Ron Chaplin ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Dave Orea's contribution to the Twentieth Century Poll got me thinking
>about Messaien's Turangalila Symphony.

Ignore Turnage.  There's no religion (certianly no Catholocism) in
Turangalila.

Recommend a recording? I can recommend two (and I own most of the extant
recordings).

The best-recorded and prbably most exciting overall is the
Concertgebouw/Chailly on Decca.  You will also be recommended the Chung on
DG, which I like, but which is IMHO too soft-edged.  it may (may) be better
than Chailly in the slower movements (e.g.  6: Le jardin du sommeil
d'amour) but not in the quicker music.

The other reocrding I'd recommend is for those with a historical bent: the
Rosbaud on Wergo.  Recorded in the studio in 1950 for SWR, this is AFAIK
the earliest surviving performance and one of the best.  Mono only though.

And (I can hardly believe I'm typing this) the 1967 Toronto SO/Ozawa (RCA)
should be reissued.  For all its shortcomings (the orchestra is pushed
really hard) it gets to the essence of the music.

Turangalila is indeed a wonderful, extraverted, exuberant even (in
movemetns 2, 5 7 10 particularly) orgiastic work.

Deryk Barker
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