Pierre-Laurant Aimard and the birds of Messiaen

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who had to cancel his performance on 19 September due to anti-coronation measures, will perform at the Matinee on 24 October. He will play a number of movements from Olivier Messiaen's more than 60-year-old piano work Catalogue d'Oiseaux ( catalogue ofbirds).



Birds and their environment

For Messiaen, who was a convinced believer, the singing of birds was God's own melody. In sombre moments, he sometimes wondered whether his attempts to render their song in music could be anything more than vain experiments. The fact that he chose the piano for this purpose is extraordinary. After all, he had to suggest the effect of microtonal intervals - birds don't stick to white and black keys. He also had to transpose the pitch down by up to four octaves. But it was precisely the 'cool sound' of the instrument that enabled him to manipulate the timbre to his own liking - for him, chords and musical modes were actually colours.



In all seven of the original thirteen pieces, one bird takes centre stage, from the curlew and the tawny owl to the blue rock thrush and the Cetti's warbler. But there are not only birds: they are depicted in their natural surroundings; we also hear the sun, the sea, the rocks and the vegetation...



Alternative programme

This programme replaces the previously announced concert by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, with Gianandrea Noseda and Lisa Batiashvili. This could not be played, again due to the corona problems.



NB: This programme will - unfortunately without an audience - be broadcast live from the Royal Concertgebouw.