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Messiaen - The Complete Organ Music, Vol.4 - Les Corps glorieux

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Catalogue numberBIS-442 CD
Release date1990-04-30
Discs1
Total time67:31

This album presents Olivier Messiaen’s organ cycle Les Corps glorieux (1939), subtitled “Seven Short Visions of the Life of the Resurrected,” performed by Hans-Ola Ericsson. Composed just before World War II, this deeply spiritual work reflects Messiaen’s Catholic faith and his fascination with eternity, resurrection, and the mystical qualities of sound.

Structured in three books of seven movements, the cycle explores theological themes through musical symbolism: purity, light, strength, and the mystery of divine existence. Each movement is inspired by scripture and conveys a specific vision of resurrected life, using Messiaen’s distinctive techniques—modes of limited transposition, non-retrogradable rhythms, Gregorian chant, and colorful harmonic language.

The centerpiece is the fourth movement, Combat de la mort et de la vie, portraying the struggle between death and life through dramatic contrasts and jubilant resolution. The final movement, Le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, is a musical expression of the Trinity, structured around the number three, with symbolically layered voices.

Also included is Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace (1960), a joyful, chant- and birdsong-inspired piece composed after a decade focused on other musical themes. It anticipates later works like Couleurs de la cité céleste, using Gregorian alleluia motifs, vibrant color chords, and Messiaen’s unique rhythmic language.

This recording reveals Messiaen’s union of theological reflection and musical invention, offering a profound listening experience rooted in faith, color, and mystery.
 
  • CD QUALITY | MP3
    File formats included in CD QUALITY | MP3
    • FLAC 16-bit Stereo
    • MP3 Stereo
$ 4.95
 
Extra material for download
 
 
  Composer: Messiaen, Olivier
  Les Corps glorieux - Sept visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités, Livre I 16:41
01 I. Subtilité des corps glorieux 05:49 $ 0.44 USD
02 II. Les Eaux de la grâce 03:06 $ 0.23 USD
03 III. L'Ange aux parfums 07:46 $ 0.58 USD
 
  Les Corps glorieux - Sept visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités, Livre II
04 IV. Combat de la mort et de la vie 19:01 $ 1.43 USD
 
  Les Corps glorieux - Sept visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités, Livre III 18:40
05 V. Force et agilité des corps glorieux 03:47 $ 0.28 USD
06 VI. Joie et clarté des corps glorieux 05:57 $ 0.45 USD
07 VII. Le Mystère de la sainte Trinité 08:56 $ 0.67 USD
 
08 Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace 11:35 $ 0.87 USD
 
  Album total 67:31
OrganEricsson, Hans-Ola
ComposerMessiaen, Olivier

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