This is the first time that John Ogdon’s and Brenda Lucas’ 1970 recording of Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen has been internationally released on CD. Given Ogdon’s considerable reputation as a Messiaen performer, and the respect that the Ogdon/Lucas duo earned at its prime, the disc will unfortunately probably come as a disappointment to many listeners. The ensemble, while strikingly good at some moments, is unsteady at others; rhythmically, the duo allow several plain errors to pass; tempi are curious in places; dynamic details indicated by Messiaen himself are sometimes ignored to detrimental effect; and on top of this, the dry, muted, and colourless recording prevents the finer aspects of the piano playing from shining through.Composed in 1943, Visions de l’Amen consists of seven movements (symbolic of the act of Creation), and is the…
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