Prom 14: Messiaen

Messiaen La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ 98’ Dénes Várjon piano Adam Walker flute Julian Bliss clarinet Sonia Wieder-Atherton cello Colin Currie xylophone Adrian Spillett marimba Richard Benjafield vibraphone BBC Symphony Chorus BBC National Chorus of Wales BBC National Orchestra of Wales Thierry Fischer conductor Composed in the mid-1960s, La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ marked Olivier Messiaen’s return to writing for voices after a break of 17 years. The work is inspired by Christ’s transfiguration as reported in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke: the moment when he is suffused with light, speaks with Moses and Elijah, and is named the Son of God. This huge score, with seven instrumental soloists, a choir of 200 and a vast orchestra, is one of Messiaen’s most imposing and powerful creations, a fervent expression of his passionately held Roman Catholic faith – and highlight of this year’s Proms Messiaencentenary celebrations. There will be no interval Tickets cannot be exchanged refunded or resold.