László Borbély Olivier Messiaen: Catalogue D'oiseaux (2020)

Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'Oiseaux, or Catalogue of Birds, is one of the most ambitious works of the modern era, at least in terms of its sheer length and complexity. It comprises 13 pieces, one of which, La Rousserolle Effarvatte (The Reed Warbler), takes up the entire second CD of this three-disc set. The music evokes not only birdsong but the appearance of birds, their behavior at various times of year, and even their characteristic habitat in France, all the while holding to a brutal level of technical challenges and to his own serialist-influenced tonal idiom.

Il réunit des entretiens réalisés entre 1965 et 1988, des témoignages de musiciens enregistrés en 2000 et des extraits musicaux. …

The 18-CD set offers a comprehensive overview of Messiaen's work in recordings made between 1963 and 2000 by the Warner labels Erato and Teldec. The performers include the composer himself, the pianist Yvonne Loriod (his wife), Pierre Boulez, Marie-Claire Alain, and other champions of Messiaen's work. As a tantalizing and unique bonus, a full CD is devoted to an extensive interview with Messiaen recorded in 1988 in which he speaks about bird-song, color, travel, religious faith, opera and an avant-garde.

Renowned French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard kicks off his exclusive engagement to PENTATONE with a recording of Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'Oiseaux (1956-1958). The pianist had intimate ties to the composer himself and his wife, Yvonne Loriod, for whom Messiaen wrote the Catalogue. Praised by The Guardian as "one of the best Messiaen interpreters around," this is Aimard's first recording of Messiaen's most extensive, demanding and colourful piano composition. The luxurious CD box set contains an accompanying bonus DVD, on which Aimard shares his vast knowledge of and love for Messiaen's work from behind the piano.

This 18-CD set offers a comprehensive overview of Messiaen’s work in recordings made between 1963 and 2000 by the Warner labels Erato and Teldec. The performers include the composer himself, his wife the pianist Yvonne Loriod, Pierre Boulez, Marie-Claire Alain and other champions of Messiaen’s work.
As a tantalising and unique bonus, a full CD is devoted to an extensive interview with Messiaen recorded in 1988 in which he speaks, in French, about bird-song, colour, travel, religious faith, opera and the avant-garde. The richly illustrated 149-page booklet includes a full English translation of the interview as well as the composer’s detailed commentary about most of the works included in the set – with booklet editor Fabian Watkinson supplying information about the remaining works.

This 18-CD set offers a comprehensive overview of Messiaen’s work in recordings made between 1963 and 2000 by the Warner labels Erato and Teldec. The performers include the composer himself, his wife the pianist Yvonne Loriod, Pierre Boulez, Marie-Claire Alain and other champions of Messiaen’s work.
As a tantalising and unique bonus, a full CD is devoted to an extensive interview with Messiaen recorded in 1988 in which he speaks, in French, about bird-song, colour, travel, religious faith, opera and the avant-garde. The richly illustrated 149-page booklet includes a full English translation of the interview as well as the composer’s detailed commentary about most of the works included in the set – with booklet editor Fabian Watkinson supplying information about the remaining works.

This 18-CD set offers a comprehensive overview of Messiaen’s work in recordings made between 1963 and 2000 by the Warner labels Erato and Teldec. The performers include the composer himself, his wife the pianist Yvonne Loriod, Pierre Boulez, Marie-Claire Alain and other champions of Messiaen’s work.
As a tantalising and unique bonus, a full CD is devoted to an extensive interview with Messiaen recorded in 1988 in which he speaks, in French, about bird-song, colour, travel, religious faith, opera and the avant-garde. The richly illustrated 149-page booklet includes a full English translation of the interview as well as the composer’s detailed commentary about most of the works included in the set – with booklet editor Fabian Watkinson supplying information about the remaining works.