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Track(s) taken from SIGCD126

Le merle noir

composer
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)
1952

Kenneth Smith (flute), Matthew Schellhorn (piano)
Recording details: February 2008
Potton Hall, Dunwich, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Produced by Rachel Smith
Engineered by Peter Newble
Release date: July 2008
Total duration: 6 minutes 24 seconds
 

Reviews

'A worthwhile and distinctive release' (Gramophone)

'Admirers of Messiaen’s music will simply have to have this record, for it contains the world premiere recording of a solo piano piece, Morceau de lecture à vue composed in 1934 for the sight-reading examination at the École Normale de Musique … the record merits a strong recommendation for the performances of the other, more well-known music here. The result is an excellent issue, dominated as it is by the masterly Quartet for the end of time which still, after seventy years, packs a considerable punch in terms of emotional expression—especially in such a fine performance as it undoubtedly receives in this instance' (International Record Review)» More

‘ 'A heart-stoppingly beautiful performance … listeners who love Quatuor pour la fin du Temps owe it to themselves to hear this stellar version' (AllMusic, USA)

Le merle noir – The Blackbird – was composed in March 1952 as the test piece for the flute class at the Paris Conservatoire. Messiaen took the opportunity to make an important stylistic departure in this work: it the first of his pieces to attempt a detailed depiction of a specific named bird. The first performances – in June 1952 – were given at the flute concours by the most promising members of Gaston Crunelle’s flute class that year. One of them was the British flautist Alexander Murray, who recently shared his memories of the piece in with the present writer:

We saw it for the first time four weeks before the concours and then dissected it four times a week with Gaston Crunelle. There were four morning classes – normally we each went to two, but as the concourants were the only students remaining after the preliminary (accessit) exam we had the benefit of the week’s quota of lessons. Noël Lee, a pupil of Nadia Boulanger, was our accompanist, and was present daily for the last week. He had analysed the last section and demonstrated the rhythmic permutations – which did not make life easier – however, his utter reliability made memorising less of a problem. We all played from memory … I was awarded a premier prix (I think the first British student to be so lucky) … Messiaen was present in class at least once, as I remember, and of course at the concours.

from notes by Nigel Simeone © 2008

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