2016 Messiaen Organ Concerts
Recitals of the Complete Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen (1908-92) will take place in the Cathedral during 2016 and 2017.
Messiaen’s organ works represent a major cornerstone of his output. Messiaen was an organist who sought to express his Catholic Faith, the source of his inspiration, through his music. This series of recitals at Arundel Cathedral by Robert Sholl presents Messiaen’s complete organ works both in concert and as devotional works. The works are therefore performed (with readings), around the religious festivals which inspired them.
Ascension 2016 (Friday May 6)
Prélude (ca. 1930) 10’
Monodie (1963) 5’
Diptyque (1930) 11’
L’Ascension (1933-34) with readings 25’
Pentecost 2016 (Friday 20 May)
Triptyque (L’Orgue Mystique no. 26, Trinity Sunday) – Charles Tournemire (1870-1939)
Offertoire (L’Orgue Mystique no 36) – Tournemire
Deuxième Fantaisie (1936) – Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Messe de la Pentecôte (1949-1950) – Olivier Messiaen (1908-92)
1. Entrée (Les langues de feu) Entrances (The tongues of fire)
The tongues of fire rested on each of them. (Acts 2:3)
2. Offertoire (Les choses visibles et invisibles) Offertory (Things Visible and Invisible)
The things visible and invisible. (Symbol of Nicea)
3. Consécration (Le don de Sagesse) Consecration (The gift of wisdom)
The Holy Spirit will remind you of all I have said to you. (John 14:26)
4. Communion (les Oiseaux et les sources) Communion (The birds and water springs)
Waters, springs, bless the Lord; birds of the sky, bless the Lord. (Song of the three children)
5. Sortie (Le vent de l’Esprit) Final Voluntary: The wind of the spirit
A mighty wind filled the house (Acts 2:2)
Improvisation sur le ‘Veni Creator’
Corpus Christi 2016 (Friday June 3)
Offrande au Saint Sacrament (ca. 1930) 5’
Le Banquet céleste (1928) 10’
Les Corp Glorieux (1939) with readings 50’
Dedication of a Church, 2016 (Friday 4th November)
Verset pour le fête de la Dédicace (1960) 8’
Livre d’Orgue (1951) with readings 40’
Apparition de l‘Eglise éternelle (1932) 10’
Christmas 2016: (Friday 16 December)
La Nativité du Seigneur (1935) with readings 70’
Trinity 2017 (Friday June 9, 2017)
Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969) with readings 90’
Corpus Christi 2017 (Friday June 23)
Livre du Saint Sacrement (1984) 140’
Robert Sholl teaches at The Royal Academy of Music and The University of West London. He is currently preparing two books on Messiaen.
The first is a major study of Messiaen’s organ works, and the second, a biography of the composer for Reaktion’s Critical Lives series.
He has published on a wide range of twentieth-century music including a recent contribution on Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps, Messiaen, and Berio in Thresholds of Listening ed. Sander van Maas (Fordham, 2015).
He is the editor of Contemporary Music and Spirituality (Ashgate, 2016), and is involved in a number of forthcoming publications on Arvo Pärt’s music.
Robert has performed nationally and internationally. Recent recitals include St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Notre-Dame de Paris and la Madeleine.
Tickets are £5 for each concert or £25 for a ‘season’ ticket covering every concert. Tickets may be obtained from Elizabeth Stratford email: arundelorganrecitals@gmail.com
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