# Messiaen - best recordings?



## apbsen

What are your favourite recordings of Messiaen's orchestral works?

Suggestions for "reference" recordings, but also for more obscure/unknown releases are welcome!

Conductors like Cambreling, Boulez, Salonen, Myung-Whun Chung, Rattle and Nagano have of course made recordings of Messiaen's orchestral works...

but which Messiaen recordings are must-haves?


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## Couac Addict




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## Couac Addict




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## Couac Addict

...and some shameless self-promotion.
They are good though.


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## apbsen

Thank you, Couac Addict, for your suggestions. Very helpful!

Concerning *"Eclairs sur l'Au-dela?*" -

which recordings are especially outstanding?


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## ptr

If I weren't one of those obsessive collector types coming to Messiaen I could probably be happy with Deutsche Gramophone's Olivier Messiaen complete edition Box set. If You can get it for a decent price, don't hesitate, I bought mine for £35 at a sale!

BTW, best Turangalila for me is Ricky Chailly/RCO on Decca!

/ptr


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## apbsen

Thanks for the input, ptr!

Why is Chailly/RCO the best Turangalila in your opinion - what are its virtues?

I've seen Ozawa's version praised elsewhere - have you heard that version, and how do you rate it?

Any views on "Eclairs sur l'au dela" - have you heard any of the recordings by Rattle, Metzmacher, Cambreling, Myung-Whun Chung, Porcelijn and Wit...

and what are their merits (or non-merits!)...?


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## ptr

apbsen said:


> Why is Chailly/RCO the best Turangalila in your opinion - what are its virtues?


I did a comparison of several recordings (Chung, Tortelier, Nagano, Salonen, Rattle. Previn) of the TS a few years back with the score in my lap, and Chailly was the conductor that used tempi and phrasing closest to how I read the music, and he had one of the better attention to details, not least helped by the fab orchestra! (Chung was a close second). 
I did not compare Ozawa that time because I did not have it on hand, I have heard it since and while He may well have some fine ideas and decent pacing and the Loriod Sisters as soloists, the Toronto Orchestra was no Concertgebouw back in the 60's and is quite a let down... (But then, I've never been an Ozawa fan..  so that might be a part of my view...)



> Any views on "Eclairs sur l'au dela" - have you heard any of the recordings by Rattle, Metzmacher, Cambreling, Myung-Whun Chung Porcelijn and Wit, and what are their merits (or non-merits!)...?


Have not done anything similar with "Eclairs", I've been quite content with Chung and later Metzmacher, hoped that Rattle with such a super orchestra should do something special, but I was not convinced by him. If You have Chung and ain't obsessive, there no reason to hear the others!

/ptr


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## DrKilroy

Best solution:










I'd take it for any reasonable price... Myung-Whun Chung conducting, Aimard at the piano, Latry plaing organ... Best renditions of anything. 

Best regards, Dr


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## millionrainbows

I prefer the *Boulez "Et exspecto"* on *Sony* CD (with Stravinsky) with the* New York Philharmonic,* since this was the original *Columbia* vinyl release I imprinted on in 1970, still in high school.


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## millionrainbows

For piano, any *Yvonne Loriod *recordings will be best, on Ades or other labels. For the complete cycle, Peter Hill on Unicorn (not Brilliant or other re-licensed versions). Also, remarkable playing on DG by *Ugorski,* who memorized the whole thing.


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## Celloman

Don't forget Tashi and their legendary recording of the _Quartet for the End of Time_:









Naxos impresses us once again with an electric interpretation from Antoni Wit:


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## Couac Addict

apbsen said:


> Thank you, Couac Addict, for your suggestions. Very helpful!
> 
> Concerning *"Eclairs sur l'Au-dela?*" -
> 
> which recordings are especially outstanding?


My preference is Chung/Opera Bastille followed closely by Rattle/Berlin


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## starthrower

[/QUOTE]

There's a 6 CD Aimard box that sells for around 20 dollars from Amazon vendors, and Presto Classical. You get the Messiaen, plus a lot more. http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Teldec/2564660448


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