Éclairs sur l'au-delà…

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Éclairs sur l'au-delà… ("Illuminations (lit. 'flashes of lightning') on the beyond…") is an orchestral piece by the French composer Olivier Messiaen composed between 1987-1991 and is his last work. Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for their 150th anniversary in 1992, it was first performed by them, conducted by Zubin Mehta, at the Lincoln Center on the 5th November of that same year. The first performance was given just over six months after the composer's death.

The work is similar in style to some of Messiaen's earlier pieces, such as L'Ascension, Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Des Canyons aux étoiles…, and Turangalîla Symphony.

Lasting approximately one hour, the piece is divided into 11 movements.

Apparition du Christ glorieux ("Apparition of Christ in glory")
La Constellation du Sagittaire ("Constellation of Sagittarius")
L’Oiseau-lyre et la Ville-fiancée ("The lyre bird and the bridal city")
Les Élus marqués du sceau ("The elect marked with the seal")
Demeurer dans l’Amour... ("Abiding in love")
Les Sept Anges aux sept trompettes ("The seven angels with the seven trumpets")
Et Dieu essuiera tout larme de leurs yeux... ("And God will wipe every tear from their eyes")
Les Étoiles et la Gloire ("The stars and the glory")
Plusieurs Oiseaux des arbres de Vie ("Some birds in the trees of Life")
Le Chemin de L’Invisible ("The way of the Invisible")
Le Christ, lumière du Paradis ("Christ, light of paradise")

[edit] Instrumentation

The work is scored for a very large orchestra consisting of the following:

Woodwinds - 3 piccolos, 6 flutes, alto flute, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 E-flat clarinets, 6 B-flat clarinets, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon
Brass - 2 trumpets in D, 3 trumpets in C, 6 horns (in F and B-flat; horns 1, 3, 5: high, horns 2, 4, 6: low), 3 trombones (tenor-bass), 2 tubas in C, contrabass tuba in C
Keyboard percussion - crotales, glockenspiel, xylophone, xylorimba, marimba
Percussion (10 players) - I. first player of tubular bells, II. second player of tubular bells, III. third player of tubular bells, IV. 3 triangles, V. wind machine, bass drum, second triangle, VI. wood block, 6 temple blocks, réco-réco, third triangle, VII. 3 high gongs, whip, VIII. small suspended cymbal, suspended cymbal, large suspended cymbal, IX. 3 large gongs, bass drum, X. small tam-tam, tam-tam, very large tam-tam)
Strings - 16 first violins, 16 second violins, 14 violas, 12 cellos, 10 double basses (with 5 strings).