Faure and Messiaen

[Conservationist]

Looking for recommendations on these: pieces, conductors, orchestras, recordings.

They seem historically important and more wise than the others of their era.

[david johnson]

i'm not real interested in their music for some reason.  however, i've had a couple of recordings of fauré's requiem that were fine.
his pavane from pelléas & mélisande is peaceful and catchy (i prefer sans vocal parts a la  paray/detroit symphony).

http://www.amazon.com/Faur%C3%A9-Requiem-Pell%C3%A9as-M%C3%A9lisande-Pavane/dp/B0000041UE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1248342980&sr=1-10

Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time  - seems to be what many folks are interested in.

dj

[Plagabraha]

I'm not that familiar with Messiaen, but I recommend the following by Fauré:
Pavane (played by Fauré himself)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUsGh2xYYQg
Elégie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLKdq6cL_zo
Apres un Reve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iOlPgrXlTo

[Nile_577]

For Messiaen, the Transfiguration of Christ and his opera St. Francis of Assisi are excellent. Unfortunately, as introductions, both are long works (90 mins and 300(!)mins respectively). They are both works of transcendental/esoteric Christianity: haunting mysticism in repeated leitmotifs and themes. I recommend both works. I have also enjoyed his organ music when heard live. I think I have the libretto to St Francis somewhere if anyone wants it scanned. I haven't heard the recorded version of the opera (only seen it live) but the best recording of the Transfiguration is the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-whun Chung. On Amazon here

Faure: I only know his requiem, which is beautiful but perhaps slightly saccharine when compared with the Brahms requiem.

Messiaen and Charles Ives are both excellent, transcendentalist composers.

[Eleison]

Don't know much about Faure.  For Messiaen I second those who recommended the Quartet for the end of Time, for lack of a more original opinion :$.  It's a representative work, including many of Messiaen famous techniques and interests ie. birdsong, Catholic mysticism, Indian and Greek music etc.  It's also historically important in terms of its use of modality and instrumentation.

[Nile_577]

I find that interpretations of the Quartet are often overly politicised and that the political projection upon the work overshadows its meaning as a performative piece. While its meaning doubtless resonates politically, as an artwork I think it is bound up with more transcendental themes. Its aura obscures it, so to speak.