Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jésus

Description

Jean-Rodolphe Kars found in Olivier Messiaen the spiritual fusion he had dreamed of: music and Catholicism intimately intertwined, working through notes and staves. For this exceptionally gifted young man, truly one of the greatest pianists of his generation, this encounter would lead to his masterful interpretation of "Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus." Decca, his first publisher, only allowed him to record two pieces: Regard de l’Esprit de joie and Regard du silence, with the young man adding a transcendent version of Merle bleu. What a joy to see the entire cycle published as he played it at the Concertgebouw on April 30, 1976, the very year of his conversion to Catholicism (Jean-Rodolphe was the child of a Jewish family of Austrian origin). Where many have tried to express a word, Kars humbly enters this vast notebook, playing with varied nuances, inventing gamelan colors in Messiaen's harmonies. His piano's timbre radiates the twenty stained glass windows, and he always manages to avoid the percussiveness that Yvonne Loriod became dizzy with through her exhilarating virtuosity. Here, the mystery deepens as it unfolds, reaching the center of this spiritual journey to a point of no return where the angels seem to roar: it is impossible, even under Michel Béroff's fingers, to hear a Première communion de la Vierge as moving and terrifying at the same time. A historic concert, beautifully recorded, that should not be missing from any Messiaen collection. Piano Classics would be wise to continue publishing the testimonies of this remarkable musician (Discophilia - Artalinna.com).