Olivier Messaien's Turangalîla-Symphonie

Posted by: Kevin-W on 23 August 2012

Dear all

 

Earlier this evening I was absolutely riveted by a Prom on BBC4 - the NYO were playing Messaien's TurangalÎla-Symphonie, a iece which features an enormous orchestra, many exotic percussion instruments and solo piano and Ondes Martenot.

 

i would like to buy a recording of the piece (I'd never heard it before tonight) - does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Thanks

 

Kx

Posted on: 24 August 2012 by Richard Dane

Kevin,

 

there are two notable early performances here; The first and most significant was Ozawa's with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  I believe this was the first recorded performance (1968) and it remains one of the best.  Recording quality is very good, but was somewhat limited in the vinyl age by RCA's dreaded Dynagroove - although luckily, its worst effects seem to have been spared (maybe they forgot to switch it on) on my early issue.

 

 

For all-round performance and recording quality, Previn's recording with the LSO on EMI from the '70s is hard to beat.  I only have this on the original vinyl, but it is still an incredibly powerful and superbly recorded piece.

 

 

Both of these are also available on CD as far as I know.

Posted on: 24 August 2012 by Kevin-W

Thanks for that Richard - I'm going to go for the Previn as I really like the touch he brings - his Stravinskys, Rachs and Debussys are always great IMO and I like the LSO as an orchestra.

 

What was the "Dynagroove" BTW?

Posted on: 24 August 2012 by Jay Coleman

As I recall, the Previn is one the TAS list as one of the great sounding discs. 

Posted on: 25 August 2012 by Mick Roberts

I just heard a new recording reviewed on the radio, It was: 

MESSIAEN: Turangalîla-Symphonie, Steven Osborne (pno), Cynthia Millar (ondes martenot), Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Juanjo Mena (Hyperion CDA67816)

The excerpts that were played, and the comments by the critic,  made this sound worth investigating.