Mon 4 Feb 2008, 8:00pm
Teatro Regio di Parma, Parma

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Tamara Stefanovich, piano

Debussy - La mer
Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In the 1950s birdsong became central to Messiaen's music and Oiseaux exotiques is a colourful and energetic portrait of bird-life from both the Americas and Asia, a combination that would not naturally occur.

This did not bother Messiaen: all birds come from God and he was more concerned with the fascinating and brilliant permutations of birdsong that this allowed.

In the score he reminds the performers, "you should not forget that this work is highly coloured; it contains all the colours of the rainbow".

More info: www.teatroregioparma.org

Wed 6 Feb 2008, 7:45pm
The Anvil, Basingstoke

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot

Messiaen - Turangalîla-symphonie

Olivier Messiaen's vast Turangalîla-symphonie is one of the most inspiring pieces ever written, requiring an orchestra of colossal dimensions and a large array of tuned percussion.

The work's eclectic mix of influences range from the Wagnerian themes of transcendent love from the Tristan legend, the bell-like sonorities of Javanese gamelan, Hindu rhythms, Impressionistic harmonies and birdsong melodies, to the jazzy Gershwin-like elements that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood musical.

One of the distinctive features of the work is its use of the ondes martenot, an electronic instrument providing unique glissandi effects, which in this instance, give an ethereal and delicate quality to an otherwise explosive sound world.

Box office: 01256 844 244

Read more about Turangalîla-symphonie
Read more about the free pre-concert recital

The Turangalîla-Symphonie was Messiaen's first major international commission, requested by Serge Koussevitzky for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Find out more about the premiere of Turangalîla

Esa-Pekka Salonen gives us his perspective on Turangalîla-Symphonie, including the first time he heard the piece, and how you conduct such a colossal work.

Watch the interview with Salonen here

Philharmonia Orchestra Principal percussionist David Corkhill takes us through all the instruments and explains Messiaen's percussion writing.

Watch the interview with David Corkhill here

Thurs 7 Feb 2008, 7:30pm
The Royal Festival Hall, London

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot

Messiaen - Turangalîla-symphonie

Olivier Messiaen's vast Turangalîla-symphonie is one of the most inspiring pieces ever written, requiring an orchestra of colossal dimensions and a large array of tuned percussion.

The work's eclectic mix of influences range from the Wagnerian themes of transcendent love from the Tristan legend, the bell-like sonorities of Javanese gamelan, Hindu rhythms, Impressionistic harmonies and birdsong melodies, to the jazzy Gershwin-like elements that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood musical.

One of the distinctive features of the work is its use of the ondes martenot, an electronic instrument providing unique glissandi effects, which in this instance, give an ethereal and delicate quality to an otherwise explosive sound world.

Read more about Turangalîla-symphonie

The Turangalîla-Symphonie was Messiaen's first major international commission, requested by Serge Koussevitzky for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Find out more about the premiere of Turangalîla

Esa-Pekka Salonen gives us his perspective on Turangalîla-Symphonie, including the first time he heard the piece, and how you conduct such a colossal work.

Watch the interview with Salonen here

Philharmonia Orchestra Principal percussionist David Corkhill takes us through all the instruments and explains Messiaen's percussion writing.

Watch the interview with David Corkhill here

Sat 9 Feb 2008, 7:30pm
St David's Hall, Cardiff

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Juho Pohjonen, piano

Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No. 5
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In the 1950s birdsong became central to Messiaen's music and Oiseaux exotiques is a colourful and energetic portrait of bird-life from both the Americas and Asia, a combination that would not naturally occur.

This did not bother Messiaen: all birds come from God and he was more concerned with the fascinating and brilliant permutations of birdsong that this allowed.

In the score he reminds the performers, "you should not forget that this work is highly coloured; it contains all the colours of the rainbow".

Tickets £30 - £10

Box office: 029 2087 8444

Read Esa-Pekka Salonen's biography

Sun 10 Feb 2008, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Tamara Stefanovich, piano

Jolivet - Cinq danses rituelles
Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In the 1950s birdsong became central to Messiaen's music and Oiseaux exotiques is a colourful and energetic portrait of bird-life from both the Americas and Asia, a combination that would not naturally occur.

This did not bother Messiaen: all birds come from God and he was more concerned with the fascinating and brilliant permutations of birdsong that this allowed.

In the score he reminds the performers, "you should not forget that this work is highly coloured; it contains all the colours of the rainbow".

Tickets: £38 £29 £23 £18 £14 £11 £8

Read Esa-Pekka Salonen's biography
Read Tamara Stefanovich's biography.

Tue 12 Feb, 2008, 8:00pm
Philharmonie Luxembourg

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Tamara Stefanovich, piano

Jolivet - Cinq danses rituelles
Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In the 1950s birdsong became central to Messiaen's music and Oiseaux exotiques is a colourful and energetic portrait of bird-life from both the Americas and Asia, a combination that would not naturally occur.

This did not bother Messiaen: all birds come from God and he was more concerned with the fascinating and brilliant permutations of birdsong that this allowed.

In the score he reminds the performers, "you should not forget that this work is highly coloured; it contains all the colours of the rainbow".

Box office: (+352) 26 32 26 32

Read more about Oiseaux exotiques

Tue 14 Feb, 2008, 8:00pm
Auditorio Guardia di Finanza, Bari

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Tamara Stefanovich, piano

Jolivet - Cinq danses rituelles
Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In the 1950s birdsong became central to Messiaen's music and Oiseaux exotiques is a colourful and energetic portrait of bird-life from both the Americas and Asia, a combination that would not naturally occur.

This did not bother Messiaen: all birds come from God and he was more concerned with the fascinating and brilliant permutations of birdsong that this allowed.

In the score he reminds the performers, "you should not forget that this work is highly coloured; it contains all the colours of the rainbow".

Read more about Oiseaux exotiques

Fri 15 Feb 2008, 7:30pm
Cliffs Pavillion, Southend-on-sea

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Jacques Tchamkerten, ondes Martenot

Messiaen - Turangalîla-symphonie

Olivier Messiaen's vast Turangalîla-symphonie is one of the most inspiring pieces ever written, requiring an orchestra of colossal dimensions and a large array of tuned percussion.

The work's eclectic mix of influences range from the Wagnerian themes of transcendent love from the Tristan legend, the bell-like sonorities of Javanese gamelan, Hindu rhythms, Impressionistic harmonies and birdsong melodies, to the jazzy Gershwin-like elements that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood musical.

One of the distinctive features of the work is its use of the ondes martenot, an electronic instrument providing unique glissandi effects, which in this instance, give an ethereal and delicate quality to an otherwise explosive sound world.

Tickets £28.50 - £11.50
Concessions from £5

Box office: 01702 351135

Read more about Turangalîla-symphonie
Read more about the free pre-concert recital

The Turangalîla-Symphonie was Messiaen's first major international commission, requested by Serge Koussevitzky for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Find out more about the premiere of Turangalîla

Esa-Pekka Salonen gives us his perspective on Turangalîla-Symphonie, including the first time he heard the piece, and how you conduct such a colossal work.

Watch the interview with Salonen here

Philharmonia Orchestra Principal percussionist David Corkhill takes us through all the instruments and explains Messiaen's percussion writing.

Watch the interview with David Corkhill here

Thu 16 Oct 2008, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London

Kent Nagano, conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Kenneth Smith flute
Mark van de Wiel clarinet
Karen Stephenson cello
David Corkhill percussion
Kevin Hathway percussion
Peter Fry percussion
BBC Symphony Chorus
Philharmonia Voices

Messiaen - La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus Christ

La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ is a magnificent choral and orchestral work inspired by Messiaen's religious faith, and particularly by the theological significance of Christ's Transfiguration.

Along with its large chorus and orchestra, Messiaen also uses seven instrumental soloists to explore every aspect of his subject, including many passages where birdsong is woven into the musical fabric.

Ending with a triumphant chorale, this resplendent score is the composer's grandest work for the concert hall.

Read Kent Nagano's biography.
Read Pierre-Laurent Aimard's biography.

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London

George Benjamin, conductor

Xenakis - Pithoprakta
Benjamin - Sudden Time
Ligeti - Atmospheres
Messiaen - Chronochromie

Messiaen's love of nature reached overflow with Chonochromie - meaning 'the colour of time'.

A ten-part homage to the Alps, full of luminous percussion and shifting dense string parts, it is an extremely elaborate and brilliantly written work.

Both George Benjamin and Iannis Xenakis were pupils of Messiaen in Paris and their respective works performed this evening also explore time and colour whilst Ligeti's Atmosphères focuses on the absence of time.

Read George Benjamin's biography.

Thu 23 Oct 2008, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London

Sylvain Cambreling, conductor
Roger Muraro, piano
Lauren Flanigan, soprano

Debussy - Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Messiaen - Réveil des Oiseaux
Messiaen - Poèmes pour Mi
Scriabin - Poème de l'Exstase

Colour and the musical expression of it ties together all four works in this evening's programme.

Debussy's Prélude, opened up the sound-world of the twentieth-century. Depicting the dreams and desires flitting through the mind of the faun as he lies in the sultry sunshine of a hot summer's afternoon it weaves a tantalising veil of colours and textures.

Colour was also a lifelong passion of Messiaen's and Réveil des oiseaux, for piano and orchestra (along with much additional percussion) is a glorious depiction of a dawn chorus of French birds.

Poèmes pour Mi meanwhile is a celebration of love, an extraordinarily intimate and personal song cycle that celebrates the marriage of Messiaen and 'Mi', his pet name for his first wife Claire.

Scriabin's Poème de l'Exstase, a tone poem of great originality, with shifting sound colours that reflect the composer's admiration of Debussy's music, provides a glorious climax.

Read Sylvain Cambreling's biography.
Read Roger Muraro's biography.