label. See reviews page for further information on Paul Kim's Messiaen releases.

Livre du Saint Sacrement performed by Jolanda Zwoferink on Prestare

Apparition de l'Eglise éternelle, L'Ascension performed by Henco de Berg on Prestare

!!!NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS!!! See Bibliography

Forthcoming Concerts and Events

My heartfelt and sincere thanks go to Dennis Davis for his continued and tireless contribution to the 'forthcoming concerts and events' section.

Messiaen 2008
For any 2008 concert listing reference please email

2009

1 January 2009 8.30pm Asko & Schonberg Ensembles/Reinbert de Leeuw Pauline Post, piano perform Des canyons aux etoiles Muziekgebouw Aan 'Tij, Amsterdam Holland

8 January 2009(7.30pm), 9 January (2pm), 10 January (8pm) New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Ludovic Morlot Olli Mustonen, piano perform L'Ascension; Oiseaux exotiques Avery Fisher Hall, New York USA

18 January 2009 4.30pm Olivier Charlier, violin, Anne Gastinel, cello, Florent Heau, clarinet, Michel Beroff, piano perform Quatuor pour la fin du Temps Cite de la Musique, Paris, Salle des concerts France.

23 January 2009 20.00 Hommage à Messiaen. Ensemble Vecteur Ondes (Philippe Arrieus, Dominique Kim, Fabienne Martin-Besnard, Nadia Ratsimandresy, Pascale Rousse-Lacordaire, Augustin Viard) perform Fête des Belles Eaux for 6 Ondes Martenot. There will be a 'round table' discussion at 17.00 prior to concert. Grande salle (niveau -3) Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris, France.

24 January 2009 20.00 Hommage à Messiaen. Jun Kanno (piano) perform Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus. Grande salle (niveau -3) Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris, France.

24 January 2009 - Jennifer Bate celebrates Messiaen's centenary Berlin Konzerthaus.

28 January 2009 6pm Guildhall Symphonic Wind Ensemble/David Corkhill perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Music Hall, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London UK.

30 January 2009 8pm Flemming Dreisig, organ performs L'Ascension Koncerthuset, Studio 1, Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark.

5 (7.30pm) & 6 February 2009 Iceland Symphony Orchestra/Rumon Gamba Steven Osborne, piano Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot Turangalila Symphonie Haskolabio, Reykjavik, Iceland.

5 February 2009 8 pm Paul Hanson and Joanne Kong, pianists perform VISIONS DE L'AMEN at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, U.S.A.

5 to 25 February 2009 Arturo Martín Burgos exhibits paintings based on Messiaen´s ÉCLAIRS SUR L´AU-DELÀ in Dionis Bennassar Gallery Madrid, Spain.

8 February 2009 5pm Ensemble Telemaque performs Le merle noir; Quatuor pour la fin du temps (extracts). Venelles, Eglise, France.

9 February 2009 2-5pm Masterclass by Joanna MacGregor on Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus David Josefowitz Recital Hall Royal Academy of Music, London, UK.

10 February 2009 10pm Steven Osborne, piano Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus. Melbourne Recital Centre Elizabeth Murdoch Hall Melbourne, Australia.

11 February 2009 7.30pm Joanna MacGregor, piano performs Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus Duke's Hall Royal Academy of Music, London, UK.

12 February 2009 h17.30 - h20 PROMENADE AVEC OLIVIER MESSIAEN Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali "Giuseppe Verdi" - Alliance
Française Ravenna (www.france-ravenna.com) Lecture: "Estetica ed Etica di Olivier Messiaen" by Iole Di Gregorio. Concert: Vocalise - Etude (version for flute and piano), L'abîme desoiseaux (clarinet), Le merle noire (flute and piano, Alouette Lulu (piano), Feuillets inédits (version for flute and piano), Offrande au Saint Sacrement, Force et agilité des corps glorieux, Joie et clarté des corps glorieux (organ). Vanni Montanari (flute), Cristiano Formicone (clarinet), Matteo RamonArevalos (piano), Andrea Berardi (organ). Artistic Director: Paula Noah de Angelis and Enrico Volontieri. Seminario Arcivescovile and Cathedral, piazza Duomo, Ravenna, Italy.

17 February 2009 19:30 Ensemble 360 perform Interstellar Call for solo horn Firth Hall Sheffield University, UK

17 February 2009 20:00 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany

17 February 2009 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Sir Simon Rattle Dirigent perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Kölner Philharmonie Germany.

18 February 2009 19:30 Martin Helmchen, piano performs Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jésus (Selection) Queen Elizabeth Hall, London UK.

18 February 2009 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Sir Simon Rattle Dirigent perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Kölner Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany.

19 February 2009 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Sir Simon Rattle Dirigent perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR) Henri le Boeuf Concert Hall, Brussels.

20 February 2009 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Sir Simon Rattle Dirigent perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Tonhalle, Grosser Saal, Zürich

19 February 2009 7.30pm City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Andris Nelsons perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Symphony Hall, Birmingham UK.

22 February 2009 11am Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Musikverein, Vienna.

23 February 2009 7:30 PM Paul Hanson and Joanne Kong, pianists perform VISIONS DE L'AMEN at University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, U.S.A.

26 February 2009 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM David Robertson Conducts the Juilliard Orchestra in Alice Tully Opening Nights Festival Des canyons aux étoiles at Alice Tully Hall Lincoln Center Plaza, 65th St NY 10023 USA.

27 February 2009 20:00 Tribute to Messianen: The Centennial Celebration Continues. neoLIT Ensemble perform Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Bargemusic, New York City USA.

2 March 2009 CRYSTAL LITURGY:The World of Olivier Messiaen. The annual Hans Moldenhauer Memorial Lecture will be given by Donivan Johnson. A Messiaen Lecture / Concert at Whitworth University Spokane, Washington USA. see details.

3 March 2009 10:30 Messiaen Centenary Study Day - A lecture and recital programme. Peter Hill, Piano Nigel Simeone. La Colombe, Morceau de lecture à vue, Tombeau de Paul Dukas, La Chouette hulotte from Catalogue d'oiseaux, Le Traquet stapazin, L'alouette lulu (The Woodlark) Cardiff University Concert Hall, Cardiff, UK.

6 March 2009 7.30pm London Philharmonic/Yan Pascal Tortelier perform Les Offrandes oubliees Royal Festival Hall, London UK.

6 March 2009 8:00 p.m.The Spokane Symphony Orchestra are performing the first movement of L'Ascension at The Fox Theatre, Spokane,Washington, USA.

8 March 2009 7.30pm Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra/Matthew Wood perform Les Offrandes Oubliees Liverpool Philharmonic Hall UK.

11 March 2009 20.145 Di Xiao, piano performs Prélude no. 1 "La colombe" Prélude no. 5 "les sons impalpables du rêve" Prélude no. 8 "Un reflet dans le vent" Concertgebouw, Small Hall, Amsterdam.

15 March 2009 (11am), 16 March 2009 (8pm) Philharmoniker Hamburg/Simone Yound, Cedric Tiberghien, piano perform Couleurs de la cite celeste Philharmoniker, Grosser Saal, Hamburg Germany.

19/20 March 2009 7.30pm Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Giancarlo Andretta perform L'Ascension Symfonisk Sal, Musikhuset Aarhus Aarhus, Denmark.

20 March 2009 20:00 Amandine Savary, Piano performs Le merle de roche. University of York, Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall York, UK

23 March 2009 7.30pm Ensemble Kontrapunkte/Peter Keuschnig perform Oiseaux exotiques Musikverein, Vienna, Brahms-Saal

27 and 29 March 2009 8pm NDR Sinfonieorchester/Alan Gilbert, Renee Fleming perform Poemes pour Mi Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany.

27 - 28 March 2009 10:45 The French Connection Detroit Symphony Orchestra Susanna Mälkki, Conductor Peter Serkin, Piano perform Couleurs de la cité céleste. Max M Fisher Music Center, Detroit USA.

7 April 200919:30 Prague Easter Festival. Ad Trio Prague Dalderis Ints, Clarinet perform Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Church of St. Lawrence, Prague.

7 April 2009 20:00 Martin Helmchen, Piano performs Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jésus (extracts). Konzerthaus: Kleiner Saal, Berlin, Germany.

8 April 2009 1pm Simon Preston, organ performs Les Corps Glorieux St John's Smith Square, London UK.

11 April 2009 7.30pm Ensemble Liaison perform Quartet for the End of Time. Melbourne Recital Centre Elizabeth Murdoch HallMelbourne Australia.

13 April 200916:00 Simon Preston, Organ performs Les corps glorieux. King's College Chapel, Cambridge, UK.

14 April 2009 Benjamin Fourie performs 8 Preludes in the Baxter Concert Hall in Cape Town, South Africa.

17 April 2009 8.30pm Ensemble Telemaque performs Le merle noir; Quatuor pour la fin du temps (extracts). Trets, Eglise, France.

23 April 2009 7.30pm Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Michel Tabachnik perform Les Offrandes oubliees Symfonisk Sal, Musikhuset Aarhus Aarhus, Denmark.

25 April 2009 2pm Matthew Odell, piano will be performing Vingt Regard sur L'Enfant Jesus at An die Musik in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

27 April 2009 7pm Christiane Oelze, Claudia Barainsky, Ruth Ziesak, sopranos, Eric Schneider, piano perform Poemes pour Mi; Chants de Terre et de Ciel; Harawi. Grande Auditorio Lisbon, Portugal.

2 May 2009 (8pm), 3 May (6.30pm) Adelaide Symphony Orchestra/Kristjan Jarvi perform L'Ascension Adelaide Town Hall, Australia.

3 May 2009 7.30pm GrauSchumacher Piano Duo perform Visions de l'Amen Tonhalle (Kleine Saal), Zurich Switzerland.

3 May 2009 15:00 Bank Of America Great Performers Series: Peter Serkin. Peter Serkin, Piano performs Petites esquisses d'oiseaux. Chicago Symphony Center, Chicago, USA.

4 May 2009 7.30pm Ingrid Kapelle, soprano, Hakon Austbo, piano perform Trois melodies; Vocalise-Etude; La Buse variable; Harawi Tonhalle (Kleine Saal), Zurich Switzerland.

16 May 2009: 8 PM Melodia Women’s Choir Cynthia Powell conductor perform Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine, Françoise Murail on ondes Martenot, Kyung-A Yoo, piano and all-women orchestra plus a new adaptation of Fête des belles eaux: originally scored for six ondes Martenot, Melodia will perform the U.S. premiere of an arrangement for ondes Martenot, strings, piano, and flute, by Claude S. Levine at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, 980 Park Avenue at 84th Street, New York, NY USA.

16 May 2009 - 2pm- 8pm 17 May - 3pm 18 May - 8pm Santa Rosa Symphony Conductor Bruno Ferrandis, TBC piano. Mary Chun, ondes martenot perform 3 movements from Turangalila Symphonie. Wells Fargo Center USA.

23 May 2009 8pm Dame Gillian Weir, organ performs Livre du Saint Sacrament Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany.

29 May 2009 7pm Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Ernest Martinez-Izquierdo perform L'Ascension Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki Finland.

29 May 2009 7.30pm RSO Wien/Bertrand de Billy Heidi Brunner, soprano perform Poemes pour Mi Konzerthaus, Vienna.

29-30 May 2009 8pm Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra/Pietari Inkinen, Les offrandes oubliees. Marcus Center Milwaukee, USA.

29 May 2009 1pm Pianists ISABELLE O'CONNELL and LAURA BARGER will perform VISIONS DE L'AMEN at the CORK SCHOOL OF MUSIC, Cork, Ireland.
see full details

30 May 2009 3pm Pianists ISABELLE O'CONNELL and LAURA BARGER will perform VISIONS DE L'AMEN at the NATIONAL GALLERY, DUBLIN.see full details

4 June 2009 10pm Krysia Osostowicz, violin, Jane Salmon, cello, Mark van de Wiel, clarinet, Michael Dussek, piano perform Quartet for the End of Time at Kings Place, Hall One, London UK.

11-12 June 2009 (8pm) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Lothar Zagrosek perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum at the Philharmonie in Gamsteig Munich Germany.

12 June 2009 7.30 Robert Sholl (St Michael and All Angel’s, Croydon) performs Livre du Saint Sacrement (1984) at Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Croydon UK.see full details

13 June 2009 19:30 Aimard: Collage-Montage. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Piano perfroms Messiaen Aldeburgh Festival. Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh UK.

16 June 2009 19:30 Christiane Oelze, Soprano Eric Schneider, Piano perform Harawi. Aldeburgh Festival. Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh UK.

19 June 2009 7.30 Mercury Quartet perform Quatuor pour la fin du Temps at Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Croydon UK.see full details

20 June 2009 8pm Collegium Novum Zurich/Peter Rundel pianist tba perform Couleurs de la Cite Celeste; Quatuor pour la fin du temps; Oiseaux exotiques Tonhalle, Zurich Switzerland.

24, 25 June 2009 (8.30pm) and 27 June (9pm), Israel Philharmonic Orchestra/Ludovic Morlot perform L'Ascension Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv and 28 June, 8.30pm Haifa Auditorium, Haifa Israel.

2 July 09 at 8 pm Anna Guony Guomundsdóttir performs excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus at Stykkisholmur church Iceland.

3 July 09 12.00 Anna Guony Guomundsdóttir performs excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus at Akureyri: Ketilhus Iceland.

3 July 09 16:00 Gergiev Festival Mikkeli. Mariinsky Orchestra Valery Gergiev, Conductor perform L'Ascension Mikkeli, Mikaeli, Martti Talvela Hall

4 July 09 21.00 Anna Guony Guomundsdóttir performs excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus at Myvatn: Reynihlid church Iceland.

14 July 09 20.30 Anna Guony Guomundsdóttir performs excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus at Reykjavik : Sigurjon Olafsson Museum Iceland.

26 July - 2 August 2009 12th festival Messiaen au pays de la Meije 2009 has the theme: "La Tentation de l’exotisme " www.festival-messiaen.com

26 July 2009 7pm Verbier Festival Orchestra/Charles Dutoit Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano, Valerie Hartmann-Claverie, ondes Martenot perform Turangalila Symphonie. Verbier Festival, Salle Medran, Verbier, Switzerland.

2 August 09 16.00 Anna Guony Guomundsdóttir performs excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus at Gljufrasteinn: The House of Halldor Laxness Iceland.

6 September 2009 11am Fredrik Ullen, piano performs Canteyodjaya Palace Small Hall, Bucharest, Romania (International Festival George Enescu)

12 September 2009 20:00 New York Philharmonic Orchestra Alan Gilbert, Conductor, Renée Fleming, Soprano perform Poèmes pour Mi. Lincoln Center: Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, USA.

16 September 2009 7:30PM New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert, Conductor - Renée Fleming, Soprano perform Poèmes pour Mi at Avery Fisher Hall, NYC, USA.

8 October 2009 7.30pm Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Marc Soustrot. L'Ascension. Koncerthuset, Copenhagen Denmark.

8 - 9 October 2009 8pm Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Jarvi perform Le Tombeau respendissant Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany.

9 - 10 October 2009, 8pm Utah Symphony Orchestra/Larry Rachleff Jason Hardink, piano Oiseaux exotiques at Abravenal Hall, Utah USA.

12 November 2009 (8.30pm), 14 (6pm) Orchestre National de Lyon/Simone Young Emmanuelle Reville, flute, Guy Laroche, oboe, Edouard Sapey-Triomphe, cello, Elisabeth Rigollet, piano perform Concert a quatre at Auditorium, Lyon, France.

20 November 2009 8.15pm Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra/She Yeon Sung soloist tba perform Oiseaux exotiques De Doelen, Rotterdam. Netherlands.

21 November 2009 4pm Orchestre Pasdeloup/Wolfgang Doerner perform Les Offrandes oubliees Salle Pleyel, Paris, France.

11 December 2009 7.30pm Robert Sholl performs Paraphrase pour la jugement dernier (1935) – Claire Delbos, and La Nativité du Seigneur (1935) at Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Croydon UK. see full details

17 -18 December 2009 8pm Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchester/Pietari Inkinen perform Un sourire Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany.

...and 2010

8 - 9 January 2010 11.00 & 20.00 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performs Le tombeau resplendissant, for orchestra Music Hall, Cincinnati USA.

14-15-16 January 2010 at 8pm, Chicago Symphony Orchestra/David Robertson perform Les offrandes oubliees at Symphony Center, Chicago USA.

14-(2pm)15-16 January 2010 (8pm) San Francisco Symphony Orchestra/George Benjamin, Nicolas Hodges, piano perform Oiseaux exotiques. Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, USA.

19 January 2010 at 7.30pm Chicago Symphony Orchestra/David Robertson perform Les offrandes oubliees at Symphony Center, Chicago USA.

24 January 2010 2.30pm Montreal Symphony Orchestra/Kent Nagano Olga Gross, piano perform Couleurs de la cite celeste at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal Canada.

27 January 2010 7pm Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Tugan Sokhiev perform Les offrandes oubliees Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland.

4-6 February 2010 (8pm), 7 February (3pm) 2010 Cleveland Orchestra/Pierre Boulez L'Ascension Severance Hall, Cleveland, OH USA.

17 February 2010 8pm Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra/Yannick Nezet-Seguin perform Les offrandes oubliees at Avery Fisher Hall, New York, USA.

21 February 2010 (11am), 22 and 23 February (8pm) 2010 Gurzenich Orchester Koln/Jun Markl Soloist tbc perform Poemes pour Mi. Philharmonie, Cologne Germany.

24 February 2010 8pm Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra/Yannick Nezet-Seguin perform Les offrandes oubliees Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Canada.

26 February 2010 8pm Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra/Philippe Herreweghe. L'Ascension. Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp.

26 February 2010 8.30pm Soloists of Ensemble Intercontemporain perform Theme et variations. Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Nicosie, Cyprus.

5 March 2010 7.30pm Tonhalle Orchester/Jun Markl Camilla Nylund, soprano. Poemes pour Mi. Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland.

22- 23 -25 March 2010 8pm Filarmonica della Scala/Zubin Mehta perform Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum La Scala, Milan Italy.

6 April 2010 9pm Catalan National Symphony Orchestra Barcelona/Manuel Valdivieso Les offrandes oubliees at L'Auditoria Simfonica, Barcelona Spain.

15 April 2010 7.30pm Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Ludovic Morlot Steven Osborne, piano. Oiseaux exotiques. Koncerthuset, Copenhagen, Denmark.

24 April 2010 2.15pm Ensemble Intercontemporain/Susanna Malkki Sebastien Vichard, piano perform Oiseaux exotiques. Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Netherlands.

9 May 2010 8pm Ensemble Intercontemporain/Susanna Malkki Sebastien Vichard, piano perform Oiseaux exotiques. Philharmonie, Cologne Germany.

13-20 May 2010 London Symphony Orchestra/Valery Gergiev soloists tba perform Turangalila Symphonie at Barbican Hall, London UK.

3-4 June 2010 8.15pm Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/David Robertson Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano perform Un vitrail et des oiseaux. Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

17 June 2010 7.30pm Peter Serkin, piano, Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz performs Oiseaux exotiques. Banaroya Hall, Seattle USA.

19 June 2010 8pm Peter Serkin, piano, Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz performs Oiseaux exotiques. Banaroya Hall, Seattle USA.










Please email with any Messiaen concerts or events to be included on this page.

e-mail rechants1@yahoo.co.uk

Harry Partch ~ Steve Reich ~ Early electronic Instruments ~ Pierre Boulez ~ Markus Stockhausen ~ Karlheinz Stockhausen