 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2002-03-11 18:25
We're performing Messiaen: "Couleurs de la Cité Céleste" this week, scored for piano, three clarinets, brass and percussion.
I had never heard this piece before and I'm amazed by the fantastic writing. The clarinets play rhythmically very complex figures in parallell movements practically thtoughout the piece except for near the end where everything goes bananas and that's the only spot which goes in normal 4 beats in a bar.
Has anybody heard, played or performed this piece? Tell us what you think of it.
Alphie
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-11 18:46
God - one of my favorites! Messiaen was/is hard for me to listen to at first, but a recording of this got me hooked. Truly he is one of the geniouses of the 20th century. Perhaps an acquired taste, like single-malt Scotch - the more you experience his music, the better it gets. Depth and complexity in 20th century music without having to study for 20 years to "get it".
Unfortunately I have no idea if it is "hard", except to say that it's hard enough for a listener - it's got to be even rougher on the performers.
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2002-03-11 20:40
Mark --
"God"
Aha! Atheist indeed! :+))
Agreed that listening to Messiaen can be a religious experience. (Could be even better listening while sipping that single-malt Scotch--in itself sometimes a religious experience.)
Do you recall the performer/album/label of the recording you mentioned?
Todd W.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-11 20:50
Mark - indeed, Messian is a shining light in 20th century music - he's so original and intense.
Have you heard the wonderful contra bass clarinet writing in "Illuminations from the Beyond"? (won't bother with the French title as I can't get the accents to work in this environment)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-11 21:53
Todd W. wrote:
>
> Mark --
>
> "God"
>
> Aha! Atheist indeed! :+))
Agnostic. Had to capitalize since it was the 1st word in the sentence ;^)
But ... Messaien was a very religious man (Catholic) and something was going right for him!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-11 23:35
Messiaen
Couleurs de la Cité Céleste
Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum
Yvonne Loriod, piano, Groupe Instrumental a Percussion de Strasbourg and Orchestre du Domaine Musical directed by Pierre Boulez.
L'Ascension (4 Méditations symphoniques pour orchestre)
Orchestre Philharmonique de l'O.R.T.F. directed by Marius Constant
Coproduction of Erato and Radio France
Erato 4509-91706-2 DDD
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-03-12 03:11
Mark's recording doesn't show up in my Schwann. However, there are two other recordings, one on Sony (SNYC2-44762) and the other on Chandos (CHN9301) that may still be in print.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-12 03:19
My recording was bought at Harmony House Classical in Detroit, MI (Detroit may not have a classical radio station anymore, but it's got one of the best record stores <b>anywhere</b> for classical music. Go figure ...)
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