Inspired by the tragic romance of Tristan and Isolde, Turangalîla-symphonie is an orchestral tour-de-force that is at times carnal and at others mystical. Messiaen, who experienced sound-to-color synesthesia, wrote that Turangalîla is “a love that transcends the body, transcends even the limitations of the mind, and grows to a cosmic scale,” making this sensory symphony a fitting addition to the LA Phil’s Body and Sound festival.
The piece weaves together sounds of birdsong, Indian talas, and imposing pre-colonial Mexican statues, punctuated by massive brass, percussion, and the eerie electronic hum of an ondes martenot (a retro-sounding, theremin-like instrument from the 1920s). The Guardian says Cynthia Millar is “the musician of choice” for the instrument that “gives the symphony its voluptuous, unearthly qualities.”
Australian conductor Simone Young returns to lead the LA Phil in this epic, gripping, and sweeping expression of all-consuming love. The Washington Post said Young has a “handle on grandeur—how to grow, manage, sustain and tame” Messiaen’s “more is more” symphony.
Taking on the daunting piano part, Jean-Yves Thibaudet performs “the equivalent of about three concertos, most of it played at lightning speed…[with remarkable] stamina and exquisite expressivity.” (San Francisco Classical Voice).
