Olivier Messiaen-The Eyes in the Wheels (from Organ Book)

Organist Darren Motise plays Messiaen's explosive The Eyes in the Wheels from Livre d'Orgue. Performed at Vassar College 2008. Fantastic Video Montage created by Darren Motise. Hit "view in high quality" for sharper video.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Darren
• Motise
• Eyes
• in
• the
• Wheels
• Olivier
• Messiaen
• Organ

[zippylad77]

This is the slowest rendition of this piece that I've heard , and yet it still sounds incredible! In fact I think I actually prefer it at this tempo!

[organboi]

@zippylad77 Thanks ZippyLad! I came to this piece without ever hearing any recording or performance of it. I went with my gut feeling. I LOVE this tempo because its ominous and sounds like wheels moving, and you hear the pitches. I'm not sure what Messiaen had in mind, so perhaps I'm totally off. This was also just two months after I started it, so I couldn't really get much faster! I'll be working on a slightly faster tempo soon. I appreciate your comment very much. It made my day!

[vleermuisje2]

Subliem!

Zowel video als orgelspel.

[organboi]

@vleermuisje2 Thank you, my friend!

[sieracki001]

Ever thought of doing a video performance of Ligeti's Volumina? That is truly terrifying and I have had "new ears" for years. By the way I play this video a lot - I appreciate the slower than usual pace as I really like to hear the piece and savor each note.

[organboi]

@sieracki001 Thank you for your very kind comment. I will look into the Ligeti. And I will soon have a faster tempo of Eyes. I just learned it at the time of the recording. I also like the slower tempo because you can hear the notes. You're exactly right. Thanks again!!

[zippylad77]

@organboi I'm glad because you deserve it :-) Yes I agree with you that the slower tempo is definitely more evocative of moving wheels! If you heard Dame Gillian Weir playing it, you'd be thinking more along the lines of "Fast and furious". I bought my copy of the Messiaen livre d'orgue a while back and I'm actually intimidated at looking at the score to this! I might attempt it one day, but I think in the meantime I'll be sticking with the easier chants d'oiseaux. Best wishes!

[maurifleischmann]

Thanks so much for sharing this!



[bttq2788]

Amazing !! this video is very good !!

[Sesquiltera]

@TheNiceNightmare This piece illustrates the biblical story of Ezekiel seeing a furiously whirling wheel covered wiith eyes, hence the speed. I do have to say that I heared versions of it played twice as fast.