Olivier Messiaen-TROIS PETITES LITURGIES DE LA PRESENCE DIVINE (Erato) 1964

It was Twenty years ago today that Olivier Messiaen shed his earthly body,aged 83.

The record cover notes are in French (enclosed). These are some notes from the wiki page for the piece itself. I have done little editing.
 
Trois petites liturgies was commissioned by Denise Tual for the Concerts de la Pléiade in Paris and composed during World War II, between November 15, 1943, and March 15, 1944. Messiaen originally conceived the piece as a work for two pianos, as he had achieved success in that format previously with Visions de l'amen. The sung words evoke the presence of God in himself and in all things, as indicated by the title. According to Messiaen, each movement describes a different facet of God's presence:

    The principal idea is that of the divine presence, with each section dedicated to a different kind of presence. The first section, 'Antienne de la conversation intérieure' ('Antiphon of the Interior Conversation') is dedicated to the God who is present within us; the second section, 'Sequence du verbe, cantique divin' ('Sequence of the Word, Divine Song') is dedicated to the God who is present in Himself; and the third section, 'Psalmodie de l’ubiquité par amour' (Psalmody of the Ubiquity of Love) is inscribed to the God who is present in all things. These inexpressible ideas are not expressed but remain of the order of a dazzling display of color.

The work was premiered during the Concerts de la Pléiade at the Ancien Conservatoire on April 21, 1945, by Ginette Martenot (ondes Martenot), Yvonne Loriod (piano), the Yvonne Gouverné Chorale, and the Orchestra of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, under the direction of Roger Désormière.

The premiere was a success. The audience present included such respected persons as Arthur Honegger, Georges Auric, Francis Poulenc, Henri Sauguet, Roland-Manuel, André Jolivet, Claude Delvincourt, Lazare Lévy, Daniel-Lesur, Irène Joachim, Maurice Gendron, Jean Wiener, Georges Braque, Paul Eluard, Pierre Reverdy, Pierre Boulez, Serge Nigg, and Pierre Henry.

The piece was well-received by the public, but the critics reacted more harshly. The work sparked a controversy which came to be known as "The Messiaen Affair". The two primary points of contention were "the quality and relevance of Messiaen's commentaries" and the use of "unusual sounds" for expressing religious themes.Claude Rostand responded particularly vehemently, describing the work as a "work of tinsel, false magnificence and pseudo-mysticism, this work with dirty nails and clammy hands, with bloated complexion and unhealthy flab, replete with noxious matter, looking about anxiously like an angel wearing lipstick."



Olivier Messiaen:Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine

Side One:

 a1-Antienne de la conversation intérieure (Antiphon of the Interior Conversation)

 a2-Séquence du verbe, cantique divin (Sequence of the Word, Divine Song)

Side Two:      

 b1-Psalmodie de l'ubiquité par amour (Psalmody of the Ubiquity of Love)


      






















Yvonne Loriod-Piano solo
Jeanne Loriod-Ondes Martenot solo
Chouers de la Maitrise   
Orchestre De Chambre de la RTF
Marcel Couraud-Direction

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