Messiaen: Eclairs Sur L'Au-Dela
"Illuminations of the Beyond" (it's better in English--in French it  sounds too much like a pastry) was Olivier Messiaen's last completed work; it's  a masterpiece to rank with his other multimovement orchestral extravaganzas:Turangalila Symphony, From the Canyons to the Stars,andThe  Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ.The music is dazzling in its  variety, from the composer's famous birdsong concoctions, to music of truly  transcendental beauty. If you enjoy any of his other works, you'll want to hear  this, and if you don't know his music, this is also a good place to start. The  performance is excellent, and so is the sound.--David Hurwitz