Catalogue d'oiseaux

Album by Olivier Messiaen & Michael Kieran Harvey & Peter Cundall

Catalogue d'oiseaux is a cycle of solo piano pieces by French composer Olivier Messiaen, composed between 1956 and 1958. The cycle sets detailed transcriptions of birdsong within Messiaen's distinctive harmonic language—colourful modal sonorities, complex rhythmic patterns and extended piano techniques—marking a mid‑career exploration of ornithology and formal innovation in his oeuvre.

About

Disc 1

  1. 1.
    Introduction, part 1
    2:53
  2. 2.
    Narration and motifs
    4:18
  3. 3.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: I. The Alpine Chough
    7:26
  4. 4.
    Narration and motifs
    3:13
  5. 5.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: II. The Golden Oriole
    7:38
  6. 6.
    Narration and motifs
    3:29
  7. 7.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: III. The Blue Rock Thrush
    13:07
  8. 8.
    Narration and motifs
    6:59
  9. 9.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: IV. The Black-eared Wheatear
    14:26
  10. 10.
    Narration and motifs
    2:05
  11. 11.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: V. The Tawny Owl
    5:48

Disc 2

  1. 2.
    Introduction, part 2
    1:52
  2. 3.
    Narration and motifs
    1:47
  3. 4.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: VI. The Woodlark
    7:17
  4. 5.
    Narration and motifs
    11:02
  5. 6.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: VII. The Reed Warbler
    27:59
  6. 7.
    Narration and motifs
    2:27
  7. 8.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: VIII. The Short-toed Lark
    5:27
  8. 9.
    Narration and motifs
    6:02
  9. 10.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: IX. Cetti's Warbler
    10:33

Disc 3

  1. 3.
    Introduction, part 3
    0:27
  2. 4.
    Narration and motifs
    5:21
  3. 5.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: X. The Rock Thrush
    16:38
  4. 6.
    Narration and motifs
    3:31
  5. 7.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: XI. The Buzzard
    9:48
  6. 8.
    Narration and motifs
    3:09
  7. 9.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: XII. The Black Wheatear
    8:06
  8. 10.
    Narration and motifs
    4:48
  9. 11.
    Catalogue d'oiseaux: XIII. The Curlew
    12:14

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