# Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphonie

> Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphonie – Angela Hewitt, Valérie Hartmann-Claverie, Finnish Radio Symphony…. Ondine ODE 1251-5, SACD / CD, released May 2014.

Source: https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1251-5

- **Composer:** Olivier Messiaen
- **Work(s):** Turangalîla Symphonie
- **Performers:** Angela Hewitt, piano; Valérie Hartmann-Claverie, ondes Martenot; Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Hannu Lintu, conductor
- **Label:** Ondine
- **Catalogue no.:** ODE 1251-5
- **Format:** SACD / CD
- **Release date:** 1 May 2014
- **EAN / UPC:** 0761195125151
- **Tracks:** 10, total 74:57
- **Genres:** Orchestral, Instrumental

## Track listing

**Olivier Messiaen**

- *Turangalîla Symphonie*
1. Introduction Modéré, un peu vif (6:32)
2. Chant d?amour (Love song) 1 Modéré, lourd (8:02)
3. Turangalîla 1 Presque lent, rêveur (5:23)
4. Chant d?amour 2 Bien modéré (10:19)
5. Joie du Sang des Étoiles Vif, passionné avec joie (6:11)
6. Jardin du Sommeil d?amour Très modéré,  très tendre (9:52)
7. Turangalîla 2 Un peu vif, bien modéré (3:52)
8. Développement d?amour Bien modéré (11:37)
9. Turangalîla 3 Bien modéré (5:37)
10. Final Modéré, presque vif, avec une grande joie (7:32)

## About this recording

This new Ondine recording contains Olivier Messiaen's (1908-1992) magnum opus from the 1940s, the large-scale Turangalîla-Symphonie conducted by Hannu Lintu.

The recording features as soloists the renowned pianist Angela Hewitt as well as Valérie Hartmann-Claverie, who plays the rare electro-acoustic ondes Martenot instrument which, alongside with the piano, has a substantial role in Messiaen's work.

This release continues Hannu Lintu's brilliant Ligeti recording with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra ([ODE 1213-2](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1213-2); Gramophone Editor's Choice) and points out once again Lintu's skills with works by 20th century composers.

The Turangalîla symphony is a gigantic work with two soloists and is cast in ten movements. Above all, Turangalîla is a symphony of love, but also much more. The composer himself described his symphony with the following words: "Turangalîla means all at the same time song of love, hymn to joy, time, movement, rhythm, life and death".

After the Introduction of the first movement which lays out the basis of all subsequent material, movements two, four, six and eight evolve as explorations of the theme of love; movements three, seven and nine develop the darker associations perhaps of death; and the fifth and tenth movements act as overall summation points for the two halves of the symphony. Within the microcosm of this vast symphony, Messiaen provides continuity and cohesion with recurrent musical images and reference points, redolent of the leit motifs, idées fixes or cyclic themes of the great Romantic composers.

Serge Koussevitzky, who originally commissioned the work from Messiaen, was convinced that the Turangalîla-Symphonie was the first great milestone to appear on the musical horizon since Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps.

## Press

Lintu's awareness of internal balance is masterly (...). Lintu makes Messiaen's competing layers dance sensually around each other.

Phillip Clark, Gramophone, September 2014

## Buy or stream

- [Buy](https://Ondine.lnk.to/ODE12515OW)

## Related pages

- [Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/composers/messiaen-olivier.md)
- [Angela Hewitt, piano](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/hewitt-angela.md)
- [Valérie Hartmann-Claverie, ondes Martenot](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/hartmann-claverie-val-rie.md)
- [Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/finnish-radio-symphony-orchestra.md)
- [Hannu Lintu, Conductor](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/lintu-hannu.md)

## Also recommended

- [György Ligeti: Violin Concerto · Lontano · Atmosphères · San Francisco Polyphony](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1213-2.md): Benjamin Schmid, violin · Finnish RSO · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1213-2, 2013)
- [Max Reger: Violin Concerto · Chaconne](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1203-2.md): Benjamin Schmid, violin · Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1203-2, 2012)
- [George Enescu: Symphony No. 2 & Chamber Symphony](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1196-2.md): Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1196-2, 2012)
- [George Enescu: Ouverture de Concert · Symphony No. 3, Op. 21](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1197-2.md): Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra · Tampere Philharmonic Choir · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1197-2, 2013)