"How can I get out of this?" Messiaen must have thought when he received a request from the patroness of the New York Chamber Music Society for composition in honor of the 200th anniversary of the US. His first reaction was dismissive. Upon closer acquaintance, however, Miss Alice Tully turned out to be a lady who was definitely not for the cat. In fact, in India she had dared to shake a lion's paw,
… while her retinue had long since fled (Claude Samuel: Olivier Messiaen - Music and Color). Messiaen must have been moved by this combination of strength and paradise innocence, comparable to the hero of his opera Saint François d'Assise. Despite this, Messiaen was reluctant to be inspired by American skyscrapers. In his bookcase he found an article about the pristine beauty of Bryce Canyon in Utah. Then he and his wife undertook the exhausting drive from Salt Lake City. Once in the canyon, he was overwhelmed by the red, orange and violet eroded rocks. Two other canyons, Cedar Breaks and Zion Park, were also used as a source of inspiration for Messiaens Des Canyons aux Étoiles ... This work was released in a performance by the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. Without wishing to express a preference, it must be said that the music in this performance is broader and more monumental than the 1994 performance, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. (HJ) Once in the canyon, he was overwhelmed by the red, orange and violet eroded rocks. Two other canyons, Cedar Breaks and Zion Park, were also used as a source of inspiration for Messiaens Des Canyons aux Étoiles ... This work was released in a performance by the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. Without wishing to express a preference, it must be said that the music in this performance is broader and more monumental than the 1994 performance, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. (HJ) Once in the canyon, he was overwhelmed by the red, orange and violet eroded rocks. Two other canyons, Cedar Breaks and Zion Park, were also used as a source of inspiration for Messiaens Des Canyons aux Étoiles ... This work was released in a performance by the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. Without wishing to express a preference, it must be said that the music in this performance is broader and more monumental than the 1994 performance, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. (HJ) This work has been performed by the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. Without wishing to express a preference, it must be said that the music in this performance is broader and more monumental than the 1994 performance, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. (HJ) This work has been performed by the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. Without wishing to express a preference, it must be said that the music in this performance is broader and more monumental than the 1994 performance, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. (HJ)more
