Toru Takemitsu, Olivier Messiaen

condition (record/cover): NM / VG (hand-written track durations on back)

Gatefold sleeve.

This pairing is a masterclass in 20th-century avant-garde. It juxtaposes Takemitsu’s delicate "ocean" of sound against Messiaen’s monumental spiritual architecture. November Steps (Takemitsu): Features the biwa (lute) and shakuhachi (bamboo flute) as alien soloists against a Western orchestra. Instead of a fusion, Takemitsu emphasizes the confrontation between East and West, where the orchestra provides a sparse backdrop to the soloists' haunting, microtonal improvisations. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (Messiaen): A massive work for woodwinds, brass, and percussion. This recording is praised for its rhythmic precision and spiritual intensity, with the Concertgebouw's brass delivering the terrifying majesty Messiaen intended for vast open spaces like cathedrals. The transition from Takemitsu’s hazy, watery beauty to Messiaen’s darker, austere wind blocks to be a compelling sonic journey.