Composer

:

Olivier Messiaen

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Tone Poem

Compose Date

:

1971 - 1974

Average_duration

:

94:29

Movement_count

:

12

Movement ....

Olivier Messiaen's "Des canyons aux étoiles..., I/51" is a monumental work for piano, horn, xylorimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, and orchestra. It was composed between 1971 and 1974 and premiered on October 8, 1974, at the Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The work is divided into twelve movements, each inspired by the natural wonders of the American Southwest. The movements are: 1. "Le désert" ("The Desert") - a slow, meditative introduction that sets the tone for the entire work. 2. "Les orioles" ("The Orioles") - a lively, bird-like scherzo featuring the horn and percussion. 3. "Le cossyphe d'Heuglin" ("Heuglin's Robin-Chat") - a slow, mournful movement for solo piano. 4. "La grive des bois" ("The Wood Thrush") - a virtuosic display for solo piano, featuring rapid runs and trills. 5. "Omao, leiothrix, elepaio, shama" - a colorful, exotic movement featuring the percussion and piano. 6. "Cedar Breaks et le don de crainte" ("Cedar Breaks and the Gift of Fear") - a dramatic, intense movement featuring the full orchestra. 7. "Appel interstellaire" ("Interstellar Call") - a haunting, otherworldly movement featuring the horn and percussion. 8. "Bryce Canyon et les rochers rouge-orange" ("Bryce Canyon and the Red-Orange Rocks") - a lively, rhythmic movement featuring the percussion. 9. "Les ressuscités et le chant de l'étoile Aldébaran" ("The Resurrected and the Song of the Star Aldebaran") - a mystical, transcendent movement featuring the full orchestra. 10. "Le moqueur polyglotte" ("The Mockingbird") - a playful, virtuosic movement for solo piano. 11. "La grive des champs" ("The Field Thrush") - a slow, contemplative movement for solo piano. 12. "Le merle de roche" ("The Rock Thrush") - a lively, energetic finale featuring the full orchestra. "Des canyons aux étoiles..." is characterized by Messiaen's unique musical language, which combines elements of Indian classical music, bird song, and Catholic mysticism. The work is also notable for its use of percussion, which Messiaen believed was the most important family of instruments in the orchestra. Overall, "Des canyons aux étoiles..." is a stunning tribute to the natural beauty of the American Southwest, and a testament to Messiaen's genius as a composer.

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