Three of Messiaen’s most passionate vocal masterworks are presented on the current program, from the visionary Trois petites liturgies de la Présence divine (Three Small Liturgies of the Divine Presence) (1934), the popular O sacrum convivium! (1937) and the extraordinary – and extraordinarily difficult – Cinq Rechants (Five Refrains) (1948).
The internationally renowned choir conductor Marcus Creed is joined for this all Messiaen program by the three of Denmark’s greatest musical treasures: The Danish National Concert Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble and The Danish National Chamber Orchestra, in addition to internationally acclaimed soloists Marianna Shirinyan (Piano) and Thomas Bloch (ondes Martenot). An essential disc featuring some of the most hypnotically beautiful and transcendent music of the last century.

“These Danish performances conducted by Marcus Creed are models of precision and lucidity; every vocal and instrumental strand is there. But it all comes across as rather cool, with neither the Liturgies nor the Rechants generating the sense of abandon and almost delirious ecstasy that the music constantly seems to be striving to express. Perhaps, though, Messiaen always knew that what he was attempting was impossible to achieve.” The Guardian