Messiaen’s Livre d’Orgue (1951) is a technical tour de’ force, demonstrating Messiaen’s complete mastery of Viennese serial compositional technique, while at the same time incorporating...

Messiaen’s Livre d’Orgue (1951) is a technical tour de’ force, demonstrating Messiaen’s complete mastery of Viennese serial compositional technique, while at the same time incorporating complex Hindu rhythmic formulas and bird songs. Also included on this release are several popular early works, “The Celestial Banquet” and “Apparition of the Eternal Church”, and three newly discovered pieces that have been rarely heard. Organist Colin Andrews was recently named “Membre d’Honneur” of the Association Grand Orgue Trinité Messiaen, based at Messiaen’s church in Paris.