à Olivier Messiaen... (1908-1992)
Susanne Kessel, piano
Soundscapes by Leon Milo
The French composer Olivier Messiaen was one of the
most influential composers of the 20th century. He
prepared the way for the serialism of the 1950s and
opened up musical language to non-European influences
extending far beyond Debussy. Messiaen even
used birdsong in order to create a music of „fairy-like
splendour“ (Messiaen).
As an appreciation of this giant of musical Modernism,
Susanne Kessel has combined piano compositions
of Messiaen with Soundscapes of the American
composer Leon Milo on this CD. As in a kind of
audio book, Messiaen‘s piano works and real sounds
from the world of Messiaen‘s life are combined in
Leon Milo‘s Soundscapes to form impressive sound
collages. They allow a rapprochement with the Messiaen
phenomenon that is as sensual as it is true-tolife,
without in any way detracting from his mystery.