Appel Interstellaire, Des Canyons aux Étoiles

Appel Interstellaire, 6th Movement of Des Canyons aux Étoiles, by Olivier Messiaen. Elaine Anderies' Masters Recital. Unaccompanied horn solo, with slide show of Bryce Canyon in Utah, which was the place that inspired Olivier Messiaen to write this piece. Credits: Elaine Anderies: Horn Photography credits, In order of slides: -Silken Photography, "Bryce Canyon at Night." www.silken.photography -Gaelyn/Geogypsy, "1297lerw Navajo Loop trail from Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah." -Mike Reyfman, "BC1-MR0139" Description: Picture of Hoodoos and sand waves in Bryce Canyon: www.mikereyfman.com -Jay C. Blackburn, "Bryce Canyon National Park showy stoneseed wildflower." trailto50.wordpress.com -Taco Meeuwsen. "Thrush Tune." © 2006-2008 Taco Meeuwsen. Creative Commons License. Please refer to the license and the link to the photograph if you would like to use the photograph. No changes made. -Debbie D Anthony, "Milky Way Starry Night" -Brycecanyoncountry.com, Description: Close-up picture of big rock formations -Mark Wade Description: Picture of Desert Bighorn Sheep: dostgeorge.com -No photographer listed. Description: Picture of stream in Mossy Caves hike: gjhikes.com -Amanda Krill Description: Photo of Wall Street in Bryce Canyon: justboldlygo.com -David Wicks, "The Night Sky." sansumbrella.com -Ron Reznick, "Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point at Sunrise 0462." digital-images.net -Lu Giddings, "Canyon Wren." utahbirds.org -Ian Parker, Evanescent Light Photography, "Navajo Mountain with sunrise clouds: Bryce Canyon" -Joshua B. Meyer Photography, "The Depths of Hell" -Finleyholiday, "Bryce Canyon Night Sky Timelapse." -Brycecanyoncountry.com Description: Picture overlooking rock formations and hiking trail -Brycecanyoncountry.com Description: Picture of Mountain Lion sitting -Nps.gov--"Bryce Canyon Paintbrush" -Nps.gov--"Mountain Blue Bird" -Brewbooks Description: Picture of red wildflower: © Brewbooks. Creative Commons License. No changes were made. -Andrew Mace, "Wall Street, Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park." © 2009 Andrew Mace. Creative Commons License. No changes made. -Brycecanyoncountry.com, "Raven at Bryce Canyon National Park" -David Maier, “Bryce Canyon.” beyond.thirddoor.com -Wayne Pinkston, "Thors Hammer" -Simon Tong, "Sky Navajo trail Bryce Canyon Utah" -Brycecanyoncountry.com Description: Picture overlooking Bryce Canyon -Alan Vernon, "Sunset Point–Bryce Canyon" -Wally Pacholka, "Bryce Canyon–Hiking Navajo Trail under Milky Way" Program Notes: Olivier Messiaen composed Appel Interstellaire, meaning “Interstellar Call” as a movement of a symphonic work called Des canyons aux étoiles, meaning “From the canyons to the stars.” As the sixth movement of the symphony, Messiaen specifically wanted it to not be used as an unaccompanied solo. I feel guilty that I, along with countless other horn players, have decided to use it as an unaccompanied solo anyway, but I hope to make it up by performing the piece as accurately as possible to what he intended. The symphony was commissioned as a tribute to America. Through Messiaen’s research of America, he came across an art book that had a picture of Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park. He declared it “the most beautiful place in the United States” and went to see it as quickly as he could. The music therefore has his infamous birdcalls integrated into the music, along with numerous tri-tones, perfect 4ths, and perfect 5ths to express the open spaces and intriguing canyon rock formations. The half-valved technique used is to portray an unworldly sound, as a potential answer to his cry to the heavens. Messiaen’s devout Roman Catholic faith is present throughout this composition, as the music expresses his agony and frustration towards God in trying to make sense of death. Along with his pain comes a settling trust and acceptance in what he cannot, and may never, understand. On the last page of the program notes are the credits for the photographs I used for the slideshow of Bryce Canyon. Thank you, to all the photographers who let me use their beautiful photographs! Program Notes Reference: Harraman, Elizabeth. “Des canyons aux étoiles...” The Horn Call – Journal of the International Horn Society 41.2 (Feb 2011): 71-74.