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Olivier Messiaen

Noël, from Vingt Regard sur l'Enfant Jésus  Play

Minju Choi Piano

Recorded on 08/24/2004, uploaded on 01/13/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Vingt Regard sur l'Enfant Jésus    Olivier Messiaen

Noël              

The vast cycle Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jésus from which these three movements are taken was written in Paris in 1944.  As much as birdsong is a central component of much of Messiaen's work, so is an intense spirituality, lending inspiration to the cycle.  The premiere was received with strongly mixed reviews, sparking a war of words between critics that would continue for years.  Since then, it has become one of the most monumental and influential works of the 20th century.

Messiaen provided these notes on the three movements heard today:

Noël (Christmas):  The Christmas bells say with us the sweet names of Jesus, Mary, Joseph...

Minju Choi

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