If we had fewer versions of Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux to contend with on disc, Martin Zehn’s superb pianism and fastidious musicianship easily would claim top honors. He finds the melodic core in each and every bird song reference, and he voices the composer’s thick, fast-moving chordal block with impressive pliability. Zehn does not play up the sensual qualities of this magnum opus to the extent of Hakan Austbo’s rosier Naxos version, which benefits from warmer, richer engineering. Naxos, moreover, throws in Petites esquisses d’oiseaux as a bonus. For a budget Catalogue d’Oiseaux, Naxos remains your best bet. But if you can still find it, Anatol Ugorski’s unconventional, massive virtuosity enlivens these works’ static qualities with dazzling drama. Deutsche Grammophon ought to reissue it in the U.S., while Erato should make Yvonne Loriod’s loving, authoritative recording available apart from its multi-disc Messiaen collection. In short, the competition is fierce. But Zehn’s recording for Arte Nova makes a formidable showcase for this accomplished, highly intelligent pianist, from whom I hope to hear more great stuff.
