From the Archives

Distler and Messiaen

Fanfic, Filk, and the Story

The first of these essays dates from 2008, the centenary of both Distler and Messiaen. As my life has been devoted in large degree to these two composers over the last six weeks, it seems appropriate to revisit them. Since that time, we have had a performance of the “Quartet for the End of Time” in our parish church, part of a chamber music festival last summer. Its music continues to echo in my mind and heart.

As I prepared Les Anges, I was struck by its likeness in some respects to the “Dance of fury for the seven trumpets” from the Quartet (cf. Revelation 8, and 11:15-19). There, the four instruments are in unison throughout; in Les Anges, there are two voices, but the same rhythmic intensity. In both movements, Messiaen is seeking to portray Angels, but in different aspects – the one, unearthly joy; the other, unearthly terror and fury. He writes of the “Dance of fury”:

Music of stone, formidable granite sound; irresistible movement of steel, huge blocks of purple rage, icy drunkenness. Hear especially all the terrible fortissimo of the augmentation of the theme and changes of register of its different notes, towards the end of the piece.

It is well to remember that Angels have this other side, quite different from the one we see in the second chapter of St. Luke.

The second item? Yesterday, the Feast of Stephen, I played my old Archiv LP recording of the Christmas Oratorio. It reminded me of what I had written about it years ago, comparing it to “fanfic.” I still consider the comparison apt, and I still remember the 2006 movie I mentioned, “The Christmas Story.” It is probably still available on DVD. For those who live locally, I donated a copy to my favorite local library a few years ago.

The Christmas Oratorio is filled with magic from beginning to end. I think that the Alto soloist gets the best parts with arias such as “Bereite dich, Sion” and “Schlafe, mein Liebster,” but the Choir has plenty of fine music, not least the various harmonizations of stanzas from Vom Himmel hoch.

Here is the opening chorus, “Jauchzet, frohlocket” (in a fine performance from Spanish television via YouTube, complete with subtitles).

I love the intensity in the faces of everyone, instrumentalists and choristers alike. The way that the trumpets run up to the top in scales and arpeggios again and again is incredibly exciting, as is the choral counterpoint, and the string writing. No, it is ALL wonderful. And the Spanish source is a reminder that this is music for the whole world.

Soli Deo Gloria.