Jennifer Bate enjoys a unique reputation as a world authority on the French composer Olivier Messiaen, and was his organist of choice. The label Unicorn-Kanchana recorded the complete organ works between 1979 and 1981, appearing subsequently on CD. Each volume was heard by Messiaen prior to its final editing - he endorsed every one with enormous enthusiasm. All won international acclaim. Her world première recording of his last masterpiece for organ, 'Livre du Saint Sacrement', had exceptional international success, winning a Grand Prix du Disque.

Treasure Island are to be commended on the reissue of these classic recordings on the occasion of her 70th birthday - they are re-releasing all of Jennifer’s Unicorn and Unicorn-Kanchana recordings.

"I turned to look at Messiaen at the end of my first piece to judge his reaction. He looked like thunder and came up to me very slowly and asked whether I owned his recordings. I was ashamed to say that I didn’t... To my amazement, he burst into laughter and said, ‘But you have played that exactly the way I play it on my recording, and only Olivier Messiaen plays like that!’

Messiaen asked for my scores in order to make a dedication and also wrote the most wonderful endorsement of my playing. In 1979, this was quoted in an article about my recordings in Gramophone and John Goldsmith of Unicorn Records immediately offered me the opportunity to record his complete works..." - Jennifer Bate

Contents:
CD 1: La Nativité du Seigneur, Le Banquet Céleste, Apparition de l’Église éternelle [rec. 1979]
CD 2: L’Ascension, Les Corps Glorieux [rec. 1979-80]
CD 3: Messe de la Pentecôte, Livre d’Orgue [rec. 1980-1]
CD 4: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité [rec. 1980-1]
CD 5: Diptyque, Verset pour la Fête de la Dédicace [rec. 1980-1], Livre du Saint Sacrement (1–8)
CD 6: Livre du Saint Sacrement (9-18) [rec. 1987]

Played on the Grandes Orgues de la Cathédrale Saint Pierre, Beauvais and the Grandes Orgues de l’Église de la Sainte Trinité, Paris.