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Olivier Messiaen: Messe de la Pentec​ô​te: IV. Communion

from French Masterworks from St. John the Divine by Jonathan Dimmock

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The organ masses of Renaissance and Classic times were suites of interludes to be used in the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic mass. Olivier Messiaen, (1908–1992) nearly all of whose organ compositions bear religious titles, intended this mass to accompany and underpin the actual observance of the service. The Communion and Sortie, both taken from the Pentecost Mass of 1950 fall in the middle of a three-year period often termed as his experimentative stage. It brings together numerous devices with which he was fascinated at the time, and which continue to be elements of his musical compositions even to this day: plainchant, birdsong, mystical religious symbolism, added note values, ametrical rhythms (Indian), and ancient Greek rhythms. The composer stated that the “Pentecost Mass is a result of twenty years of improvising; moreover, after writing this piece, I have never improvised.”

Communion is subtitled “Birds and springs of water.” It quotes from the Book of Daniel: “Springs of water, bless the Lord; birds of the sky, bless the Lord.” The song of the nightingale, drops of water, and song of the blackbird figure in this movement. Much of Messiaen’s music freezes the passing of time—as if the entire work is but a frozen moment in eternity. The largest and smallest pipes of the organ (sounding its highest and lowest pitches) bring the movement to an end, clearly symbolizing infinite and the all-embracing love of Christ in the eucharist.
- Jonathan Dimmock & Christopher Greenleaf

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from French Masterworks from St. John the Divine, released January 23, 2023

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Jonathan Dimmock San Francisco, California

Jonathan Dimmock (www.JonathanDimmock.com) is an internationally renowned concert organist. He is the Principal Organist of the Legion of Honor Museum, Organist for the San Francisco Symphony, and Director of Music at Congregation Sherith Israel. He was Organ Scholar of Westminster Abbey. and worked at 3 cathedrals - St. John the Divine (NYC), St. Mark’s (Mpls), and Grace (San Francisco). ... more

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