The organ used for this recording was built by the ZYCH company from Wołomin, Poland, based on a concept by Dr. Krzysztof Michalik.
Composer Biography
Olivier Messiaen, the composer, grew up in a family of writers; his mother, Cécile Sauvage, was a poet, and his father, Pierre Messiaen, was an English teacher and translator of Shakespeare.
Performer Biography
Arkadiusz Bialic, the organist on this recording, was the first Pole to win a prize at the prestigious Grand Prix de Chartres organ competition in France.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in the Divine Mercy Basilica in Cracow, Poland, on November 23rd-24th, 2018.
Compositional Technique
Messiaen created his own rhythmic system, which included 'added values,' 'rhythmic augmentations and diminutions,' and 'irreversible rhythms,' to break from traditional European conventions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Messiaen considered ornithology, the study of birds, to be inextricably linked with the calling of a musician and often included birdsong in his compositions.
Composer Biography
Messiaen was assigned to the French army medical corps during World War II due to his poor eyesight and composed his famous Quartet for the End of Time while a prisoner of war.
