|
|
 |
|
 |
||
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Contents:
DDD 99:49 Recorded: Norwich Cathedral, February 2000 The Livre du Saint Sacrement (Book of the Blessed Sacrament) for organ was written in 1984. It includes 18 pieces: some are short, others more developed. The first pieces are acts of adoration before Christ, invisible but truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The first piece: Adoro te (I Adore Thee) exactly expresses this adoration. The second piece: la Source de Vie (The Well-Spring of Life) expresses the thirst for the grace given by the Holy Sacrament. The third piece is titled: le Dieu cachÈ (The Hidden God). In addition to the music of adoration on the soft foundation stops 16, 8 of the Swell, with Fifteenth 2, one hears a plainsong theme, the Alleluia for the Feast of Corpus Christi (Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ), and two birdsongs from Israel: Tristramís Grackle (notated at Engaddi, between Massada and the Dead Sea) and the Olivaceous Warbler (notated at Lod near Tel Aviv). The fourth piece is an act of faith in the Real Presence. All the graces which Christ earned for us during the various stages of his earthly life still retain their power, which is administered to us at each Liturgical Feast. This idea was developed at length in the very beautiful book by Dom Columba Marmion: Christ in His Mysteries. It is especially through the eucharistic communion that the graces of Christís Mysteries are given to us. Thus the pieces which follow describe each Mystery of Christ in chronological order. The fifth piece: Puer natus est nobis (To us a Child is Born) speaks of the Nativity. It uses a plainsong theme: the Introit for Christmas. It also uses a birdsong, that of the Olive-tree Warbler. The sixth piece: la manne et le Pain de Vie (The Manna and the Bread of Life) comes from the Discourse on the Bread of Life, spoken by Jesus at Capernaum during the course of his public life. In this discourse, Jesus himself cites the manna as a symbol of the Eucharist. Thus the piece represents the desert, where the manna fell from heaven. High-pitched chords on the 3 rank Cymbal of the Swell evoke the silence and peace of the desert. Long trilled chords in a crescendo-decrescendo on the Clarinet and Nazard of the Positive at 16, 8, 4 imitate the very strong wind which sometimes blows in the desert. Utilisation of two birdsongs from Israel: the Mourning Chat and the Desert Lark (both notated in the Judean desert, on the Mount of the Temptation). The Desert Lark is a bird of the rocky terrains of Jordan and Palestine, with very bright plumage (creamy reddish-yellow) whose monotonous, halting song is typical of the Judean desert. As the Discourse on the Bread of Life promised resurrection, the seventh piece is entitled: les ressuscitÈs et la lumiËre de Vie (The Resurrected and the Light of Life). The eighth piece: Institution de líEucharistie (Institution of the Eucharist) represents the moment surpassing all others in solemnity in which Christ pronounced the sacramental words for the first time: ìThis is my Body. This is my Bloodî. The basis of the piece is a Greek rhythm (Bacchius): short, long, long, extended a little. The miraculous words are entrusted to the Oboe of the Swell with Bourdon 16, Fifteenth, Tierce, in chords of the third mode (second transposition), grey and mauve, over a pianissimo chord held on the Cor de nuit of the Positive in A flat major, blue violet, very calm. Through the open window drifts the song of the Nightingale. The ninth piece is titled: les tÈnËbres (The Darkness). Three types of darkness. The ìpower of darknessî: horrible clusters in the second mode (first and second transpositions), then in the third mode (first, second and fourth transpositions). The Crucifixion with the tearing of outstretched limbs and the fortissimo of suffering. The physical darkness which spreads out over the earth. Tenth piece: la RÈsurrection du Christ (The Resurrection of Christ).Christ arises suddenly, in the full force of His glory, with the fortissimo of the organ and luminous chords in which all the colours of the rainbow shine forth. Eleventh piece: líapparition du Christ ressuscitÈ ‡ Marie-Madeleine (Appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary Magdalen). This is the most developed piece of the collection. Day has not yet come: it is dark, at the end of the night. Confused chromatic counterpoints which climb progressively higher describe this moment. Mary Magdalen, in tears beside the sepulchre, turns and sees Jesus without recognising Him. Jesus says to her: Mary! Mysterious and solemn chords symbolize the appearance of the Risen One, and His gentle voice which seems to come from the next world. A long crescendo passage follows. Mary looks, uncomprehendingly. She hesitates, staring open-eyed, and all at once, seized by tremendous joy, she recognises Him! Chords of contracted resonance, in transposed inversions. She kneels before Him. The voice begins again. To the mysterious chords are added the groans heard at the Crucifixion: the glorious body of Jesus Christ has kept the marks of the five wounds. Then comes the mission. ìGo and find my brothers and repeat my words: I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your Godî. Themes of the Son and of the Father (accompanied by a bird from Iran and northern Palestine: the White-throated Robin). This is the revelation of the Resurrection and the Ascension: that is why a musical alphabet sounds fortissimo the word ìApocalypseî (Revelation). The night is over, the chromatic counterpoints of the opening return in descending movement. The mysterious and solemn chords of the Risen Christ are resumed pianissimo. In the pale dawn, the apparition vanishes. From the twelfth piece on, we leave the chronological order of the events in the life of Christ and we are in his present day Church to pray to Him in the Blessed Sacrament. The title of the twelfth piece: la Transsubstantiation (The Transubstantiation). This term is used in theology to signify the changing of the substance of bread and wine into that of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. A mode of durations, pitches and tone-colours seeks to express this mystery. Two birds from Israel: the Common garden Bulbul and Laughing Dove (both notated at Engaddi, Judea) are superimposed onto the first notes of a plainsong theme: the Communion of Corpus Christi (Feast of the Blessed Sacrament). Continuation of the mode of durations, pitches and tone colours. The two birds and the plainsong theme are taken up again. Development of the first notes of the plainsong theme, alternating the durations of 2, 3 and 4 demisemiquavers, stressing the relation of 3 to 4. Conclusion with the Communion of Corpus Christi, by a solo on the Quintaton 16 and Nazard, over a background of pianissimo Voix CÈlËste. Thirteenth piece: les deux murailles díeau (The Two Walls of Water). The author has drawn a parallel between the presence of God in the two sections of the sea standing in walls of water at the moment of crossing the Red Sea, and the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the two fragments of the broken Host. The piece is a fortissimo tutti. A vigorous toccata alternates with the song of the Melodious Warbler. In the middle: contrary motion, torn off arpeggios represent the standing waves. Reprise of the toccata. Song of the Egyptian Great Reed Warbler, and fortissimo conclusion superimposing complementary colours: acid green on brownish red, yellow on violet. Fourteenth piece: PriËre avant la communion (Prayer before Communion). This is an act of humility: ìLord, I am not worthy to receive youî. Fifteenth piece: la joie de la gr‚ce (The Joy of Grace). Inspired by two texts from The Imitation of Christ this piece symbolises the joy of Divine Love through birdsong. These birds are: the Common Garden Bulbul, Tristramís Grackle (both notated at Engaddi, Judea) and the White-throated Robin (bird from Iran and northern Palestine). The absence of 8 foot stops and the abundance of mixtures and mutations will be noticed in the registration. Sixteenth piece: PriËre aprËs la communion (Post-Communion Prayer). Melodic garlands: on Quintaton 16 and Nazard on the Positive alternating with the Bourdon 16 and Twelfth of the Great, with a background of Voix CÈlËste on the Swell. The quotation from Saint Bonaventura speaks of gentleness and sweetness: these are the adjectives which the harmonic colours try to match. One will notice, towards the very end, chords of contracted resonance in transposed inversions. Seventeenth piece: la PrÈsence multipliÈe (The Multiplied Presence). Jesus Christ is present in all the consecrated Hosts of the world, in all times and places. The eighteenth and last piece is titled: Offrande et Alleluia final (Offering and Final Alleluia). Offering to God of all the prayers of all the saints. After the act of offertory, sung out on the Positive Cornet, the joy of the saints. This joy alternates a brilliant toccata with exuberant alleluia passages on the foundation stops and mixtures. Proclamation of the word ìJoyî and fortissimo conclusion. Translated by Anne Page [from In the Livre du Saint Sacrement, Messiaen's last and longest work for the organ, he returns to the theme which inspired his first published piece for the instrument, Le Banquet Céleste (1928). Devoting 18 pieces to the Eucharist, the sacrament of prime importance in the life of the Catholic believer, Messiaen exceeds his previous cycle of 9 Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969) by as many again, giving a total duration of nearly two hours. One might expect such a work to have a liturgical application, as does the Messe de la Pentecôte (1950) but Messiaen treats this theme more comprehensively, making it a statement of belief rather than an adornment of the liturgy. Messiaen states his belief through his choice of texts on which each movement is based: biblical quotations interpreted by the tradition of the Church represented by passages from St Thomas Aquinas, St Bonaventure, Thomas à Kempis, Dom Columba Marmion and the Sequence Lauda Sion. The Livre du Saint Sacrement draws freely on most of the musical techniques Messiaen developed throughout his six decades or so as a composer and church organist, and makes some new developments. His modal and rhythmic language is very fully described in his own writings and elsewhere. Noteworthy in this work is his use of plainsong, birdsong and the "communicable language" developed for the Méditations. This assigns a specific pitch and note value to each letter of the alphabet in order to spell out words in musical sounds. Used extensively in the Méditations, here it appears in order to highlight the most significant moments, always fortissimo: RESURRECTION (no.7), APOCALYPSE (no.11), LA JOIE (no.18). The "theme of God", another invention of the communicable language appears in no.11. Plainsong is often heard here as a monodic line, or sometimes given a very simple harmonisation - both treatments also occur in the Méditations. A new feature for the organ works is the treatment of birdsong in the Livre. In previous works this nearly always appears as a solo line coloured by the timbre of exotic stop combinations; here the songs are nearly all harmonised (like the birdsong of the piano works) giving an extra dimension to the colouring. Messiaen's choice of birds from the Holy Land invites speculation as to whether these species would be the same as those which sang there 2000 years ago... Through the sacrament ("the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace") the traditional teaching is that the believer is able to achieve communion with God and ultimately to partake of eternal life. Messiaen devotes the first four pieces to a preparation for celebration of the mystery, to the adoration of God 'hidden' beneath the outward sign. This group of pieces contains many of the elements which will be more fully developed later in the work. For example, no.1 (I adore Thee) ends with three slow chordal descents, suggesting genuflection or bowing down in adoration. Similar passages occur in no.3 (The Hidden God) and no.11 (Apparition of the Risen Christ...) at the point where, having recognised the risen Christ, Mary Magdalene kneels at his feet. The second piece (The Well-spring of Life) although without a separate pedal line, otherwise shares the special organ colours and atmosphere of no.16 (Post-Communion Prayer).The third piece is built as a mosaic of plainsong, birdsong, a free monodic line and the 'music of adoration' already noted, which recur in the same order but slightly varied - this structural technique is used for many of the pieces made up of diverse musical elements. The fourth piece (Act of Faith) is the most energetic so far, beginning with a short-long-short rhythm of which the central value is subsequently lengthened with each repetition. The remaining fourteen pieces are divided into two groups of seven. Numbers 5 to 11 describe events in Christ's earthly life which have special sacramental significance. The Nativity (no.5) celebrates the Word made flesh at the Incarnation just as later, in the Institution of the Eucharist (no.8) Christ's words transform the bread and wine into spiritual gifts of his body and blood. The Manna and the Bread of Life (no.6) foreshadows the Eucharist: one of its quotations is from St John's Gospel which speaks of the living bread and the promise of eternal life. The next piece (no.7) takes up further related passages from St John continuing this promise, and contrasts walking in darkness with the light of life. Movements 9 and 10 portray respectively the deepest darkness of suffering and the most dazzling, brilliant light of the Resurrection. The Apparition of the Risen Christ to Mary Magdalene (no.11) which closes this section is the focal point of the whole work. This meeting of the at first unrecognised Christ with Mary foreshadows the meeting of the believer with God which is at the heart of the Eucharist. Unlike any other organ work of Messiaen, this has the sense of a drama unfolding in real time. The opening, restless and confused, shows both the pre-dawn darkness and Mary's inner state. We hear her gradually-dawning realisation as ecstatic chords of recognition give way to reverent genuflection. Most of the rest of this long movement is occupied with the words of Christ, from the gentle chords calling Mary's name to the spelling out in communicable language of APOCALYPSE on full organ. The final seven movements follow key moments of the liturgy, from the consecration and division of the Host to its being received by the individual and the whole community of believers. The Transubstantiation (no.12) begins with a serial technique of the kind developed by Messiaen in works around 1950: the 12 chromatic notes are assigned a specific pitch, timbre and duration spread across the entire compass of the organ and using all its four different departments. This extremely abstract sounding music parallels the mystery of the change in the bread and wine brought about by their consecration. In the Two Walls of Water (no.13) Messiaen's own analogy of the division of the Host with the parting of the Red Sea generates one of the most spectacular toccatas of the organ repertoire: cascades of chords built into a rushing sea of sound, jubilant birdsong and the almost tangible depiction of the waves driven back achieve a sense of enormous physical power. The following Prayer before Communion (no.14) is the most total contrast imaginable - slow chords melt together, alternating with plainsong from the Alleluia for the Feast of Dedication, the Lauda Sion and the Gradual for Epiphany. The Joy of Grace (no.15) is performed by a chorus of birds, Messiaen's 'supreme musicians', emblems of joy and freedom. While not unique in Messiaen's organ works in consisting entirely of birdsong (see "Chants d'oiseaux" from the Livre d'Orgue) this is not only longer and more developed, but the call of each bird is coloured with harmonies as well as with specific organ timbres. The three calls follow one another in the same order six times, becoming longer and more ecstatic on each repetition. The Post-Communion Prayer (no.16) is based, like no.2, on a text of St Bonaventure and shares its special registration, now with the addition of deep foundational pedal tone, as the thirst for God is satisfied by receiving the sacrament. After the prayer of the individual, the closing movements are communal acts. The Multiplied Presence (no.17) confirms the sacrament present in all times and places, and the final Offering and Alleluia is an offering back to God by the company of Saints of prayer, ecstatic revelation and heavenly visions received in the Eucharist. The Livre du Saint Sacrement brings to Messiaen's organ works a new sense of drama, explicit in its central movement and implicit in the cumulative effect of the final group of pieces. These movements alternate energetic activity with serene contemplation, bringing about a sense of heightened attentiveness on the part of the listener. Here is not so much a retrospective summing up of Messiaen's musical resources as proof that for him there was scope for further development on a large scale. Page revised 27.06.03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
