Messiaen, Olivier : Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jésus
Work Overview
Instrumentation：Piano Solo
Genre：pieces
Total Playing Time：2 hr 12 min 00 sec
Copyright：Under Copyright Protection
Commentary (2)
Author : Hirano, Takatoshi
Last Updated: January 20, 2014
[Open]
Author : Hirano, Takatoshi
The collection of pieces for solo piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (Twenty Contemplations on the Infant Jesus) (1944), is one of Messiaen's most important piano works, alongside Catalogue d'oiseaux (Catalogue of Birds) (1956-1958), in terms of both its theme and its large scale. Through the creation of this work, Messiaen systematized his unique musical language and attempted to symbolically express the divinity of Christ by systematically and comprehensively mobilizing it. In 1941, Messiaen, who had become a professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire, met Yvonne Loriod, a pianist of outstanding musical ability. Around this time, Messiaen's interest lay in bringing faith-themed music into the concert hall rather than the church. In Visions de l'Amen(1943, for two pianos) and Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine (Three Small Liturgies of the Divine Presence) (1943-1944, for piano, ondes Martenot, female choir, and orchestra without wind instruments), he cyclically used themes related to God within the works and entrusted lyrics singing of love for God to the choir. This collection of pieces also belongs to this extension, and Messiaen focused on various "regards" (contemplations/gazes) surrounding the birth of Jesus, assigning independent music to each, completing a monumental cycle of 20 pieces. According to Messiaen, the term "regard" originates from Don Columba Marmion's (1858-1923) work Christ in His Mysteries and an idea by Maurice Toesca (1904-1998), who was involved in the creation of this collection.
__________
- An Irish monk. His Catholic writings were widely read in Europe. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
- A French writer. During the period when the German army occupied France in World War II (Messiaen composed Regards towards the end of this period), he is said to have engaged in collaborationist activities with the Germans at the Paris Police Prefecture.
Author : Hirano, Takatoshi
Last Updated: January 20, 2014
[Open]
Author : Hirano, Takatoshi
This collection of pieces was originally conceived not as concert music, but as incidental music for poetry readings broadcast on radio. In German-occupied Paris, writers and musicians sympathetic to the Resistance established French National Radio in opposition to the Nazi radio station. Their policy for radio broadcasting emphasized introducing listeners to various aspects of art, thereby enhancing their cultural education. Based on this intention, the creation of "radio art," which transcended various artistic genres such as literature, music, and theater, began to be encouraged. Composer Henri Barraud (1900-1997), who was slated to become the head of music broadcasting, planned a Christmas program that would express the story of the birth of Jesus through poetry and music, and at the end of 1943, he commissioned Toesca and Messiaen, respectively, to create the text and music. The reason why Barraud commissioned Toesca, who was said to have engaged in pro-German activities, is not clear, but around February 1944, Messiaen and Toesca discussed the plan in detail. The work's title was decided as 12 Regards, and Messiaen and Toesca continued their respective creations without further contact. In August 1944, when Paris was liberated, Messiaen's creation was nearing completion, but by then, the number of "regards" he had composed exceeded 20. On September 11, Messiaen invited Toesca and others to the home of his acquaintance Drapier and gave a private premiere performance himself. Ultimately, the originally planned Christmas program was not broadcast, and the number of pieces settled at 20. The public premiere of the complete work by Loriod, to whom it was dedicated, took place on March 26, 1945, at Salle Gaveau, where Messiaen distributed a four-page commentary and read it aloud before the performance of each "regard." The score was published by Durand in 1947.
List of Movements
- Regard du Père (Gaze of the Father)
- Regard de l’étoile (Gaze of the Star)
- L’échange (The Exchange)
- Regard de la Vierge (Gaze of the Virgin)
- Regard du Fils sur le Fils (Gaze of the Son upon the Son)
- Par Lui tout a été fait (By Him all was made)
- Regard de la Croix (Gaze of the Cross)
- Regard des hauteurs (Gaze of the Heights)
- Regard du temps (Gaze of Time)
- Regard de l’Esprit de joie (Gaze of the Spirit of Joy)
- Première communion de la Vierge (First Communion of the Virgin)
- La parole toute puissante (The All-Powerful Word)
- Noël (Christmas)
- Regard des Anges (Gaze of the Angels)
- Le baiser de l’enfant-Jésus (The Kiss of the Infant Jesus)
- Regard des prophètes, des bergers et des Mages (Gaze of the Prophets, Shepherds, and Magi)
- Regard du silence (Gaze of Silence)
- Regard de l’Onction terrible (Gaze of the Terrible Anointing)
- Je dors, mais mon cœur veille (I sleep, but my heart keeps vigil)
- Regard de l’Eglise d’amour (Gaze of the Church of Love)
Movements (20)
"Première communion de la Vierge"
Total Performance Time: 7 min 30 sec
"Regard des prophètes, des bergers et des Mages"
Total Performance Time: 3 min 00 sec
"Regard de l'onction terrible"
Total Performance Time: 7 min 00 sec
"Je dors, mais mon coeur veille"
Total Performance Time: 11 min 00 sec
PTNA & Partner Channel Videos(4items)
Reference Videos & Audition Selections(2items)
