classical music: Olivier Messiaen

classical music: Olivier Messiaen

classical music:

Olivier Messiaen

Francis Poulenc, Henri Dutilleux, ...

EMI Classics, 1998

Pahud is by far one of the absolute best flutists right now!
After attending a masterclass with Emmanuel Pahud, I bought this recording, and as he demonstrated in the classes, he is a phenomenal all-around performer. If you ever have a chance to see him live, definitely go for it. Otherwise, get a recording... or two!

Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time

Fred Sherry, Richard Stoltzman, ...

RCA, 1989

A great work, a Catholic work
This recording of the "Quartet for the End of Time," one of the greatest musical works of the 20th century, is precious to me. Performers Peter Serkin (piano), Ida Kavafian (violin), Fred Sherry (cello), and Richard Stoltzman (clarinet) offer a stunning, heartfelt ...

An Organ Blaster Sampler

Johann Sebastian Bach, Andre Campra, ...

Telarc, 1991

Pure Majestic Power!
Corey is right - this is an outstanding organ CD, one of the best I've heard. Murray plays some of the largest and most powerful organs on Earth, and uses the reed stops more than the usual organist to produce great effects and a wall of sound that are majestic in the ...

Trombonastics

Joseph Alessi

Summit(Classical), 2002

Amazing!!
The Carmen piece is soo crazy...Alessi is the most amazing player i've ever heard. Seemless tone quality, perfect intonation even in fast passages, flawless accuracy in every song...if you haven't heard Joe Alessi I suggest you get this CD first!!

Violin for Relaxation

Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, ...

RCA, 2000

Everything remembered and wanted on strings
To me, it is an extraordinary combination demonstarting the old world beauty and timeless artistry of the violin. It will take you back to everything good remembered, and forward to everything good ahead of us.

Olivier Messiaen

Messian, Boulez, ...

Naive, 2008

Inspirational Tribute
In honor of the 100th year of Olivier Messiaen's birth comes this six-disc set of some of his most groundbreaking and beautiful music. The protean composer was one of the 20th century's major visionaries as well as one of its most accessible artists, a claim few other ...

Olivier Messiaen: Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum; Chronochromie; La Ville d'en haut

Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 1995

Messiaen's vision, via Boulez and Cleveland
Oliver Messiaen was a pivotal, transitional figure in 20th century music, bridging the early Moderns and the post-war serialists. Boulez and Xenakis were both his students. His music is epic, clearly the product of a visionary. This is an essential disc of his work, ...

Des Canyons Aux Etoiles

Messiaen, Oprf, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 2003

From the Canyons to the Stars -- Messiaen's spiritual vision
Olivier Messiaen must certainly have been the most idiosyncratic of late 20th century composers. Two preoccupations dominated his music -- his Catholicism, and his love of birds. These came together in the figure of St. Francis, to whom he dedicated his last major ...

Music for Trumpet and Organ

Johann Sebastian Bach, Petr Eben, ...

Angel Records, 2003

Wonderfully Addictive CD!
Inspired by a recent recital performance I attended featuring Ms. Balsom, I purchased her latest CD ("Bach Works for Trumpet"). I was completely blown away by her performance and immediately fell in love with the disc. And so began my quest to find "Music for Trumpet ...

Glorious Pipes: Organ Music Through the Ages

Johannes Brahms, Dietrich Buxtehude, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 2004

Glorious pipes
New as an organ fan ? No mistake with this double Cd set. Registration is amazing and sounds like pure cristal. A simple joy. B.A.C.H. from Liszt is great, and more great moments. Organists play perfectly.

Martha Argerich & Friends Live from the Lugano Festival, 2007

Jorge Bosso, Marc Drobinsky, ...

EMI Classics, 2008

More great chamber music from Lugano, even with an overload of piano duos
Before commenting on the contents of the latest installment of chamber music from the Lugano Festival in Switzerland, here's the detailed playlist: Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 1, Sz 75 Renaud Capuçon (violin) & Martha Argerich (piano) Beethoven: Piano Trio ...

Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms: Violin Sonatas

Bela Bartok, Ludwig van Beethoven, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 2004

excellent value and performances
Like the other entries in DG's "Collector's Editions", the eight discs come in envelopes and a compact box with a liner note booklet. This box includes all of the Beethoven violin sonatas (3 full discs) Kremer recorded in the late eighties and early nineties. The ...

Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie

Olivier Messiaen, Riccardo Chailly, ...

Decca, 2003

Likely the best Turangalila recording
After hearing the 2003 Philadelphia Orchestra performance with Eschenbach conducting, I went on a search for the finest recording. Many Messiaen fans turned me towards the original recording by Seiji Ozawa and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (recently re-released on CD ...

Choral Moods

Gregorio Allegri, Samuel Barber, ...

RCA, 1998

Gorgeous music, gorgeous performances
I am a semi-professional singer with a BA in Music, and I bought this CD with some trepidation because it looked like one of those dreadful "pop classical" compilations that are everywhere lately. But it had lots of great repertoire all in on place, so I decided to ...

Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l"Enfant-Jésus; Préludes

Olivier Messiaen, Michel Béroff

EMI Classics, 2006

Low Price, High Standard
I was a bit disappointed by the sensitive yet very cold Naxos recording of Vingt regards, and was looking for a performance with more depth and uninhibited bravura. Tempted by the low price of this 2 disc set,I bought this set, and I wasn't disappointed this time. ...