MESSIAEN
Barbara Hannigan, Bertrand Chamayou, Vilde Frang, Charles Sy
- Label
- Alpha
- Catalogue number
- ALPHA1033
- EAN / barcode
- 3701624510339
- Format
- Digital
Soprano Barbara Hannigan and pianist Bertrand Chamayou have joined forces to record the vocal music of Olivier Messiaen and present his two major song cycles from the 1930s.
The Poèmes pour Mi, both sensuous and sacred, are inspired by the precious relationship between Messiaen and "Mi" - the nickname of his first wife, violinist and composer Claire Delbos.
Chants de terre et de ciel also arose from Messiaen's marriage to Delbos and was composed shortly after the birth of their son Pascal. Both cycles oscillate between hypnotic meditation and ecstatic love songs, sustained by Messiaen's deep spiritual faith. Inspired by Messiaen's words: "It is a shimmering music that we seek...", Hannigan and Chamayou delve into the composer's complex language to reveal a natural and flowing music whose roots reach from the earth to a shimmering realm.
As the final work on the album, Hannigan and Chamayou have recorded a rarely performed "Scena" by Messiaen: La Mort du nombre (1929) is a dialogue between two souls, in which they are accompanied by Canadian tenor Charles Sy and Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang.
