Search - Olivier Messiaen, Olivier Latry :: Olivier Messiaen: Complete Organ Works [Box Set]

Slobber material!

ldk1609 | 01/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you looking for definitive recordings of the organ works then look no further. Hard to believe that Latry can usurp Messiaen's own interpretation on the "par lui-meme" box set but I think it's justified.
Firstly this complete edition includes late works like the meditations sur le mystere de la saint trinite which are not included on messiaen's set.
Secondly the recording quality is absolutely outstanding which is especially important given the rarified nature and colour sensitivity of the music. Nothing worse than listening to the celestial banquet on messiaen's set and here the tape hiss and crackle!
Thirdly Latry plays on the Notre Dame Cavaille-coll organ which is in perfect condition compared to messiaen's lacklustre St trinity. And what an organ it is, encompassing the gamut of expression: rich, deep, sweet, diaphonous, nasal, reedy and even diabolic! Probably the best organ I've heard on cd.
But the coup de gras has to be Latry's playing. His approach is very similar to Messiaen's but seems to venture even further metaphysically! The long and slow crescendi are smoother, the climaxes held for longer, the ferocious sections bitier etc. Those of you familiar with the peaks of the apparition de l'eglise eternelle or combat de la mort et de la vie from elsewhere will be agog at latry's interpretation.
If you're a newcomer to messiaen then I think his organ works are an ideal introduction to his aesthetic. This box set can take you all the way from his most accessible to abstract works."

Essential Messiaen!

R. Wolff | Oakdale, NY United States | 06/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a Messiaen fan, you simply must own this CD! It is essentail for a number of reasons. For one, it is a complete recording of all of his organ works--quite an audio library, as you can see from the list of pieces included! Second is the quality of the recording (assured since this is a Deutsche Grammophon recording). It is digital, clear, and amazing. An old recording of Messiaen playing his own organ works is available, but it is a mono recording which he plays on a lackluster organ, as opposed to this recoring which is (of course) stereo, digital, and recorded on the organ at Notre Dame Cathedral--a magificent instrument that does justice to Messiaen. Also, while Messiaen is a favorite composer, his skills as an organist are not world-class as Olivier Latry's, whose playing here is masterful, inspired and technically perfect. You put all that together--excellent composer, recording, instrument, and organist--and you have "Messiaen: Complete Organ Works"... which from my first listening of it has become my favorite CD, bar none. The reason why will be apparent to you as you listen to the very first track: "Vision of the Eternal Church." The piece is intended to invoke a musical interpretation of what it would be like to experience an apparition of the Church of God. As such, the first half is a constant build, one long crescendo, as if the vision were appearing slowing... the second half is a fading away, one long decrescendo. When Latry gets to the climax right in the middle of the piece, you'll see immidiately how all the elements come together (excellent recording, composer, instrument and artist)... it is the single most triumphant, majestically rendered chord you will ever hear. (You can almost hear the stone of the cathedral shaking, it is that magnificent!)Latry's versatility is apparent when you hear the softer, more nuanced pieces, such as "Diptyque," which are as delicate as "Vision of the Eternal Church" is majectic. In short, most of the pieces are given a definitive interpretation by Latry.I own every other recording of Messiaen's organ music, and this one stands far and above all of the others. If you don't know Messiaen's organ works, this CD is clearly your best bet; if you have heard his organ works before, or own other CDs, you'll smile as you listen to how Latry interprets each piece.If I were stuck on a deserted island and could have only a handful of CDs to keep me company, this would be one of them."

The True Incarnation of Messian's Mystic Art

David M. Fox | Port Orchard, WA USA | 04/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You will not find a better recording of Olivier Messiaen's organ works than this gem. Approved by a Catholic Church official in the liner notes as capturing the religious ideals that Messian sought to reveal, Latry's playing on the formidable Notre Dame Cathedral organ contains a gravity and seriousness that give a rare and divine character to the music. Latry was blessed by Messiaen himself as the best interpreter of his works, and the reason for that is evident here. The music pours fourth in a majestic tide, and Latry uses his formidable talent, the full resources of the outstanding 600-year old organ, and the natural, extra-long reverberation in the medieval cathedral to capture the mysticism that pervades Messiaen's art. This is art music of the highest caliber, and will greatly reward repeated listenings."