Olivier Messiaen: Le Traquet rieur (1956-58)

One of the last pieces in Messiaen's massive, seven-volume cycle for piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux. This piece features the black wheatear (traquet rieur).

In Messiaen's own words:

"Mois de Mai. Belle matinée ensoleillée. Le Cap Béar, au-dessus de Port-Vendres (Roussillon). Falaise rocheuse, garrigues, mer bleu saphir et bleu Nattier, argentée de soleil. Joie de la mer bleue. Chant du Traquet rieur.

Dialogue entre le Merle bleu, plus caressant, et le Traquet rieur, plus éclatant, coupé par les aboiements du Goéland argenté, les cris stridents des Martinets noirs, les brèves interjections des Traquet stapazins. Noir, queue blanche à dessin noir, le Traquet rieur est perché sur une pointe de roche, au bas de la falaise. La Fauvette à lunettes s'excite dans les garrigues. Un coup de vent passe sur la mer, toujours bleu saphir et bleu Nattier, argentée de soleil. Joie de la mer bleue."

Yvonne Loriod, piano.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• messiaen
• catalogue
• d'oiseaux
• birdsong
• bird
• wheatear
• traquet
• rieur
• transcription
• piano
• yvonne
• loriod
• 20th-century
• avantgarde
• french
• classical
• modern

[elcaballodecaligula]

"Catalogue d'oiseaux" is one of the highlights in 20th century music.

[Amarynthine]

2:19, really sounded like bird chirp

[MrJeanSarkozy]

Snob.

[jakiner]

very interesting



[maddindafirst]

im having a similar experience with vingt regards- great music but difficult to play AND to listen to^^

[TheAspenTom]

I learned just one of these pieces, "Le Loriot," which took me 3 months to learn initially, 3 more to learn better (with all those 32nd notes, it took a while!), and about 12 minutes to play! It was an incredible experience and I loved playing it, but I doubt I'll ever do the entire cycle! Kudos to those who can!

[davidpriege]

Fantastica cancion.5 estrellas.

[Chesterton7]

Thank you for posting this.

[beethomozart]

composed between 1956-58, this gigantic and extensive cycle for piano was meant to be played all at once, more than 3 hours of music without stopping as Messiaen wanted, so there are too few pianists that take the challenge