Chants de Terre et de Ciel


Chants de Terre et de Ciel is a song cycle in six movements for soprano and piano by Olivier Messiaen, on text by the composer himself. It was composed in 1938 and premiered at the Société Triton's Concerts du Triton, at the École Normale de Musique de Paris in Paris on the 23 January 1939 with Marcelle Bunlet as the soprano and the composer at the piano. The cycle is deeply personal and reflects Messiaen's joy at the birth of his son Pascal in 1937, as well as his deep Catholicism.

Movements

Each movement has a title and a dedication.
  1. "Bail avec Mi"
  2. "Antienne du silence"
  3. "Danse du bébé-pilule"
  4. "Arc-en-ciel d'innocence"
  5. "Minuit pile et face"
  6. "Résurrection"
A performance usually lasts around 32 minutes.

Discography