Turangalîla

It doesn’t quite feel right to call Messiaen’s work for large orchestra a symphony. It is, rather, an epiphany of light, life, sound, colour and jubilation. Inspired by the Tristan legend, the French avant-gardist’s masterpiece is all about love and death. Elements from the classical Indian music tradition are combined with serialism and the mystical sound of the electronic ondes Martenot.