Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus

Hakon Austbo (Artist), Olivier Messiaen (Composer), Haakon Austbö (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Haakon Austbö
• Composer: Olivier Messiaen
• Audio CD (September 11, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B0000013Z2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,778 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

I like this translation of Twenty Ways of Looking at the Infant Jesus. This exhaustingly long and difficult suite by Messiaen, which expresses his religious dedication with great fervor, is not an easy listen, and is probably best digested a few pieces at a time. But it stands as a masterpiece of 20th-century piano writing, filled with the composer's most extravagant inspirations and an excitingly bold approach to the instrument. You can spend a lot more money to hear the series played by Messian's wife, Yvonne Loriod (Ades 203752), but frankly I think Håkon Austbø plays with a lot more power and color and he is certainly better recorded. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterful and spiritual performance of a Great Work!, May 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus (Audio CD)

Messiaen's "Vingt regards..." has been one of my favorite piano works for many years. I had a front-row seat when Mr. Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod came to Swarthmore College, where Ms. Loriod performed the entire 20-mov't work FROM MEMORY. It was a wonderful experience. However, I never felt that Ms. Loriod expressed the subtlties of the work as well as the RCA recording of the work performed by Peter Serkin. Unfortunately, that recording is not available on CD. Which brings us to this superb performance by Mr. Austbo. I know this work intimately, and Hakon Astubo does a magnificant interpretation of one of the most profound major works for the piano of the 20th century. In the 20 movements of this score virtually every emotion, expression, and compositional element explored (by the late 1940's) was taken into account (and then some). The price of the 2-CD set is also very reasonable. I might also recommend Astubo's 3-CD recording of Messiaen's "Catalog d'oiseaux". It is equally remarkable. Enjoy!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Naxos triumph, December 17, 2000

By 

henry the human fly (Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus (Audio CD)

This is very refined playing. The range of pianistic colors are huge, and Austbo plays with a lot of dedication. Of course, this isn't easy listening music, but the more adventurous listeners will be highly rewarded by this extraordinary fascinating, rich and varied score. Austbo won a Norwegian Grammy for this performance - and for good reason. Don't let the price/label tempt you to think there's something "cheap" about this performance - it's highly authorative and one of the jewels in the Naxos catalogue. Recorded sound is first-rate. Highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best versions available!, December 24, 2005

By 

Tom Furgas (Youngstown, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant Jesus (Audio CD)

This is a superb reading of this immense cycle of difficult but otherworldly-beautiful music. I listen to this every Christmas Eve...it's my favorite Christmas music by far. I equate this cycle with the tremendous "Turangalila Symphony" of Messiaen, in that the large number of movements have recurring motifs and conceptual seedlings that germinate from movement to movement, binding the whole together in a majestic, cosmic conception very much appropriate to the subjects. The depth of feeling, from tender mystery to ecstatic joy are rendered with matchless perfection in this recording. Highly recommended!