l'apparition du Christ ressuscité à Marie-Madeleine

l'apparition du Christ ressuscité à Marie-Madeleine from Livre du Saint Sacrement by Olivier Messiaen. Live performance in concert by Jennifer Chou at The Anglican Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, New Zealand. November 2008.

After a chain of somewhat cluster sounds ascending from very low to middle and high register and a 3 solo notes motif that ascend from the lowest key on the keyboard, the music enters a tranquil and mystic section after a moment of silence where Jesus calls "Marie! Marie!" (Mary). On realising it's Jesus calling her, Mary went into rapture over the appearance of her teacher and she called out "Rabboni". It is followed by a song of the white-throated robin played side by side with the words "Fils vers Pere", "Votre Pere, Fils vers Dieu". The bird song is followed by the revelation of the Ressurection and Ascension. IIn the final section of the piece, the motifs reverse direction, the ascending sounds from the start of the piece now descend from high to low, the motif of the three ascending solo notes now also descend to the bottom of the keyboard. A final mystic call of "Marie! Marie!" brings the piece to an end with dreamlike ecstasy.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Livre du Saint Sacrement
• Olivier Messiaen
• Organ music