I liked this….

I'm a lifelong Messiaeniac, but just found your post here from a friend and fellow lover of the master. What a wonderful discussion and for many (I hope) terrific introduction into the works of one of the truly original voices and visionaries of the 20th century. I was in my early 20's and had planned to go to Paris for the premiere of Saint François d'Assise. I didn't make it, and have been waiting forty years now for it to be produced in the U.S. again, having missed its only staging here in San Francisco. I'm still, if somewhat less hopeful it will happen. Thanks for sharing your passion,. It's always lovely to meet another fan.

This is a very well done introduction to Messiaen. I’ve played quite a bit of his organ music, and met him several times. I was very lucky to attend the world premieres of “Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte-Trinité” and “Des canyons aux étoiles.”

A fascinating and interesting survey of Messiaen's music. Sixty years ago, as a 15 year old, I heard 'Vingt Regards' on the radio played by John Ogden and it was a revelation. I studied his teatise on his "musical language". I heard everything of his that I could get my hands on. I heard Turangalila at Oxford - in the presence of the composer - I heard the first performance in the UK of 'Canyon to the stars'' in London in the presence of the composer and I heard Messiaen and Loriod playing 'Visions' in Washington DC.I have the program signed by them - which I treasure. Messiaen seems to be having the same fate as many great composers - a long period after their deaths where they are almost forgotten. I shall now go and listen to one of my favourite owkrs - the 'Trois petitrs Liturgies'. Thank you for this talk.

Pero que hermoso ❤

Lovely sound Thacher. This made me think some of Kenny Wheeler and Keith Jarret. Cool piece !

Wonderful job!

based

Francis Bacon once stumbled in front of my car in SoHo, presumably on his way back from the French as he was totally “cut”. Somewhere around 77-79. Big fan.

Saw the opera last July in Stuttgart, wonderful experience ❤️

Poem for mi, variations for violin and piano, it’s endless, his wonderful music. Wonder if he fell for Vatican2 and the Novus Ordo ?

My favorite is L'epilepsy des Oiseeaux.

14:15 not one, not two, but THREE ... ".. ernmerntenomes... " . What's an ernmartinome?

Dear Thatcher, Kudos on your well done Messiaen primer. I was introduced to his soulfully delicious liturgical music when I sang on the Third Presbyterian Church choir, in Pittsburgh, PA, back in the 80's, directed by the wonderfully energetic and hilariously eccentric John Lively ( bow, bow, I am not worthy). O sacrum Convivium, by Olivier is one of my all time favorite pieces along with those Four Christmas Motets by Francis Poulenc. So, how come no mentioning of the fact that he "belonged" to the group known as Le Seis?

Norman McLaren's Synchromy used replication of geometric patterns from the film on the audio-video track. Synergetic exploration.

just stymbed across this - instant subscribe.

I like birds in turangalila.

What about Arnold Schoenberg?

If your ever near Rochester and need someone to record you HMU!

Played jazz for 20 years and i dont hear it. Maybe its cause you mean jacob collier and he is no jazz musician, rather no musician at all. Sounds more like hindemith to me , pantonal/xtended tonality

Brilliant Thank you. An unique doccie to match an unique composer. Your final performance was a gift!

Composers you'll have to indoctrinate yourself into a cult to enjoy.

Composers you'll have to indoctrinate yourself into a cult to enjoy

I'll take all that you got! A stiring listen!

Excellente interprétation d'Œuvres pour Hautbois, Basson & Piano de Compositeurs de toutes nationalités. C'est un très beau et agréable récital. Merci beaucoup, Messieurs. Christian-Yves (Tours, Centre-Val-de-Loire, France)

One of the highest musical voices of the XXth century

10:11 yes

I fell in love with Messiaen's music when I heard "Les Corps Glorieux" played by a friend at school. I tend to much prefer his earlier music to the later works. I find it hard to pick much out after the mid 50's that I really like. I think it becomes too much just synaesthetic painting, and while I'm sure it was spectacular in Messiaen's mind, it doesn't work so well in mine. However, the earlier works of the 1930's and 1940's are really fabulous. I especially like his depictions of eternity; slow, ecstatic movements like the final movement of the Quartet for the End of Time, the 15th movement of Vingt Regards, the final movement of L'Ascension, Combat de la mort et de la vie from Les Corps Glorieux (the very movement that got me hooked in the first place) and, of course, the 6th movement of Turangalila.

Does Rabbit Hole mean to you that diligence and endurance are necessary towards understanding? Good. Work like a dog. Stay on the trail. Be a man.

You can hear the birds! It’s like being in an aviary. ❤ Messiaen.

Such a creative way to discuss the piece!

AMAZING WORK

I learned about him just days ago while watching Mozart in the Jungle. As soon as I learned of him I too went down the rabbit hole listening to all I could find. Nicely done video.

I've been interested in the world of Messaien for a while now, mostly down to Jonny Greenwood's very own Ondes Martonet. Today my music teacher a look into modes of limited transposition today (and even tried to compose with them [to varying degress of success]) and I was on the hunt for more Messaien - there's no better video I could have turned to! I love his idea of using birdsong to display both the beauty and savagery of nature. Thanks a lot for such an informative video!

Excellent ... (Don't know WHY there aren't any other comments up here) ...

21:30 Did Rameau write concerti?

I’ve loved Messiaen for a long time but never have seen such a great overview. Thank you for sharing!

Perfect term rabbit hole! I think Alex Ross' The Rest is Noise turned me on to him, listened to Turangalila first, and then never resurfaced, the major orchestral works, organ and piano works etc. I still can't 'get' Chronochromie though.

Great job! Thank you

thank you for the beautiful video

I can recommend Henri Dutilleux

Thank you sir for this video. I hope to see more rabbit hole composer videos

Thanks. They did Canyons a couple weeks ago in Seattle...sublime.

O'Livey Hey Messy Hands

Absolutely beautiful!

Most of the guys you mention are hardy obscure, which is what I think you mean by “rabbit hole,” or hidden . ???

Thank you for this interesting video - I studied Quatour Pour Le Fin Du Temps for my A Level Music exam in 1985: I found the music challenging to listen to as well as understand, but as you point out, his music is something very different, unique, and divinely-inspired, so I have fond memories of discovering more about him and particularly his organ music, which took the musical mysticism to wondrous heights. I learned something very new and very different from his music back then, so it was nice to find this video and analysis where you'd gone all the way down this rabbit hole that I'd merely peeked into myself!

Awesomeness! Do one on Xenakis.

I've been trying to hav e an open mind about Prithoprakta since 1963. It still sounds like pseudo intellectual garbage.

I'm glad you discovered a rabbit hole with this one. I heard Olivier Messiaen decades ago and was similarly taken by him and some of the others you mention. Thanks for sharing your own appreciation of Messiaen on the piano. Nice. As for your French, you didn't sound too shabby to me (but what do I know?). Good work. Continue.