La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ

La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ) is a piece of music that was written between 1965 and 1969 by Olivier Messiaen. Its content is based on the event of Jesus transfiguring on a mountain according to the report of the Synoptic Gospels. The music is on such a large scale that it requires about 200 people to perform it. The forces required include a mixed choir, seven instrumental soloists and a large orchestra.

Background

On hearing "an old priest deliver a sermon on the light and the filiation", ["Olivier Messiaen: Music and Color: Conversations with Claude Samuel, Eng Trans., Portland, Oregon, 1994"] Messiaen started to think about the Transfiguration story in the 1940s. By the time he began to write the music, he hadn't composed music for voices for 17 years since his solo choral work "Cinq Rechants". Warmer tonal harmonies reappeared in this work, compared with Messiaen's immediately preceding compositions.

tructure

The music is divided into 14 movements, grouped into two "septénaires" (sets of seven). It lasts for about one and a half hours. The texts are largely drawn from the Bible, particularly Matthew's account of the Transfiguration. Also included are some parts of Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica".

First Septenary
* I. "Récit évangélique" (Gospel)
* II. "Configuration corpori claritatis suae" (To be like his glorified body)
* III. "Christus Jesus, splendor Patris" (Jesus, reflection of the Father)
* IV. "Récit évangélique" (Gospel)
* V. "Quam dilecta tabernacula tua" (How lovely are your tabernacles)
* VI. "Candor est lucis aeternae" (She is the reflection of eternal light)
* VII. "Choral de la sainte montaigne" (Chorale of the holy mountain)

Second Septenary
* VIII. "Récit évangélique" (Gospel)
* IX. "Perfecte conscius perfectae generationis" (Perfectly conscious of that perfect generation)
* X. "Adoptionem filiorum perfectam" (The perfect adoption of sons)
* XI. "Récit évangélique" (Gospel)
* XII. "Terribilis est locus iste" (How awesome is this place)
* XIII. "Tota Trinitas apparuit" (The whole Trinity appears)
* XIV. "Choral de la lumière de gloire" (Chorale of the light of glory)

Instrumentation

It is scored for a mixed choir (10 voices per part), 7 instrumental soloists and a very large in scale orchestra. [ [http://www.oliviermessiaen.org/messiaen2index.htm The Olivier Messiaen Page] ]

7 instruments played by soloists, including:
*Piano
*Flute
*Clarinet
*Cello
*Marimba
*Xylorimba
*Vibraphone

Woodwind
*5 Flutes
*4 Oboes
*5 Clarinets
*4 Bassoons

Brass
*6 Horns
*4 Trumpets
*4 Trombones
*2 Tubas

Percussion
*Bass Drum
*cymbals (Crash and Suspended)
*Triangle
*tamtam (High and low)
*Wood blocks
*Tubular Bells

Strings
*violins (Typically 32 players)
*violas (Typically 14 players)
*cellos (Typically 12 players)
*double basses (Typically 12 players)

Premiere

Public performance: June 7, 1969, Lisbon.

References

*Deutsche Grammophon "La Transfiguration" CD Booklet
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2008/aboutthemusic/p14_messiaen.shtml About the Music/Programme Notes—Olivier Messiaen (1908–92)—La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1965–9)] , notes for Prom 14, BBC Proms 2008, 2008-07-27, Julian Anderson. Retrieved 2008-07-28.