Messiaen / Kars Vingt Regards Sur I'Enfant Jesus CD

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Olivier Messiaen's death, Piano Classics releases this new album featuring pianist Jean-Rodolphe Kars. Composed in 1944 for Yvonne Loriod, Messiaen's Vingt regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus is a suite of 20 pieces for solo piano that requires about two hours to perform. The work is a meditation on the infancy of Jesus, and the title translates roughly to "Twenty contemplations on the infant Jesus." Indian-born Austrian pianist Jean-Rodolphe Kars lives in France, and is a catholic priest in addition to his piano career. He made his concert debut in 1967, and just one year later won first prize at the Concours de Piano Olivier Messiaen. He specializes in performing the works of Messiaen, and credits the spiritual aspects of Messiaen's music as one of the main factors that led to his conversion to Catholicism.

1. Regard Du P?re 2. Regard de L'?toile 3. L'?change 4. Regard de la Vierge 5. Regard Du Fils Sur Le Fils 6. Par Lui Tout a ?T? Fait 7. Regard de la Croix 8. Regard Des Hauteurs 9. Regard Du Temps 10. Regard de L'esprit de Joie 11. Premi?re Communion de la Vierge 12. La Parole Toute-Puissante 13. No?l 14. Regard Des Anges 15. Le Baiser de L'enfant-J?sus 16. Regard Des Proph?tes, Des Bergers Et Des Mages 17. Regard Du Silence 18. Regard de L'onction Terrible 19. Je Dors, Mais Mon Coeur Veille 20. Regard de L'eglise D'amour