Messiaen : Turangalîla-Symphonie. Mena.

Piano International (Nov, 2012)
Standing as the central, largest and most ecstatic panel of Messiaen’s ‘Tristan’ trilogy (framed by the song-cycle Harawi and the choral Cinq rechants), the Turangalîla Symphony not only calls for a huge orchestra but also features prominent solo roles for piano and ondes martenot. Written, like most of the composer’s piano parts, for Yvonne Loriod, it’s not a role for the average orchestral pianist – and has consequently attracted exponents of the calibre of Paul Crossley, Peter Donohoe, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Pierre-Laurent Aimard. In this new recording by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Juanjo Mena, the pianist is Steven Osborne, following his revelatory recording of Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur …