{"history":[],"article":{"id":"af03c533-3126-4e64-b964-7257422b831f","title":"Des Canyons aux étoiles...","slug":"des-canyons-aux-toiles","content":":::summary\n:::\n\n# \n**Des canyons aux étoiles...** (From the canyons to the stars...) is a large twelve-movement orchestral work by the French [composer](https://bliptext.com/articles/composer) [Olivier Messiaen](https://bliptext.com/articles/olivier-messiaen).\nAmerican [Alice Tully](https://bliptext.com/articles/alice-tully) commissioned the piece in 1971 to celebrate the bicentenary of the [United States Declaration of Independence](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-declaration-of-independence) in 1976.\nWhile preparing the work in 1972, Messiaen visited [Utah](https://bliptext.com/articles/utah), where he was inspired by the birds and the landscape, particularly at colourful [Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon-national-park) (Messiaen had sound-colour [synaesthesia](https://bliptext.com/articles/synaesthesia)).\nIt received its premiere in 1974.\nPerformances of the work can have a duration in the range of 90 to 100 minutes.\nThe work is published by [Éditions Alphonse Leduc](https://bliptext.com/articles/ditions-alphonse-leduc).\n# [A view from Bryce Canyon | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Bryce///Canyon///Hoodoos.jpg]\n\n# Instrumentation\nThe work is scored for four soloists ([piano](https://bliptext.com/articles/piano) solo, [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn) solo, [xylorimba](https://bliptext.com/articles/xylorimba) solo and [glockenspiel](https://bliptext.com/articles/glockenspiel) solo) and orchestra.\nThe [string section](https://bliptext.com/articles/string-section) consists of only 6 [violins](https://bliptext.com/articles/violin), 3 [violas](https://bliptext.com/articles/viola), 3 [cellos](https://bliptext.com/articles/cello), and 1 [double bass](https://bliptext.com/articles/double-bass) with fifth-string lower extension.\nThe [woodwind](https://bliptext.com/articles/woodwind) requires 1 [piccolo](https://bliptext.com/articles/piccolo), 2 [flutes](https://bliptext.com/articles/western-concert-flute), 1 [alto flute](https://bliptext.com/articles/alto-flute), 2 [oboes](https://bliptext.com/articles/oboe), 1 [cor anglais](https://bliptext.com/articles/cor-anglais), 1 [E-flat clarinet](https://bliptext.com/articles/e-flat-clarinet), 2 [B-flat clarinets](https://bliptext.com/articles/clarinet), 1 [bass clarinet](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-clarinet), 2 [bassoons](https://bliptext.com/articles/bassoon), and 1 [contrabassoon](https://bliptext.com/articles/contrabassoon).\nMessiaen remarks: \"all of the woodwind parts are difficult.\"\nIn addition to the sixth movement's [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn) solo, the [brass](https://bliptext.com/articles/brass) section also consists of 2 [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn)s, 2 [trumpets](https://bliptext.com/articles/trumpet) in c, 1 trumpet in d, 2 [trombones](https://bliptext.com/articles/trombone), and 1 [bass trombone](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-trombone).\nThe unusually large [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion) section, divided for 5 [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion)ists, consists of Messiaen's own invented instrument the [geophone](https://bliptext.com/articles/geophone-percussion-instrument), 1 [wind machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/wind-machine), 1 [thunder sheet](https://bliptext.com/articles/thunder-sheet), 1 [gong](https://bliptext.com/articles/gong), 1 set of tuned [gong](https://bliptext.com/articles/gong)s, 1 set of [tubular bells](https://bliptext.com/articles/tubular-bells), 1 pair of [maracas](https://bliptext.com/articles/maracas), 1 [whip](https://bliptext.com/articles/whip-instrument), 1 [bass drum](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-drum), 1 [triangle](https://bliptext.com/articles/triangle-musical-instrument), 1 [wood block](https://bliptext.com/articles/woodblock-instrument), 1 set of wooden [wind chimes](https://bliptext.com/articles/wind-chimes), 1 set of [crotales](https://bliptext.com/articles/crotales), 1 [reco reco](https://bliptext.com/articles/reco-reco-instrument), and 1 [tumba](https://bliptext.com/articles/tumba-drum), among other [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion) instruments.\n# [The 2008 Ohio premiere performance of Des canyons aux étoiles...; in Oberlin College. On the left can be seen some of the more unusual percussion instruments called for in the work, including a thunder sheet and wind machine. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Canyonspremiere.jpg]\n\n# Premieres\nThe world premiere of this work took place on November 20, 1974, at Alice Tully Hall at [Lincoln Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/lincoln-center), with the Musica Aeterna Orchestra.\nThe solo personnel for the premiere were:\nThe French premiere occurred on 29 October 1975, at the [Théâtre de la Ville](https://bliptext.com/articles/th-tre-de-la-ville) in [Paris](https://bliptext.com/articles/paris), for the Autumn Festival of 1975.\nThe orchestra was the [Ensemble Ars Nova](https://bliptext.com/articles/ensemble-ars-nova), directed by [Marius Constant](https://bliptext.com/articles/marius-constant).\nThe solo personnel were:\n\n# Structure\nMessiaen specified that the work is in three sections: the first section contains movements 1–5, the second contains movements 6 and 7, and the third section contains movements 8–12.\nThe movements are as follows:\nPart 1:\nPart 2:\n

\"Appel interstellaire\" (\"Interstellar call\")

\"[Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon) et les rochers rouge-orange\" (\"[Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon) and the red-orange rocks\")

\n\nPart 3:\n

\"Les Ressuscités et le chant de l'étoile [Aldebaran](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldebaran)\" (\"The resurrected and the song of the star [Aldebaran](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldebaran)\")

\"Le Moqueur polyglotte\" (\"The [mockingbird](https://bliptext.com/articles/northern-mockingbird)\")

\"La Grive des bois\" (\"The [wood thrush](https://bliptext.com/articles/wood-thrush)\")

\"Omao, [leiothrix](https://bliptext.com/articles/leiothrix-bird), elepaio, [shama](https://bliptext.com/articles/magpie-robin)\" (\"[ʻōmaʻo](https://bliptext.com/articles/ma-o), [leiothrix](https://bliptext.com/articles/leiothrix-bird), [ʻelepaio](https://bliptext.com/articles/elepaio), [shama](https://bliptext.com/articles/magpie-robin)\")

\"[Zion Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/zion-national-park) et la cité céleste\" (\"[Zion Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/zion-national-park) and the celestial city\")

\n\nThe piano is treated as a solo instrument throughout the work, with the fourth and ninth movements being extended piano cadenzas, while the sixth movement \"Appel interstellaire\" is for horn alone.\n\n# Appel interstellaire\n\"Appel interstellaire\" (Interstellar Call) was the first part of Des Canyons aux étoiles... that Messiaen composed.\nThe title is followed by quotes:\n\"C'est Lui qui guérit les cœurs brisés, et soigne leurs blessures; c'est Lui qui sait le nombre des étoiles, appelant chacune par son nom.\"\n- (Psaume 146, v. 3 et 4) [Psalm 146]\n\"Ô terre, ne couvre pas mon sang, et que mon cri ne trouve pas où se cacher!...\"\n- (livre de Job, ch. 16, v. 18) [Book of Job]\nIt was originally composed for an entirely different purpose.\nIn March 1971, the young French composer [Jean-Pierre Guézec](https://bliptext.com/articles/jean-pierre-gu-zec) died, and his composer-friends contributed a collection of short pieces for solo instruments in his memory.\nFor that collection, Messiaen wrote a brief movement for solo [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn).\nHe liked the piece well enough that when he began work on Des Canyons aux étoiles..., he adapted it for inclusion in the larger piece.\nThe music is extraordinarily difficult for the performer, who must master a range of techniques: flutter-tonguing, closed notes, glissandos, and faintly-sounded oscillations produced with the keys half-closed.\n\"Appel interstellaire\" begins with a strident call that might reach out across the universe, and between the various calls and extended techniques (and several long silences), the horn sings two lyric passages.\nAlong the way we hear the calls of two birds—the [Chinese thrush](https://bliptext.com/articles/chinese-thrush) and the [canyon wren](https://bliptext.com/articles/canyon-wren)—and at the end the music fades into silence on a recall of the faint oscillations.\nIt is increasingly performed as a solo, stand-alone piece by horn players in recitals although Messiaen himself did not wish it to be played separately.","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T10:29:37.057Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T10:29:37.057Z","search_vector":"'aux':3 'canyon':2 'des':1 'étoil':4","search_content":" \n \n\n# \n**Des canyons aux étoiles...** (From the canyons to the stars...) is a large twelve-movement orchestral work by the French [composer](https://bliptext.com/articles/composer) [Olivier Messiaen](https://bliptext.com/articles/olivier-messiaen).\nAmerican [Alice Tully](https://bliptext.com/articles/alice-tully) commissioned the piece in 1971 to celebrate the bicentenary of the [United States Declaration of Independence](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-declaration-of-independence) in 1976.\nWhile preparing the work in 1972, Messiaen visited [Utah](https://bliptext.com/articles/utah), where he was inspired by the birds and the landscape, particularly at colourful [Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon-national-park) (Messiaen had sound-colour [synaesthesia](https://bliptext.com/articles/synaesthesia)).\nIt received its premiere in 1974.\nPerformances of the work can have a duration in the range of 90 to 100 minutes.\nThe work is published by [Éditions Alphonse Leduc](https://bliptext.com/articles/ditions-alphonse-leduc).\n# [A view from Bryce Canyon | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Bryce///Canyon///Hoodoos.jpg]\n\n# Instrumentation\nThe work is scored for four soloists ([piano](https://bliptext.com/articles/piano) solo, [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn) solo, [xylorimba](https://bliptext.com/articles/xylorimba) solo and [glockenspiel](https://bliptext.com/articles/glockenspiel) solo) and orchestra.\nThe [string section](https://bliptext.com/articles/string-section) consists of only 6 [violins](https://bliptext.com/articles/violin), 3 [violas](https://bliptext.com/articles/viola), 3 [cellos](https://bliptext.com/articles/cello), and 1 [double bass](https://bliptext.com/articles/double-bass) with fifth-string lower extension.\nThe [woodwind](https://bliptext.com/articles/woodwind) requires 1 [piccolo](https://bliptext.com/articles/piccolo), 2 [flutes](https://bliptext.com/articles/western-concert-flute), 1 [alto flute](https://bliptext.com/articles/alto-flute), 2 [oboes](https://bliptext.com/articles/oboe), 1 [cor anglais](https://bliptext.com/articles/cor-anglais), 1 [E-flat clarinet](https://bliptext.com/articles/e-flat-clarinet), 2 [B-flat clarinets](https://bliptext.com/articles/clarinet), 1 [bass clarinet](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-clarinet), 2 [bassoons](https://bliptext.com/articles/bassoon), and 1 [contrabassoon](https://bliptext.com/articles/contrabassoon).\nMessiaen remarks: \"all of the woodwind parts are difficult.\"\nIn addition to the sixth movement's [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn) solo, the [brass](https://bliptext.com/articles/brass) section also consists of 2 [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn)s, 2 [trumpets](https://bliptext.com/articles/trumpet) in c, 1 trumpet in d, 2 [trombones](https://bliptext.com/articles/trombone), and 1 [bass trombone](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-trombone).\nThe unusually large [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion) section, divided for 5 [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion)ists, consists of Messiaen's own invented instrument the [geophone](https://bliptext.com/articles/geophone-percussion-instrument), 1 [wind machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/wind-machine), 1 [thunder sheet](https://bliptext.com/articles/thunder-sheet), 1 [gong](https://bliptext.com/articles/gong), 1 set of tuned [gong](https://bliptext.com/articles/gong)s, 1 set of [tubular bells](https://bliptext.com/articles/tubular-bells), 1 pair of [maracas](https://bliptext.com/articles/maracas), 1 [whip](https://bliptext.com/articles/whip-instrument), 1 [bass drum](https://bliptext.com/articles/bass-drum), 1 [triangle](https://bliptext.com/articles/triangle-musical-instrument), 1 [wood block](https://bliptext.com/articles/woodblock-instrument), 1 set of wooden [wind chimes](https://bliptext.com/articles/wind-chimes), 1 set of [crotales](https://bliptext.com/articles/crotales), 1 [reco reco](https://bliptext.com/articles/reco-reco-instrument), and 1 [tumba](https://bliptext.com/articles/tumba-drum), among other [percussion](https://bliptext.com/articles/percussion) instruments.\n# [The 2008 Ohio premiere performance of Des canyons aux étoiles...; in Oberlin College. On the left can be seen some of the more unusual percussion instruments called for in the work, including a thunder sheet and wind machine. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Canyonspremiere.jpg]\n\n# Premieres\nThe world premiere of this work took place on November 20, 1974, at Alice Tully Hall at [Lincoln Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/lincoln-center), with the Musica Aeterna Orchestra.\nThe solo personnel for the premiere were:\nThe French premiere occurred on 29 October 1975, at the [Théâtre de la Ville](https://bliptext.com/articles/th-tre-de-la-ville) in [Paris](https://bliptext.com/articles/paris), for the Autumn Festival of 1975.\nThe orchestra was the [Ensemble Ars Nova](https://bliptext.com/articles/ensemble-ars-nova), directed by [Marius Constant](https://bliptext.com/articles/marius-constant).\nThe solo personnel were:\n\n# Structure\nMessiaen specified that the work is in three sections: the first section contains movements 1–5, the second contains movements 6 and 7, and the third section contains movements 8–12.\nThe movements are as follows:\nPart 1:\nPart 2:\n \"Appel interstellaire\" (\"Interstellar call\") \n \"[Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon) et les rochers rouge-orange\" (\"[Bryce Canyon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bryce-canyon) and the red-orange rocks\") \n \nPart 3:\n \"Les Ressuscités et le chant de l'étoile [Aldebaran](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldebaran)\" (\"The resurrected and the song of the star [Aldebaran](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldebaran)\") \n \"Le Moqueur polyglotte\" (\"The [mockingbird](https://bliptext.com/articles/northern-mockingbird)\") \n \"La Grive des bois\" (\"The [wood thrush](https://bliptext.com/articles/wood-thrush)\") \n \"Omao, [leiothrix](https://bliptext.com/articles/leiothrix-bird), elepaio, [shama](https://bliptext.com/articles/magpie-robin)\" (\"[ʻōmaʻo](https://bliptext.com/articles/ma-o), [leiothrix](https://bliptext.com/articles/leiothrix-bird), [ʻelepaio](https://bliptext.com/articles/elepaio), [shama](https://bliptext.com/articles/magpie-robin)\") \n \"[Zion Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/zion-national-park) et la cité céleste\" (\"[Zion Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/zion-national-park) and the celestial city\") \n \nThe piano is treated as a solo instrument throughout the work, with the fourth and ninth movements being extended piano cadenzas, while the sixth movement \"Appel interstellaire\" is for horn alone.\n\n# Appel interstellaire\n\"Appel interstellaire\" (Interstellar Call) was the first part of Des Canyons aux étoiles... that Messiaen composed.\nThe title is followed by quotes:\n\"C'est Lui qui guérit les cœurs brisés, et soigne leurs blessures; c'est Lui qui sait le nombre des étoiles, appelant chacune par son nom.\"\n- (Psaume 146, v. 3 et 4) [Psalm 146]\n\"Ô terre, ne couvre pas mon sang, et que mon cri ne trouve pas où se cacher!...\"\n- (livre de Job, ch. 16, v. 18) [Book of Job]\nIt was originally composed for an entirely different purpose.\nIn March 1971, the young French composer [Jean-Pierre Guézec](https://bliptext.com/articles/jean-pierre-gu-zec) died, and his composer-friends contributed a collection of short pieces for solo instruments in his memory.\nFor that collection, Messiaen wrote a brief movement for solo [horn](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-horn).\nHe liked the piece well enough that when he began work on Des Canyons aux étoiles..., he adapted it for inclusion in the larger piece.\nThe music is extraordinarily difficult for the performer, who must master a range of techniques: flutter-tonguing, closed notes, glissandos, and faintly-sounded oscillations produced with the keys half-closed.\n\"Appel interstellaire\" begins with a strident call that might reach out across the universe, and between the various calls and extended techniques (and several long silences), the horn sings two lyric passages.\nAlong the way we hear the calls of two birds—the [Chinese thrush](https://bliptext.com/articles/chinese-thrush) and the [canyon wren](https://bliptext.com/articles/canyon-wren)—and at the end the music fades into silence on a recall of the faint oscillations.\nIt is increasingly performed as a solo, stand-alone piece by horn players in recitals although Messiaen himself did not wish it to be played separately.","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

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