Na’amen Gobert Tilahun

Olivier Messiaen once remarked that Peter Hill "has beautiful technique, a true poet – I am a passionate admirer." As the final CD in Peter Hill's seven CD survey of Messiaen's piano music, this disc is unique in bringing together three early pieces, one very late piece ("Petites Esquisses D'oiseaux") and the key piece in understanding Messiaen's piano output—"Visions De L'Amen". This was the first work inspired by the talent of Yvonne Loriod, an exceptional pupil of Messiaen's, for whom he wrote almost all of his piano works. Her ability as a pianist challenged him to compose for the piano in a way he had never done before.

Over a period of some twenty years, from the late 1720s, Handel composed a series of virtuoso arias using only thewords Allelujah and Amen as his texts. They were probably for use in private worship, and take their place in the tradition of Divine Song established by Purcell and other composers. Here they receive their first recordings, set in a context of contemporary sacred song and instrumental music, with theaccompaniment provided by the beguiling sound of two theorbos and chamber organ. They are heard here in the extraordinarily dramatic timbres of a male-soprano voice perhaps as close as modern listeners can come to the vocal acrobatics of the castrati who so amazed their own audiences.

Both the works on this recording were written during wartime. Debussy’s 1915 En blanc et noir, composed during a late creative burst, is his musical response to the horrors of World War I. Messiaen’s revolutionary Visions de l’Amen from 1943, written to be performed by the composer and his teenage pupil, Yvonne Loriod, is a profound religious meditation whose emotional intensity is overwhelming. The role of the two pianos is clearly divided. Melodic and expressive elements are confined to the second piano, Messiaen’s part, whereas all that is percussion, brilliance and rhythmic development is heard in the first piano, Loriod’s part.

This is another welcome, and important, exhumation from the EMI catalogue courtesy of ArkivMusic. It is welcome in the sense that it is surely one of the finest recordings of this seminal work and important in that is restores one of Argerich’s rare performances of twentieth century music.

True to its title, it IS an essential collection. There isn't a bad or wasted track on this collection - but then, the Swan Silvertones never did any bad songs - some just dig a little deeper in the well of divine inspiration than others. The sound is great - the songs are outstanding, the Swans are immortal.

A breakthrough, easy-to-follow brain-based program to lose weight and keep it off — for the rest of your life — from the bestselling author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Body, Magnificent Mind at Any Age, and Change Your Brain, Change Your Life