Olivier Messiaen: Contemplations

Matthew McCright (piano)

Catalog #: TROY1538
Release Date: January 1, 2015
Format: Digital
Piano

This recording was conceived by pianist Matthew McCright by pairing music from two periods of Olivier Messiaen's compositional life that are linked by the pianist Yvonne Loriod. Messiaen heard Loriod perform the Préludes, and she became his muse for countless compositions, including Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus, which was dedicated to her, and later, his second wife. McCright has performed extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and the South Pacific as a piano soloist and chamber musician. A member of the piano faculty of Carleton College, McCright has premiered numerous new pieces, many written for him, and has collaborated with such composers as Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, Augusta Read Thomas, and Paul Dresher, among many others. He studied at Westminster College, the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Minnesota.

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Track Listing

Title Composer Performer
from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus Olivier Messiaen Matthew McCright, piano
Préludes Olivier Messiaen Matthew McCright, piano

Reviews

  • "McCright definitely has a way with Messiaen's scores that will involve and mesmer-ize you... McCright is certainly a name I will remember and look for in choosing future releases for review. One cannot say enough about his superb musicality and feeling in these works."

    – Fanfare

  • "I could not ask for a pianist more sensitive to the beauty of these very complex piec-es McCright's ample technical abilities allow his creative interpretation to unfold with-out any restrictions I am thankful for McCright's efforts, both on a musicological and a pianistic level."

    – American Record Guide

*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.