Olivier Messiaen: Catalogue d'oiseaux, Book 4

VII. La rousserolle effarvatte (Reed warbler)

Taka Kigawa performs book 4 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Catalogue of Birds,” a reimagination of the songs of 77 French bird species in 13 movements. A lover of nature, Messiaen gathered bird songs in his travels and incorporated them in this massive oeuvre, so that birds flit in and out of the textures of his music.

On the same day at 6:30pm, Taka Kigawa will also perform Book 1 and 7 of "Catalogue of Birds" at the Hall of North American Forests in American Museum of Natural History.

The New York Times interview, August 27, 2017 - "The Pianist Taka Kigawa on Playing Messiaen's Bird Marathon"