So... here's (in Flac) the late Messiaen orchestral epic that outdoes the Turangalila Symphony in its breadth and colour. "Des Canyons aux étoiles" ('From the Canyons to the Stars) was intended to mark the bicentennial of the United States in 1976, and Messiaen's music links the land itself, the canyons of Utah - whose colourful layers reach back in geological time - with the stars sparkling in the clear-blue desert sky, their light emanating from long ago and far away. A sense of colour then, natural majesty, a palette of every shade of red and rich orange-brown; a timeless quality that reaches far back in time and human history...also a direct analogy with the American flag: the stars in the night sky and the geological stripes of the canyons. The variety of sounds is staggering, especially when you consider the forces Messiaen was using here; a standard symphonic wind section, to be sure, but only 13 solo strings, a wind-machine, thundersheet and the newly invented 'geophone' -lead shot rotated in a large flat drum to make a sound somewhere between water lapping on a beach, and shifting sands - plus a major percussion section. This isn't the orchestra of Turangalila, a mere 44 performers, yet the impact they're able to make through the kaleidoscope of colours and the subtle use of chamber-sized ensembles is immense - sometimes this feels like Messiaen's biggest orchestral work. Did I mention the birds? They're a vital part of the soundscape, almost another set of instruments again - the Mockingbird, the Wood Thrush, the White-Browed Robin - set against the 'Interstellar Call' of Jean-Jacques Justafré, whose solo horn-playing is superb. Special praise also for pianist Roger Muraro, who's a fine impersonator of winged wildlife. (Andrew McGregor, bbc.co.uk).
The scandalously underrated de Leeuw shows deeper sympathy for Messiaen's all-devouring aesthetic; the recording of From the Canyons to the Stars attains a degree of passion and intensity that you rarely find on disc. Three other cherished Messiaen recordings: Pierre-Laurent Aimard's Vingt Regards, Riccardo Chailly's Turangalîla, and Nagano's Saint Francis (Alex Ross, therestisnoise.com)
In my humble opinion, this one is the best recording of Des canyons...(all aother ones are exceptional as well, it's a "lucky" work)
Further listening propositions
Riccardo Chailly: Turangalîla Symphony
Ingo Metzmacher: Éclairs sur l'au-delà
Myung-Whun Chang: La Transfiguration
Kent Nagano: Saint François d'Assise
and for the courageous enough the Messiaen Edition on Warner Brothers records.
If you can find them on the net listen to Metzmacher in Saint François (from De Nederlanse Opera or from this years Proms festival) and the Turangalîla with Sir Simon Rattle, Pierre-Lauren Aimard, Tristan Muraro and the Berliner Philharmoniker live at this years Proms (Whoever has a tendency for these live recordings, please drop a note)...
Three Flac zip files and a PDF with the cover
1 comment:
I would have to second the Rattle Turangalila--it is spectacular. des canyons aux etoiles is a tremendous work; and for those who may seem daunted by Messaien, fear not! It will on the one hand, coddle you and then carry you to great heights. Thanks for this fantastic posting!
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