Messiaen & Stravinsky
the power of rituals and prayer in the quest for meaning and redemption - with the voice as a catalyst
From the contemplative mysticism of Messiaen to the Buddhist prayers of Boulanger and the neoclassical psalm settings of Stravinsky, these radical innovators all use the voice as a catalyst in the universal human quest for a higher purpose and peace of soul.
We all believe in something, whether it's religious faith, trust in science, or simply belief in ourselves and the opportunities life offers. Rituals and traditions provide guidance in this journey – even for radical innovators like Messiaen and Stravinsky.
Messiaen found inspiration in ancient Greek poetry, Hindu rhythms, and birdsong, but also from peers like Debussy and Stravinsky. The constant: his unwavering, mystically oriented Catholic faith. From a modernist like Stravinsky, one might not expect a strong dedication to God, yet his Symphonie des Psaumes resonates almost like a musical icon.
Concert
programme
Olivier Messiaen
O sacrum convivium (1937) / Les Offrandes oubliées (1930)
Igor Stravinsky
Chorale-Variations "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her" (1956) / Symphonie de psaumes (1930)
Lili Boulanger Vieille prière bouddhique (Prière quotidienne pour tout l'univers) (1917) / Psalm CXXIX "Ils m'ont assez opprimé dès ma jeunesse" (1916)
Francis Poulenc Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence: III. Tenebrae factae sunt (1939)
with the support of Beside Tax Shelter and the Belgian Tax Shelter
artistes
Brussels Philharmonic
Vlaams Radiokoor
Ilan Volkov conductor