OLIVIER MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
Poèmes pour Mi
Version for soprano and orchestra, Texts by Olivier Messiaen
Poemes pour Mi Book 1:
No. 1 Action de graces
No. 2 Paysage
No. 3 La maison
No. 4 Épouvante
Poemes pour Mi Book 2:
No. 5 L’épouse
No. 6 Ta voix
No. 7 Les deux guerriers
No. 8 Le collier
No. 9 Prière exaucée
Les offrandes oubliées
Un sourire
Anne Schwanewilms - soprano
National Orchestra of Lyon / Jun Markl
Love and faith, mortality and eternity are the abiding themes of these three important and beautifully shimmering works by one of the 20th century’s most innovative composers. Les offrandes oubliées, Messiaen’s first published orchestral work, is a symphonic meditation on Christ’s loving sacrifice to redeem the sin of humanity. Poèmes pour Mi sets nine mystical texts which were written as highly personal love songs to his first wife, Claire Delbos, while Un sourire pays homage to what he saw as Mozart’s ever-smiling attitude to life’s many hardships.
“One of the most electrifying singers of our time.” BBC Radio Three on Anne Schwanewilms, May 2009
Naxos 8572174