Messiaen: Turangalīla Symphony [Live]

Dominique Kim (Artist), Olivier Messiaen (Composer), Kent Nagano (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano) (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)
• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Kent Nagano
• Composer: Olivier Messiaen
• Audio CD (March 20, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Teldec
• ASIN: B000056NA1
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,404 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Turangalila-Sym: Intro: Modere, Un Peu Vif

2. Turangalila-Sym: Love Song 1: Modere, Lourd

3. Turangalila-Sym: Turangalila 1: Presque Lent, Reveur

4. Turangalila-Sym: Love Song 2: Bien Modere

5. Turangalila-Sym: Joy Of The Blood Of The Stars: Vif, Passionne, Avec Joie

6. Turangalila-Sym: Garden Of Love's Sleep: Tres Modere, Tres Tendre

7. Turangalila-Sym: Turangalila 2: Un Peu Vif

8. Turangalila-Sym: Development Of Love: Bien Modere

9. Turangalila-Sym: Turangalila 3: Bien Modere

10. Turangalila-Sym: Final: Modere, Presque Vif, Avec Une Grande Joie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nagano Sets the New Standard!, April 18, 2002

By 

Pavel Grlscz (Joplin, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Messiaen: Turangalīla Symphony (Audio CD)

There are simply few words that can describe the absolute magnificence of this recording. Nagano assembles this vast mosaic in the most masterful way I can imagine. It is at once breathtaking and orgiastic! The Berlin Philharmonic is playing at their highest level....Aimard was made to play this work. The piano is well balanced with the ondes marenot and the rest of the ensemble. The recording itself is very clear. The various tempi are clearly defined within each of the movements. I would recommend this disc to anyone who has a love for great music, even if you already have a recording of the Turangalila. Nagano, Aimard, Kim, and the Berlin Philharmonic set the new standard of excellence for this colossal and imaginative work!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a huge splendid hymn to joy!, January 20, 2002

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Messiaen: Turangalīla Symphony (Audio CD)

Great things don't always come in great packages, but this one certainly does! A typically gorgeous Teldec production, complete with the legendary Teldec sound. The TURANGALILA is vast and sprawling, but I find it endearing and easy to love. It is full of jarring juxtopositions, as when the 4th movement, featuring a grave Beethoven-like 5-note motif, is followed by the 5th movement's cheerful pop melody. Aimard is spectacular throughout on piano.

Messiaen, like Lutoslawski, bridges the early and late 20th centuries, and I can hear Debussy and pop and jazz elements along with foreshadowings of Xenakis in this optimistic and gargantuan music. According to Messiaen, the TURANGALILA-SYMPHONIE "...is a hymn to joy, a joy that is superhuman, overflowing, blinding, unlimited." Clearly an expression of Messiaen's deep Catholic faith, the symphony could scarcely be more different from the austere devotion of an Arvo Part!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Messiaen played to the hilt, March 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Messiaen: Turangalīla Symphony (Audio CD)

Kent Nagano has alot to say about Messiaen and he does so here with the aid of the great Berlin Philharmonic in their first recording of this wonderful work.

Kent Nagano and the Berlin Philharmonic paint Messiaen's masterpiece on the grandest scale. Berlin use all the range of color and power that is has in its command and this is the best playing I have heard in this recording.

I like the recording very much to, with the possible exception of the last minute...where the recording does get somewhat cloudly. As exciting and as well played as last movement is, I think Nagano push the music to hard in terms of tempo. This music can still all the power and excitement without being pushed so far.

Other then the tempo of the last movement there is nothing here to quibble about. I would say that this is now the recording to have---Chung comes very close, next in line I would say. If you have a recording of this already, try to make room for this recording as well.