BaL 26.05.12/25.02.23 - Messiaen: Turangalila Symphony

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

2012: Jeremy Thurlow with a personal recommendation from recordings of Messiaen's Turangalila Symphony.
2023: Gillian Moore’s recommendation.

Available versions:

SWR SO Baden-Baden, Sylvain Cambreling
Takashi Harada (ondes martenot), Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly
Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (ondes martenot), Orchestre de l’Opera de Bastille, Myung Whun Chung
Kaori Kimura, Takashi Harada, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Hiroyuki Iwaki *
Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (ondes martenot), Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Maurice Le Roux *
Angela Hewitt (piano) & Valérie Hartmann-Claverie (ondes Martenot), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (SACD)
Steven Osborne (piano), Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Juanjo Mena
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Dominique Kim, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Kent Nagano
Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (piano), Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa *
Jeanne Loriod (ondes martenot) & Michel Béroff (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Peter Donohoe (piano), Tristan Murail (ondes martenot), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Yvonne Loriod (piano), SWF-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden, Hans Rosbaud *
Roger Muraro (piano), Valérie Hartmann-Claverie (ondes martenot), Yutaka Sado *
Paul Crossley (piano), Tristan Murail (ondes martinot), Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Tamara Stefanovich (piano), Thomas Bloch (ondes martenot), Nationaltheater Orchesters Mannheim, Alexander Soddy
Howard Shelley (piano), Valérie Hartmann-Claverie (ondes-martenot) BBC Philharmonic, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Garrick Ohlsson (piano) & Jean Laurendeau, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Hans Vonk
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit

N.B. The Nagano recording was the 2012 main recommendation, as well as being a runner-up in 2023, hence the mix of colours.

[Don Petter]

Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (Ondes Martenot), Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Still showing as available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turangalila-Symphonies-Nos-Ozawa-Munch/dp/B00005I9SH

[reinerfan]

Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (Ondes Martenot), Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Still showing as available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turangalila-.../dp/B00005I9SH

Although I also have the Chailly, Previn and Wit versions, this one is still my favourite.

[Don Petter]

Although I also have the Chailly, Previn and Wit versions, this one is still my favourite.

I guess it's the one a lot of us oldies got to know first (though you may not be one!)

[DublinJimbo]

Although I also have the Chailly, Previn and Wit versions, this one is still my favourite.

I guess it's the one a lot of us oldies got to know first (though you may not be one!)

This was certainly my case. I wore out both my LP copy and my parents' patience listening to it over and over again. (As far as I recall, this performance was originally coupled with something by Takemitsu, an inspired choice which introduced me to a new musical voice.)

[makropulos]

Saturday, 26th May, 2012 at 9.30 a.m. Building a Library: Jeremy Thurlow with a personal recommendation from recordings of Messiaen's Turangalila Symphony

Available versions:

SWR SO Baden-Baden, Sylvain Cambreling
Takashi Harada (ondes martenot), Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly
Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (ondes martenot), Orchestre de l’Opera de Bastille, Myung Whun Chung
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Dominique Kim, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Kent Nagano
Jeanne Loriod (ondes martenot) & Michel Béroff (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Peter Donohoe (piano), Tristan Murail (ondes martenot), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Paul Crossley (piano), Tristan Murail (ondes martinot), Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Howard Shelley (piano), Valérie Hartmann-Claverie (ondes-martenot) BBC Philharmonic, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Garrick Ohlsson (piano) & Jean Laurendeau, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Hans Vonk
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit

And another one - or rather, about to be one, announced as an August 2012 release with Steven Osborne playing the piano solo, conducted by Juanjo Mena:

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67816

[makropulos]

For those with a very serious interest in this piece - but not a complete performance: there will be a release (later this year or early next) on West Hill Radio Archives of the full 30-minute rehearsal broadcast with Bernstein and the Boston Symphony a few days before the 1949 world premiere. It will be in a set of Bernstein broadcast rarities. Until now, only a short extract has been released (on the BSO anniversary box set).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yvonne Loriod (piano), Jeanne Loriod (Ondes Martenot), Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Still showing as available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turangalila-.../dp/B00005I9SH

I haven't included this one as it appears only to be available on a handful of used discs.

However, I've added the Hyperion version.

[Serial_Apologist]

This was certainly my case. I wore out both my LP copy and my parents' patience listening to it over and over again. (As far as I recall, this performance was originally coupled with something by Takemitsu*, an inspired choice which introduced me to a new musical voice.)

*November Steps, for shakuhachi, biwa and orchestra (1967)

[reinerfan]

I guess it's the one a lot of us oldies got to know first (though you may not be one!)

I am indeed! I got to know the work when it first came out on LP with the Takemitsu.

[Don Petter]

I haven't included this one as it appears only to be available on a handful of used discs.

Well, it was being offered new when I posted that link! Someone from here has probably snapped up the last one (and good for them!).

[Bryn]

2 which I understand to still be in the catalogue (and both listed at Amazon) are the Rosbaud (on Wergo), and Désormière (on I.N.A. http://www.abeillemusique.com/produit.php?cle=29824 ). The latter is taken from a telephone link and sounds like it. There is also a brief drop-out in the 8th movement.

The Le Roux is also available from Presto Classical, though the transfer is abysmal. It really needs a proper remastered release:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/56377/Olivier-Eug%C3%A8ne-Prosper-Charles-Messiaen-Turangal%C3%AEla-Symphony/2

[LeMartinPecheur]

The Le Roux is also available from Presto Classical, though the transfer is abysmal. It really needs a proper remastered release:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/5...Ela-Symphony/2

Hurrah: clearly I'm not yet an oldie as I learned the work from the Le Roux - ex Blackwell's Music Shop Oxford, French LPs c.1974 - not the Ozawa

It doesn't seem very long since BaL's last pop at the work. I was a bit disappointed then that the Chailly got short shrift, particularly when I'd just lashed out on it. (Actually, I'd acquired it as a freebie but it still hurt...)

Since than I've paid real money for the Previn and some hypothetical money - since there's no such thing as a free lunch or magazine-cover CD - on the BBC MM Fischer account.

I enjoy them all but will enjoy being told which one I should enjoy most

[Bryn]

I returned my Vega LPs of the Le Roux several times before giving up and making do with the horribly distorted pressings. Then I got the French Decca re-issue (double LP gate-fold). That was a much better pressing. I have tried two different CD issues but neither was well done. A great pity, for the performance appears to be very fine.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I returned my Vega LPs of the Le Roux several times before giving up and making do with the horribly distorted pressings. Then I got the French Decca re-issue (double LP gate-fold). That was a much better pressing. I have tried two different CD issues but neither was well done. A great pity, for the performance appears to be very fine.

Bryn: mine is a double LP gatefold too, but describes itself as IPG GRANDS CLASSIQUES. Is this a 'third way'? The recording sounds slightly 60s-ish but there's no serious distortion IIRC.