Turangalîla-Symphonie by Olivier Messian

[ravel30]

Here is a piece that I have loved for a few years now. Modern pieces do not get better than this in my opinion and make me wish to explore more pieces written within the last 50 years .

I have listened to it three times over the last 2 days and I can't stop enjoying it because I find it that interesting. Love how the piano and the Ondes de Martenot interact with each other. In fact, I can't get the sound of the Ondes Martenot out of my head .

Here is an example of that symphony entitled 'Joie du sang des etoiles' :



I understand that it may not be the cup of tea to a lot of you but I would really like to know if others here share an affection for that piece.

Matt.

[Donaldopato]

Amazing music. Saw it live in St Louis with the late Hans Vonk, the performance was recorded and released on their own label. Garrick Ohlsson was the pianist.

[John F]

I'm impressed by the piece but I don't love it.

[absinthe]

Hmm.....

No doubt the Turangalila Symphony is a grand and passionate work but I have yet to come to terms with it. Not far off. I love Harawi and the Cinq Rechants that with Turangalila form a triology. Having said that I know of people who can't stand Harawi but get on with Turangalila!

[BWV 1080]

Love the piece, but it does sound like am immature work compared to Des Canyons, Chronochromie or Eclairs sur l'au-dela

[rogch]

To my ears it isn't a very subtle work. I loved it when i first heard it, but hardly listens to it anymore. The first time i heard it it was sensational. But after a few times it was less sensational and i really did not discover anything in new. It sounded very much like the first time. And that is a little surprising for this kind of work. Pierre Boulez allegedly called it "brothel music". That is going too far, but i can see why Boulez had his reservations.

[Chalkperson]

It's an interesting work, exciting when you first come across it, not something that bears repeated listenings IMHO...

[absinthe]

.....Pierre Boulez allegedly called it "brothel music". That is going too far, but i can see why Boulez had his reservations.

As we've said here before that reflects on the sort of brothel Boulez visited rather than Messiaen's music! It must have been one of those on Le Pigalle. What such a statement proves to me is: Boulez knew more about paying for sex than music.

[hangos]

.....Pierre Boulez allegedly called it "brothel music". That is going too far, but i can see why Boulez had his reservations.

As we've said here before that reflects on the sort of brothel Boulez visited rather than Messiaen's music! It must have been one of those on Le Pigalle. What such a statement proves to me is: Boulez knew more about paying for sex than music.

Spoken like a true connoisseur????
An equation ; chalkie-LeRat = absinthe-Boulez ; discuss!
Martin

[stenka razin]

Messiaen's 'Turangalila' is a work that has fascinated me for a half century. I always find something new when i listen to this 20th century masterpiece.


P.S. Bernstein was scheduled to record this work, which he premiered with the Boston Symphony. Sadly, Lenny did not live long enough to record this great piece for DG.

P.P.S. Mr B. was also scheduled to record Britten's magnificent opera 'Peter Grimes'. A great loss for all of us, too.


Regards,
Mel

[Donaldopato]

Messiaen's 'Turangalila' is a work that has fascinated me for a half century. I always find something new when i listen to this 20th century masterpiece.


P.S. Bernstein was scheduled to record this work, which he premiered with the Boston Symphony. Sadly, Lenny did not live long enough to record this great piece for DG.

P.P.S. Mr B. was also scheduled to record Britten's magnificent opera 'Peter Grimes'. A great loss for all of us, too.


Regards,
Mel

You must have been an infant when you first heard it!

It has fascinated me as well. Sometimes finding it a bit over the top, then ignoring it for a while and then rediscovering it as an ecstatic and colorful work.

Oh what fun a Bernstein Turangalila would have been.

[rogch]

.....Pierre Boulez allegedly called it "brothel music". That is going too far, but i can see why Boulez had his reservations.

As we've said here before that reflects on the sort of brothel Boulez visited rather than Messiaen's music! It must have been one of those on Le Pigalle. What such a statement proves to me is: Boulez knew more about paying for sex than music.

Boulez has never been a diplomat. And in his younger days he was even more outspoken than he is now. He could also speak out against composers he liked if he was dissatisfied with a work or something else. He has conducted Messiaen so i suppose he likes his music even if he didn't like this work. He has been a champion of Schönberg's music, but once said that "Schönberg is dead". I guess he meant that young composers should take the place of the older. He also attacked Stravinsky's neo-classical style and called some of Bartok's music "peasant music". But he has always performed the music of these composers and talks about them with much enthusiasm.

[ravel30]

Just wanted to thank you all for answering this thread. Much appreciated. Some of you got me very curious about some other pieces by Messian.
One more question for all of you. Are there any pieces (that are relatively famous) that use the Ondes de Martenot?

Matt.

[John F]

It's the ondes martenot - no "de." Norman Del Mar mentions Honegger's "Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher" and Messiaen's "Trois petites liturgies," "but there are many others, mostly amongst the French school. Charles Koechlin wrote for it in his 'Seven Stars Symphony' to describe the film actress Marlene Dietrich." (Anatomy of the Orchestra, pp. 495-7)

[BWV 1080]

There are some posthumously published chamber works by Messiaen, the four Feuillet Inédits

[some guy]

Edgard Varèse, Ecuatorial

Gilles Gobeil, Trilogie d'onde

And I had this LP back when I still had LPs:



This has music by Messiaen, Jolivet, Milhaud, and Tessier.

Best way to find this and other ondes martenot discs is to go to Discogs and type "ondes martenot" into their search engine.

(One thing I came up with was a disc with Monodies “Vers le soleil” by Koechlin and Suite Karnatique by Charpentier.)