Olivier Messiaen - Turangalîla-Symphonie (1948/1990)

Easily one of the greatest pieces ever written, "Turangalîla means all at once love song, hymn to joy, time, movement, rhythm, life and death."

00:00 I - INTRODUCTION. A bold introduction brings upon the statue theme (0:30) with "the oppressive, terrible brutality of ancient Mexican monuments, has always evoked dread," and the delicate flower theme (2:17) (2:50 Piano Solo)
03:43 The vigorous body of the movement, layering several groups: highly rhythmic ostinatos in the woodwinds and strings, a driving 5/8 gamelan, and biting interjections of brass and piano
06:22 II - CHANT D’AMOUR 1 (Love Song 1). A heavy, piercing introduction before (7:01) the body of the movement alternating between a fast, passionate theme, and a beautifully expressive theme in ondes and strings
11:42 The music grows more manic and impassioned, rising to a glorious climax at 13:22 (14:06)
14:39 III - TURANGALÎLA 1. A meditative theme passed between clarinet and ondes. (15:59) A heavy low brass theme below violent percussion gamelan. (16:33) Theme 1 presented in menacing orchestration (17:08) A pastorale theme in woodwind solos
18:02 The themes are all layered upon each other in a grand climax before fading away with themes 3 and 1
20:21 IV - CHANT D’AMOUR 2. A playful duet of piccolo and bassoon. Rhythmic percussion patterns and piano join in. (21:25) A more energetic "game" as the rest of the orchestra joins in
22:09 A gloriously passionate tutti theme, alternating with sweet and gentle themes
24:53 The previous themes start layering over other, and are joined by birdsong in the piano. (26:57) The layering becomes extremely dense as the statue theme pierces through, culminating in (28:03) a spirited piano solo
30:01 (MUST HEAR!) An astonishingly gorgeously sweet ending in A major, recasting the tutti theme
31:04 V - JOIE DU SANG DES ÉTOILES (Joy of the Blood of the Stars). A joyous frenetic dance in D♭ major, recasting the statue theme. "In order to understand the qualities of excess in the movement, one must remember that the union of true lovers is for them a transformation on a cosmic scale."
33:00 Development of the statue theme, as "rhythmic characters" play in the absolutely wild center of the movement
35:30 The joyous dance returns, pressed by manic piano and percussion, coming (hehe) to a "delirium of passion and joy" at 36:22.
36:34 A fiery piano solo before an epic D♭ major sixth chord concludes the movement
37:25 VI - JARDIN DU SOMMEIL D’AMOUR (Garden of the Sleep of Love). The love theme, played so tenderly by ondes and strings, as birds sing sweetly besides (42:53) Percussion colors the sound
51:19 VII - TURANGALÎLA 2. (51:59) High ondes "full of pity" and deep, "thick, muddy" trombones close in on a Klangfarbenmelodie, "recalling the double terror of the pendulum knife slowly getting nearer the heart of the prisoner while the all of red-hot iron closes in on him." (52:13) Rhythmic canon in percussion (52:39) Solos play in a quasi-scherzo
53:30 An extremely violent and wild rhythmic canon in tutti orchestra
54:55 VIII - DÉVELOPPEMENT D’AMOUR (Development of Love). The brutal statue and chords themes, the delicate flower theme, a playful rapid theme, and the passionate love theme are alternated and developed. More and more of the love theme is allowed to come through (57:36)(59:39) until...
1:01:52 The love theme is presented in its full glory, simultaneously terrifying and heart-achingly beautiful. "Tristan and Yseult transcended by Tristan-Yseult"
1:06:24 IX - TURANGALÎLA 3. A menacing tritone-heavy melody on top of rhythmic modes of 17 durations in the percussion (1:08:43). Strings underline the rhythmic modes, "harmony depending entirely on the rhythm"
1:11:53 X - FINAL. A joyous fanfare in F♯ major, its rhythm continuously shifted, gradually becoming more manic and explosive until...
1:17:18 The final explosion of the love theme. "The power of the brass gains in feeling from the extra-terrestrial voice of the ondes in the extreme treble, communicating to the whole orchestra its light and its tears of joy."
1:18:45 A triumphant coda towards a brilliant final F♯ major chord "Glory and Joy are without end"

Composer: Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (December 10, 1908 – April 27, 1992)
Orchestra: SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg conducted by Sylvain Cambreling
Piano: Roger Muraro
Ondes Martenot: Valérie Hartmann-Claverie