Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony

Overwhelming joy, transcending love: Messiaen’s spectacular Turangalîla.

Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony was originally conceived in four movements, which grew to seven, then finally to ten. It is, literally and musically, an immense achievement, scored for massive orchestra, huge array of percussion – including the unmistakable swoop of the Ondes Martenot – and solo piano. One of the UK’s most celebrated pianists, Steven Osborne, tackles the fiendish solo part, while Nathalie Forget joins to play the Ondes. ‘Turangalîla’ is a combination of two Sanskrit words, meaning ‘Time’ and ‘Play’, but it is primarily about love. As Messiaen put it: ‘love that is fatal, irresistible, transcending everything, suppressing everything outside; joy that is superhuman, overwhelming, blinding, unlimited’.