Les Corps Glorieux

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Les Corps Glorieux is a cycle for organ composed by Olivier Messiaen in 1939 .

The seven-part work, along with L'Ascension (1934) and La Nativité du Seigneur (1935), is one of the composer's three early organ cycles.

The individual sentences are called:

I. Subtilité des corps glorieux

"The spirituality of the transfigured bodies"

This piece, which lasts longer than five minutes, is unanimous and is based on a Gregorian antiphon that Messiaen embellished in his style. The end of a phrase is repeated as an echo. Cornet registrations in Grand Orgue, Positif and Récit alternate. The unanimity as the simplest and purest musical form symbolizes the "subtlety".

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads in the German translation: “An earthly body is sown, a spiritual body is raised. And they will be pure as the angels of God in heaven ”(1 Corinthians 15:44; Matthew 22:30)

II. Les eaux de la grace

"The waters of grace"

The “stream of the waters of grace” is symbolized here by a 4 ' ostinato in the pedal , which is played around in smaller note values ​​in the left hand, while a harmonized melody sounds in the right hand . The special attraction of this movement is the unusual registration with its octave doubling of the melody by a 16 ' register and the third and fifth mix. After 29 bars, the movement breaks off without a real ending, the melody could be continued into infinity.

The German translation of the subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads: "The lamb in the midst of the throne will lead the elect to the waters of life." (Revelation John 7, 17)

III. L'ange aux parfums

"The angel with the incense"

The range of compositional techniques in this movement ranges from unanimity to complicated counterpoint . A unison melody played at the beginning (which Messiaen said was the source of the charm of Hindu music ) becomes a cantus firmus in the second part of the movement . In a quick part that follows, the rising of the incense is symbolized. The end of this sentence also leads to nothing.

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads in the German translation: "The scent of the incense rose to God with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel." (Revelation John 8, 4)

IV. Combat de la mort et de la vie

"Fight between death and life"

This is the longest sentence in the cycle. Death is initially embodied in an aggressive toccata over a powerful pedal theme, after which life is represented by a calm meditation.

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads in the German translation: “Death and life fought a strange battle. Though dead, the prince of life conquers and rules. He says: My father, I am risen and I am with you. "(Sequence and Introit from Easter)

V. Force et agilité des corps glorieux

"Strength and agility of the transfigured bodies"

In this movement, two voices in unison predominate, with the defining main motif consisting of a short glissando shortly afterwards followed by a staccato eighth note chain played on a single note.

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads in the German translation: "A weak body is sown, a powerful body is raised" (1 Corinthians 15, 43)

VI. Joie et clarté des corps glorieux

"Joy and splendor of the transfigured bodies"

Right at the beginning of the movement, the unison, rhapsodic theme in the upper part (“joy motif”) sounds over a recumbent fifth in the pedal, interrupted by three chords each played in the recit. This is followed by a quieter middle section in which the Cromorne des Positifs and the Hautbois des Récits correspond. The main and middle sections alternate again, followed by the coda, which presents the main section with a slightly different rhythm. The “joy motif” then breaks out spectacularly and concludes the movement with a virtuoso glissando.

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer reads in the German translation: "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father." (Matthew 13, 43)

VII. The mystère de la Sainte Trinité

"The Secret of the Holy Trinity"

In contrast to Messiaen's organ cycle “ La Nativité du Seigneur ”, the “Corps glorieux” experience a calm and meditative conclusion. The trinity is symbolized by the three voices of the sentence. Exceptional registrations (32 'in the pedal against 16' and 2 'in the Récit) dominate this movement, which can be seen as a foretaste (but not in terms of sound) of the organ cycle “ Meditations sur le Mystere de la Saint Trinité ”.

The subtitle of this sentence added by the composer is in the German translation: “Almighty Father. With your only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit you are one God. Not in the uniqueness of a person, but in the trinity of an entity. "(Preface of the Sunday Trinity)