Olivier Messiaen

La Fauvette Passerinette (sylvia cantillans)

Faber Music is thrilled to publish this previously undiscovered work for piano by Olivier Messiaen, La Fauvette Passerinette. Believed to be the first publication of a piece by Messiaen produced by a British publisher. The discovery came about as a result of research into Messiaen sketches by esteemed Messiaen biographer and pianist Peter Hill. Hill was delighted to find a virtually complete 11- minute work for piano dating from 1961 which possibly was intended to be part of a second Catalogue d’oiseaux. This project was never in the end pursued as a result of other prestigious commissions the composer received at that time. A certain amount of detective work was required to complete the piece but Hill believes he now has exactly what Messiaen intended. La Fauvette Passerinette has been received with great excitement by the Messiaen fraternity of pianists and also by the press reviewing Peter Hill’s subsequent recording of the piece.