Bertrand Chamayou’s last solo release in 2020 left us with a diverse curation of lullabies. This new album goes the contemporary route and, by the track listing alone, is an homage to Olivier Messiaen. The centerpiece is his Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus; the smaller works by Takemitsu, Murail share a common thread as commemorations of the composer.
In his notes, Chamayou describes his nearly 30-year fascination with the Vingt Régards. Monumental indeed is this 20-work cycle, encompassing recurring leitmotifs but also smaller facets of Messiaen’s signature sounds. The harmonically hypnotic Régard du Père (track 4) is an open invitation to meditate and also introduces the first of several overarching themes: The Theme of God. Pianistially, the challenge lies in an ability to maintain precise, even voicing but to still voice lead where needed. Chamayou does this exceptionally but still creates a distinct flavor with the small chime motifs. His is a more subtle approach than Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s (Teldec, 1999) whose robust chords and phrasing carry an ominous edge (I personally prefer Chamayou’s seamless voicing, though). The theme reappears in Régard du fils (track 8), now adorned by exquisite and colorful flashes in the upper register.
The Theme of the Star and Cross appears in the Régard de l’étoile (track 5): the opening passage might startle the listener with its shards of sound, but it offers a dramatic and convincingly disquieting contrast from the prior movement. For all the shrill musical textures, Chamayou’s tone never becomes unpleasantly harsh. The leitmotif reincarnates into an augmented form in Régard de la Croix (track 10), which is expansive but not without a cataclysmic quality, thanks to the insistent chords and clusters. He also shows some deft management of pedaling and legato toward the end, which gives the piano an organ-like resonance.
One of the most interesting movements is the extroverted Régard de l’Esprit de joie (13), with joy here taking on several different manifestations: driven (the relentless opening octaves with well-defined accents), anticipatory (0:56 onward with the clear, threadlike passages), and of course, elated (don’t miss the Gershwin reference about a quarter of the way through). Chamayou’s rendition has plenty of vitality; what’s satisfying is its delightful (but tasteful) freneticism. Those looking for something even more raw and brash should refer to the 1956 version by Yvonne Loriod (the composer’s wife): though her pace is slower, the textures have more bite and zing.
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The final Régard is an impressive culmination of the major themes, leitmotifs, and sound references, including Messaien’s famed birdsong. This might be the one movement where accents come off harsher than usual, but this is nil distraction and only speaks to the climactic nature and the sheer conviction with which it is delivered.
Among the shorter pieces, Rain Tree Sketch II (track 2) stands out. Takemitu’s beautiful yet fragile textures give rise to a symbiotic interchange between tonality and atonality, angularity and lyricism. The playing here is all about nuance–listen (from 0:27-0:33) for how he creates an echo effect not simply through the dynamics, but a change in timbre. When compared to Hélène Grimaud’s version (DG, 2014) which possesses a crystalline if not at times frosty edge, Chamayou’s has a velvety warmth and depth.
Though it might be an acquired taste for some with its sonoric dissonance, Jonathan Harvey’s Tombeau de Messaien for Piano and Digital Audio Tape ultimately makes for an action-packed listen. Synchronicity with a running recording sounds easier than it is in actual performance; Chamayou, however, doesn’t just show absolute familiarity but is able to deliver the extra excitement.
The sound engineering, acoustics of the MC2 concert hall, and Steinway D play coordinated roles in the excellent sound quality and balance. The instrument has a pleasingly mellow tone but also offers wide variety across registers that Chamayou really takes advantage of. The pianist’s own liner notes skip musical analysis and instead offer a philosophical and personal musing on the Vingt Regards. As the offerings are not the most standard fare, however, this is one case where more musical and perhaps analytical background would prove helpful. That doesn’t prevent us from contemplating and cultivating our own appreciation for the music, helped by Chamayou’s versatility and top-notch artistry.
Messiaen – Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus
Bertrand Chamayou – Piano
Erato, CD 9029619666
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