Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide [2 ed.] 113810650X, 9781138106505

Table of contents :
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies
A Discussion of Messiaen Studies
Messiaen Bibliographies
2. Primary Sources I: Fonds Olivier Messiaen—Bibliothèque nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois, Library of Congress and Symphony Orchestra Archives, Other Collections
Fonds Olivier Messiaen—VM FONDS 30 MES—Bibliothèque Nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois
Cahiers de notation de chants d’oiseaux
Musical Works of Olivier Messiaen
Pedagogical Works
Compositional Notebooks
Selected Correspondence
Diaries
Other Materials
Library of Congress and Symphony Orchestra Archives
Other Collections—Library and Private
3. Primary Sources II: Articles and Reviews, Pedagogical Works, and Lectures and Librettos
Articles, Essays in Collected Editions, Reviews, and Other Materials by Messiaen
Pedagogical Works
Lectures and Librettos
4. Primary Sources III: Prefaces to Works, Interviews, Published Correspondence; and Documentaries and Filmed Performances
Prefaces to Works, Articles/Special Issues, and Books
Interviews
Published Correspondence and Dedicatory Notes
Documentaries and Filmed Performances
5. Biographical and Stylistic Studies
General Studies of Messiaen’s Life and Music, Style, and Aesthetics
Specialized Discussions of Messiaen’s Music
Essay Collections, Program Booklets, and Special Periodical Issues Devoted to Messiaen
General Biographical, Historical, and Stylistic Discussions of Messiaen and His Music in Articles and Essays in Collected Editions
6. Topical Studies
Analytical and Theoretical Studies of Messiaen’s Music
Birdsong
Instrumental, Orchestral, Choral, and Vocal Music
Organ Music
Piano Music
Improvisation
Religion
Teaching
7. Studies of Particular Works
Opera
Orchestral Works
Chamber Works
Organ Works
Piano Works
Vocal and Choral Works
Electronic Works
8. Accounts of Messiaen and His Work in Sources Devoted to Other Topics
Articles and Essays in Collections
Books
Dissertations and Other Unpublished Documents
Dictionary and Encyclopedia Articles
Appendix: List of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen
I. Opera
II. Orchestral Works
III. Chamber and Instrumental (and Unspecified)
IV. Organ
V. Piano
VI. Vocal and Choral
VII. Electronic/Stage Music
Index of Names and Subjects
Index of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen

Citation preview

OLIVIER MESSIAEN

ROUTLEDGE MUSIC BIBLIOGRAPHIES RECENT TITLES COMPOSERS Isaac Albéniz, 2nd Edition (2015) Walter A. Clark William Alwyn (2013) John C. Dressler Samuel Barber, 2nd Edition (2012) Wayne C. Wentzel Béla Bartók, 3rd Edition (2011) Elliott Antokoletz and Paolo Susanni

Alberto Ginastera (2011) Deborah Schwartz-Kates

Anton Webern (2017) Darin Hoskisson

Fanny Hensel (2018) Laura K.T. Stokes

GENRES

Paul Hindemith, 2nd Edition (2009) Stephen Luttmann Gustav Holst (2011) Mary Christison Huismann Charles Ives, 2nd Edition (2010) Gayle Sherwood Magee

Blues, Funk, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, and Rap (2010) Eddie S. Meadows Chamber Music, 3rd Edition (2010) John H. Baron Choral Music, 2nd Edition (2011) Avery T. Sharp and James Michael Floyd

Vincenzo Bellini, 2nd Edition (2009) Stephen A. Willier

Quincy Jones (2014) Clarence Bernard Henry

Alban Berg, 2nd Edition (2009) Bryan R. Simms

Franz Liszt, 3rd Edition (2009) Michael Saffle

Leonard Bernstein, 2nd Edition (2015) Paul R. Laird and Hsun Lin

Alma Mahler and Her Contemporaries (2017) Susan M. Filler

Johannes Brahms, 2nd Edition (2011) Heather Platt

Bohuslav Martinů (2014) Robert Simon

Free Jazz (2018) Jeffrey Schwartz

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, 2nd Edition (2011) John Michael Cooper with Angela R. Mace

The Madrigal (2012) Susan Lewis Hammond

William Byrd, 3rd Edition (2012) Richard Turbet Frédéric Chopin, 2nd Edition (2015) William Smialek and Maja Trochimczyk Miles Davis (2017) Clarence Henry Frederick Delius, 2nd Edition (2009) Mary Christison Huismann

Olivier Messiaen, 2nd Edition (2017) Vincent P. Benitez Nikolay Andreevich RimskyKorsakov, 2nd Edition (2015) Gerald R. Seaman

Church and Worship Music in the United States, 2nd Edition (2017) Avery T. Sharp and James Michael Floyd Ethnomusicology, 2nd Edition (2013) Jennifer C. Post

The Musical, 2nd Edition (2011) William A. Everett North American Fiddle Music (2011) Drew Beisswenger Piano Pedagogy (2009) Gilles Comeau

Gioachino Rossini, 2nd Edition (2010) Denise P. Gallo

Popular Music Theory and Analysis (2017) Thomas Robinson

Ralph Vaughan Williams (2016) Ryan Ross

The Recorder, 3rd Edition (2012) Richard Griscom and David Lasocki

Edward Elgar, 2nd Edition (2013) Christopher Kent

Giuseppe Verdi, 2nd Edition (2012) Gregory W. Harwood

String Quartets, 2nd Edition (2011) Mara E. Parker

Gabriel Fauré, 2nd Edition (2011) Edward R. Phillips

Richard Wagner, 2nd Edition (2010) Michael Saffle

Women in Music, 2nd Edition (2011) Karin Pendle and Melinda Boyd

Gaetano Donizetti, 2nd Edition (2009) James P. Cassaro

OLIVIER MESSIAEN A Research and Information Guide Second Edition

Vincent P. Benitez

ROUTLEDGE MUSIC BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Second edition published 2018 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2018 Taylor & Francis The right of Vincent P. Benitez to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. First published in 2008 by Routledge Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Benitez, Vincent Perez, 1955– Title: Olivier Messiaen : a research and information guide / Vincent P. Benitez. Description: Second edition. | New York, NY : Routledge, 2018. | Series: Routledge music bibliographies | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017016940 | ISBN 9781138106505 (hardback) | ISBN 9781315101460 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Messiaen, Olivier, 1908–1992—Bibliography. Classification: LCC ML134.M54 B46 2018 | DDC 016.78092—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017016940 ISBN: 978-1-138-10650-5 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-10146-0 (ebk) Typeset in Minion by Apex CoVantage, LLC Cover image: Tombstone memorial of Olivier Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, in the Cemetery of Saint Théoffrey in Petichet, France. © Vincent P. Benitez

This book is dedicated to Esther, for all her love and immense patience.

Contents Preface

xi

Acknowledgments

xv

1.

Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

1

A Discussion of Messiaen Studies 1 Messiaen Bibliographies 3 2.

Primary Sources I: Fonds Olivier Messiaen—Bibliothèque nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois, Library of Congress and Symphony Orchestra Archives, Other Collections

6

Fonds Olivier Messiaen—VM FONDS 30 MES—Bibliothèque Nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois 6 Cahiers de notation de chants d’oiseaux 7 Musical Works of Olivier Messiaen 51 Pedagogical Works 53 Compositional Notebooks 53 Selected Correspondence 53 Diaries 54 Other Materials 54 Library of Congress and Symphony Orchestra Archives 55 Other Collections—Library and Private 59 3.

Primary Sources II: Articles and Reviews, Pedagogical Works, and Lectures and Librettos

61

Articles, Essays in Collected Editions, Reviews, and Other Materials by Messiaen 61 Pedagogical Works 80 Lectures and Librettos 84 4.

Primary Sources III: Prefaces to Works, Interviews, Published Correspondence; and Documentaries and Filmed Performances

87

Prefaces to Works, Articles/Special Issues, and Books 87 Interviews 105

vii

viii

Contents

Published Correspondence and Dedicatory Notes 119 Documentaries and Filmed Performances 120 5.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

126

General Studies of Messiaen’s Life and Music, Style, and Aesthetics 126 Specialized Discussions of Messiaen’s Music 144 Essay Collections, Program Booklets, and Special Periodical Issues Devoted to Messiaen 149 General Biographical, Historical, and Stylistic Discussions of Messiaen and His Music in Articles and Essays in Collected Editions 159 6.

Topical Studies

175

Analytical and Theoretical Studies of Messiaen’s Music 175 Birdsong 194 Instrumental, Orchestral, Choral, and Vocal Music 201 Organ Music 202 Piano Music 210 Improvisation 212 Religion 213 Teaching 226 7.

Studies of Particular Works Opera 233 Orchestral Works 242 Chamber Works 252 Organ Works 257 Piano Works 272 Vocal and Choral Works Electronic Works 292

8.

233

285

Accounts of Messiaen and His Work in Sources Devoted to Other Topics Articles and Essays in Collections 294 Books 307 Dissertations and Other Unpublished Documents 319 Dictionary and Encyclopedia Articles 321

294

Contents

ix

Appendix: List of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII.

325

Opera 326 Orchestral Works 327 Chamber and Instrumental (and Unspecified) 333 Organ 336 Piano 341 Vocal and Choral 346 Electronic/Stage Music 353

Index of Names and Subjects

355

Index of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen

365

Preface PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS GUIDE Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide presents the reader with the most significant and helpful resources on Olivier Messiaen published between 1930 and 2016. It likewise contains citations of selected primary source materials from the Fonds Olivier Messiaen housed at the Bibliothèque nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois (BnF), Paris. In addition, the book lists primary source materials at the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestra archives, as well as other libraries in the United States. Most of the entries are in English, French, and German, reflecting the significance of Messiaen scholarship in the United Kingdom, United States, France, and Germany. With regard to primary sources, the book attempts to be as comprehensive as possible. Out of necessity, it includes only those secondary resources that are considered more consequential examples of Messiaen scholarship. An introductory chapter presents and assesses the current state of Messiaen studies. Chapters 2 through 4 concentrate on the primary source literature organized around the following categories: (1) manuscript collections, (2) articles and reviews, (3) pedagogical works, (4) lectures and librettos, (5) prefaces, (6) interviews, (7) correspondence, and (8) documentaries and filmed performances. Chapters 5 through 8 focus on the secondary literature, specifically, (1) biographical and stylistic studies, (2) topical examinations, (3) discussions of particular works, and (4) accounts of Messiaen in works devoted to other topics. A list of works closes the book. Each chapter begins with a paragraph that outlines the general content and scope of its citations. Primary sources are listed, for the most part, in chronological order to emphasize the historical development of Messiaen’s work. Interviews are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference. Secondary sources are listed in alphabetical order according to their particular categories, with entries by the same author usually listed in chronological order. For secondary sources in a foreign language, references are almost always made to the original publication with English translations listed immediately thereafter. Each citation is assigned a unique sequence number and is identified by the following information as appropriate for books and articles: (1) author(s); (2) title; (3) editor(s); (4) translator(s); (5) publication information; and (6) ISBN, ISSN, and Library of Congress call numbers, which are confirmed through either the book’s Copyright Information Page, the Online Catalogue of the Library of Congress, or other university libraries identified in the citation. In certain instances, ISBN numbers are included for both hardback and paperback editions. Some citations of books and articles do not contain ISBN, ISSN, and/or Library of Congress call numbers due to their foreign derivation or to a lack of confirmation. Pagination is usually not included xi

xii

Preface

for references to multi-volume books. Multiple citations to essay collections are identified by author(s), titles of both the article and essay collection, and a reference to the essay collection’s sequence number. Capitalization practices for titles in French deserve comment. Messiaen’s capitalization in the titles of his works is inconsistent. He apparently capitalized any word that had religious significance for him, such as “temps” in Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. In this volume, Messiaen’s preferences in capitalization are respected despite any discrepancies that may result. With respect to books and articles, the convention of capitalizing the first word as well as the first noun is followed, even in subtitles, except in some cases where the original capitalization of an article or book is retained to respect an author’s or editor’s practice. Annotations provide an overview of a source, describe its analytical methodology, point out key concepts, and highlight musical compositions under consideration. Moreover, they may include comparisons with related items. When the subject matter merits lengthier discussion, annotations offer more detailed information in order to better acquaint the reader with the source and its significance for Messiaen. Annotations are normally based on the latest editions. Selected reviews are listed at the ends of sources considered significant to the Messiaen literature. Through its annotations, the book attempts to point out which items are indispensable in the Messiaen literature for both the advanced student and experienced researcher. Although the critical evaluation of a source could prejudice a reader’s opinion, it was deemed necessary at times to offer assessments or contrasting viewpoints. In most instances, annotations convey an objective tone, leaving it up to the reader to judge a source’s quality. SELECTION CRITERIA Sources are included based on the following criteria: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Primary sources, such as manuscript collections, writings, didactic treatises, lectures, prefaces, interviews, correspondence, and documentaries Translations of primary sources Entire books, monographs, and essay collections devoted to Messiaen Articles devoted to Messiaen in scholarly journals Short essays or essays of marginal research value that are on topics in which relatively little has been written Essays of marginal research value by famous authors Noteworthy PhD dissertations, selected high-quality doctoral documents, and master’s theses on Messiaen from various North American and European universities Significant discussions of Messiaen within sources devoted to other topics, such as articles, essays in collections, books, music history and music theory textbooks (geared to the advanced student), dissertations, dictionaries, and encyclopedias

Sources have been excluded based on the following criteria: 1.

Sources written in less common languages, such as Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, and Slovenian. Due to the selected nature of this research guide, Italian and Spanish are also excluded.

Preface

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

xiii

However, some representative entries in Italian are included because of their significance to the Messiaen literature. Custom-made boxes, medals, photographs, sound recordings, semi-precious stones, souvenirs, trophies, and other like-minded materials owned by Messiaen Liner notes by Messiaen for recordings, which are duplicated in the primary and secondary literature Reviews of published editions Reviews of recordings With some exceptions, newspaper and magazine articles Conference presentations Honors theses

Given the nature of music scholarship, a work like this can never be complete. Readers are warmly encouraged to contact me at the Pennsylvania State University to make suggestions or report errors. CHANGES TO THE SECOND EDITION Although this edition’s overall organization and objectives are the same as those of the first, there is a marked increase in breadth of subject matter and its treatment. This reflects not only the robust nature of Messiaen scholarship since the 2008 Centenary, but also the incorporation of more primary source materials. Accordingly, this second edition lists all of Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks, as well as selected autograph manuscripts of compositions and letters, composition notebooks, and other materials, which are now available for study in the Département de la musique’s Salle de lecture (reading room) of the BnF, primarily via digitized copies or microfilm. Hence, there are now three chapters (instead of two, as in the first edition) devoted to the coverage of primary source materials, whereas the book’s remaining chapters are greatly expanded. To make room for this expansion, some sections of the first edition were eliminated (Chapters 8 and 9, and appendix 2). ABBREVIATIONS Bibliothèque nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois (BnF) Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) cyclic saturation similarity measure (CSATSIM) cyclic saturation vector (CSATV) French Communist Party (PCF) Institut Mémoires de l’Édition Contemporaine (IMEC) Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA) L’Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM) L’Institut National de Radiodiffusion (I.N.R.) Library of Congress (LoC) Music Theory and Analysis (MTA) New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) Technique de mon langage musical (Technique) Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie (1949–1992) (Traité de rythme)

Acknowledgments With the completion of the second edition of this book, I want to recognize different individuals and institutions for their advice, assistance, and support. I convey my sincere thanks to both Claude Samuel and Catherine Massip of the Fondation Messiaen, and Hélène Frichot of the Fondation de France, for granting me permission to examine different manuscripts of Messiaen at the Bibliothèque nationale de France/RichelieuLouvois (BnF) since 2006. I am also grateful to Catherine Massip, Elizabeth Giuliani, and Mathias Auclair, former and present directors of the Département de la Musique (BnF), as well as Marie-Gabrielle Soret, who is in charge of the Fonds Messiaen, and their colleagues, for assistance during my visits to Paris to examine these manuscripts. To James Wintle and his colleagues at the Music Division of the Library of Congress, I express my deep gratitude for allowing me to study a variety of documents related to the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Les Offrandes oubliées in 1936, and the commissioning and world premiere of the Turangalîla-Symphonie by said orchestra in 1949. Sincere thanks are also due to Bridget Carr, senior archivist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for providing access to documents related to the world premiere of the Turangalîla-Symphonie and Messiaen’s visit to Tanglewood in 1949. And I am grateful to Gabryel Smith, archivist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, for allowing me to see the orchestra’s Messiaen materials, particularly those associated with Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... Sincere thanks are likewise due to music librarian Amanda Maple of The Pennsylvania State University for help in answering reference questions, and Penn State’s Interlibrary Loan department for their securing of numerous bibliographic materials. I am also grateful to Meredith Doran, Director of the English for Professional Purposes Intercultural Center at Penn State, and Lynn Palermo, Associate Professor of French at Susquehanna University, for answering some queries regarding the French language. I want to express my deep appreciation to Sue Haug, Director of the School of Music at Penn State, along with my colleagues in musicology and music theory, for their encouragement and support. I am also pleased to thank Penn State’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities and College of Arts and Architecture for faculty research grants and residencies to support travel to Paris in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016 to study Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks and other primary source materials. A subvention grant from the Society for Music Theory helped defray costs for a six-week residency in Paris beginning in May 2016 to examine Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks at the BnF. Among those at Routledge, Constance Ditzel, Senior Editor; Helen Evans, Production Editor; and Peter Sheehy, Senior Editorial Assistant, have my heartfelt thanks for their assistance in bringing this book to publication. I am also grateful to Lana Arndt for her copyediting, and Project Manager Holly González Smithson of Apex CoVantage for preparing this book to be typeset. xv

xvi

Acknowledgments

To Père Pascal Ide, I convey my appreciation for granting me an interview in Paris in June 2016 to discuss how Catholic theology shapes Messiaen’s music. Thanks also go to Jon Gillock, Eric J. Isaacson, Gerald Levinson, Brian Schober, and Joseph N. Straus for their moral support of my work on Messiaen. And to Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars, I continue to express my deep gratitude for his steadfast encouragement of my Messiaen research. Finally, this book would not have been possible without the love and encouragement of my beloved wife, Esther. Saying how much I appreciate her assistance during every phase of this book’s path to publication cannot convey the immense personal debt that I owe her. This book is dedicated to you, Esther.

1 Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

In order to contextualize this research guide on Olivier Messiaen, Chapter 1 evaluates the current state of research on the composer. It closes by listing Messiaen bibliographies. A DISCUSSION OF MESSIAEN STUDIES Since the publication of this book’s first edition in 2008, the Messiaen literature has been characterized by many noteworthy publications in English, French, and German, in addition to other languages. These publications continue to uncover new information about the historical aspects of Messiaen’s life and work. In past research, scholars typically stayed relatively close to what the composer expressed about his compositional aesthetics and music in various media. In keeping with the idea that the composer is the “most authoritative voice” when it comes to his or her music, these scholars tended to regard Messiaen’s opinions uncritically, even repeating ideological perspectives or misstatements that were not grounded in fact. This took the form of perpetuating, for example, his post-Occupation redaction of history in which he stated that he began his post as professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire in 1942, which later research has disproven (Balmer and Murray, item 343). Recent scholarship continues to dispute aspects of the image promulgated by Messiaen, dispelling myths and uncovering new insights into his work. The catalyst for this new research has been the scrutiny of primary source materials, which is changing our view of the composer. This is especially noticeable with respect to Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks and avian-inspired music. For example, in his study of Oiseaux exotiques, Robert Fallon discovered that the North American birdsongs contained 1

2

Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

in that piece were actually transcribed from American Bird Songs, a commercial recording dating from 1942 (Comstock Publishing), about which Messiaen was not forthcoming (items 460 and 612). And in his investigation of Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks of the 1950s, Peter Hill has unearthed many insights about the relationships between the composer’s notations and birdsong-inspired music of that decade (items 462 and 734). A whole host of books and essay collections devoted to Messiaen have appeared since 2007, many of them motivated by the Messiaen Centenary in 2008. Some notable examples of essay collections include Messiaen Perspectives 1 and 2 (item 315), Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), Musik des Unsichtbaren (item  321), Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), and Messiaen the Theologian (item 336). Interpretative tracks evident in articles and books include post-tonal analytical methods, studies of borrowing techniques, intertextual references, and relationships between Messiaen’s theology and the structuring of his music, among others. Yet, current Messiaen research has some problematic areas, particularly with respect to posing plausible historical readings. This is especially apparent when it comes to Messiaen’s Catholic theology as related to his music. As noted by Richard D E Burton (item 261), Messiaen was a traditional Catholic (with an unworldly outlook), which is sometimes not reflected in the scholarly literature. For Burton, Messiaen had a “‘vertical’ relationship with [his] God at the expense of [a] ‘horizontal’ [one] with other human beings, other than his intimates, in history” (p. 77). And in a review of Christopher Dingle’s The Life of Messiaen (item 266), Jeremy S. Begbie mentions the temptation in Messiaen scholarship (which Dingle’s book avoided) “to adopt a superior and patronizing stance, marginalizing the Christian dimension or treating it as irrelevant to the quality and profundity of the music.” Another problematic area is related to sophisticated analyses of Messiaen’s music. In a critical review of Robert Sherlaw Johnson’s Messiaen (item 278), Robert P. Morgan states that, “The analytic problems attendant upon consideration of music such as Messiaen’s are great; [particularly regarding] an understanding of the composer’s procedures and, above all, the effect these have on the sense and character of the music in its broadest dimensions.” Morgan’s statement from 1976 is still apropos today, as Messiaen’s music still needs to be understood in more rigorous and systematic ways, not only in relation to his compositional practice, but also to post-tonal music in general. At present, there are no book-length studies of his music that scrutinize his compositional procedures, and how they affect the larger aesthetic dimensions of his music, as in the case of monographs devoted to composers such as Bartók, Berg, Schoenberg, or Stravinsky. As Messiaen research is growing, scholars are addressing an ever-widening field of subject areas. The present author would like to see more music theory dissertations and articles on Messiaen in the future, shaped, of course, by an informative engagement with his musical world. Hopefully that day will come, and with it, the continued exploration of so many other fascinating topics linked with this composer. In the final analysis, this book aspires to assist the research of all scholars working on Messiaen, in order to facilitate its continued and fruitful development.

Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

3

MESSIAEN BIBLIOGRAPHIES Listed below are descriptions of Messiaen bibliographies in chronological order. With the exceptions of bibliographies by Simeone (item 6) and Benitez (item 7), none of the others are comprehensive in scope. 1.

Zinke-Bianchini, Virginie. Olivier Messiaen: Compositeur de musique et rythmicien: Notice biographique: Catalogue détaillé des æuvres éditées. Paris: L’Émancipatrice, 1949. 18 p. ML 134.M54 Z5. The first comprehensive catalogue of Messiaen’s works. Contains a chronology of his life, followed by a catalogue of his published works through 1949. The catalogue is arranged according to the following categories: (1) piano, (2) chamber music, (3) voice and piano, (4) chorus, (5) organ, (6) orchestra, and (7) didactic treatises. Also includes a list of recordings, primarily by Yvonne Loriod, dating from 1947 to 1949. At the end of the catalogue (p. 18) is a note stating that ZinkeBianchini’s work was “approved by Messiaen.”

2.

Evans, Adrian C. “Olivier Messiaen in the Surrealist Context: A Bibliography.” Brio (Spring 1974) 2–11; (Autumn 1974): 25–35. ISSN: 0007–0173. A two-part bibliography. Part 1 lays out how the information is arranged and disseminated. It features a list of works by genre. Included with each piece are listings of relevant articles and recordings. Part 2 opens with an essay that relates Messiaen’s musical output to surrealism. Characterizes Messiaen’s musical development as comprising three distinct periods: developmental (1917–36), consolidatory (1937–49), and transmutational (1949 to the present [1974]). The first two periods are linked with a microscopic phase, and the last with a macroscopic. Two modes of thought are present from the outset that are said to be in conflict, the egocentric, which is characterized as a desire “to penetrate the inner recesses of experience,” and the deocentric, which is described as a desire “to inhabit and function in a mystical universe.” The conflict represents, in a word, the “age-old confrontation of microcosm and macrocosm.” Part 2 concludes with a bibliography arranged according to: (1) Catalogues; (2) Biography and General Surveys— Books, Articles; (3) Influences—Debussy, Dukas, and Stravinsky; (4) La Jeune France; (5) Pupils; (6) Technique—Books, Articles; (7) Birdsong; (8) Other Writings by Messiaen—Prefaces, Articles; and (9) General Record Review Articles.

3.

Urwin, Ray W. “Olivier Messiaen: A Bibliography.” The American Organist 13 (December 1979): 50–51. ISSN: 0164–3150. A bibliography compiled at Yale University while Urwin was working on his MA thesis on the later organ works of Messiaen (1978–79). Attempts to be as comprehensive as possible by including sources that were unavailable for examination. Arranged according to books, and articles, lectures, and letters.

4.

Urwin, Ray W. “Messiaen Bibliography.” The American Organist 18 (January 1984): 54–55. ISSN: 0164–3150.

4

Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

An update of Urwin’s bibliography published in The American Organist in December 1979 (item 3). Includes articles, books, dissertations, and theses, with some annotated. Sources not limited to organ music. 5.

Morris, Dr. David, comp. Olivier Messiaen: A Comparative Bibliography of Material in the English Language. Ulster: University of Ulster, 1991. x, 59 p. ISBN: 187120657X. Designed for university students and researchers to help them locate articles and books on Messiaen. Attempts to cover all the major articles on Messiaen published in English. Notes the omissions of this bibliography, particularly articles in American journals, general history books, and dictionaries. In the book’s layout, articles are listed in chronological order, preceded by a list of sections from similarly arranged monographs. Book titles are abbreviated and are accompanied by chapter numbers or headings. Journal titles are also abbreviated. The bibliography is arranged according to twelve general areas: (1) Short Biographies and Histories, (2) Introduction to Style, (3) Birdsong, (4) Colour, (5) Modes of Limited Transposition, (6) Rhythm, (7) Religion and Symbolism, (8) Messiaen and Debussy, (9) The Piano Music, (10) The Organ Music, (11) Messiaen’s Place in History, and (12) Miscellaneous. Contains discussions of Messiaen’s life and musical language.

6.

Simeone, Nigel. Olivier Messiaen: A Bibliographical Catalogue of Messiaen’s Works. Musikbibliographische Arbeiten, vol. 14. Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1998. xix, 249 p. ISBN: 3795209471. In this catalogue, Simeone arranges Messiaen’s music and writings according to “Published Works” (pp.  1–184), “Unpublished Works” (pp.  185–96), and “Shorter Writings” (pp.  197–202). All three lists progress chronologically. For each entry in the main part of the book, Simeone provides the title, date of composition, scoring, dedication or superscription, and first or earliest known performances. For first editions, he supplies the publisher, edition, collation, plate number(s), date of publication, wrappers, format, engraver, and printer. At the end of each entry, Simeone gives additional relevant information in order to provide the reader with a richer context for the source. Under “Published Works” Simeone lists didactic treatises such as the Vingt leçons d’harmonie (1939), Technique de mon langage musical (1942), and the Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie (1949–92), and the Brussels, Notre-Dame, and Kyoto conference booklets, as well as Messiaen’s commentaries on Mozart’s twenty-two piano concertos, under “Shorter Writings.” Appendix 1 includes reviews in Le Courrier musical and Le Ménestrel of Messiaen’s early works from 1930–39, while Appendix 2 is a list of printing records of Messiaen’s music by his publishers Durand, Alphonse Leduc, and Universal. Contains a bibliography and index of works. An excellent research tool. Reviews: Theo Hirsbrunner, Dissonanz 66 (November 2000): 55; David Morris, MLA Notes 57/1 (September 2000): 116.

Messiaen Studies and Bibliographies

7.

5

Benitez, Vincent P. Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge Music Bibliographies. New York: Routledge, 2008. xvii, 334 p. ISBN: 9780415973724 (hardback), 0415973724 (hdbk.); 9780203935583 (ebook), 0203935586 (ebook). ML134.M54 B46 2008. First edition of this book, published in 2008. Includes noteworthy and useful sources on Messiaen published between 1930 and 2007. Begins with a biographical sketch, followed by a summary of Messiaen’s musical style and works, a discussion of Messiaen studies, and consideration of previous bibliographies on the composer. Chapters 2 and 3 examine primary sources, arranged by manuscript collections, articles and reviews, pedagogical works, lectures and librettos, prefaces, interviews, correspondence, and documentaries and filmed performances. Chapters 4 through 9 look at the secondary literature, such as biographical and stylistic studies, topical examinations, discussions of specific pieces, accounts of Messiaen in publications dedicated to other subjects, reviews of books and significant performances of Messiaen’s music, and examinations of source materials on the Internet. The book concludes with a list of works and a selected discography. Reviews: Christopher Dingle Tempo 62, no. 246 (October 2008): 71–72; Brian Hart, Music References Services Quarterly 12, nos. 1–2 (2009): 61–63.

8.

Simeone, Nigel. “Olivier Messiaen—Music—Oxford Bibliographies.” DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199757824–0057. Pages 1–17. www.oxfordbibliographies .com/ view/document/obo-978011997. A selected bibliography. After an introduction, the author organizes the materials by (1) General Overviews, (2) Catalogues and Bibliographies, (3) Messiaen’s Writings, (4) Interviews, (5) Specialized Monographs, (6) Symposia and Collected Essays, (7) Short Writings to 1992, (8) Short Writings since 1992, (9) Studies of Individual Works, (10) Dissertations, (11) Related Literature, and (12) Recordings by Messiaen. He arranges the entries of each category alphabetically and includes short annotations describing content. He prefaces the bibliography, as well each category, with a general introduction.

2 Primary Sources I Fonds Olivier Messiaen—Bibliothèque nationale de France/Richelieu-Louvois, Library of Congress and Symphony Orchestra Archives, Other Collections

This chapter’s citations constitute significant primary sources on Messiaen. They include all  of his birdsong notebooks, fair copies of works, compositional sketches, autograph manuscripts of various types of notes, selected correspondence, and diaries that are now housed as part of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen at the Bibliothèque nationale de France/ Richelieu-Louvois (BnF), Paris. There are additional primary source materials located at the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestra archives—and on each symphony orchestra’s website, other libraries in the United States, and as part of personal collections. FONDS OLIVIER MESSIAEN—VM FONDS 30 MES—BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE/RICHELIEU-LOUVOIS Some explanations are in order for this book’s listings of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen at the  BnF. Under the aegis of the Fondation de France, the Fondation Olivier Messiaen manages the collection (see http://archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cc1019742, and www.iaml.info/sites/default/files/pdf/aibm-rome-2016-archives-messiaen-mgsoret.pdf). These archives reflect Messiaen’s life and career as a composer, teacher, and performer. They also include family papers associated with his parents, Pierre Messiaen and Cécile Sauvage, and first wife, Claire Delbos. After Messiaen’s death in 1992, his widow Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen undertook the task of classifying and annotating these materials. In 1994, she created the Fondation Olivier Messiaen with the goal of preserving her husband’s legacy. The BnF absorbed the holdings of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen in February of 2015, although Loriod-Messiaen donated (following her husband’s wishes) ca. 800 scores and a number of books from the composer’s library to the Médiathèque Hector Berlioz. The BnF officially welcomed the majority of the holdings in a ceremony held on 3 February 6

Primary Sources I

7

2016 at  the Hôtel Tubeuf in Paris (e-mail communication from Marie-Pierre Besnard, 28 January 2016). Presently, the BnF is processing the Fonds Messiaen’s materials, subjecting them to preservation treatment. Many of these materials are undergoing digitization for viewing on Gallica intra muros, one of the BnF’s major digital libraries. After digitization, the original documents will no longer be available. The BnF has an enormous task processing and cataloguing all of these documents. Although progress has been made, this process will take a long time. Accordingly, what I have compiled below are substantive, selected listings of the BnF’s Messiaen holdings, as of 5 April 2017. When I first started conducting Messiaen research at the Département de la Musique, BnF in 2006 and several years thereafter, I examined hard copies of different manuscripts and/or birdsong cahiers (i.e., notebooks) on microfilm in the Département’s Salle de lecture (reading room). Trying to decipher Messiaen’s handwriting and musical notations on the room’s microfilm readers was at times difficult. But that had changed in 2016 when I examined—after studying the microfilms of all cahiers—approximately eighty notebooks that were scanned and made available via Gallica intra muros on the room’s computers. (These and all other Messiaen manuscripts on Gallica should be viewed, in my opinion, on the computers there, and only if one possesses a reader’s card.) The high-definition quality of the notebooks on the computer screens, and the zoom-in and zoom-out capabilities, made for excellent, detailed viewing for taking notes. Finally, since I completed this chapter in early April 2017, the BnF has added other primary source documents to their Fonds Olivier Messiaen website as part of their ongoing task of cataloguing all these materials. I would encourage the reader to go to this online source to secure up-to-date information. This book’s listings of the contents of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen are patterned after the BnF’s website, (http://archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cc1019742/cN1005F), beginning with a cataloguing of Messiaen’s works (birdsong notebooks, piano works, organ works, orchestral works, opera, chamber music, vocal music, and pedagogical works), followed by selected correspondence, diaries, and various other materials. This cataloguing includes actual documents, as well as digital and microfilm copies. Manuscript numbers are given for most documents (Ms. or MS), accompanied by microfilm (bobine, abbreviated bob.), and in some cases, digital image (identifiant [identifier]) numbers, for all birdsong notebooks and some other sources.

Cahiers de notation de chants d’oiseaux As per the BnF’s listings on its website, the birdsong notebooks are presented in chronological order as to their approximate first use, not in the manuscript order (Mss. 22966 to 23165) devised by Loriod-Messiaen according to the types of notebooks Messiaen used (see Hill, item 462, 147). For each notebook, I supply—besides manuscript, bobine, and digital image (as appropriate) numbers—information about each notebook’s estimated dates of first use, places of transcription, and number of pages. This information is based on (1) my examination of all 203 cahiers (begun in July 2010 and ending in November 2016); (2) a catalogue of the cahiers developed—and graciously provided to me—by Marie-Gabrielle Soret, who is in charge of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen; and (3) the

8

Primary Sources I

information on the BnF’s website. In many cases, I point out content that has significant connections to Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, practice, and/or actual pieces. While studying Messiaen’s cahiers at the BnF, I gleaned much information from the numerous post-it notes and/or stapled sheets Loriod-Messiaen typically appended to the front pages or covers of the notebooks. These appendages not only comprise listings of birdsongs, but also information relating a notebook’s contents to Messiaen’s compositional practice, works, or the Traité de rythme. But one caveat: as noted by the BnF on its website, these annotations do not always correspond to a notebook’s actual places and dates of use. Respecting technical matters, I retain French spellings for birds and identify Messiaen’s modes of limited transposition by two numbers separated by a colon. Hence, mode 2:1 signifies the second mode beginning on C, 2:2 the second mode beginning on C-sharp, and so on. Lastly, to broaden the scope of what I provide below, I encourage the reader to consult sources discussing Messiaen’s use of birdsong in his music, such as those by Dingle (item 309), Fallon (items 460 and 612), Hill (items 462 and 734), Hill and Simeone (item 273), and Taylor (item 472). 1952–1955 9.1

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23077, Bob. 19026. DATES: Between 14 May and 2 June 1952. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain-en-Laye 18 mai. Paris 31 mai 1952. (When listing places and dates for these notebooks, I try to capture Messiaen’s notations on the title pages, despite any inconsistencies—especially with respect to capitalization—that may result.) PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: Contains notations for Réveil des oiseaux (pointed out by Loriod-Messiaen in her notes attached to the cover). They are as follows: (1) page 13, an avian ensemble notated on May 18th at 8:00 p.m., titled “coucher d’oiseaux”; (2) page 17, a Merle noir notated by Messiaen in his garden on June 1st at 4:15 a.m. (LoriodMessiaen inserts a post-it on page 16 drawing attention to the Merle’s relationship to the Réveil); and (3) page 19, a Grive musicienne notated on June 2nd, at 2:00 p.m.

9.2

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23078, Bob. 19027. DATES: Between 30 May and 2 June 1952. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain-en-Laye. 30 mai–2 juin 1952. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: Contains notations for a Rouge-gorge on pages 17–18 that can be found in the Réveil des oiseaux. Messiaen transcribed this birdsong on June 2nd, between 8 and 9 p.m. Loriod-Messiaen attaches a post-it on page 17 linking it with the Réveil.

Primary Sources I

9.3

9

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23079 (1), Bob. 19028. DATES: 8–14 June 1952. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente (A). Chez Mr Jacques Delamain. Gardeépée. 12–13 juin 1952. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: As noted by Loriod-Messiaen in the sheets she appended to the cover, this notebook contains notations for a Fauvette à tête noire (p. 5), Fauvette polyglotte (p. 8), and a Fauvette à tête noire, Bouscarle, Étourneau, and Pivert—or Pic vert—(p.  11), which are all found in the Réveil des oiseaux. In addition, Messiaen notates for the first time—according to Hill (item 462, 148)—nonavian, environmental sounds, evoking “the wind in the trees” (p.  10). Lastly, Messiaen notates an ensemble of eleven birds, titling it “Réveil des oiseaux,” although Loriod-Messiaen does not connect it with the piece of the same name (see p. 13).

9.4

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23079 (2), Bob. 19028. DATES: 13–14 June 1952. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente (B). Chez Mr Jacques Delamain. Gardeépée. 13–14 juin 1952. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: In her notes attached to this cahier’s cover, Loriod-Messiaen points out that this notebook contains birdsongs that were included in Réveil des oiseaux (pp. 3, 7, 11–12).

9.5

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23081, Bob. 19030. DATES: Between 8 July 1952 and 28 April 1953. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain-en-Laye. [8 juillet 1952–] 27 avril 1953. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: As with several of the previous notebooks, this one is likewise connected to Réveil des oiseaux. As noted by Loriod-Messiaen in her “table of contents” attached to the notebook’s cover, Messiaen notates a Rossignol on pp.  10–11, which becomes the first piano solo of Réveil.

9.6

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23082, Bob. 19031. DATES: Between 18 March and 1 May 1953. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris—Saint-Germain-en-Laye—Stuttgart [Villa Berg]: mars, avril, mai 1953. PAGES: 20 p.

10

9.7

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23080, Bob. 19029. DATES: Between 28 April and 18 July 1953. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain-en-Laye. 29–30 avril 1953. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: This notebook contains additional birdsongs found in Réveil des oiseaux: (1) a Merle noir (in a dialogue with a Rouge-gorge in the piece), pp. 6–7; and (2) a Grive musicienne, p. 13, both noted by Loriod-Messiaen via her notes attached to the cover. On page 8, Messiaen writes a note about a “Concerto oiseaux” based on “chants japonais.” On page 9, he sketches out some music for it, along with writing a note reminding him to consult piano works of Ravel (“voir Gaspard de la nuit et Miroirs pour piano—”).

9.8

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23001, Bob. 17784, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009917r. DATES: Between 3 May and 8 October 1953. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain-en-Laye. mai 1953. PAGES: 16 p. NOTES: On p. 9, Messiaen includes a list of birds associated with a plan to compose birdsong works for solo piano. He organizes the list primarily by habitat, and secondarily by type (e.g., tropical and nocturnal). As noted by Peter Hill, “[t]welve of the species were to feature in Catalogue d’oiseaux” (item 462, 152).

9.9

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23083, Bob. 19032. DATES: Between 10 May 1953 and 9 January 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Saint-Germain. Buttes Chaumont (Paris). 10 mai– 19 juin 1953. PAGES: 40 p. NOTES: Verdier, p. 25, used in the Réveil des oiseaux.

9.10

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23084, Bob. 19033. DATES: 1–15 June 1953. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Fontainebleau—Orgeval. 1–15 juin 1953. PAGES: 40 p. NOTES: There are several notations in this notebook that are used in Réveil des oiseaux, all documented by Loriod-Messiaen in the sheets she attached to the notebook’s cover. They are: (1) Fauvette à tête noire, Loriot, p. 21; (2) Pouillot fitis, p. 23; (3) Rouge-queue de muraille, p. 26; (4) Loriot, Fauvette à tête noire, Merle noir, and Pigeon ramier (not the Tourterelle des bois; see Hill, item 462, 151), p. 27; and (5) Rouge-gorge, pp. 29–30.

Primary Sources I

9.11

11

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23086, Bob. 19035. DATES: Between 2 July 1953 and 19 June 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Versailles 2 juillet 1953. Orgeval 9–19 juin 1954. PAGES: 40 p. NOTES: As noted by Loriod-Messiaen, several birds from Réveil des oiseaux: (1)  Serin cini, Sittelle, Étourneau-sansonnet, and Mésange bleue, p.  3; (2) Corneille noire, Chardonneret, and Grive musicienne, p.  5; and (3) Chouette chevêche, p. 26.

9.12

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23005, Bob. 17797, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009915v. DATES: Between 14 March 1954 and 2 October 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Varenne. Région parisienne. juin 1954–1955. (Là où sa femme était en maison de santé) PAGES: 22 p. NOTES: Contains a note by Loriod-Messiaen remarking that La Varenne is where Messiaen’s first wife, Claire Delbos, was in a nursing home.

9.13

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23003, Bob. 17786, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550099169. DATES: Between 1 April and 12 July 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Région parisienne. avril–juillet 1954. PAGES: 28 p.

9.14

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23090, Bob. 19039. DATES: 4–25 April 1954 PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris—Buttes-Chaumont—La Varenne. 4–25 avril 1954. PAGES: 12 p.

9.15

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23085, Bob. 19034. DATES: 21–23 April 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval 21 avril 1954. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: In her appended sheets, Loriod-Messiaen connects the notations of the Rouge-queue à front blanc (labeled by both her and Messiaen as Rouge-queue de muraille) on pages 25 and 27 to “Le Loriot” of Catalogue d’oiseaux. For Hill, this is the “first notation from the cahiers used in Catalogue d’oiseaux” (Hill, item 462, 162).

12

9.16

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23087, Bob. 19036. DATES: Between 27 April and 13 May 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris 27 avril au 13 mai 1954. Carqueiranne (Var) 5 mai 1954. PAGES: 48 p.

9.17

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23091, Bob. 19040. DATES: Between 12 May 1954 and 23 October 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: B. mai 1954. octobre 1955. PAGES: 16 p.

9.18

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23092, Bob. 19041. DATES: Between 16 May 1954 and 30 October 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris—Buttes-Chaumont—La Varenne. 1954–55. PAGES: 16 p.

9.19

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23088, Bob. 19037. DATES: Between 17 May 1954 and 6 November 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: 18 mai 1954 St Cloud. Chez Mme Billot // 6 novembre 1955. PAGES: 44 p.

9.20

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23089, Bob. 19038. DATES: Between 26 May and 11 June 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. 26 mai au 11 juin 1954. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: On a sheet of paper appended to her table of contents page, LoriodMessiaen writes: “cahiers pas très interessants (époque douloureuse où O. M. allait voir Claire à la Varenne) . . . Pascal avait 17 ans et n’était pas agréable . . .” (notebooks not very interesting [painful time when Olivier Messiaen went to see Claire at La Varenne] . . . Pascal was 17 years old and not pleasant.

9.21

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23002, Bob. 17785, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550099023. DATES: Between 19 June and 13 August 1954. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. juin 1954. PAGES: 24 p.

Primary Sources I

9.22

13

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23036, Bob. 18985. DATES: 1954–55. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques Amérique du Nord; 1954–1955. PAGES: 54 p. + 4 p. de couverture. NOTES: In this notebook, there are four post-it notes and five stapled sheets glued onto the first page. In these notes, Loriod-Messiaen confirms that all the birdsongs used to write Oiseaux exotiques are present in the cahier (“car tous les oiseaux sont là qui ont servi à écrire les Oiseaux exotiques.”). In addition, she supplies a table of contents of these avian transcriptions. For more detailed information about this notebook, see Hill, item 462, 153–56.

9.23

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23037, Bob. 18986. DATES: 1954–55. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques Angleterre [Songs of British Birds (Ludwig Koch) and More Songs of Wild Birds (E. M. Nicholson and Ludwig Koch)]: 1954– 1955 (oiseaux d’Europe). PAGES: 32 p. + 5 f. feuillets de notes d’Yvonne Loriod. NOTES: The “Disques Angleterre” referred to by Messiaen are recordings entitled Songs of British Birds (Ludwig Koch) and More Songs of Wild Birds (E. M. Nicholson and Ludwig Koch). In two notes added to the cover, LoriodMessiaen writes that this notebook was notated between 1954 and 1955, because there are onomatopoeias. In addition, she singles out a transcription Messiaen made of the Alouette lulu from Disque E 8536, face 3B on p.  12, relating it to the piece of the same name in the Catalogue d’oiseaux. Interestingly, a few lines of this transcription are present—note for note—in the later piece (e.g., the top lines of page 2, m. 6; page 4, m. 4). Hill likewise notes connections between this and other notations and their use in the Catalogue d’oiseaux (item 462, 157–59).

9.24

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23054, Bob. 19003. DATES: 7 April 1955 and 18 April 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Pouillot Fitis 1957 [1955]. à Orgeval. avril 1957. PAGES: 20 p.

9.25

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23038, Bob. 18987. DATES: 14–15 April 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Les Alluets-le-Roi. Orgeval. 14 avril 1955 PAGES: 20. p.

14

9.26

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23006, Bob. 17798, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009903j. DATES: Between 16 April and 1 June 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Région parisienne. avril–mai 1955. PAGES: 32 p.

9.27

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23045, Bob. 18994. DATES: Between 4 May 1955 and 16 April 1956. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques Suède. 1955–56. La Varenne. avril 1956. PAGES: 71 p.

9.28

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23007, Bob. 17799, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550099040. DATES: Between 6 May 1955 and 4 March 1956. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Montfort-l’Amaury. Mai 1955. mars 1956. PAGES: 14 p.

9.29

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23065, Bob. 19014. DATES: Between 15 May 1955 and 16 September 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Oiseaux France. Dauphiné. 15 mai–juin 1955. Septembre 1959. PAGES: 28 p.

9.30

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23004, Bob. 17787, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009905f. DATES: 14–16 June 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Région parisienne. juin 1955. PAGES: 12 p.

9.31

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23040, Bob. 18989. DATES: 22 Septembre 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Ouessant. 1955. et disques de Suède [et Suisse]. Ouessant septembre 1955: septembre 1955. NOTES: The Swedish and Swiss discs referred to by Messiaen are Radions fågelskivor (Gunnar Lekander and Sture Palmér) and So Singen Unsere Vogel (Hans Traber), respectively.

Primary Sources I

9.32

15

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23039, Bob. 18988. DATES: 11–14 November 1955. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Exposition Paris: novembre 1955. PAGES: 24 p. + 3 f. de notes. NOTES: This notebook contains material for Oiseaux exotiques. On the cover Messiaen wrote the following: “Tous les chants d’oiseaux exotiques contenus dans ce cahier ont été entendus à l’Exposition des oiseaux les 11, 12, et 14  novembre 1955 (Paris)” (All exotic birdsongs contained in this notebook were heard at the Exposition of the birds on November 11, 12, and 14, 1955 [Paris]). After scratching out a note reminding himself to check his ornithology books regarding details pertaining to the exact names, distinctive features, plumage, and colors of the birds he was observing, Messiaen wrote the following: “pour le plumage, j’ai noté également ce que j’avais vu” (for the plumage, I also noted what I had seen). On a post-it note and a sheet attached to the cover of the notebook, Loriod-Messiaen acknowledged that this cahier contains birdsongs from Oiseaux exotiques.

1956–1959 9.33

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23049, Bob. 18998. DATES: Between 25 April and 7 May 1956 PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. avril 1956. PAGES: 20 p.

9.34

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23060, Bob. 19009. DATES: Between 16 May 1956 and 3 June 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Merle noir (Paris 1956–1958) (voir aussi Zürich). Et Linotte (disque Suède). NOTES: On page 7, includes a harmonization for “la main levée.” PAGES: 32 p.

9.35

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23043, Bob. 18992. DATES: 5–11 July 1956. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Camargue. 1956. 5 au 12 juillet 1956. PAGES: 72 p.

9.36

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23042, Bob. 18991. DATES: July 1956.

16

Primary Sources I

PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Forez 1956. Alouette Lulu. juillet 1956. PAGES: 12 p. 9.37

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23044, Bob. 18993. DATES: 11–14 September 1956. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Ouessant (Bretagne). septembre 1956. PAGES: 24 p. NOTES: On page 17, Messiaen notates harmonic sketches for “Le Loriot” and “L’Alouette lulu” of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. On page 19, he sketches a five-chord harmonic succession that is used after the Rouge-gorge’s black-key/white-key run near the beginning of “Le Loriot” (p. 2, m. 3)

9.38

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23041, Bob. 18990. DATES: not dated [but probably from 1956]. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Oiseaux des côtes marines. PAGES: 12 p.

9.39

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23046, Bob. 18995. DATES: 1956. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques de Suède B. PAGES: 40 p. NOTES: According to Hill (item 462, 161, n. 28), Ms. 23046 predates 23045.

9.40

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23053, Bob. 19002. DATES: Between 5 March and 18 April 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. 5 mars 1957 au 15 avril 1957. PAGES: 44 p.

9.41

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23051, Bob. 19000. DATES: Between 6 March 1957 and 28 April 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Chartres: choucas. Orgeval: Draine. St Amand de Boixe. mars–avril 1957. PAGES: 24 p.

9.42

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23050, Bob. 18999. DATES: Between 25 March and 10 July 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Zurich. 25–28 mars 1957 (pas très intèressant [Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen]). PAGES: 12 p.

Primary Sources I

9.43

17

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23010, Bob. 17802, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009913z. DATES: Between 31 March and 18 June 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Région parisienne. mars–mai 1957. Merle noir (surtout). PAGES: 20 p.

9.44

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23008, Bob. 17800, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009914d. DATES: 19–25 April 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente. avril 1957. pour linotte. et pour Bouscarle. PAGES: 32 p.

9.45

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23009, Bob. 17801, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009906. DATES: 22–26 April 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Châtellerault. . . .

Charente.

avril

1957.

Chartres

(Beauce).

PAGES: 36 p. 9.46

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23057, Bob. 19006. DATES: 26–28 June 1957, 1 July 1957, and 29–30 May 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Banyuls A Juin 1957; mai 1958 : 30 mai 1958. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: As recorded in notes attached to the cover, Loriod-Messiaen observes that this notebook contains material for “Le Merle bleu,” “Le Traquet rieur,” and “Le Traquet stapazin” of Catalogue d’oiseaux.

9.47

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23056 (1), Bob. 19005. DATES: Between 24 and 30 June 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Roussillon (Pyrénées orientales); (Banyuls dans le Roussillon et la Côte vermeille); juin 1957. PAGES: 36 p. NOTES: Contains material for “Le Traquet stapazin” and “La Bouscarle” of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. On page 4 of the sheets appended to the cover, Loriod-Messiaen notes the connections this notebook has with the Catalogue d’oiseaux.

18

9.48

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23055, Bob. 19004. DATES: 26 June 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Goélands argentés 26 juin 1957 Sud-Est (Port-Vendres). PAGES: 8 p.

9.49

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23056 (2), Bob. 19005. DATES: 28 June 1957. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Olivier Messiaen; Catalogue d’oiseaux; le Traquet stapazin. [Plan de l’œuvre (plan of the work)] PAGES: 10 p. NOTES: Written-out plans for the structural design of “Le Traquet stapazin,” and later, “La Bouscarle.” On page 7, notates a rhythmic canon involving Greek and Indian rhythmic patterns to represent the reflection of the water of the Bouscarle.

9.50

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23052, Bob. 19001. DATES: Between 12 July 1957 and 14 September 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Divers. Dauphiné. 1957–59. PAGES: 16 p.

9.51

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23011, Bob. 17803, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009907b. DATES: Between 27 March and 1 May 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Région parisienne. et Karlsruhe. mars–avril 1958. PAGES: 20 p.

9.52

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23059 (1), Bob. 19008. DATES: Between 30 March and 25 May 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Banyuls C 1958. 31 mars au 10 avril 1958. PAGES: 64 p.

9.53

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23063, Bob. 19012. DATES: 7 April and 1 July 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hérault 1958. Pézenas—Cirque de Mouréze. juin 1958. PAGES: 20 p.

Primary Sources I

9.54

19

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23066, Bob. 19015. DATES: Between 2 May 1958 and 31 May 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Forêt de Saint-Germain-en Laye. 2 mai 1958. mai 1959. PAGES: 24 p.

9.55

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23062, Bob. 19011. DATES: 8–10 May 1958 PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. 9 mai 1958. PAGES: 36 p.

9.56

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux, Ms. 23058, Bob. 19007. DATES: Between 25 May and 3 July 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hypolaïs polyglotte du Mas Reig (Banyuls) ; Banyuls B 1958 ; 25 au 27 mai 1958. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: Nine sheets inserted between pages 10 and 11 of the notebook.

9.57

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23059 (2), Bob. 19008. DATES: 29–30 May 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Banyuls 1958. C mai 1958. PAGES: 8 p.

9.58

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23064, Bob. 19013. DATES: Between 24 June and 17 July 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Alouette Lulu et ici: Hypolaïs polyglotte. de Peyreleau-le-Rozier. 1958. Montpellier le vieux. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: On the second of three pages attached to the cahier’s cover, LoriodMessiaen notes that the Alouette Lulu’s solo notated on page 11 is included in the Traité de rythme 5:1 as Example 10 on pages 194–97.

9.59

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23012, Bob. 17804, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009908s. DATES: Between 19 July and 31 August 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Iseran. Lautaret. juillet–août 1958. PAGES: 24 p.

20

9.60

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23047, Bob. 18996. DATES: 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques Suède C. Disques Suisse. St Germain-enLaye. Nièvre. 1958. PAGES: 20 p.

9.61

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23061, Bob. 19010. DATES: 1958. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Dictionnaire de l’Hérault. 1958. PAGES: 4 p. NOTES: According to a sheet appended to the notebook’s cover, LoriodMessiaen stated that Messiaen collaborated with the French ornithologist, François Hüe on this cahier (“1958—fait sans doute avec l’ornithologue François Hüe”).

9.62

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23048, Bob. 18997. DATES: Between 31 March and 2 April 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disques Suède D-Suisse. Haute-Marne et Aube. avril 1959. “Pic noir.” PAGES: 16 p.

9.63

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23014, Bob. 17806, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550099097. DATES: Between 17 February and 3 May 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. avril–mai 1959. PAGES: 20 p.

9.64

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23013, Bob. 17805, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009910m. DATES: 20–31 March 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Jura. mars 1959. Forêt de la Frasse. grive draine. grive musicienne. PAGES: 48 p.

9.65

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23016, Bob. 17808, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009912h.

Primary Sources I

21

DATES: Between 3 May and 21 June 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval juin 1959. L’Isle-Adam. PAGES: 36 p. 9.66

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23015, Bob. 17807, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009901n. DATES: 15–18 May 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Jura. mai 1959. PAGES: 28 p.

9.67

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23017, Bob. 18966, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550099112. DATES: 5–26 June 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. juin 1959. Pour Shama & Mainate. PAGES: 12 p.

9.68

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23034, Bob. 18983, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010060g. DATES: Between 13 March and 16 June 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon [disques]. [Rome 1959]. PAGES: 28 p. NOTES: In this notebook, there is evidence that Messiaen had already devised the langage communicable a decade before its appearance in the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969). On page 4, he notates—using the langage— variants of Mene, Tekel, and Peres from Daniel 5:26–28. What is more, on p. 13, he quotes passages from Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiæ about how Angels communicate with one another, as well as how their intellectual operations transcend time and space (I, Q 107, A 1, co., and A4, co.), which are referred to in the preface to the Méditations.

9.69

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23018, Bob. 18967, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010051h. DATES: Between 6 July and 24 August 1959. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Dauphiné Juilliet 1959. chants d’oiseaux. Petichet— Iseran—Souloise. Chamonix (juilliet 1959). PAGES: 48 p.

22

Primary Sources I

1960–1964 9.70

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23067, Bob. 19016. DATES: Between 24 March and 14 April 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Grande Brière. Vendée. Côtes-du-Nord. avril 1960. PAGES: 26 p.

9.71

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23069, Bob. 19018. DATES: 9 April 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Île Rouzic. avril 1960. PAGES: 12 p.

9.72

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23019, Bob. 18968, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010054v. DATES: 14–22 April 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Vendée. Bouin. Beauvoir-sur-Mer. Noirmoutier. Île d’Olonne. Morbihan. presqu’île de Quiberon. Portivy. pointe du Percho. Côte sauvage. avril 1960. PAGES: 34 p.

9.73

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23021, Bob. 18970, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010062c. DATES: Between 19 June and 14 July 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Massif du. Mont-Blanc. et Petichet. juin 1960. PAGES: 30 p.

9.74

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23022, Bob. 18971, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100559. DATES: Between 16 July and 24 August 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet: été 1960. PAGES: 22 p.

9.75

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23068, Bob. 19017. DATES: no date [1960?] PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Disque. “Oiseaux en Bretagne” [disques Roché]. PAGES: 16 p.

Primary Sources I

9.76

23

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23074, Bob. 19023. DATES: no date [between 1961 and 1970]. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Oiseaux d’Afrique. Et Oiseaux de l’Ontario (Canada). Et oiseaux du Brésil (à travers l’Amazone) PAGES: 20 p.

9.77

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23075, Bob. 19024. DATES: no date [between 1961 and 1970]. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sahara—Antilles—Maghreb—Afriques du Sud et Sud-Est. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: On a post-it attached to the notebook’s cover, Loriod-Messiaen noted that this cahier contains birdsongs that are used in Des canyons aux étoiles.... (1) the Sirli du désert, I: “Le désert”; (2) Cossyphe d’Heuglin, IV: “Le Cossyphe d’Heuglin”; and Téléphone Tschagra, XI: “Omao, Leiothrix, Elepaio, Shama.”

9.78

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23071, Bob. 19020. DATES: 19 March 1961. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Roché (pie grièche à tête rousse). Roché (Carmargue). et dictionnaire de l’Hérault plus Orgeval et Herbeville. PAGES: 20 p.

9.79

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23024, Bob. 18973, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010056r. DATES: 22–27 April 1962. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Bourgogne. 1962. chants d’oiseaux. avril 1962. PAGES: 64 p.

9.80

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23031, Bob. 18980, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100576. DATES: Between 20 May 1962 et [1975]. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon. 1962 et 1975. mai 1962. juin 1962. juilliet 1962. et juin 1975. PAGES: 18 p.

9.81

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23032 (1–3), Bob. 18981, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010058n.

24

Primary Sources I

DATES: 22–24 June 1962. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon. Karuizawa. juin 1962. PAGES: 54 p. NOTES: At the top of page 44, Messiaen notates the turning chords (no. 8) used in “Le parc de Nara et les lanternes de pierre” and “Gagaku,” the second and fourth movements of Sept Haïkaï, respectively. He rearranges the notes of each turning chord, generating its inversions. He then transposes each inversion so that it shares the same bass note as its “root-position” form (bass notes A, G, and A-flat, respectively). This page is a sketch of Messiaen’s discussion of the same turning chords—in relation to these two pieces in Sept Haïkaï—in the Traité de rythme (7:174–79). There, he does essentially the same thing, another illustration of his “chord of transposed inversions on the same bass note” (accord à renversements transposés sur la même note de basse) technique. 9.82

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23033, Bob. 18982, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010061x. DATES: 12–13 July 1962. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon. forét de Yamanashi. lac Yamanaka. Subashiri. juillet 1962. PAGES: 16 p.

9.83

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23093, Bob. 19042. DATES: 6–17 April 1963. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Camargue. Les Baux. 1963. A. PAGES: 44 p.

9.84

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23094, Bob. 19043. DATES: 1–18 April 1963. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Camargue. Les Baux. 1963. B PAGES: 50 p. NOTES: Contains numerous pages of copious notes

9.85

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23025, Bob. 18974, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100593. DATES: 30 June 1963. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Argentine. Juin 1963. lors des cours et concerts au Mozarteum de Buenos Aires. PAGES: 8 p.

Primary Sources I

9.86

25

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22966 (1–2), Bob. 17350, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009840g. DATES: Between 27 March and 2 April 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Jura. Forêt de la Frasse. Vosges. Aube. Seine et Marne. 1964; “Tous mes plus beaux chants d’oiseaux” (All of my most beautiful birdsongs). PAGES: 48 p. + 1 f.

9.87

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23095, Bob. 19044. DATES: 2–10 April 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: St Bénin d’Azy (Nièvre 1964). Jura. Nièvre. Cher. Forêt Frasse. Ici grive musicienne du Jura. Ici les alouettes de Bengy sur Craon. PAGES: 50 p.

9.88

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23096, Bob. 19045. DATES: 5–11 April 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Jura, Nièvre, Loiret. rythmes. 1964. PAGES: 50 p. NOTES: On page 17, Messiaen jots down three sets of polyrhythms, in 2/4, 4/4, and 2/4, respectively.

9.89

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23112, Bob. 19061, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010089b. DATES: Between 13 May 1964 and 5 July 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet 1966 b). Loriot. 3 au 5 juillet. PAGES: 16 p.

9.90

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23097, Bob. 19046. DATES: 15–19 May 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Nivernais (Nièvre) Cher. Loiret. Alouette des champs de Bengy-sur-Craon. Cher 1964. PAGES: 44 p.

9.91

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23109, Bob. 19058. DATES: Between 2 July and 26 September 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1964 a) 2 juillet–26 septembre. PAGES: 16 p.

26

9.92

Primary Sources I

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23111, Bob. 19060, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010083n. DATES: 7–26 July 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Salette. 1964. Petichet. 1966 a). PAGES: 16 p.

9.93

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23114, Bob. 19063, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100843. DATES: Between 2 August 1964 and 30 July 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1966 d). PAGES: 16 p.

9.94

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23116, Bob. 19065, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010090q. DATES: Between 15 August 1964 and 8 September 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Défilé Maupas 1964–68. Col Croix de fer. Dauphiné. La Salette 1968. PAGES: 16 p.

9.95

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23110, Bob. 19059, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100932. DATES: Between 25 August and 23 September 1964. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1964 b) 25 août–17 septembre. PAGES: 16 p. NOTES: On page 6, Messiaen notates two low-register, unsynchronized ostinatos for piano, which are intended to evoke water (“l’eau”). The upper part consists of a twelve-tone row, its repetition (the row’s F-sharp is sounded by the lower ostinato), and partial permutation (7–3–12–5–10). The lower part features a seven-note ostinato (four repetitions). The passage is only partially notated, with the indication “etc.” following it, suggesting its continuation.

9.96

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23115, Bob. 19064, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100989. DATES: Between 13 September 1964 and 6 August 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Meije (1964), Petichet (1968), Dévoluy. PAGES: 16 p.

Primary Sources I

27

1965–1969 9.97

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23100, Bob. 19049. DATES: 1 April 1965 PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Alouette des champs. Bengy-sur-Craon. Cher. 1er avril 1965. PAGES: 16 p.

9.98

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23098, Bob. 19047. DATES: 13–24 April 1965. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Les Baux, 1965. PAGES: 46 p. NOTES: Contains remarks about rhythm for the Traité de rythme on p. 14, under the headings “les Chiffres” (Numbers),” “le Temps” (Time), and “les Durées” (Durations).

9.99

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23073, Bob. 19022. DATES: 14–20 April 1965. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Passerinette. Merle bleu. Les Baux [de Provence] 1965. PAGES: 24 p.

9.100 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23099, Bob. 19048. DATES: Between 26 June and 6 July 1965. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Yonne. Oiseaux d’Amérique du Nord. Oiseaux d’Australie, Oiseaux d’Afrique. Oiseaux d’Amazonie. 1965. PAGES: 50 p. NOTES: Contains notations made from unidentified recordings of birdsongs from North America, Australia, Africa, and the Amazon in South America. On page 8 (according to Loriod-Messiaen’s notes), there is a notation of the Bobolink that is used in the thirteenth movement of La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ (see score, pp. 408, 410, 416). Finally, includes notations of the South American Uirapuru-verdadeiro, a birdsong used in the third movement of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. 9.101 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23101, Bob. 19050. DATES: Between 28 June 1965 and 3 July 1966; 27 March and 4 April 1970. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Oiseaux de France. 1965–1970. Petichet, Sologne, Charente. Rocamadour, (avec Roché et Tesson disques).

28

Primary Sources I

PAGES: 100 p. NOTES: Contains notations that were incorporated into the fifth volume of the Traité de rythme (e.g., Alouette lulu on pp. 74–77 [see Traité 5:1:189–93]). 9.102 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22967, Bob. 16936, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009841x. DATES: Between 6 July and 26 September 1965; 26 May 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Salette. La Meije. Petichet. 1965. PAGES: 32 p. 9.103 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22971, Bob. 17353, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009842c. DATES: Between 20 July 1965 and 11 May 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Col de l’Iseran. 1967 à 1969. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: (1) page 13, organ passage with some indications for registration; (2) page 31, four-part contrapuntal design in which the soprano ascends chromatically from F5 to E6, the alto sustains an F5, and the tenor doubling the bass as that voice descends by whole tones from C5 to D3; (3) page 31, variant of the design. 9.104 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22970, Bob. 17352, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009843t. DATES: Between 5 March and 26 April 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente. mars–avril 1966. merle noir de Paris. PAGES: 16 p. 9.105 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23113, Bob. 19062, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010092m. DATES: Between 8 March and 12 July 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1966 c). PAGES: 16 p. NOTES: On page 6, Messiaen writes out four mode 3:2 harmonic progressions, the first of which is based on the first and third sonorities of the three-chord ostinato from Act I, scene 2 of Berg’s Wozzeck, taken through a series of major-third transpositions. This borrowing (in various forms) appears in the “Offertoire” of the Messe de la Pentecôte; the seventh and fourteenth movements of La Transfiguration; and scenes 2, 5, 7, and 8 of Saint François d’Assise. On page 7, Messiaen

Primary Sources I

29

writes out a polymodal harmonic progression, with mode 3:1 occupying the top layer, and mode 1:2 the bottom. He follows this with a harmonic sketch for the opening of a Gloria, writing out the text “Gloria in excelsis Deo” underneath the grand staff. 9.106 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22968, Bob. 16937, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098448. DATES: 1–4 April 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente. 1966 (Pàques). Saintonge—Angoumois [. . .]. PAGES: 32 p. 9.107 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22969, Bob. 17351, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009845q. DATES: 4–9 April 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente. 1966 Pàques. Saintonge  – Pisany  – Angoumois. PAGES: 32 p. 9.108 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23102, Bob. 19051. DATES: 9–12 April 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente. Avril 1966 (Pâques) Saintonge Angoumois. PAGES: 50 p. 9.109 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22973, Bob. 17355, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098465. DATES: 12–16 April 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente 1966 Pâques 1966. Saintonge. Angoumois [. . .]. PAGES: 50 p. 9.110 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22974, Bob. 17356, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009847m. DATES: 26–29 Mai 1966. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Les Landes 1966. et Angoumois (Charente). Forêt Saint Amant & Boixe. PAGES: 48 p.

30

Primary Sources I

9.111 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22980, Bob. 17745, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098482. DATES: Between 30 May 1966 and 11 April 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Forêt de Blois. (Loir-et-Cher). 1968. et forêt de Pisany (Saintonge). PAGES: 48 p. 9.112 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22972, Bob. 17354, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009849h. DATES: Between 22 January and 28 October 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Shama. 1967. PAGES: 12 p. NOTES: (1) page 1, mode 6:4 harmonic succession; (2) page 3, improvisation theme for the concert of Jeanne Demessieux; (3) page 4, two harmonic successions, one accompanied by the indication “v[ois]. Polonaise[-]Fantasie de Chopin,” and the other, “v.[ois] Khovan[sh]china de Mussourgsky”; (4) page 5, mode 3:2 harmonic succession; (5) page 8, “Scarbo” chord, followed by a harmonic succession labeled as mode 5, evoking “violet-yellow” [actually a nine-note collection containing mode 5]. 9.113 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22976, Bob. 17358, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009856k. DATES: 23–26 March 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente 1967. forêt de Boixe. A. PAGES: 16 p. 9.114 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23117, Bob. 19066, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010094h. DATES: 24–25 March 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Blois. Poitou-Charentes. 1967. PAGES: 16 p. 9.115 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22977, Bob. 17359, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009850w. DATES: Between 27 March and 6 April 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente 1967. forêt de Boixe. B. PAGES: 16 p.

Primary Sources I

31

9.116 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22978, Bob. 17743, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009851b. DATES: Between 6 April 1967 and 14 July 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente 1967. Orgeval 1967. Yonne (Sermizelles 1968). Rossignols. Petichet 1968. PAGES: 60 p. 9.117 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22979, Bob. 17744, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009852s. DATES: Between 11 May 1967 and 12 April 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval. 1967. Charente (Saintonge). Branderaie et Gardépée. PAGES: 48 p. 9.118 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23103, Bob. 19052. DATES: 6–26 July 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1er cahier (A). juillet 1967. (Fauvette des jardins). Merle noir. PAGES: 44 p. NOTES: On p. 36 bis with the heading “rythmes,” Messiaen writes out a series of rhythmic successions that involve Greek and Indian rhythms. He follows it with the symmetrical permutations of four note values. Across from these permutations is an undecipherable comment by Messiaen (this page was very faint and thereby difficult to read when this author examined a copy of it on a microfilm machine at the BnF). 9.119 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23104, Bob. 19053. DATES: 16–29 July 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. La Salette. La Grave. Col du Galibier. Juillet 1967. (B) 2e cahier PAGES: 50 p. 9.120 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22975, Bob. 17357, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098537. DATES: Between 29 July and 28 September 1967. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Suisse—Dauphiné 1967. Jungfrau. Petitchet. Juillet 1967. août 1967. septembre 1967. 3e cahier . . . PAGES: 38 p.

32

Primary Sources I

9.121 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22981, Bob. 17746, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009854p. DATES: Between 6 August 1967 and 25 September 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet été 1969. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: Contains sketches for the Méditations, namely, the theme of God, as well as the themes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, respectively, and the retrograde of the theme of God (p. 15). 9.122 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23105, Bob. 19054. DATES: 13–14 April 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Branderaie de Gardépée (Charente). avril 1968. Les 4 pies grièches. Rapaces. PAGES: 50 p. NOTES: Two postcards from New Caledonia (Éditions Melanesia—Nouméa) are inserted into the notebook (p. 39 [back] and 40 [front]). 9.123 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23026, Bob. 18975, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010052z. DATES: Between 26 April and 24 July 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Juilliet 1969. PAGES: 20 p. 9.124 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23106, Bob. 19055. DATES: 11–16 July 1968. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Maghreb–Petichet. 1968. PAGES: 16 p. 9.125 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23107, Bob. 19056. DATES: Between 2 April and 26 May 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Charente–Yonne 1969. PAGES: 90 p. NOTES: As pointed out by Loriod-Messiaen in her table of contents page, Messiaen’s notations of the Fauvette à tête noire find their way onto page 89 of the Méditations. What is more, the Rossignol notated on page 54 appears in the Traité de rythme (5:1), on page 428, as example 15.

Primary Sources I

33

9.126 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23108, Bob. 19057. DATES: 3–5 September 1969. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Iran. Persépolis. Pasargade. Septembre 1969. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: Notebook containing Messiaen’s avian notations in Iran while he and his wife were in that country for the Festival of Arts, Shiraz–Persepolis, on Claude Samuel’s initiative. Messiaen visited both the ruins of Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and Pasargadae, the Empire’s capital under Cyrus the Great. He examined the tombs of the kings at Persepolis and wrote copious notes, observing that the tomb of Artaxerxes I was in the shape of a cross (p. 3). While examining the bas-reliefs that adorn the double staircase of the great Apadana of Darius at Persepolis one evening, Messiaen heard a “bird of the ruins and cliffs” singing, probably perched above, in the rocks in front of the Apadana’s staircase. Although he could not see it, he still notated it (pp. 1, 5–6, 9–10). Unable to identify the bird, Messiaen decided to call it the “oiseau de Persépolis.” This birdsong appears in the seventh movement of the Méditations (score, 60, 67–68). Messiaen later deemed that the bird was actually a bulbul (see Preface to Movement VII of the Méditations, 59; Hill and Simeone, item 273, 281–82; and Samuel, item 213, 127). He also notated the voice of a shepherd (p. 9), calling the “berger” the “ténor de la montagne.” Lastly, Messiaen visited the tomb of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae and drew a picture of it, accompanying the drawing with notes (p. 12). 9.127 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23118, Bob. 19067, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010095z. DATES: Between 9 August 1969 and 18 September 1971. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Lautaret. 1969–70 [71]. PAGES: 20 p. 1970–1974 9.128 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23123, Bob. 19072. DATES: Between 2 May and 4 July 1970. [1971?] PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Carceri. Assise. Rome. Sologne. [Petichet et disques Roché] Mai 1970. PAGES: 86 p. NOTES: This notebook contains notations on pages 1–4 of the Fauvette à tête noire, Rossignol, and other birds, transcribed in Assisi, Italy on 2–4 May 1970. In addition, it also includes some notations made in Petichet (beginning on p. 52).

34

Primary Sources I

There are also notations on pages 65–66 from—in all likelihood—Oiseaux de Madagascar and Oiseaux du Kenya, recordings made by French ornithologist, Jean C. Roché (both albums were released in 1971). 9.129 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23076, Bob. 19025. DATES: 1970. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Chants d’oiseaux U.S.A. (aussi Ouest USA et Îles Hawaii; et Santa Barbara. 1970). PAGES: 82 p. NOTES: On sheets attached to the cover, Loriod-Messiaen notes that this notebook contains birdsongs that are used in Des canyons aux étoiles...: (1) Omao, Elepaio, Apapane, Great Horned Owl, and Hoamy or Grive-geai de Pékin (Chinese Thrush), XI: “Omao, Leiothrix, Elepaio, Shama”; (2) Cañon Wren and Hoamy, VI: “Appel interstellaire”; (3) Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush, and Veery, X: “La Grive des bois”; (4) Brown Thrasher, VIII: “Les ressucités et le chant de l’étoile Aldébaran”; (5) Townsend’s Solitaire, III, “Ce qui est écrit sur les étoiles...”; and (6) Western Meadowlark and Sage Grouse, XII: “Zion Park et la Cité céleste.” She also points to a notation of the Barred Owl, employed in La Transfiguration, III: “Christus Jesus, splendor Patris.” 9.130 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22983, Bob. 17747, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098554. DATES: Between 19 March 1971 and 6 April 1973. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. merle noir 1973. PAGES: 12 p. NOTES: On p. 12, there is a jotting for a verset d’orgue, with manual and registrational indications. 9.131 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23124, Bob. 19073. DATES: Between 8 April 1971 and 3 April 1976. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Camargue. Les Baux de Provence—Delphes Grèce. Mars–avril 1971; 1976. PAGES: 86 p. NOTES: In addition to notations from Delphi, Greece, Messiaen transcribed birdsongs while in Athens and then Mycenae, on his way to Delphi (pp. 38–40). While in Delphi, he notated many songs of the Merle bleu (among other birds). Indeed, Messiaen notated a dialogue between two Merle bleus (one near and the other far away) on page 57, and other solo songs by the same bird that made their way into the Traité de rythme (5:1:82–90) as examples 5–10. Messiaen used example 10 as part of the culmination of the Leper’s Dance of Joy in scene 3

Primary Sources I

35

of Saint François. Finally, the notebook includes six blank postcards from New Caledonia, similar to those found in Ms. 23127. 9.132 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23119, Bob. 19068, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010097v. DATES: Between 12 March and 13 April 1972. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: 1972 a). Pasadena. 1972. Californie. mars–avril 1972. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: Although not mentioned on the cover, Messiaen notated birdsongs while in Washington, D.C., to give the world première of his Méditations at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on 20 March 1972. 9.133 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23120, Bob. 19069, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010096d. DATES: Between 30 April and 3 May 1972. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Utah (Bryce Canyon). avril–mai 1972. PAGES: 32 p. 9.134 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22982, Bob. 16938, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098571. DATES: 4–18 May 1972. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Utah [and California] (U.S.A.). 1973. Australie Japon. PAGES: 90 p. NOTES: Some transcriptions done in Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, between Cedar City and Zion Park, Zion Park, and even Los Angeles. Includes American, Australian, Brazilian, and Japanese birdsongs transcribed from recordings. 9.135 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22985, Bob. 17749, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009858g. DATES: Between 8 May 1972 and 21 July 1974. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Dauphiné Juin. 1974. Zion Park. USA. Mai 1972. PAGES: 32 p. 9.136 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22986, Bob. 17750, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009859x. DATES: Between 26 June 1972 and 12 July 1974.

36

Primary Sources I

PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Utah: Zion Park [and California (Los Angeles)] 1972 (USA). et Petichet 1972–75. PAGES: 94 p. NOTES: Contains melodic gestures and chord progressions on pp. 91–92. 9.137 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22984, Bob. 17748, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098609. DATES: 14–19 March 1973. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Londres—Cardiff. 1973 PAGES: 24 p. NOTES: Features transcriptions of birdsongs from Hyde Park. From p.  16 onward, Messiaen notates harmonic progressions of various sorts, some registrational indications for the organ, and melodic formulas. The harmonic progressions involve not only modal jottings, but also ones based on the music of other composers, such as Honegger (Judith), Mussorgsky (Boris Godunov), Mozart, and Berlioz. 9.138 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23121, Bob. 19070, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100826. DATES: 4–10 June 1973. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Finlande (très peu) et Autriche (Wien). 4 au 10 juin 1973. PAGES: 8 p. NOTES: Inserted into this notebook are 18 pages of flyers and letterhead from the Hotel im Palais Schwarzenberg, Vienna. The hotel stationary contained makeshift staves upon which Messiaen notated birdsongs. 9.139 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23126, Bob. 19075. DATES: Between 24 March 1974 and 19 May 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Vaucluse—Lubéron (du 16 au 20 Mai 1975— vacances Pentecôte). PAGES: 86 p. NOTES: This source contains avian notations taken down at Orgeval and the Square Carpeaux (the park across from the Messiaen’s apartment at 230 rue Marcadet, 18th arrondissement). On pages 83–86, Messiaen writes out several chord progressions, including a theme harmonized for the organ. But most importantly, these pages contain a harmonic passage that is a transposition (up a major third) of the “vol nuptial du Martin-pêcheur” from “La Bouscarle,” the

Primary Sources I

37

ninth movement of the Catalogue d’oiseaux (score, p. 8, last two measures). In addition to being based on the parallel chord series from Debussy’s “Hommage à Rameau,” this passage is an octatonic-oriented harmonic palindrome, beginning and ending on the tritone-related chords G and D-flat major (the “Petrouchka chord”). In their analysis of the “vol nuptial du Martin-pêcheur,” Balmer, Lacôte, and Murray inaccurately interpret these tritone-related chords as a “reinterpretation of the ‘Golaud chord’” (which is actually a sonority comprised of sliderelated triads [two semitone-related triads of opposite modalities]). See Balmer, Lacôte, and Murray, item 396, 753, 756. 9.140 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23125, Bob. 19074. DATES: Between 1 June 1974 and 3 April 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Aube. Juin 1974. PAGES: 62 p. 9.141 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23128, Bob. 19077. DATES: Between 11 June 1974 and 1 October 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Nice-Cimier. Île des Pins. Nouvelle-Calédonie. A. 1975. PAGES: 98 p. NOTES: More notations of birdsongs in New Caledonia. 1975–1979 9.142 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23127, Bob. 19076. DATES: Between 17 June and 8 October 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Galibier 1975. Petichet 1975. Nouvelle-Calédonie. Île des Pins. Nouvelle-Zélande. Australie. PAGES: 92 p. NOTES: Contains notations of birds used in Saint François, such as the Gammier or Coucou à éventail, Gérygone or Fauvette à ventre jaune, and the Philemon or Oiseau-moine. Also contains a postcard of New Caledonia (“Hôtel de la Tortue”). 9.143 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23122, Bob. 19071, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100915. DATES: Between 28 July and 8 August 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Tanglewood (U.S.A.) 1975. PAGES: 38 p.

38

Primary Sources I

9.144 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23035, Bob. 18984, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010053d. DATES: 27 August 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon. Disque King-Record. août 1975. PAGES: 12 p. 9.145 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23129, Bob. 19078. DATES: Between 24 September and 7 October 1975. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Nouvelle-Calédonie. B. 1975. PAGES: 50 p. NOTES: On two different pages in this notebook (pp. 33 and 49), Messiaen wrote down ideas that he had percolating in his mind regarding his opera, Saint François d’Assise. On page 33, the composer quoted 2 Peter 3:8, a comment about time and eternity (which he pursues in more detail on page 49). He also jotted down notes linked with the scene associated with Saint Francis’s sermon to the birds, instructing himself to introduce birdsongs from Japan, New Caledonia, and Utah (something that he does again on page 49), along with comments regarding theological aspects associated with the character of the Angel. Next, come his remarks about musical ideas that he intends to connect with the Angel’s theme (at “ton cœur”) when the celestial being appears to the character of the Leper in scene 3. And finally, Messiaen writes out more ideas related to the opera’s sermon to the birds, namely the place of New Caledonian birds and the island’s scenery during that dramatic moment, claiming that the tropical birds and scenery reflect the wish expressed in the Psalm (either Psalm 97:1 or 98:7–8) for “the islands [to] applaud.” On page 49, Messiaen proposes to add poetic expressions of Pierre Reverdy, Paul Éluard, and Paul Claudel throughout the opera, as well as talk about time and space (a continuation of the quotation of 2 Peter 3:8 on page 33) and what has to be transformed. In that vein, he reminds himself to consult several passages from the Epistles of Saint Paul, even writing down Romans 8:38–39. Messiaen then asks a rhetorical question about time’s difference with eternity. He answers it by quoting 2 Peter 3:8 again. He then instructs himself to talk about “brother space” and “brother time,” which he calls a “creature of space” and a “creature of time,” respectively. Lastly, Messiaen writes a note about consulting the “Holy Saturday liturgy for fire and water” (that is, the Easter Vigil involving the lighting of the Paschal candle, and baptismal water reserved for initiates and congregants of the Church) and making a similar liturgy for space and time. He closes page 49 by writing another note about the sermon to the birds, specifically to add the exotic birds from New Caledonia, remarking that they are not Italian. He then revisits some of the same language he wrote down on page 33. This notebook has another connection with Saint François in the form of a borrowing from Honegger’s oratorio, Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher (1938). On page 48,

Primary Sources I

39

Messiaen writes out Honegger’s four-chord, bell-sounding progression (with some minor pitch differences) that evokes the tolling of a knell (R44: 3–4ff.). The progression features a soprano pedal on C4, prompting Messiaen to describe it as an example of “renversements transposés sur la même note de partie supérieure” (transposed inversions on the same top note). But more importantly, the last chord—A1–E2–A2–D3–G3–C4—is the harmony that punctuates the opera’s “theme of solemnity.” Finally, the notebook (at its beginning) also includes information about the hotel at which the Messiaens were staying and a map of the “Île des Pins.” 9.146 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23131, Bob. 19080. DATES: 4–7 June 1976. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Assise. La Verna. Italie. 1976. PAGES: 96 p. NOTES: This notebook documents Messiaen’s trips to Assisi, La Verna, and Florence as part of his research—which not only involved the notation of birdsong, but also visits to historical places—for Saint François d’Assise. At the hermitage of the Carceri, Messiaen saw the large evergreen oak where Saint Francis supposedly preached to the birds (p. 2). He also visited the Basilica papale di San Francesco, where in the crypt of the Basilica inferiore, he saw the tombs of Saint Francis and Brothers Masseo, Rufino, Leo, and Angelo (p. 14). In the Basilica superiore, he saw the frescos of Giotto depicting the life of Saint Francis. Messiaen also visited the Convento di San Damiano, where he notes in the cahier how the nearly blind Francis completed his Cantique des créatures (also known as the Canticle of Brother Sun [p.  16]). What is more, Messiaen made trips to La Verna where the friar received the stigmata (e.g., p.  20), and the Convento di San Marco to study the frescoes of Fra Angelico, whose depiction of the angel Gabriel in his painting about the Annunciation served as the basis of the Angel’s costume in Saint François (p. 22). Finally, Messiaen notated bell sounds when he was in Florence on page 23, and when in Assisi on pages 23 and 43. He combines the bell notations from Florence and Assisi in a two-part layer of sound played by the cloches, during the superimposed Alouette des champs (skylark) songs at the end of “La Mort et la nouvelle Vie,” the last scene of Saint François (see Rehearsal 132:1ff, [this observation is indebted to Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars]). 9.147 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22987, Bob. 17751, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009861r. DATES: Between 4 June 1976 and 14 September 1981. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Assise juin 1976. Petichet juillet 1981. PAGES: 64 p.

40

Primary Sources I

9.148 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23132, Bob. 19081. DATES: Between 26 June and 29 September 1976. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Été 1976. PAGES: 74 p. 9.149 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23130, Bob. 19079. DATES: Between 16 July and 5 September 1976. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet 1976. Suède. Nouvelle-Zélande. PAGES: 96 p. 9.150 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22988, Bob. 17752, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098626. DATES: Between 15 March 1977 and 6 July 1977. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hollande. mars 1977. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: On p. 3, includes two musical passages, the first a single-line palindrome, and the second a wedge progression moving outward to a C2 and C7. These passages are theological symbols in sound, representing the horizontal (“horizontalité de la croix”) and vertical (“verticalité de la croix”) aspects of the Cross, respectively. 9.151 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23134, Bob. 19083. DATES: Between 2 April 1977 and 6 May 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Alouettes des champs. Aube. 1977–78. PAGES: 74 p. 9.152 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22989, Bob. 17753, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009863n. DATES: Between 11 April 1977 and 2 May 1980. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris avril 1977 PAGES: 20 p. 9.153 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23133, Bob. 19082. DATES: Between 24 April and 30 May 1977. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: 1977. Forêt de Montmorency. PAGES: 80 p. NOTES: After the avian notations, there is a blank postcard (back and front) titled Chamrousse, with four pictures.

Primary Sources I

41

9.154 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22990, Bob. 17754, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098643. DATES: Between 17 June and 25 August 1977. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sologne. 1977. et Petichet PAGES: 66 p. 9.155 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22992, Bob. 17777, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098660. DATES: Between 26 June and 26 September 1977. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet été 1977. PAGES: 42 p. 9.156 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22991, Bob. 17776, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009865j. DATES: Between 17 July and 24 September 1977. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Col du Noyer (Isère). La Salette 1977. PAGES: 20 p. 9.157 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22993, Bob. 17778, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009867f. DATES: Between 16 March and 20 June 1978. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Orgeval Mars 1978 PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: Pages 1–2 and 4–5 feature jottings that contain modal and non-modal harmonies. The first three chords on page 1 are resonance sonorities, as evident by the notated harmonic series that precedes them. 9.158 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22994, Bob. 17779, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009868w. DATES: 9–11 June 1978. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sarrebrück. et Nice. Juin 1978. PAGES: 20 p. NOTES: This cahier includes notes and sketch materials on pages 3–10 for Les Stigmates and Le Prêche aux oiseaux of Saint François d’Assise. Regarding Les Stigmates, Messiaen’s notes on page 3 allude to the stylistic influences of the music of Bali (especially the Ketjak [monkey dance]), Japan (Gagaku), Boulez

42

Primary Sources I

(Pli selon Pli), Xenakis, and Ligeti. Concerning Le Prêche aux oiseaux, there are stylistic influences mentioned on page 8, namely, Schoenberg (Erwartung), Berg (Wozzeck), and Xenakis in connection with the sermon to the birds and ensuing avian concert. But on page 9, Messiaen jotted down a “theme of ‘simplicity’ for the end of the scene” (th[ème]. de la “simplicité” pour la fin de la scène) that is not mentioned in the literature. It is used at the end of Le Prêche aux oiseaux (e.g., score, pp. 331, 349, and 350). 9.159 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23136, Bob. 19085. DATES: Between 24 June and 24 August 1978. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1978. PAGES: 96 p. NOTES: According to Loriod-Messiaen’s table of contents page, on pages 2–3, Messiaen jots down ideas, as well as various chords and harmonic successions, intended for “L’Oiseau-Lyre at la Ville-Fianceé” of Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... In fact, on page 3, he writes out the same original ten-note chord (comprised of major seconds) found on page 3 of Ms. 23135. Messiaen also inserts a page (10 bis) upon which is written a dedication to Rolf Liebermann for a short Garden Warbler solo. 9.160 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23135, Bob. 19084. DATES: 20–21 July 1978. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Japon. 1978. Nikko. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: On page 3, Messiaen notates a ten-note chord comprised of major seconds, separated by the pattern of a perfect fourth and fifth (D3–E3, A3–B3, F-sharp4–G-sharp4, C-sharp5–D-sharp5, B-flat5–C6). He then transposes this chord up chromatically, (E-flat3 to D-flat4). 9.161 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23139, Bob. 19088. DATES: Between 25 March and 19 April 1979. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. 1979. Arles (1979) (Camargue, les Baux, les Alpilles, la Crau—etc.). PAGES: 88 p. NOTES: At the end of this notebook is another postcard, titled “En Oisans” (a region situated in the L’Isère and Hautes-Alpes départements). 9.162 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23137, Bob. 19086. DATES: Between 28 April and 21 June 1979. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. avril 1979. Petichet. été 1979.

Primary Sources I

43

PAGES: 96 p. NOTES: At the end of the notebook (pp. 81–82) is inserted the back and front, respectively, of another blank postcard, titled “Torrent de Montagne.” 9.163 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23138, Bob. 19087. DATES: Between 17 June and 2 August 1979. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Grand solo de Fauvette â tête noire. de Roizon (1979). Petichet. 1979. Merle noir. PAGES: 84 p. NOTES: Inserted at the end of the notebook are six blank postcards, with pictures of clouds, mountainous landscapes, a moonlit lake, plants and wildflowers, and night with lightening. 1980–1984 9.164 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22997, Bob. 17781, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009869b. DATES: Between 2 May 1980 and 12 July 1981. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Paris. avril–mai 1980. Petichet juillet 1981. PAGES: 46 p. 9.165 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22995, Bob. 16939, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009870q. DATES: Between 27 June and 19 July 1980. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. Juin–Juillet 1980. PAGES: 48 p. 9.166 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22996, Bob. 17780, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009836r. DATES: Between 10 November 1980 and 4 February 1981. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hollande. février 1981. PAGES: 40 p. NOTES: On page 18, Messiaen writes a mode 2:2 harmonic progression (transposition beginning on C-sharp) comprised of a series of major triads ascending by minor thirds, beginning on E and ending on D-flat. A chord that lies outside of this modal realm precedes each triad, suggesting that Messiaen is coloring the progression with harmonic appoggiaturas.

44

Primary Sources I

9.167 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22998, Bob. 17782, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098376. DATES: Between 7 February and 26 April 1982. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. février–avril 1982. PAGES: 28 p. 9.168 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 22999, Bob. 17783, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55009838n. DATES: Between 27 June and 4 July 1982. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. Juin–Juillet 1982. PAGES: 18 p. 9.169 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23140, Bob. 19089. DATES: 8–10 April 1980. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Assise. (avril 1980). PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: On page 2, Messiaen notates various harmonic ideas, based on a nine-note chord, partitioned from bottom to top into sets of white and black notes, respectively, enclosed within boundary notes C4 and C6. On page 3, he jots down a durational succession (2–3–2–12, measured in 16th notes) treated as rhythmic characters. 9.170 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23141, Bob. 19090. DATES: 10–13 April 1980. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Assise. (Greccio—Fonte Colombo—Bevagna— Carceri etc. etc.). PAGES: 38 p. NOTES: Notates the sounds of bells emerging from the Basilica papale di San Francesco on 13 April 1980, Quasimodo Sunday (p. 17). 9.171 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23142, Bob. 19091. DATES: Between 4 May and 4 June 1980. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Corse [mai 1980]. PAGES: 86 p. 9.172 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23143, Bob. 19092. DATES: 9–14 April 1981. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Aube. 1981. PAGES: 96 p.

Primary Sources I

45

9.173 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23144, Bob. 19093. DATES: Between 17 May and 8 June 1981. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sologne. mai 1981. PAGES: 30 p. 9.174 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23160, Bob. 19109. DATES: Between 31 October 1981 and 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. 1981—Australie. 1988. PAGES: 28 p. 9.175 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23145, Bob. 19094. DATES: Between 30 April and 30 May 1982. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. [Sologne] 1982. PAGES: 50 p. 9.176 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23147, Bob. 19096. DATES: Between 31 March and 6 April 1984. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Israël. 1984. A. PAGES: 48 p. NOTES: Contains annotations for “La manne et le Pain de Vie” from the Livre du Saint Sacrement (pp. 1–2). 9.177 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23148, Bob. 19097. DATES: 7–9 April 1984. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Israël. 1984. B. Pages: 48 p. NOTES: Contains annotations on page 24 for a planned but unrealized piece, “Le vitrail de l’Assomption.” Transcribed and translated into English by Hill and Simeone (item 273, 351). Furthermore, includes notes on page 25 for “Les deux murailles d’eau,” “La manne et le Pain de Vie,” and “Les ténèbres” (IX) of the Livre du Saint Sacrement. 9.178 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23149, Bob. 19098. DATES: 10–13 April 1984. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Israël. 1984. C. PAGES: 74 p.

46

Primary Sources I

NOTES: Includes ideas for “La manne et le Pain de Vie” of the Livre du Saint Sacrement on pages 2, 12, 25, and 27; and assorted chordal successions and themes on pages 1, and 3 through 6. Page 1 includes the principal theme (combined with its retrograde) of “Les Étoiles et la Gloire” (VIII) from Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... Page 4 includes modal sonorities and chords derived from intervallic patterns, whereas page 5 contains harmonic ideas for three pianos. 9.179 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23146, Bob. 19095. DATES: Between 15 May and 26 June 1984. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sologne 1984. Sauline. Polyglotte. PAGES: 88 p. NOTES: Contains a set of notes on pages 34–38 for three organ improvisations on the second Alleluia for the Fourth Sunday after Easter. Messiaen recorded these improvisations at La Trinité as part of The South Bank Show’s Olivier Messiaen: The Music of Faith, a British documentary that aired on 5 April 1985. The second improvisation contains musical ideas that resemble ones found in “Les deux murailles d’eau” (XIII) of the Livre du Sacrement, whereas the third includes ideas in “La manne et la Pain de Vie” (VI) of the same work. 9.180 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23150, Bob. 19099. DATES: Between 26 June 1984 and 16 April 1985. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sauline. Sologne. Petichet. 1984. PAGES: 90 p. NOTES: On a sheet appended to the cover of this notebook, Loriod-Messiaen wrote the following observation about her husband’s emotional disposition after the completion and premiere of Saint François d’Assise in November 1983: “Cahier non terminé (O[livier]. fatigué, dépression après l’opéra . . . ),” translated as Notebook not finished (O[livier]. tired, depression after the opera . . . ). 1985–1991 9.181 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23151, Bob. 19100. DATES: Between 19 April 1985 and 17 July 1986. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sauline (Sologne). Petichet. 1985–1986. PAGES: 92 p. NOTES: Contains two blank postcards, “Le grand pic de la Meije,” and “le Valgaudemar.” 9.182 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23152, Bob. 19101. DATES: Between 9 May and 22 August 1986.

Primary Sources I

47

PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sauline. Sologne. Petichet. 1986. PAGES: 70 p. NOTES: On page 7 is found a theme for four horns. 9.183 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23153, Bob. 19102. DATES: 15–23 April 1987. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. avril 1987. PAGES: 32 p. 9.184 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23154, Bob. 19103. DATES: Between 23 April 1987 and 5 May 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. avril 1987. avril et mai 1988. PAGES: 32 p. 9.185 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23155, Bob. 19104. DATES: Between 6 June and 4 July 1987. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. juin 1987. juillet 1987. PAGES: 72 p. 9.186 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23156, Bob. 19105. DATES: 4–10 April 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. avril 1988. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: Includes some annotations of the Grand corbeau (great raven) and the col de Malissol on 14 September 1980. 9.187 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23157, Bob. 19106. DATES: Between 9 April and 4 May 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline. 1988. PAGES: 32 p. 9.188 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23158, Bob. 19107. DATES: Between 30 May and 2 June 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Australie. 1988. PAGES: 32 p. NOTES: For a transcription and English translation of part of this notebook’s text, see Dingle, item 309, 326–37.

48

Primary Sources I

9.189 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23159, Bob. 19108. DATES: 2–11 June 1988. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Australie. Nouvelle-Zélande. 1988. PAGES: 70 p. NOTES: Contains notations of African birds from Roché’s Forêts et savanes africaines, and Australian birds from his Les plus beaux chants d’oiseaux, as well as recordings by Australian ornithologists, namely, Sydney Curtis’s Pour Messiaen, and Harold and Audrey Crouch’s Bird Calls of the Inland. Incidentally, there are notes referring to fieldwork with Curtis. The Oiseaux-Lyre superbes notated on pages 33–35 comprise the source of “L’Oiseau-Lyre et la Ville-Fianceé” of Éclairs, whereas the Cossyphe d’Heuglin notated on page 42 will appear in Un Sourire. 9.190

Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23161, Bob. 19110. DATES: [blank]. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Oiseaux d’Australie. Oiseaux de Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée. Oiseaux de Singapour. Oiseaux de Nouvelle-Zélande. 1988. PAGES: 54 p. NOTES: On a sheet attached to the notebook’s cover, Loriod-Messiaen writes that this “precious orange notebook” was on her husband’s desk after his death. It contains numerous transcriptions of birdsongs from Southeast Asia that were notated from recordings, as well as accounts of fieldwork with ornithologist Sydney Curtis in June 1988.

9.191 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23164, Bob. 19113. DATES: Between 2 April 1989 and 7 July 1991. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sauline. 1989–1990. Petichet. 1991. PAGES: 96 p. NOTES: On page 1 of this notebook, Messiaen writes out various chord successions, one of which is example 234 from the Technique. On page 2, he writes out a two-chord succession in all transpositions of mode 3. 9.192 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23162, Bob. 19111. DATES: Between 16 May 1989 and 7 January 1990. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Sauline. Petichet. 1989. PAGES: 66 p. 9.193 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23163, Bob. 19112. DATES: Between 6 June and 8 July 1990.

Primary Sources I

49

PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Petichet. 1990. PAGES: 60 p. NOTES: Messiaen wrote out six chords, spread out over four measures on page 1. Loriod-Messiaen regarded four of them (“4 accords”)—presumably chords 1, 2, 3, and 5—as “très beaux” on her table of contents page. Measures 1 and 2 contain chords 1 and 2, respectively. Chord 1 is an aggregate, from which Messiaen extracts a mode 3:1 sonority for chord 2. Measures 3 and 4 contain chords 3 and 4, and 5 and 6, respectively. Chord 3 is a root-position chord of transposed inversions situated on E-flat, followed by chord 4, a V9 on G-flat. Chord 5 is the same transposed inversions chord as found in the previous measure, but enhanced by the downward stepwise movement of the two upper notes, from D5 and A4, to C5 and G4, to B-flat4 and F4, respectively. Like chord 4, chord 6 is the same V9 on G-flat. 9.194 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23165, Bob. 19114. DATES: 3 April to 12 June 1991. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: La Sauline (Sologne). 1991. DATES: 96 p. NOTES: Messiaen provides some thoughts about Concert à quatre on page 70, and a formal scheme of the work on page 72. Notebooks Not Dated 9.195 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23000, Bob. 16940, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550098393. ANNOTATIONS: Nouvelle-Zélande. Brésil. (aussi Vénézuela). (et Brésil) et Argentine. (et Tumac-Humac). (et Amérique du Nord. et Canada). PAGES: 48 p. 9.196 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23027, Bob. 18976. Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010085j. ANNOTATIONS: [Dictionnaire d’oiseaux]. Disques Roché. PAGES: 24 p. 9.197 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23028, Bob. 18977, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b550100860. ANNOTATIONS: [Dictionnaire d’oiseaux]. Disques suédois. PAGES: 14 p.

50

Primary Sources I

9.198 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23029, Bob. 18978, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010087f. ANNOTATIONS: [Dictionnaire d’oiseaux]. Disques du Mexique. Et Amérique du nord. et Roché. PAGES: 28 p. NOTES: On page 7, there are dictations of chords, along with a rhythmic dictation. 9.199 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23030, Bob. 18979, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b55010088w. ANNOTATIONS: Brésil » [Dictionnaire d’oiseaux: Disques Roché]. PAGES: 10 p.

Notebooks Not Listed on the BnF Website (Listed in Chronological Order) 9.200 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23020, Bob. 18969. DATES: 24–27 May 1960. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hérault 1960. mai 1960. Pézenas. Cirque de Mouréze. PAGES: 24 p. NOTES: Contains notations used by Hill in his reconstruction of La Fauvette Passerinette (1961/2015). 9.201 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23023, Bob. 18972. DATES: Between 27 February and 8 April 1961. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Vacances Pâques. 1961. Hérault. Lot. avril 1961. Pech-Merle (Quercy). (Rouge-gorge. Perdrix rouge). Garriques de Nizas mai 1961. Dialogue de 2 Passerinettes. PAGES: 60 p. NOTES: Messiaen visited le Gouffre de Padirac (Padirac Cave) on 5 April 1961 (not mentioned on the notebook’s cover). While there, he notated—on page 22—environmental sounds composed of water dripping on stalagmites and the noise of small subterranean cascades. Messiaen also jotted down some notes about researching sound-color relationships for his Traité de rythme. On page 47, he reminds himself to review the work of Robert Delaunay, the phenomenon of simultaneous contrast (which Messiaen links with the nineteenth-century French chemist and color theorist, Michel-Eugène Chevreul), and the Swiss painter, Charles Blanc-Gatti, as well as to look at the book, “le grand Histoire de la Peinture moderne (Aimery Somogy, 1960).” Messiaen also writes notes

Primary Sources I

51

instructing himself to research the colors of two chords (which are notated) from the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, along with the colors of other chords from the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, Turangalîla-Symphonie, Neumes rythmiques, and Cinq Rechants. Finally, this notebook contains the draft of La Fauvette Passerinette (1961/2015), discovered and reconstructed by Hill. The draft features compositional segments that are not in chronological order; to determine their sequence, one has to follow letter labels supplied by Messiaen. 9.202 Cahier de notations de chants d’oiseaux. Ms. 23072, Bob. 19021. DATES: 5–9 May 1961. PLACES/ANNOTATIONS: Hérault; 1961. pour Fauvette passerinette et pour Perdrix rouge et pour Hypolaïs polyglotte. 6–9 mai 1961. PAGES: 36 p. NOTES: Contains notations used by Hill in his reconstruction of La Fauvette Passerinette (1961/2015). Musical Works of Olivier Messiaen Piano Works 10.1

Visions de l’Amen (1943), Ms. 9138, 9139, 2450, musical manuscripts, published score. NOTES: Messiaen donated three versions of Visions de l’Amen to the “Paris Conservatoire’s library [Bibliothèque du Conservatoire], a collection that had just become the property of the newly founded Music Department” of the BnF in 1950 (Donation 3746, 3747, and 3748, respectively; see Balmer, item 702, 69). These documents do not require permission from the Fondation Olivier Messiaen in order to examine them at the library. (1) Cons. Ms. 9138: Working autograph in pencil, in which Messiaen retained sketches and variants. (2) Cons. Ms. 9139: Autograph manuscript in blue ink. Contains variants in relation to the score published by Durand. Loriod-Messiaen also supplied fingerings and other interpretative indications in pencil. Scanned version on Gallica intra muros (IFN-55009573). (3) Cons. Ms. 2450. Durand score (Paris, 1950). Autographed and supplied with a title page inscription (10 June 1950, Paris) by Messiaen.

10.2

Quatre Études de rythme, autograph manuscript, uncatalogued. NOTES: Autograph manuscript in ink. Donated by Messiaen to the Bibliothèque du Conservatoire in 1951.

52

10.3.

Primary Sources I

Catalogue d’oiseaux (1956–58), RES VMB MS-121 (1–13), musical manuscripts. NOTES: Photocopies of the autograph manuscript of each movement. LoriodMessiaen supplied numerous interpretative indications in pencil for individual movements.

Organ Works 11.

Livre du Saint Sacrement (1984), RES VMA MS-1501, musical manuscript. NOTES: Autograph manuscript in pencil. The manuscript is neither dated nor signed. The date was restored according to the dates of composition and the world premiere in Detroit, MI, United States. Scanned version on Gallica intra muros (IFN-55010182).

Orchestral Works 12.1

Réveil des oiseaux, 1953, RES VMA MS-1487, musical manuscript. NOTES: Autograph manuscript in ink with additions in pencil. Although an undated and unsigned manuscript, the date has been restored.

12.2

Éclairs sur l’au-delà..., 1987–1991, RES VMA MS-1488 (1–17), musical manuscript. NOTES: Handwritten manuscript in pencil, and sketches of the orchestral score. Scanned version on Gallica intra muros (IFN-55010099).

Opera 13.1

Saint François d’Assise—Short Score, RES VMA MS-1572 (1–8), musical manuscript.

13.2

Saint François d’Assise—Fair Copy, not catalogued, musical manuscript.

Vocal Music 14.1

L’Ensorceleuse: Cantate pour 3 voix et orchestre, présentée pour le concours du Prix de Rome, 1931, RES VMA MS-1489, musical manuscript. NOTES: Cantata for three voices and orchestra that Messiaen composed for the Prix de Rome competition in 1931. Undated autograph manuscript, in ink and in pencil. Scanned version on Gallica intra muros (IFN-55010615).

14.2

Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort, RES VMA MS-1546, musical manuscript. NOTES: Autograph manuscript in ink, both undated and unsigned. The creation of this manuscript may postdate the piece’s actual date of composition.

14.3

Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort, RES VMA MS-1547, musical manuscript. NOTES: Pencil sketches of the autograph manuscript, undated. Messiaen writes a “Notice sur Harawi” in pencil that accompanies the score.

Primary Sources I

53

Pedagogical Works 15.

Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie (1949–1992), not catalogued, musical manuscript.

16.

Le Sacre du printemps: Tableaux de la Russie païenne en deux parties/d’Igor Strawinsky et Nicolas Roerich; réduction pour piano à quatre mains par l’auteur; RES VMA MS-1502, IFN-55010495 (Gallica intra muros). NOTES: Edition used by Messiaen for his analysis courses at the Paris Conservatoire. Heavily annotated in pencil.

Compositional Notebooks 17.

Cahier de travail (“Cahier beige”), 1941–44, RES VMA MS-1490, IFN-55010181 (Gallica intra muros), autograph manuscript in pencil. NOTES: Contains a variety of musical materials, the most important being sketches and compositional material for Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.

18.

Cahier de travail (“Cahier vert”), 1932–1944, RES VMA MS-1491, IFN-55010167 (Gallica intra muros), autograph manuscript in pencil. NOTES: Includes sketches of Fantaisie burlesque, Thème et variations, L’Ascension, Messe, Vingt Regards, and La Nativité du Seigneur, along with counterpoint exercises.

19.

Cahier de travail (“Cahier rouge”), ca. 1943, RES VMA MS-1492, autograph manuscript in pencil. NOTES: Contains sketches for the Technique; a dictionary of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic formulas copied from various composers; initial sketches for Visions de l’Amen; and student harmony exercises.

Selected Correspondence 20.

Letters to Claude Arrieu: (1) 13 avril 1929–12 décembre 1931, 6 letters, 1 envelope, NLA-27 (021–1), VM BOB-19496 (2) 7 juin 1932–17 novembre 1932, 12 letters, 6 envelopes, NLA-27 (021–2), VM BOB-19496

21.

Letters to Nadia Boulanger, 1931–35, NLA-86 (144–154), VM BOB-26721. Eleven letters from Messiaen to Boulanger.

22.

Letter to Jacques Chailley, 2 mai 1941, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-10, VM BOB21574, IFN-53034574 (Gallica intra muros).

23.

Letters to Marcel Dupré: (1) No date, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-4, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034538 (Gallica intra muros)

54

Primary Sources I

(2) No date, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-5, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034471 (Gallica intra muros) (3) No date, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-6, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034354 (Gallica intra muros) (4) 28 avril 1932, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-7, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034618 (Gallica intra muros) (5) No date, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-8, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034366 (Gallica intra muros) 24.

Letter to Madeleine Grey, 18 octobre 1946, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-9, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034556 (Gallica intra muros)

25.

Letter to Denis Joly, 17 août 1929, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-11, VM BOB21574, IFN-53034620 (Gallica intra muros)

26.

Letter to Gilbert Leduc, 31 mai 1980, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-12, VM BOB21574, IFN-53034578 (Gallica intra muros)

27.

Letters to Paul Mergier: (1) 12 mai 1930, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-2, VM BOB-21574, IFN-53034509 (Gallica intra muros) (2) 22 février 1936, LA-MESSIAEN OLIVIER-3, VM BOB-21574, IFN53034406 (Gallica intra muros)

28.

Letters to Pierre Souvtchinsky, RES VM DOS-91 (49). (Two letters to Souvtchinsky, and one letter to Karl Amadeus Hartmann).

Diaries 29.

Diaries of Olivier Messiaen, from 1939 to 1992, not catalogued

30.

Transcription des agendas d’Olivier Messiaen, 1939–1992, par Yvonne Loriod, RES VMB MS-122 (1–4); IFN-55010163, IFN-55010164, IFN-55010165, IFN55010166 (IFN—Gallica intra muros). Fonds Yvonne Loriod. NOTES: Typed transcriptions of passages from the diaries of Olivier Messiaen by Loriod-Messiaen with her annotations: “Olivier Messiaen: Relevé des concerts, des classes et des évènements de la vie d’Olivier Messiaen notés au jour le jour sur ses agendas depuis 1939.”

Other Materials 31.

Dupré, Marcel. “Notes de concours et examens d’orgue au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique: 1922–1956” [Document d’archives], RES VM DOS-56 (1–3). NOTES: Contains Dupré’s notes about Messiaen’s organ examinations at the Paris Conservatoire, from the entrance exam he took on 17 December 1927 to be

Primary Sources I

55

admitted to Dupré’s organ class, to the concours of 31 May 1929, where he won the premier prix in organ improvisation and repertoire. 32.

Other Resources: (1) Articles by Messiaen (in manuscripts and typescripts) (2) Speeches and scripts by Messiaen (in manuscripts and typescripts) (3) Commentaries by Messiaen on his music (in manuscripts and typescripts) (4) Informal working notes, records of meetings and telephone conversations, and other manuscript documents (5) Concert programs (6) Other documents including posters, Conservatoire certificates, and miscellaneous papers (7) Letters from Messiaen to André Cœuroy, Denise Tual and others about the Concerts de la Pléiade

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ARCHIVES 33.

The Music Division of the Library of Congress (LoC), Washington, D.C. This collection includes the autograph manuscript of the Turangalîla-Symphonie (Messiaen[,] Olivier—Koussevitsky [sic], Turangalîla[-]Symphonie, ML30.3C2 M47 CASE). Besides five pages of prefatory material (title, dedication, movement titles, nomenclature of the instruments, note related to the percussion instruments), the manuscript consists of ten scores, one for each movement. In addition, the LoC possesses correspondence (1936–49) with both Serge Koussevitzky and the Koussevitzky Foundation (Koussevitzky, General Correspondence: Messiaen, Olivier, Box 43, Folder 12), as well as Harold Spivacke (Koussevitzky Commission Folder [uncatalogued]: Messiaen, Olivier, offered 1945, rec’d 1948). Lastly, the LoC has an awards letter to Messiaen from the American International Music Fund, Inc. (Koussevitzky, Business Files, AIMF Correspondence: Messiaen, Olivier, Box 317, Folder 16). (1) Correspondence between Messiaen and Koussevitzky (1936) about performances of Les Offrandes oubliées in Boston and New York in October and November 1936, respectively. It includes Messiaen’s handwritten program notes, performance directions to the conductor (which contains details not found in the printed score), and his curriculum vitae with partial lists of works, their publishers, and performances of Les Offrandes oubliées, as well as typed English translations of these items. (2) Letter dated 25 June 1945 from Koussevitsky—in his function as President of the Serge Koussevitsky Music Foundation, and on behalf of its Board of Directors—to Messiaen, offering a commission of $1,000 to write a work for

56

Primary Sources I

symphony orchestra (for the Boston Symphony Orchestra), and Messiaen’s acceptance of the commission, letter of 20 August 1945. (3) Messiaen’s letter of 5 October 1949 reflecting his concerns about business arrangements and musical matters as the premiere of the Turangalîla approached. Noteworthy in this letter are his requests to have Ginette Martenot play the Ondes Martenot, and Yvonne Loriod play the piano. (4) An October 1967 letter from the American International Music Fund, Inc., to Messiaen, notifying him about the Koussevitsky International Recording Award he won for a recording of Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. The collection also includes Messiaen’s business card and an undated photo of him (both probably from the early to mid-1930s). Finally, there are three letters dating from 1950, one by Messiaen, and two by Harold Spivacke, Chief of the Music Division of the LoC, on the subject of a dispute that he had with his publisher Durand about the location of the Turangalîla manuscript. 34.1

Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO): Archives Collection. Symphony Hall, Boston, MA. The Archives Collection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra contains numerous materials related to Messiaen’s professional associations with the symphony and the Berkshire Music Center (now known as the Tanglewood Music Center). (Due to the informal organization of these materials, folder information is not provided.) These materials include (1) correspondence; (2) program notes; (3) first page of the sixth movement from the short score of the TurangalîlaSymphonie (photocopy); (4) scrapbook containing newspaper clippings about the 1949 premieres of the Turangalîla in Boston and New York, and Messiaen’s tenure at the 1949 Berkshire Festival at Tanglewood; (5) photo/program album titled “Tanglewood Remembered 1949,” edited by Barbara Mandell. Here is an inventory with more details: (1) Les Offrandes oubliées/Turangalîla-Symphonie/Other (a) Copies of materials housed at the LoC related to the BSO’s performances of Les Offrandes oubliées in 1936 (English translations of Messiaen’s program notes and curriculum vitae) and the Turangalîla-Symphonie (correspondence with both Koussevitzky and the Koussevitzky Foundation (b) Materials not housed at the LoC related to the Turangalîla-Symphonie, namely (1) its title page listing the work’s movements and featured performers and conductor for the premiere (Loriod, Martenot, and Bernstein, respectively); (2) program notes; (3) the aforementioned first page of the sixth movement; (4) correspondence between Messiaen and George E. Judd (manager of the BSO) and John N. Burk; (5) letter from Charles Kiesgen to George Judd on behalf of Messiaen; (6) telegrams from John Burk to Messiaen and others; (7) notes in English (probably by John N. Burk) written down on notebook paper

Primary Sources I

57

that are related to the Turangalîla-Symphonie, especially a translation of Messiaen’s program notes. (c) A scrapbook containing newspaper articles about the premiere of the Turangalîla, and multiple reviews (e.g., “Bernstein Leads Messiaen’s Work,” “Odd Sounds Come from Carnegie Hall: Ondes Martenot Draws Hisses, Cheers,” “Critics Dislike New Symphony,” “Turangalîla, or Love in the East Indies, or a Messiaen Afternoon”) (2) Berkshire Festival at Tanglewood, 1949: (a) Telegrams from Thomas D. Perry (of the Berkshire Music Center) to Aaron Copland, Koussevitzky, Messiaen, and others about Messiaen’s 1949 visit (b) Correspondence between Perry and Messiaen—with the composer’s handwritten letters translated into English (typed copies), Perry and Koussevitzky, and Bertha Humez and Messiaen (c) Newspaper clippings in a scrapbook advertising Messiaen’s residency (d) The above-mentioned album, “Tanglewood Remembered 1949,” containing photographs, one of Messiaen taken on 24 July 1949 with the ensemble (and their coach) that performed his Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (3) Festival of Contemporary Music, Tanglewood, 1975: (a) Correspondence (including a few cables and English translations of some letters) involving Herbert H. Breslin, Susan Cheetham, Daniel R. Gustin, Ellen Haskell, Merle Hubbard, Gerald Levinson, Thomas W. Morris, Richard Ortner, Young Ae Park, Jeanne Loriod, and the Messiaens associated with their visit to Tanglewood in 1975 (b) Notes about the costs and logistics connected with the Messiaens’ visit (4) Correspondence between Herbert Breslin, Seiji Ozawa, and Messiaen, April 1978: (a) Typed letter from Messiaen to Breslin dated 16 April 1978, where he strongly complained about the BSO’s decision not to perform La Transfiguration in October (which was under contract), desiring to substitute instead Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. To remedy this situation, Messiaen suggested that the BSO perform the Turangalîla-Symphonie instead, or stick with La Transfiguration. But if the BSO did not agree to perform either piece, he would skip Boston entirely and begin his American tour in Cleveland on October 9th. (b) Typed letter from Messiaen to Ozawa dated 30 April 1978, confirming a telephone call the two had on April 29th regarding a discussion of the logistical details related to the performances of the Trois Petites

58

Primary Sources I

Liturgies by the BSO (with Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen on piano and Jeanne Loriod on Ondes Martenot,) scheduled for 5–7 October 1978. He also declared that he would accept the change from La Transfiguration to Trois Petites Liturgies, only if all the conditions he listed in the letter were respected. (5) American premiere of Saint François d’Assise (scenes 3, 7, and 8) by the BSO, 10–12, 15 April 1986, Symphony Hall; 16–17 April, Carnegie Hall (a) Correspondence involving Martha Batchelor, Gerald Levinson, and Marc Mendel about the Saint François performance (b) English translations of Messiaen’s program notes, biography, and libretto of Saint François by Gerald Levinson, and proofs of these materials (c) Unreleased recording of the BSO performance of Messiaen’s “Three Tableaux from St. Francis of Assisi,” performed at Symphony Hall April 11, 12, 1986, Seiji Ozawa conducting, BSTT A86–47 (copy for strictly personal study provided to the author by the BSO) 34.2

Digital Archives—HENRY: Named after the BSO’s founder, Henry Lee Higginson, HENRY is the BSO’s Performance History Search module, which contains all of the orchestra’s documented concerts, from 21 October 1881 to the present day. Its search engine allows one to access the performance history of every work, and all of the artistic luminaries who have performed with the BSO. Its database is updated monthly.

35.

New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO): Archives Collection. David Geffen Hall, New York, NY. Contains materials—for the most part—related to the commissioning and premiere of Messiaen’s Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... (1987–91), as well as the composer’s death on 28 April 1992. (Due to the informal organization of these materials, folder information is not provided.) These materials include: (1) correspondence; (2) program and explanatory notes; (3) photocopies of various pages of the autograph manuscript; (4) newspaper clippings; and (5) photographs. What follows is a general inventory of materials I examined while at the NYPO in May 2016: (1) Correspondence (including English translations) involving Deborah Borda, Jean Leduc, Gerald Levinson, Zubin Mehta, Frank Milburn, Elizabeth Ostrow, Larry Tarlow, Albert Webster, and Olivier and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen (2) Loriod-Messiaen’s program notes for Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà . . . , translated and written out on notebook paper by Gerald Levinson; a typed copy of these program notes; and typed notes by the Messiaens explaining the piece’s orchestration and themes, as well as a catalogue of birdsongs in different movements (3) Photocopies of various pages of the autograph manuscript of Éclairs

Primary Sources I

59

(4) Newspaper clippings consisting of concert reviews and Messiaen’s obituary (5) Photographs (some stock) of Messiaen; Messiaen with Loriod-Messiaen, Boulez, and Mehta; and Loriod-Messiaen Other Messiaen-related materials have been or are currently being digitized as part of the Leon Levy Digital Archives. OTHER COLLECTIONS—LIBRARY AND PRIVATE 36.

New York. James Fuld Music Collection. The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City. Contains a program for a concert played by Messiaen on 20 December 1945 at Saint Mark’s Church, London, for the Huitième Concert Spirituel. Messiaen played La Nativité du Seigneur in its entirety for the second time in that city. Also contains an autograph letter dated Paris, 14 November 1964, from Messiaen to an unidentified person. Having been named a “Grand Officier de l’Ordre de Mérite” in June 1964, Messiaen was looking for a sponsor who possessed the “Grand Croix of the Légion d’Honneur.” Planned acquisitions by the Pierpont Morgan Library, Department of Music Manuscripts and Books.

37.

New York. Mary Flagler Cary Music Collection. The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City. Contains an autograph manuscript dated Paris, 26 June 1943, of responses to a questionnaire sent by S.I.A.M.F., and an undated autograph manuscript (1949?) of a descriptive commentary of Cinq Rechants.

38.

New York. Morgan Collection. The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City. Contains an autograph letter dated Paris, 4 June 1942, to Comte Étienne de Beaumont (1883–1956). Messiaen thanks the Count for a check of 1,000 francs, mentions that he will not forget their musical project for the winter, and expresses his gratitude to the Count for writing Dr. Piertzig (sic [Piersig]) on his behalf.

39.

Gillock, Jon. Copy of the Autograph Manuscript of the Livre du Saint Sacrement inscribed by Olivier Messiaen. Before the Livre du Saint Sacrement was published by Alphonse Leduc, Messiaen gave organist Jon Gillock a copy of the autograph manuscript in order for him to play the organ cycle in concerts. On the title page, Messiaen inscribed: Cher ami Jon Gillock, Merci de tant jouer mon œuvre et de la jouer toujours magnifiquement! En toute reconissance! Olivier Messiaen

60

Primary Sources I

New York—9–1–1988 ([To my] dear friend Jon Gillock, Thank you so much for playing my work and always playing it beautifully! In complete gratitude! Olivier Messiaen New York—January 9, 1988 Photographed copy of the manuscript in the possession of the author, graciously permitted by Jon Gillock. 40.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. Improvisation Notes for Messiaen’s Last Organ Concert on 18 December 1991 at La Trinité, Paris. A manuscript consisting of notes on music staff paper that Messiaen compiled for an organ improvisation concert he gave on plainsong themes at La Trinité— his last public concert—on 18 December 1991. This manuscript was a gift to Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars from Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, at that time the guardian of the composer’s estate. She wrote in a dedicatory note that she gave these notes to Père Kars as a token of her profound appreciation for him having organized “Le Festival Messiaen,” a conference celebrating the composer’s organ music held at La Trinité in 1995. Most importantly, she stated that these notes were her husband’s last musical manuscript. Currently, this manuscript can only be accessed (via microfilm) at the BnF as part of the Fonds Olivier Messiaen located there, with permission required in advance to examine it.

41.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Homélie du père Jean-Rodolphe Kars pour la messe de funérailles d’Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen.” Église de la Sainte Trinité, Paris, 25 mai 2010. Homily delivered by Père Kars for the funeral mass of Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, with scriptural readings chosen by him. Copy in the possession of the author, kindly supplied by Père Kars. At present, the original document is not available.

3 Primary Sources II Articles and Reviews, Pedagogical Works, and Lectures and Librettos

Chapter 3 is a continuation of the previous one. The citations listed here include many of Messiaen’s articles and reviews, pedagogical works, and lectures and librettos. Certain articles, essays, and reviews by Messiaen could not be accessed through normal library channels, despite every effort to obtain them. For the sake of comprehensiveness, they are listed below without comment. But some publications dating from 1936 to 1939 include annotations based on Stephen Broad’s transcriptions of them in Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939 (item 259). These materials are identified by the title of that book in brackets. ARTICLES, ESSAYS IN COLLECTED EDITIONS, REVIEWS, AND OTHER MATERIALS BY MESSIAEN 42.

Messiaen, Olivier. “L’Ascension: Quatre méditations symphoniques par Olivier Messiaen.” Le Monde musical (28 February 1935): 48–49. Unsigned article by Messiaen on the orchestral version of L’Ascension. Mentions how tonality is enriched by the modes of limited transposition and how they bring new color to both melody and harmony. Includes a descriptive commentary of each movement and reproductions of musical examples in Messiaen’s facsimile.

43.

Messiaen, Olivier. “L’Émotion, la sincerité, de l’œuvre musicale.” Paris: n.p., 1936 (see Hill and Simeone, Messiaen [item 273], 403).

44.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La Nativité du Seigneur, neuf méditations pour orgue, d’Olivier Messiaen.” Tablettes de la Schola Cantorum (January–February 1936), unpaginated (2 pp.). 61

62

Primary Sources II

Messiaen responds to various questions posed after the premiere of La Nativité, including how that work is treated from theological (five principal ideas—the Incarnation; God among us/suffering; three births; Christmas characters; honoring the Virgin), instrumental (grand scale but economy of timbre, less idiomatic pedal usage, and special registration effects), and musical points of view (five means of expression: modes of limited transposition, embellished pedal use, added half-value durations, the progressive enlargement of intervals, and the chord on the dominant). Of these musical viewpoints, he only expounds further upon the modes of limited transposition and the use of added half-values. Mentions receipt of a gift of pastels by Charles Blanc-Gatti that illustrates the work, and a letter from a young man about his faith conversion. 45.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Marcel Dupré: Cours d’harmonie analytique.” Le Monde musical (29 February 1936): 40. A positive review of Dupré’s harmony volume, lauding its high sense of professionalism. In “Recontextualising Messiaen’s Early Career” (item 256, volume 2, Appendix 1, p. 43, n. 8), Broad provides the context for Messiaen’s review in a translation of an undated letter from Messiaen to Dupré: I would like first of all to thank you for sending and kindly dedicating to me a copy of your Cours d’harmonie analytique. I was very touched to receive this little package from you. I have started to read it, and do not need to tell you of my admiration because I will shortly translate it elsewhere with more eloquence when I write an article for Le Monde musical on your “treatise.”

46.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Maurice Le Boucher: Enseignement du piano. Vingt morceaux manuscrits destiné à l’étude progressive de la lecture du piano.” Le Monde musical (29 February 1936), 60. A short review of a piano sight-reading book praising its music and pedagogical orientation. Messiaen regards the book as a helpful tool for beginners and teachers of sight-reading.

47.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La Transmutation des enthousiasmes.” La Page musicale (16 April 1936): 1. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] Messiaen ruminates about the essence of music, its inner life, and what types of expressive means contemporary composers should seek. For him, a thorough grasp of harmony is vital to express certain emotions, going beyond current norms and techniques in the process. Even noise can be used for musical purposes. In his opinion, young composers emphasize emotion, inspired by sources of love, which encompass the female sex, nature, and religion (i.e., the Christian faith). Rhythms should be allowed to breathe, and modality should be rediscovered in order to encourage a rhythmic vibrancy unhindered by meter (harkening back to that of ancient Greece and India). Above all, melody should be allowed, which can draw us into the beyond.

48.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La Nativité du Seigneur. Neuf méditations pour orgue, d’après Messiaen.” Le Monde musical (30 April 1936): 123–24.

Primary Sources II

63

Although not signed by Messiaen, presumably by him. Notes the premiere of the work on 27 February 1936 at La Trinité with Daniel-Lesur, Jean Langlais, and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald each playing three movements. “Pillages” the preface to La Nativité du Seigneur to explain added values and the modes of limited transposition. (Because this article moves from the third person in the initial paragraph into the first person after that, and includes a sentence not found in the preface to La Nativité, Broad argues that this article is by Messiaen [item 256, volume 2, Appendix 1, pp. 44–45, nn. 10 and 13]. He also notes how another article by Messiaen on La Nativité [item 44] quotes material from this article [item 256, volume 2, Appendix 1, p. 69, n. 4], adding further credence to Messiaen’s authorship.) Contains seven musical examples. 49.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Récital Guy Lambert.” Le Monde musical (30 April 1936): 124. Positive review of a recital played by Guy Lambert. The program included music by Bach, Franck, Vierne, and Tournemire, with a piece by Mignan offered as an encore.

50.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Ariane et Barbe-bleue [de Paul Dukas].” La Revue musicale 166 (May–June 1936): 79–86. ISSN: 0768–1593. In an essay written on the occasion of Paul Dukas’s death in 1935, Messiaen examines Ariane et Barbe-bleue (1907), the only opera written by his former composition teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. Messiaen interprets the character of Ariane as bringing forth the light of truth to the wives of Barbe-bleue, while attempting to convince the women to free themselves from the darkness symbolized by their husband. In the end she fails. In Messiaen’s opinion, Dukas’s view of Ariane as representing the truth found in all religions, philosophies, aesthetics, and civilizations, past, present, and future, points to the Christian view of Jesus as described in the Gospel of Saint John, who brings forth the light of God’s truth to humankind. Of great import to any study of sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s music are his comments on the “precious jewels scene” in Act I. As the Nurse opens the first six doors for Ariane, colors emanating from six jewels (amethysts, sapphires, pearls, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds) emerge from the shadows. To set the scene musically, Dukas uses a series of variations on Ariane’s theme, each with a particular orchestration, in B major, A-flat major, C major, D major, B-flat major, and F-sharp major that correspond, respectively, to the violet, blue, milky white, green, red, and diamond projected by the jewels. Hence for Messiaen, this passage, through its linkage of orchestration and tonality to the color of the stones, anticipates modern theories of sound-color relationships. But more interestingly, Dukas’s color associations for A-flat major through F-sharp major correspond closely to Messiaen’s color associations for the same tonalities in his synesthesia. (In his synesthesia, Messiaen links the color of a tonality with the color of its tonic triad. That is why he associates the tonality of A-flat major with blue-violet, C major with white, D major with green, B-flat major with red, and F-sharp major with a “sparkling of all colors.” [See: item

64

Primary Sources II

119, Olivier Messiaen, Traité de rythme, vol. 7 passim; item 218, Almut Rößler, Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen: With Original Texts by the Composer, 117–18; and item 571, Vincent P. Benitez, “Pitch Organization and Dramatic Design in Saint François d’Assise of Olivier Messiaen,” 150–76.]) 51.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La Jeune France reconnaissante.” La Page musicale (12 June 1936): 1. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] Messiaen includes a message from a new group of four young composers known as La Jeune France, and adds that they are traditional, since they show deference to their elders. The message itself is a thank-you to those who showed support for an inaugural concert of their works, and to the Orchestre Symphonique and its conductor, Roger Désormière.

52.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Charles Tournemire: Précis d’exécution de registration et d’improvisation à l’orgue.” Le Monde musical (30 June 1936): 186. Positive review of Tournemire’s organ method book. Messiaen summarizes the contents of each chapter, citing the fourth chapter on the art of improvisation as the culmination of the treatise.

53.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Récital d’orgue Jean de Middeleer.” Le Monde musical (30 June 1936): 186. Positive review of an organ recital by Jean de Middeleer. Messiaen praises his performance of modern Belgian and French organ works for its precise execution, rhythmic strength, and overall virtuosity.

54.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Eclairages de compositeurs.” La Page musicale (29 November 1936): 1. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] A commentary in jest about what kind of piece Messiaen is currently working on. Ends by stating that as a composer, he wants to employ charming dissonances, love-filled melodies, colorful modes, and dynamic rhythms to convey a spirituality that looks beyond this world.

55.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Musique religieuse.” La Page musicale (5 February 1937): 1. Expounding on religious music, Messiaen states that the conventional type is theatrical and can be beautiful but also formulaic. He claims that the mystical type is better, although to be truly such, it should also be a living music, via its subject and language, in order not to be false or sentimental. Living sacred music includes the liturgy, and should be ever fresh, using original and diverse means of expression— the language of the musician-believer, to express life. Lastly, Messiaen feels that such music should be comparable to that of Bach, Frescobaldi, Franck, and Tournemire. He encourages young composers to take risks and write works that inspire.

56.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Derrière ou devant la porte? . . . (Lettre ouverte à M. Eugène Berteaux).” La Page musicale (26 February 1937): 1. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939]

Primary Sources II

65

In this article, Messiaen responds to a complaint by Eugène Berteaux about an earlier article of his in La Page musicale titled “Religious Music” (item 55). He asks what the writer blames him for (and supposes that he is accused of ridiculing Wagner and saying that Tournemire was deceased when he wasn’t yet). To the first accusation, Messiaen gives evidence of his great familiarity with and love for Wagnerian operas, but says that Parsifal has inadvertently influenced the writing of too conventional and awful religious music. To the second, he clarifies that using the phrase “behind the door” did not mean “dead,” but that we humans (in our very nature) are all not able to see out into the beyond and that we are all learning more, day by day. He further expounds on life, as understood by the Christian, and that truly religious music must express that life, such as Tournemire understood. Finally, he asks why the writer mocks his music and laughs at his descriptions of good music, and so mocks him back with the idea that some people can never be pleased. 57.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Chronique de Paris [March 1937].” La Sirène (March 1937): 14–15. Although critical of much of the musical works he heard in recent Paris concerts, Messiaen finds several examples worthy enough to mention: pieces by Milhaud, Daniel-Lesur, Jolivet, and Ivan Vyschnedgradsky, among others. This last composer’s work was featured in a festival of quarter-tone music that Messiaen appreciated and found important enough that he went into more detail (e.g., it used one piano tuned a quarter-tone higher than the rest and also made innovative uses of harmonic materials).

58.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Les Récitals d’orgue: Albert Beauchamp et Guy Lambert.” Le Monde musical (31 March 1937): 74. Concert reviews of two recital programs at the organ of the Schola Cantorum and a festival dedicated to Alexandre Guilmant’s organ music at La Trinité.

59.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Chronique de Paris [April 1937].” La Sirène (April 1937): 22. Messiaen reviews several recent musical concerts in Paris: a concert version of a ballet by Florent Schmitt, a Ravel festival, and a concert of music by Stravinsky (Three Pieces for Clarinet), Milhaud (Ninth String Quartet), and others, all of which he found admirable.

60.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Réflexions sur le rythme.” La Sirène (May 1937): 14. In reviewing recent musical performances in Paris, Messiaen is dismayed that, despite some interesting harmonies, these pieces were characterized by a certain uniformity due to a lack of new musical forms and the absence of rhythmic vitality. Contrasting them with the rhythms of ancient Greece and India, and the rhythmic freedom of plainchant and Debussy’s music, he believes that all emotion and variety in rhythm has since vanished. As a result, Messiaen pleads with young composers to rediscover rhythm and explore its possibilities.

66

61.

Primary Sources II

Messiaen, Olivier. “Post Ludes Libres (Charles Tournemire).” Le Monde musical (31 May 1937): 138. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] Messiaen praises Tournemire’s set of short, free postludes for organ without pedals (or harmonium), in the style of L’Orgue mystique. Based on fifty-one antiphons of the Magnificat and thirteen Amens for each liturgical feast, these pieces are useful for organists less experienced in the art of improvisation.

62.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien [June 1937].” La Sirène (June 1937): 14. Messiaen lauds a recent performance of Claire Delbos’s setting for voice and piano of L’Âme en bourgeon (poems by Cécile Sauvage, Messiaen’s mother) and a Jeune France symphonic concert of pieces by Baudrier, Jolivet, and Daniel-Lesur. In addition, he praises the 1937 Exhibition concerts of music by Roussel and Dandelot, plus an upcoming illumination (Fêtes de la lumière) alongside the Seine, accompanied by the music of eighteen composers that included Honegger, Milhaud, and Messiaen.

63.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Récital d’orgue Jeanne Baudry.” Le Monde musical (June–July 1937): 174. A positive concert review of an organ recital played by Jeanne Baudry at SaintSéverin, featuring the organ works of Bach, Franck, Liszt, Dupré, and Widor. Messiaen also praises the singing of vocal works by Dupré and Renée Philippart at the same concert.

64.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Les Fêtes de la lumière.” La Sirène (July 1937): 18–19. Messiaen reviews the Fêtes de la lumière, which he viewed as an impressive display of water, lights, fireworks, and rockets. The display was synchronized with eighteen pieces, commissioned from eighteen different composers for the event. This music was recorded beforehand and played through powerful speakers. Messiaen goes on to comment specifically in some detail on six out of the eighteen pieces—those by Barraud, Honegger, Milhaud, Barraine, Delannoy, and Vellones (that is, Pierre Rousseau).

65.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Quatre Opéra-bouffes.” La Sirène (September 1937): 11. Attending a performance of four comic operas, Messiaen is rather disappointed. He describes each comic opera, highlighting outstanding aspects of the music, performers, acting, and dancing, while also pointing out shortcomings. In the end, he writes that, having experienced the music of Debussy, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg, he wonders why there has not been comparably innovative and audacious music composed since.

66.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Un Festival Roussel.” La Sirène (October 1937): 14. The late composer Albert Roussel was celebrated in a concert of several of his works performed by the Société Philharmonique, conducted by Charles Münch.

Primary Sources II

67

Messiaen summarizes Roussel’s importance, style, and influences, which include Debussy, d’Indy, and Indian music, all of which combined to form a personal musical language within a contrapuntal framework (due to his reverence for Bach). He concludes by stating that Roussel’s ballet Bacchus et Ariane was a masterpiece that should be done more and could even become a favorite of conductors and the public 100 years hence. 67.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Symphonie en mi majeur par Joseph Gilles.” Le Monde musical (30 November 1937): 272. A review of a symphony for organ and orchestra by Joseph Gilles. Praises the work’s classical style and writing for the organ.

68.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Le Mana de Jolivet.” La Sirène (December 1937): 8–10. Messiaen begins this review of André Jolivet’s Mana by lamenting that music generally lags behind the other arts, with the exception of that written by three to four composers in the world who are attempting to rectify the situation. Accordingly, he advocates that they should be supported in a much stronger fashion. Based on his study of Mana, Messiaen declares that one of these innovative composers is Jolivet. Mana is a collection of six piano pieces, each of which depicts a different mantelpiece ornament, which Varèse gave to the composer. Messiaen analyzes each movement in detail and hails Mana as the work that most defines Jolivet’s style.

69.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien [January 1938].” La Syrinx (January 1938): 19–20. Messiaen reviews three concerts, all favorably. The first is a Stravinsky festival concert that included Œdipus rex, L’Oiseau de feu, and the French premiere of Jeu de cartes (“brilliant” according to Messiaen), all conducted by the composer. The second concert featured works by Elsa Barraine: a symphony, Six Chants juifs, and Fantasie concertante for piano and orchestra. The last concert was dedicated to the memory of the recently deceased Ravel. Works performed included Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte and other works by him: Asie, Habanera, Alborada del gracioso, La Valse, and “Dawn” from Daphnis et Chloé. Interspersed among the pieces was a talk about Ravel and an account of his relationship with Debussy, given by M. Emile Vuillermoz.

70.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: De la Procession Debussy-Ravel.” La Syrinx (February 1938): 25–26. Messiaen opines about Debussy and Ravel as composers, saying that they were similar, yet also dissimilar. Debussy was the initiator of the Impressionist movement in music and Ravel was his disciple, appropriating aspects of Debussy’s style and technique, but in original ways. The two composers also shared an interest in similar subject matter for their works, although with Pelléas the comparison

68

Primary Sources II

diverges, as Debussy seems to be prophetic in his expression of the subconscious human spirit and its related themes of love and death. Ravel, to the contrary, preferred to experiment with humor, legend, and the more tangible—well-formed melodies, timbres (especially those of the piano vs. orchestra), and pleasures such as aspects of nature (trees, daylight, wind, light, and birdsong) and the frenzy of dance. Messiaen concludes that, despite Ravel’s genius, Debussy, whose creative genius was so rich in substance and latent potential, was better at expressing the sentiments that were greatest—those of the heart. 71.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Le Premier Livre d’orgue de Georges Migot.” La Revue musicale 182 (March 1938): 228. ISSN: 0768–1593. A review by Messiaen of the Premier Livre d’orgue (published by Éditions Alphonse Leduc) by the French composer Georges Migot (1891–1976). After praising Migot’s musical style, Messiaen discusses four of the more significant pieces in the collection, “Au Calvaire,” “Bergerie à la crèche,” “Antienne en musette,” and “La Rosace.”

72.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: Un Spectacle Darius Milhaud.” La Syrinx (March 1938): 25–26. A review by Messiaen of a performance of Pauvre Matelot (1927) and the stage premiere of Esther de Carpentras (1925–27) by Darius Milhaud at the OpéraComique on 3 February 1938. Messiaen notes each work’s dramatic plot and musical language and style, which include a strong dose of polytonality. He praises the choreography created by Constantin Tcherkas for a ballet set to Milhaud’s Suite provençale (1936) that concludes the performance of Pauvre Matelot, as well as Désormière’s conducting of Esther de Carpentras.

73.

Messiaen, Olivier. “L’Orgue.” Le Monde musical (31 March 1938): 84; Reprint, Charles Tournemire (1870–1939), L’Orgue: Cahiers et mémoires, no. 41, p.  86. Paris: Association des Amis de l’orgue, 1989. 124 p. ML 410.T6847 C47 1989. A review of Tournemire’s Sept Chorals-Poèmes pour les Sept Paroles du Christ en croix, Migot’s Premier Livre d’orgue, and Langlais’s Ave Maria and Ave Maris stella. Messiaen mentions a scale (C–D-sharp–E–F–G–A-flat–B–C), which he says is of Indian origin, that Tournemire uses throughout the work in the manner of a leitmotif. Messiaen’s discussion of Migot’s Premier Livre d’orgue is an abridged version of the review he wrote for La Revue musicale (item 71). In his examination of Langlais’s Ave Maria and Ave Maris stella, Messiaen focuses on the use of contrapuntal techniques.

74.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Billet Parisien: L’Orgue Mystique de Tournemire.” La Syrinx (May 1938): 26–27. A review of Charles Tournemire’s L’Orgue mystique (1932), a collection of 51 offices that incorporate plainchant melodies appropriate to each Sunday of the liturgical year. Messiaen comments upon the five compositional types—Prélude à l’Introit, Offertoire, Elévation, Communion, and Pièce terminale—linked with

Primary Sources II

69

each office. He notes their relative lengths, relationships to the plainsong melodies with which they are associated, effects of organ registration, and allusions to the musical style of Debussy. Messiaen opines that the pieces of the Pièce terminale category reflect the summit of Tournemire’s art because of their partially Gothic, partially modern, musical style. 75.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Charles Kœchlin—Choral et Sonatine pour orgue.” Le Monde musical (31 January 1939): 74. A review of Kœchlin’s Choral et Sonatine for organ describing the structure and style of the work.

76.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Contre la Paresse.” La Page musicale (17 Mar 1939): 1. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] In this article, Messiaen complains against laziness, on the part of both composers and audiences. He lambastes composers who are too conservative—they do not think deeply enough about their music but rather stick to formulas, not taking any risks regarding either rhythm or tonality. He chides audiences for a rigidity of preference and “hatred of change,” saying that they still do not even accept “acknowledged” composers like Stravinsky, Berg, Bartók, and Milhaud. He wonders who will come onto the scene to change this state of affairs.

77.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Autour d’une Œuvre d’orgue.” L’Art sacre (April 1939): 123. [Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939] Responding to questions posed about his music (and his religious music), Messiaen implies that labeling his works in such a manner is inappropriate, as he only wants to express his Catholic faith through music. He feels that La Nativité du Seigneur most satisfactorily does this. He then lists its sources of inspiration: his midnight masses at La Trinité, the missal and Biblical texts that deal with the Incarnation, a crèche in his study, writings by Ernest Hello and Dom Columba Marmion, and the mountains of the Dauphiné that inspire contemplation. He also states the four principal ideas of La Nativité: (1) predestination realized in the Incarnation; (2) God living/suffering among humanity; (3) the three births— eternal, temporal, and spiritual; and (4) the characters in the Christmas story. He says that his new language (e.g., the modes of limited transposition) does follow rules but seeks to charm rather than surprise. He ends by wondering if he had not been so innovative, would people still have been so upset?

78.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Autour d’une Parution.” Le Monde musical (30 April 1939): 126. A defense of Chants de Terre et de Ciel by Messiaen in light of the criticism that ensued after its premiere on 23 January 1939. Messiaen describes the work’s religious nature and what he attempted to depict in different songs. He closes the article by justifying his musical language and the compositional techniques that drive it.

79.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Le rythme chez Igor Strawinsky.” La Revue musicale 191 (May 1939): 91–92. ISSN: 0768–1593.

70

Primary Sources II

In this article, Messiaen outlines what he gleaned from his analysis of Stravinsky’s use of rhythm. For Messiaen, The Rite of Spring and The Wedding (Les Noces) are Stravinsky’s most significant works from a rhythmic point of view. Particularly important in this article is an early reference to rhythmic characters (personnages rythmiques). Although he does not mention rhythmic characters by name, Messiaen points to Stravinsky’s rhythmic procedures in the “Glorification of the Chosen One” and the “Sacrificial Dance” from The Rite of Spring as stemming from the Hindu deçi-tâla simhavikrîdita, which is divided into two rhythmic cells, one that progressively augments and diminishes by a basic value, while the other stays the same. 80.

Messiaen, Olivier. “De la musique sacrée.” Carrefour 1/4 (June/July 1939): 75. An essay on the nature and purpose of sacred music. Messiaen believes that true happiness is only achieved when man finds God through faith. It is faith that touches the heart of man, filling the emptiness of that heart with the abundant truth of God. If faith is going to lead man to God, then it must play a prominent role in the arts that focus on the aesthetic expression of beauty and truth. Since it is the most immaterial of the arts, capable of expressing the transcendent beauties and truths of God, music is considered an act of faith. Hence the best kind of music is one that focuses on sacred truth, for in doing so, music deals with a religious subject that is alive, namely God. Messiaen discusses different topics related to sacred music. Not surprisingly, plainchant is extolled as fundamental to all religious composition. Messiaen then considers how the works of various composers relate to his arguments about sacred music. The B-minor Mass, Passions, and organ chorales of Bach are praised as monuments of faith. Wagner’s Parsifal and Debussy’s Le martyre de Saint-Sébastien are not considered as true acts of faith; rather, they have the appearance of religion. Finally, Tournemire’s L’Orgue mystique is regarded as epitomizing the best sacred music of the late 1930s through its use of plainchant, Debussyian harmonies and polytonality, and rhythm. Messiaen closes by advocating that music be rooted in faith, touching on all subjects without ceasing to touch God. He believes that a great artist and Christian will be needed to bring forth such a music, a statement probably referring to himself.

81.

Messiaen, Olivier. Contribution to Miramon Fitz-James, “Les Amis de l’Orgue et la guerre.” L’Orgue, nos. 40–41(December-March 1939–40): 30–38. ISSN: 0030–5170. An article devoted to the printing of letters from organists serving in the French military in 1939–40. Authors are identified by their initials, branch of service, and rank. Identified as “soldat pionnier d’infanterie O.M.,” Messiaen writes about his life in the French army. He complains about the difficulty of doing both his military chores and thinking about music. To resolve his dilemma, he reads a few pages of his pocket scores each night, which included Beethoven’s symphonies,

Primary Sources II

71

Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye, Stravinsky’s Les Noces, and Honegger’s Horace victorieux. Messiaen also talks about meeting the film composer Maurice Jaubert (1900– 40—on 19 June 1940, Jaubert was mortally wounded at Azérailles, France and died several hours later) and his experiences playing the organ on different occasions. In particular, he notes how his fellow soldiers were not shocked by his avant-garde style improvisations, unlike “the pious Parisian ladies” who would not countenance them. Finally, Messiaen wonders whether he will ever be able to complete his then current organ work Les Corps glorieux. 82.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps.” Lumignon: Bi-mensuelle du Stalag VIIIA, no. 1; 1 April 1941, 3–4. (I want to thank Nigel Simeone for providing me with a scan of this document from his private collection, “Nigel Simeone, private collection.”) In the first issue of the French-language camp newspaper of Stalag VIII A, Görlitz, Silesia, where he was imprisoned from 1940–41, Messiaen describes the composition and world premiere of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. He notes how the piece was inspired by the tenth chapter of the Book of Revelation where the Angel declares that there will be no more time, and how it was written for and played by the camp’s prisoners. Messiaen attempts to reconstruct the commentaries that he provided before each movement during the work’s first performance. What results can be considered an earlier version of the music’s published preface. The sixth and eighth movements possess different titles: “Fanfare” instead of “Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes,” and “Deuxième louange à l’éternité de Jésus” instead of “Louange à l’Immortalité de Jésus.” Significant historically to say the least.

83.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Technique de mon langage musical.” Musique et radio 33/386 (November 1942): 253–54.

84.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Sur mon traité de composition.” Comædia (5 December 1942): 1, 4. An explanation by Messiaen of the Technique de mon langage musical before its publication by Alphonse Leduc in 1944. After listing the chapters of the Technique, Messiaen discusses its organization. He begins with an examination of rhythm, the primary material of music and, according to him, the least understood. Messiaen then proceeds to melody (which has primacy in music and is the principal goal of research) and form, indicating various techniques of melodic development along the way. Next come harmony and the modes of limited transposition. Here Messiaen discusses compositional techniques associated with his use of chords and the modes. He subsequently argues how his compositional techniques are interconnected by pointing out various relationships between different chapters in the Technique: chapters 6 (polyrhythm) and 19 (polymodality), chapters 3 (added values) and 13 (added notes), and chapters 5 (nonretrogradable rhythms) and 16 (modes of limited transposition). He closes the essay by mentioning the “charm of impossibilities”: a non-technical listener not accustomed to his music will not keep track of all of its details; instead, that person

72

Primary Sources II

will submit to the strange charm caused by limited transposition and the lack of retrogradation. 85.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Querelle de la musique et de l’amour.” Volontés de ceux de la resistance (16 May 1945): 1. Prefaced by a short biography of Messiaen, presumably by Yves Baudrier (“Y. B.”), this polemical essay by Messiaen addresses arguments raging in Paris in the 1940s about neoclassical music. He is decidedly against it. He longs for a musical innovator who will deliver everyone from the mechanistic qualities of neoclassicism by emphasizing love, particularly the divine type, in his music. (One must conclude that Messiaen is talking about himself.) Messiaen then laments how he has been placed in the middle of these arguments. He encourages his opponents to leave Stravinsky, Jolivet, and his enthusiastic students, such as Serge Nigg and Jean Martinet, alone and to await the appearance of this “musician of love.”

86.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Béla Bartók.” Images musicales (19 October 1945): 4. A warm appreciation of Bartók after his death on 26 September 1945. Messiaen recounts how he met the composer at the ISCM festivals before World War II in London. He discusses Bartók’s musical pedigree, noting the significance of the composer’s folk music research of his native land. Messiaen also considers Bartók’s musical catalogue, mentioning works such as Allegro Barbaro and the violin sonatas, as well as the string quartets, which he considers collectively as a monument of the literature. He singles out the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta as the highest expression of Bartók’s genius.

87.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Le 2e Concerto de Béla Bartók.” Lumières de la ville (18 December 1945): 25. A review of a performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées on 15 November 1945 of Béla Bartók’s Second Piano Concerto by the Orchestre National de la Radio, under the direction of Manuel Rosenthal with Yvonne Loriod as soloist. In the first half of the review, Messiaen comments upon the work, noting aspects of melody, harmony, texture, and timbre. In the second half of the review, he praises Loriod’s performance, viewing it as extraordinary, considering the fact that she learned the concerto in eight days.

88.

Messiaen, Olivier. “L’inspiration musicale.” Opéra (19 December 1945): 10. In this reflection on musical interpretation, Messiaen remarks how critics often mention the words “technique,” “style,” and “originality” in their reviews, echoing what the musical public demands from so many musicians: an impeccable craft, an individual language, and a sincere emotion. For many, inspiration is the irresitible need to write at all costs. Within this context, Messiaen offers his opinions. He believes in musical inspiration. It is not a sudden Pythian delusion, but a slow, insensible process, which is done in spite of one’s self. Musical inspiration seizes him; he and no other is caught by and lost in its grip, for inspiration is an absolutely personal matter. Paraphrasing a text of Valéry on da Vinci, Messiaen

Primary Sources II

73

asserts that each musician is surrounded by a family of sounds of which he [or she] possesses. Although not cognizant of all the elements of this infinite group, the musician must find them. 89.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Réponses à une enquête: Olivier Messiaen, ou les harmonies poétiques et ingénieuses.” Contrepoints 3 (March–April 1946): 73–75. Reprint, La Revue musicale 306–7 (1977): 35–37. ISSN: 0768–1593. A response to an inquiry by Fred Goldbeck, a French journalist, sent out to different French composers in the mid-1940s, querying them about their compositional poetics. Messiaen not only discusses his aesthetics and pitch and rhythmic techniques but also refers to the “Le Cas Messiaen” scandal that was embroiling him. (See Lilise Boswell-Kurc, “Olivier Messiaen’s Religious War-time Works and their Controversial Reception in France [1941–46],” item 254, pp.  1–182.) He mentions how critics mocked him at the premiere of Vingt Regards sur l’EnfantJésus at the Salle Gaveau on 26 March 1945. While commenting on the piece, Messiaen addressed issues raised by the controversy, such as how his music is both theological and nonsensual in nature.

90.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Concert Line Zilgien (Concert de La Revue musicale).” La Revue musicale 201 (September 1946): 267. ISSN: 0768–1593. A review by Messiaen of a concert of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century French organ music played by Line Zilgien, Messiaen’s deputy organist at La Trinité, on the Clicquot organ at Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs. (The date of the concert is not specified.) The concert also included vocal works from the same period sung by Gisèle Peyron. After discussing the challenges of performing this repertoire, Messiaen praised the performances of both Zilgien and Peyron.

91.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Maurice Emmanuel: Ses ‘trente chansons bourguignonnes.’” La Revue musicale 206 (1947): 107–8. ISSN: 0768–1593. In this special issue of La Revue musicale devoted to his former music history professor at the Paris Conservatoire, Maurice Emmanuel (1862–1938), Messiaen summarizes the musical contents of his teacher’s “Trente chansons bourguignonnes” (1913), a collection of thirty folksongs from the province of Beaune, after those collected by C. Bigarne, A. Bourgeois, and C. Masson, arranged for voice and piano. (Six songs were arranged later for choir and orchestra in 1914–15 and 1930–35; ten songs were arranged for voice and orchestra in 1914 and 1932–36.) He characterizes the collection from melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic vantage points. Besides admiring the modal qualities of the music, Messiaen notes Emmanuel’s creative use of harmony in various settings, pointing out procedures reminiscent of Ravel and Debussy. He concludes the essay by mentioning how much Emmanuel had influenced him as a student. For Messiaen, when he had heard “Trente chansons bourguignonnes” at a festival devoted to Emmanuel’s works in 1932, he was converted instantly to modal music. Fifteen years later while writing this article, his enthusiasm had not changed.

74

92.

Primary Sources II

Messiaen, Olivier. “Notes de travail pour l’Accompagnement Musical de ‘Matins du monde’ à l’Église de la Trinité.” In Roger Michael, Matins du monde, 109–12. Paris: Bordas, 1949. 121 p. ML 53.M6 M3 1949. At La Trinité on 13 March 1948, Messiaen provided a musical accompaniment of organ improvisations for a performance of Roger Michael’s Matins du monde, an oratorio for two reciters and multi-part spoken chorus. According to the notes, he played a Prelude, Interlude, and Final, with information supplied about each piece’s musical contents.

93.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Orgue.” La Trinité, May 1951, 3.

94.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Hommage à un Maître disparu: Jean de Gibon.” Écho du Pays de Redon, 26 January 1952. Messiaen’s obituary for Jean de Gibon, his former harmony teacher in Nantes where he lived as a child. Messiaen begins his moving tribute by conveying the pain he felt learning of the death of Gibon, who accidentally fell into a canal in Redon while taking a walk. He also talks about Gibon’s character and notes that his teacher was an innovative composer, even writing a Pastorale for organ dedicated to him, which he played at La Trinité several times in his honor. Messiaen concludes by recounting how Gibon profoundly affected his future vocation as a musician by giving him the piano-vocal score of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande as a gift.

95.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La Nature, les chants d’oiseaux.” Guide de concert 229 (3 April 1959): 1093–94.

96.

Messiaen, Olivier. [“Hommage à Roger Désormière.”] Les Lettres françaises 1001 (8 October–6 November 1963): 11. A tribute to Roger Désormière (1898–1963). When he was seventeen years old, Messiaen saw Désormière conduct for the first time at the Salle Gaveau. On the program was Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Messiaen admired Désormière’s interpretation of that piece, noting its rhythmic precision. He recollects fondly how Désormière conducted concerts for La Jeune France, the world premiere of his Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, and the French premiere of his Turangalîla-Symphonie. Indeed, Messiaen preferred Désormière’s interpretation of the Turangalîla-Symphonie to that of Leonard Bernstein, who conducted the world premiere of the work a year earlier. Messiaen praises Désormière’s ability as a flutist, composer, and conductor, and singles him out as a champion of the music of Rameau, Berlioz, and Debussy. Messiaen closes his tribute by remembering the last two times he saw Désormière conduct, which was at the Théâtre des ChampsÉlysées with the Orchestre National. Désormière’s first program included Boulez’s Soleil des eaux, while the second one featured Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and De Falla’s Tricorne. Messiaen states that he will never forget Désormière who, in Messiaen’s youth, was both a friend to composers and a great conductor.

97.

Messiaen Olivier. “Matière-lumière, espace-temps, son-couleur[.  .  .]” Prevues 179 (January 1966): 39–41.

Primary Sources II

75

A rambling essay on the state of serial music in France, written in response to André Boucourechliev’s questions about that music in earlier issues of Prevues. Messiaen begins by discussing the nature of musical language, which has never exhibited a break. Its continuity is based on principles of opposition and alternation as manifested by long and short durations, high and low pitches, strong and weak dynamics, short and sustained articulations, and thin and thick textures. Musical language as it exists in nature also includes the manipulation of harmonics in a sonority, as well as silence. Messiaen notes the penchant of musicians to classify music according to historical periods, countries of origin, types of texture (monophonic, polyphonic, heterophonic), methods of pitch organization (modal, tonal, serial), and approaches to rhythm and dynamics. But these categories present a false picture of what music is since they do not address the principles of alternation and opposition. Messiaen goes on to argue that serial music is not a break with the past, but a union of the horizontal and vertical, as seen in the works of Webern and Boulez. But increasingly, musicians are returning to natural phenomena and their imitation. In the rest of the essay, Messiaen promotes his ideas about sound-color relationships and time and space as an alternative to serialism. He mentions how the Swiss painter Charles Blanc-Gatti suffered from a physiological synesthesia that allowed him to see colors when he heard music and how those experiences could be duplicated by taking mescaline, a drug known to the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. He then describes his own peculiar type of colored-hearing synesthesia. The subject then switches to serialism. Messiaen states that if one interprets the word “serial” in a directional sense, as in the strict unfolding of durations, pitches, dynamics, timbres, attacks, densities, and tempi, then this conception, although useful for post-Webernian serial composers in avoiding common sonorities and rhythms and employing “melodies-of-timbres” in orchestration, is now obsolete. Boulez has replaced the notion of a series with the more fecund ideas of homophony and heterophony, while younger composers such as Jean-Claude Eloy are researching timbres and durations. Overall, younger composers have dispensed with the word “serial” and its connection with academicism. They view Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern as precursors to Boulez. Messiaen closes his essay by speculating on musical trends of the last quarter of the twentieth century. But why play the prophet he asks? Messiaen exhorts everyone to be in an intellectual communion with light and the music of nature. Through transformed senses or a synthetic knowledge comparable to that possessed by angels, he encourages everyone to embrace the unknown unions of matter and light, space and time, and sound and color, for they are truly the new means of listening to music. 98.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Absence et présence de Roger Désormière. In Roger Désormière et son temps: Textes en hommage, ed. Denise Mayer and Pierre Souvtchinsky, 127–33. Monaco: Éditions du Rocher, 1966. 189 p. ML 422. D42 M4. Another tribute to Désormière by Messiaen. He lauds Désormière for his outstanding abilities as a flutist, composer, and conductor, as well as his support

76

Primary Sources II

of French music both past and present. Messiaen singles out the extraordinary eclecticism of Désormière’s choice of programs for his concerts and expresses his admiration for Désormière’s performances of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande at the Opéra-Comique from 1946–49. Messiaen also notes how Désormière conducted the world premiere of the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine on 21 April 1945 and the French premiere of the Turangalîla-Symphonie on 25 July 1950. Finally, Messiaen discusses the bond shared by Désormière and Boulez as seen not only through “Déso’s” (a nickname given to Désormière by a critic after he conducted the world premiere of Boulez’s Soleil des eaux) support of Boulez’s music but also through comparisons of Désormière and Boulez as conductors. 99.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Hommage d’Olivier Messiaen aux artistes de l’orchestre.” L’Artiste musicien de Paris 64/14 (1966): 15–17. This essay expresses Messiaen’s frustrations regarding the role of the orchestral musician in relation to his music. He opens the essay by acknowledging how indispensable such a musician is to the composer, in relation to the performance and writing of new works. But there is one particular aspect linked with the musician that he has spent most of his life fighting, namely, how to deal with those musicians who do not occupy first chairs, and those instruments not used in a classical orchestration, such as the cymbals, or the xylophone. Messiaen believes that these muscians should not feel slighted if they double a line or turn pages for another instrumentalist when they are not playing. However, this has not been the case in his experience. Although those who are second chairs play conscientiously, they hide behind first chairs, being hesitant when asked to play a solo. Messiaen notes how he coped with this struggle through the brilliant soloistic writing characteristic of his orchestral works. He states that this is surely evidence of his esteem for the orchestra and each orchestral musician in particular. For nearly thirty years, his example has been followed by younger composers who are also increasingly writing in a soloistic manner. Accordingly, the “second chair complex” disappeared. As a result, there is a renewal of musical thought, a generation of more colorful sounds, durational counterpoints, and oppositions and superpositions of timbres.

100.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Notice sur la vie et les travaux de Jean Lurçat (1892–1966) par M. Olivier Messiaen lue à l’occasion de son installation comme membre de la section de musique: Séance du mercredi 15 mai 1968.” (Paris: Institut de France, 1968): 7–16. In December of 1967, Messiaen was elected to the newly created chair (decree number 67–778 of 23 August 1967) of the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France. His installation took place on 15 May 1968. After being introduced at the meeting, Messiaen gave a speech honoring the life and work of the artist Jean Lurçat (1892–1966). Besides praising Lurçat’s paintings and tapestries, Messiaen noted affinities between Lurçat’s work and that of his own, declaring him a “great rhythmician of color.” For an English translation of this speech, see Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature, item 316, pp. 279–88.

Primary Sources II

77

101.

Messiaen, Olivier. [Reminiscence of Suzanne Balguerie.] In Hommage à Suzanne Balguerie, 6. N.p.: Imprimerie d’Allier [1968?].

102.

Messiaen, Olivier and J. Roy. “Olivier Messiaen.” In Dictionnaire de la musique: Les Hommes et leurs œuvres, ed. Marc Honegger, 2:713. 2 vols. Paris: Bordas, 1970. ISBN: 204019973X. ML 100.D65. In this dictionary article, Messiaen authors the biographical part and provides a selected list of works. J. Roy writes about Messiaen’s musical style, noting how it defined itself through the successive acquisition and use of different musical elements and techniques.

103.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Hommage à Marcel Dupré.” Le Courrier Musical de France 35 (1971): 113. ISSN: 0011–0620. A tribute by Messiaen to Marcel Dupré on the occasion of Dupré’s death in 1971. Messiaen begins by recalling a ceremony at Saint-Sulpice on 7 May 1971 honoring Dupré when he was still alive. He then reflects upon Dupré’s musical career as a performer, composer, and teacher, hailing him as the “Liszt of the organ.”

104.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Discours pronouncés dans la séance publique tenue par l’Académie des Beaux-Arts le mercredi 23 mai 1973 pour la réception de M. Marc Saltet, élu membre de la section d’architecture en remplacement de M. Charles Lemaresquier.” (Paris: Institut de France, 1973): 3–10. In a ceremonial speech as president of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, Messiaen welcomes the recently elected Marc Saltet to the organization’s seat in architecture made vacant by the death of its previous occupant, Charles Lemaresquier. Messiaen reviews Saltet’s curriculum vitae, lauds his accomplishments as an architect, and mentions the time when Saltet invited him to come to Versailles and the Trianon in order to hear their birds. He accepted and was delighted by what he had experienced during his visit.

105.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Discours de M. Olivier Messiaen, Président, Institut de France, Académie des Beaux-Arts,” séance publique annuelle du 14 novembre 1973 (Paris: Institut de France, 1973).

106.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Les Grandes Orgues de l’église de la Sainte-Trinité à Paris.” Paris: La Trinité, October 1980. A booklet by Messiaen tracing the history of the organ Cavaillé-Coll built for La Trinité in 1868. Messiaen describes the various restorations performed on the instrument through the years. While he insists that the timbres of the original stops of the Cavaillé-Coll organ were respected for restorations performed during his tenure as titular organist, he mentions how the organ was enriched through the addition of more mixture and reed stops, as well as how the organ, through its electrification, new combination generals, and three keyboards, was now capable of more frequent and varied changes of color. Yet, the most beautiful sounding stops remain those by Cavaillé-Coll. Messiaen compares the organ at La Trinité with other instruments in France and the United States, provides more

78

Primary Sources II

observations about the organ’s tonal characteristics, and supplies the instrument’s specifications. 107.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Évocation de Cécile Sauvage.” Annales de Haute-Provence 50/291, 1er semestre (1981): 114–18. ISSN: 0240–4672. A speech given by Messiaen on 23 July 1980 at a ceremony honoring his mother Cécile Sauvage in the city of Digne in Haute-Provence. On that occasion, the “Amis du Pays dignois” placed a plaque on the house at 17, avenue de Verdun, in which Sauvage had once lived from 1888–1907. The speech is a moving tribute by Messiaen to his mother. He both describes and praises her poetry. He closes the speech by reciting lines from L’Âme en bourgeon, a book of poems written while she was pregnant with him. For Messiaen, these poems had a profound influence on his life as a musician. The speech was subsequently published by the Annales de Haute-Provence.

108.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Discours prononcés dans la séance publique tenue par l’Académie des Beaux-Arts présidée par M. Albert Decaris, Président de l’Académie, le mercredi 2 mai 1984 pour la réception de M. Iannis Xenakis (Paris: Académie des Beaux-Arts, 1984), 9–11. Reprinted in Mâche, FrançoisBernard, ed., 83–86. Portrait(s) de Iannis Xenakis. Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, 2001. In May 1984, Messiaen served as the principal speaker for Xenakis’s induction ceremony into the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France. Messiaen recalls his first meeting with Xenakis at the Paris Conservatoire, in which he encouraged the Greek composer not to worry about studying harmony and counterpoint but to base his composing on his knowledge of mathematics and architecture. Messiaen closes his speech with a dithyramb, based on Stéphane Mallarmé’s “Le Tombeau d’Edgar Poe,” in honor of Xenakis.

109.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Obstacles.” In 20e siècle: Images de la musique française, ed. Jean-Pierre Derrien, 168–72. Paris: SACEM et Papiers, 1986. 172 p. ML 270.5.A14 1986. In this essay, Messiaen recounts four conflicts with his listening public that have intensified over the years. They are related to his conceptions of rhythm, color, birdsong, and faith. Messiaen’s goal in this essay is to explain what these subjects mean to him. First, Messiaen states that most people mistakenly equate rhythm with the steady beat of a military march. On the contrary, rhythm for Messiaen is irregular, as evidenced by the waves of the sea or sound of the wind in nature. Messiaen recounts his study of rhythm after he left the Paris Conservatoire and explains some of his rhythmic techniques (e.g., nonretrogradable rhythms, rhythmic characters, and symmetrical permutations). Messiaen then discusses the role of sound-color relationships in his music within the context of listeners who hear sounds but see nothing. He elaborates on various associations between his harmonic language and the colors he experiences in his peculiar brand of synesthesia.

Primary Sources II

79

In like manner, Messiaen comments upon his use of birdsong in his music within the framework of listeners who are ignorant of them. Finally, Messiaen believes that his most vexing conflict with his listening public is in the area of religion. He is a devout Roman Catholic who has dedicated the majority of his works to expounding the mysteries of his faith. His listeners do not understand him because they are either atheists or indifferent to religion. Messiaen notes the scriptural writings and Christian authors that have influenced him the most. He then goes on to cite different works that best represent his religious views. The ideas included in this article, along with the explanations of Messiaen’s compositional techniques, can also be found in Musique et couleur: Nouveaux entretiens avec Claude Samuel (see item 212) and Conférence de Kyoto (see item 132), which are both contemporaneous with this essay. 110.

Messiaen, Olivier. “L’intuition du premier jour.” In Éclats/Boulez, ed. Claude Samuel with the collaboration of Jacqueline Muller, 6–7. Paris: Éditions du Centre Pompidou, 1986. 143 p. ISBN: 2858503427. ML 410.B773 S193 (IUCAT). In this collection celebrating Pierre Boulez’s sixtieth birthday and the tenth anniversary of IRCAM (L’Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique), Messiaen recounts his first meeting with Boulez after a performance of his Quatuor pour la fin du Temps in the salons of Guy Bernard-Delapierre (ca. 1942), his interactions with Boulez as a student in his harmony class, and a conversation he had with Boulez while on a metro in Paris in which he predicted that Boulez would be a leading figure in the music of the future. Included on these two pages is an essay by Michel Fano (item 789) describing his time as a student in Messiaen’s analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire, in which Boulez came to analyze his Deuxième Sonate for piano (1948).

111.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Analyse manuscrite de la Messe Solennelle.” In Marie-Louise Jaquet-Langlais, Jean Langlais (1907–1991): Ombre et Lumière, 163. Paris: Éditions Combre, 1995. Contains an analysis of Langlais’s Messe Solennelle (1949) by Messiaen in his autograph manuscript, in which he examines each movement (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei). He remarks that the work is not extraordinarily difficult to perform, since all the vocal parts are doubled by the organ and the entrances of the choir are carefully prepared.

112.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Message from Olivier Messiaen.” Contemporary Music Review 17, part 4 (1998): 15. ISSN: 0749–4467. A message from Messiaen to the Japanese composer Yoritsune Matsudaira (1907–2001) on the occasion of the latter’s birthday. Published in an anonymous English translation, Messiaen expresses his appreciation for Matsudaira’s works and transcriptions of Japanese music. He also conveys his gratitude to Matsudaira for championing his works in Japan and for his hospitality while visiting that country on different occasions.

80

113.

Primary Sources II

Messiaen, Olivier. [“Tribute to Daniel-Lesur.”] In Nigel Simeone, “Daniel-Lesur,” The Musical Times 143/1881 (Winter 2002): 6–8. ISSN: 0027–4666. In an essay on Daniel-Lesur on the occasion of his death on 2 July 2002, Simeone includes a speech given by Messiaen on 14 March 1990 in which he honored Daniel-Lesur at the Institut de France in Paris by presenting him with the award of “Grand Officier of the Légion d’Honneur.” Simeone translated the speech from a typescript in Messiaen’s private archives, reproducing it in the article by special permission of Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen. The speech is a warm and affectionate tribute to a longtime colleague and friend. Messiaen traces his association with Daniel-Lesur, noting his friend’s many accomplishments.

PEDAGOGICAL WORKS 114.

Messiaen, Olivier and others. Vingt Leçons de Solfège Modernes dans les Sept clés. Paris: Henry Lemoine, 1934. 54 p. Written in 1933, published with a copyright date of 1934. Five of the twenty pieces in this volume, geared to improving one’s reading of clefs, are by Messiaen (see nos. 3, 8, 11, 14, and 18), with the remaining fifteen by Claude Arrieu (nos. 4, 10, and 16), Georges Dandelot (nos. 2, 5, 7, 12, 15, and 20), Georges Hugon (nos. 1, 6, 9, 13, and 17), and Marc Starominsky (no. 19).

115.

Messiaen, Olivier. Vingt Leçons d’Harmonie. In French, English translation by Felix Aprahamian and German translation by Sieglinde Ahrens. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1951. 53 p. MT 50.M58 (IUCAT). The Vingt Leçons d’Harmonie was originally published in 1939. This edition of 1951 includes English and German translations by Felix Aprahamian and Sieglinde Ahrens, respectively, of Messiaen’s preface and comments on the realization of each exercise. These four-part exercises (open score, using soprano, alto, tenor, and bass clefs) by Messiaen are conceived in the style of selected composers from Monteverdi to Ravel in order to outline harmonic principles of the seventeenth through twentieth centuries. Figured bass has been supplied in each exercise in order to indicate the analysis for the student. Additional remarks are given to assist the student in analyzing passages that are more difficult. The Vingt Leçons is indicative of Messiaen’s work as a Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire from 1941 through 1947. There he emphasized the evolution of harmonic style from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries through the study of various masterworks. He often composed harmony exercises for his students to realize in the style of a given composer under discussion.

116.

Messiaen, Olivier. Les 22 concertos pour piano de Mozart. With a preface by JeanVictor Hocquard. Paris: Éditions Garamont Librairie Séguier, 1987. 99 p. ISBN: 2906284467. MT 130.M8 M3 1987.

Primary Sources II

81

Program notes by Messiaen for Loriod-Messiaen’s performances of Mozart’s twenty-one piano concertos and the Concerto-Rondo (K. 382) with the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureaux in Paris, between 7 November and 19 December 1964. Conductors included Pierre Boulez, Bruno Maderna, and Louis Martin. A preface by Jean-Victor Hocquard (“Le concerto pour piano dans l’œuvre mozartienne”) serves as a general introduction. 117.

Messiaen, Olivier. Technique de mon langage musical. Texte avec exemples musicaux. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1999. 112 p. ISBN: 2856890547. The Technique de mon langage musical was originally published in 1944 in two volumes, the first containing the text and the second musical examples (Olivier Messiaen, Technique de mon langage musical, 2 vols. [Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1944]). This new edition was published in 1999 and features both text and musical examples in a single volume, which makes studying the Technique easier when compared to the 1944 edition. Translated editions of the Technique include one in English by John Satterfield, and in English and German by Satterfield and Sieglinde Ahrens, respectively (idem, The Technique of My Musical Language, trans. John Satterfield, 2 vols. [Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1956–66]; idem, Technique de mon langage musical, English translation by John Satterfield and German translation by Sieglinde Ahrens, 2 vols. [Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1956–66]). A single-volume English edition (Satterfield) of the Technique was published in 2001, and one in German (Ahrens) in 2005. The Technique is not a theoretical treatise per se, but an inventory of Messiaen’s compositional devices and techniques. Messiaen wrote the Technique in response to questions proposed by his students. After an introduction and an initial chapter mentioning the “charm of impossibilities,” the Technique focuses on the elements that compose Messiaen’s approaches to rhythm, melody, form, and harmony. Hindu rhythms, added values, augmentation and diminution, retrogradable and nonretrogradable rhythms, polyrhythms, rhythmic pedals, and rhythmic notation are covered in chapters 2 through 7. Melody, including plainchant, Hindu ragas, birdsong, and techniques of melodic development, particularly interversion, is discussed in chapters 8 through 10. Various formal types are then addressed in chapters 11 through 12. Finally, added notes, invented chords, resonance effects, assorted chord connections, expansions of groups of notes, and the modes of limited transposition are dealt with in chapters 13 through 19. A catalogue of Messiaen’s music (up to 1942) concludes the treatise, with one to two stars awarded by the composer in order to indicate how characteristic a work is. In earlier editions of the Technique, both versions of the Ascension suite were not awarded any stars, suggesting that Messiaen regarded the work as uncharacteristic. In the present edition, both versions have inexplicably acquired two, suggesting that they are now quite characteristic. Reviews: Christopher Dingle, “Messiaen and Ravel,” Tempo 59/231 (January 2005): 61–62; Istvan Anhalt, The Canadian Music Journal 2 (Autumn 1957): 67, 69, 71; Elliott W. Galkin, MLA Notes 14/4 (September 1957): 575–76; and Frederick

82

Primary Sources II

Jacobi, “Messiaen’s Language: Birds and Butterflies,” Modern Music 23/3 (Summer 1946): 231–32. 118.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Olivier Messiaen analyze ses œuvres.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 31–67. A compilation of Messiaen’s commentaries on his organ works, from Le Banquet céleste to Livre du Saint Sacrement, drawn from his published liner notes and scores. Also includes biblical citations associated with the organ works, various short paragraphs by Messiaen on matters of faith reproduced in his handwriting, and pictures supporting his views on faith.

119.

Messiaen, Olivier. Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie (1949–1992). 7 vols. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1994–2002. ISBN: 2856890474, 2856890482, 2856890490. MT6.M59 T7 (IUCAT). The Traité de rythme was begun around 1948 and remained unpublished at the time of Messiaen’s death in 1992. It is cumulative in nature, containing the most comprehensive account of Messiaen’s compositional theories and practices, hence superseding the earlier Technique. Loriod-Messiaen followed Messiaen’s directions scrupulously as she prepared the Traité de rythme for publication. Alphonse Leduc published it in seven volumes, with the last one appearing in 2002. The Traité de rythme reflects thirty years of Messiaen’s work as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. It centers on his ideas about rhythm. While there are detailed discussions of plainchant, birdsong, sound-color relationships, and various pieces by Messiaen and other composers in the treatise, rhythm underpins each discussion. Indeed, this emphasis on rhythm is demonstrated in the first three volumes. The first volume contains chapters on time, rhythm, Greek metric patterns, and Hindu rhythms. It includes analyses of the thirtynine choruses from Claude Le Jeune’s Le Printemps and excerpts from several works by Messiaen. The second volume features discussions of nonretrogradable rhythms, augmentation and diminution, rhythmic pedals and canons, and rhythmic characters. It contains analyses of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, and Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie, Messe de la Pentecôte, Livre d’orgue, and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. The third volume covers symmetrical permutations and the technique of “hors tempo” where some birds, in the context of simultaneous birdsongs, sing outside of the established tempo. It includes analyses of Chronochromie, Quatre Études de rythme, Livre d’orgue, Visions de l’Amen, and Harawi. The fourth volume deals with plainchant and melodic accentuation in Mozart and features analyses of Messiaen’s Messe de la Pentecôte and Mozart’s twentyone piano concertos. The fifth volume, issued in two parts and edited by LoriodMessiaen, centers on birdsong and its use in Messiaen’s music. Messiaen provides the origin and basic characteristics of each bird and analyzes their songs in terms of neumes and Greek metric patterns. Sept Haïkaï is analyzed in the sixth

Primary Sources II

83

chapter. The sixth volume is devoted to Debussy and an examination of some of his works. Loriod-Messiaen reconstructed some of the Debussy analyses from Messiaen’s annotated scores. The seventh volume focuses on sound-color relationships with discussions of the modes of limited transposition and color chords (e.g., chords of transposed inversions on the same base note). It includes tables that list the modes and color chords along with their transpositional levels and color associations. Reviews: Christopher Dingle, vol. 1, Tempo 192 (April 1995): 29–30, 32; vols. 2 and 3, Tempo 202 (October 1997): 25–26; vol. 4, Tempo 205 (July 1998): 26–27; vols. 5–7, Tempo 58/227 (January 2004): 41–46; and Jean Boivin, “Le Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie d’Olivier Messiaen (tomes I, II, III et IV) [Review of vols. 1–4],” Circuit 9/1 (1998): 17–26. 120.

Baggech, Melody. “An English Translation of Olivier Messiaen’s Traité de Rythme, de Couleur, et d’Ornithologie, Volume 1.” DMA document, University of Oklahoma, 1998. xv, 411 p. An English translation of volume one of the Traité de rythme (item 119).

121.

Olivier Messiaen: Texte, Analysen, Zeugnisse. Herausgegeben von Wolfgang Rathert, Herbert Schneider und Karl-Anton Rickenbacher. Band 1: Texte aus dem Traité de rythme, de couleur et d’ornithologie. Übersetzung aus dem Französischen von Anne Liebe und Oliver Vogel in Zusammenarbeit mit Herbert Schneider. Band 2: Das Werk im historischen und analytischen Kontext/Beiträge von Olivier Messiaen .  .  . [et al]. Musikwissenschaftliche Publikationen; Bd. 30.1–2. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag, 2012–13. Volume 1, xix, 546 p.; volume 2, x, 390 p. ISBN: 9783487135427 (two-volume set). ML410.M595 O458 2012. This two-volume set recognizes the international impact of Messiaen as a composer, organist, theorist, and music writer. It maintains that he has enhanced the understanding of music from spiritual and sensory perspectives. Volume 1 is devoted to a German translation of the entire Traité de rythme (item 119). Volume 2 considers Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics and music from various historical and analytical vantage points. It includes German translations not only of Messiaen’s acceptance speech in Amsterdam upon the conferral of the 1971 Erasmus Prize but also an uncited 2007 essay by Pierre Boulez and a study of Messiaen’s piano music by Loriod-Messiaen, originally published in Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (see items 327 and 509, respectively). The volume also contains essays by Anne Liebe, Karl-Anton Rickenbacher, Almut Rößler, Konstantin Esterl, Wolfgang Rathert, Oliver Vogel, Klaus Schweizer, Stefan Keym, Tobias Janz, Werner Strinz, and Herbert Schneider (on Alain Messiaen). For some notable analytical essays in this collection, see Keym (item 427), Janz (item 560), and Strinz (item 445). Reviews: Michael F. Runowski, Der Kirchenmusiker 64/2 (2013): 47.

84

122.

Primary Sources II

Messiaen, Olivier and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen. Ravel: Analyses des Œuvres pour Piano de Maurice Ravel. Paris: Durand, 2003. 104 p. ISBN: 0634080369. MT 145. R19 M47 2003. This volume features Messiaen’s analyses of Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye, Gaspard de la Nuit, and Le Tombeau de Couperin. Loriod-Messiaen reconstructed these analyses from both Messiaen’s annotated scores and her memories of his analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire. They cover aspects of Ravel’s musical style—form, melody, harmony, and rhythm. In keeping with his pedagogical approach, Messiaen points out similarities between Ravel’s music and that of other composers or musical cultures. This book is highly recommended, for little is said about Ravel in the Traité de rythme. Reviews: Christopher Dingle, “Messiaen and Ravel,” Tempo 59/231 (January 2005): 61–62.

123.

Messiaen, Olivier and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen. Ravel: Analyses of the Piano Works of Maurice Ravel. Translated by Paul Griffiths. Paris: Éditions Durand, 2005. 106 p. MT145.R19 M4713 (IUCAT). An English translation of Messiaen’s analyses of Ravel’s piano works (item 122).

LECTURES AND LIBRETTOS Lectures 124.

Messiaen, Olivier. Conférence de Bruxelles. With French, German, and English Texts. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1960. 14 p. ML 60.M587 C7. A lecture given by Messiaen at the Philips Pavilion in Brussels on 15 September 1958. Published in French with anonymous German and English translations. The lecture deals with Messiaen’s philosophy of time, rhythmic techniques, and the inspiration he derived from nature, especially that from birdsong.

125.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Vortrag in Brüssel.” Translated by Heinz-Klaus Metzger. In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 3–6. Heinz-Klaus Metzger’s 1982 revision of the anonymous German translation of Messiaen’s Brussels lecture published by Alphonse Leduc (item 124). The revision is based on the original French text.

126.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Musikalisches Glaubensbekenntnis.” In Melos (item 328), 381–85. For its special issue honoring Messiaen on his fiftieth birthday in 1958, Melos published, with the consent of Alphonse Leduc, an anonymous German translation of the composer’s Brussels lecture. Leduc used the same translation in their trilingual edition of the lecture two years later (item 124).

Primary Sources II

127.

85

Messiaen, Olivier. Conférence de Notre-Dame: Prononcée à Notre-Dame de Paris le 4 décembre 1977. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1978. 16 p. ML64 M585 C7 1977 (Yale University). In this lecture given on 4 December 1977, Messiaen reflects on how music may be adapted to the sacred through liturgical music, religious music, and colored music. His discussion of colored music is valuable because it supplies many of the central ideas behind his approach to sound-color relationships in his works.

128.

Messiaen, Olivier. Lecture at Notre-Dame/Konferenz von Notre-Dame. Translated into English by Timothy J. Tikker; translated into German by Almut Rößler. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1978 and 2001. 31 p. ML 60.M565 (IUCAT). English and German translations of the Conférence de Notre-Dame (item 127).

129.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Conférence de Notre-Dame.” Translated by Timothy J. Tikker. In Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen: With Original Texts by the Composer (item 218), 57–66. English translation of Messiaen’s Notre-Dame lecture (item 127).

130.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Conférence de Notre-Dame.” Translated by Timothy J. Tikker. The Diapason 76/1 (January 1985): 10–11. ISSN: 0012–2378. This English translation of Messiaen’s Notre-Dame lecture is identical with that found in item 129. These translations differ in minor respects, however, with the translation of item 128.

131.

Messiaen, Olivier. “La musique sacrée.” Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1977. 11 p. The entire Notre-Dame lecture is reprinted here under the title “La musique sacrée” for a series entitled “Recherches et experiences spirituelles.” Includes an introduction, along with an appreciation of Messiaen by an “arch-priest” (l’archiprêtre).

132.

Messiaen, Olivier. Conférence de Kyoto. Translated into Japanese by Naoko Tamamura. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1988. 36 p. ML 410.M52 A2 (IUCAT). A lecture given by Messiaen on 12 November 1985 in Kyoto in which he summarizes his musical language in light of four issues that have continually troubled him in his dealings with the public: (1) misperceptions about the nature of rhythm; (2) the linking of sound with color; (3) ignorance of birdsong among city dwellers; and (4) speaking about the Christian faith to non-believers. Thus, the lecture focuses on rhythm (Greek and Hindu rhythmic patterns, nonretrogradable rhythms, rhythmic characters, symmetrical permutations, open and closed fan techniques, and rhythmic serialization), sound-color relationships involving both the modes of limited transposition and invented sonorities, birdsong, and religious music, closing with remarks on Saint François d’Assise. In French and Japanese.

86

133.

Primary Sources II

Messiaen, Olivier. Lecture at Kyoto/Konferenz von Kyoto. Translated into English by Timothy J. Tikker; translated into German by Almut Rößler. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1988 and 2011. 42 p. English and German translations of the Conférence de Kyoto (item 132).

Librettos 134.

Messiaen, Olivier. Saint François d’Assise (Scènes Franciscaines): Opéra en 3 actes et 8 tableaux: Poème et musique d’Olivier Messiaen. Libretto. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1983. 54 p. ML 50.M57 S2. Libretto for Messiaen’s opera Saint François d’Assise. In addition to the opera’s text, this booklet includes a preface by Messiaen noting sources for the libretto, such as the Fioretti, Considerations on the Stigmata, and Canticle of the Creatures; information on the performers for the world premiere on 28 November 1983 in Paris; and directions for the wearing of costumes.

4 Primary Sources III Prefaces to Works, Interviews, Published Correspondence; and Documentaries and Filmed Performances

Chapter 4 concludes this research guide’s examination of primary sources related to Messiaen. It features prefaces to works, interviews (including selected ones with Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen), published correspondence, and documentaries and filmed performances. Included in this chapter are prefaces written by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen and Olivier Latry for works published after Messiaen’s death. PREFACES TO WORKS, ARTICLES/SPECIAL ISSUES, AND BOOKS Works by Messiaen and Others Opera 135.

Messiaen, Olivier. Saint François d’Assise (Scènes franciscaines): Opéra en 3 actes et 8 tableaux. 8 vols. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1983, 1988–92. M 1500.M58 S2 Acts 1–3, Scenes 1–8 (IUCAT). Each of the opera’s tableaux includes a synopsis of its drama and a description (Analyse) of its musical-dramatic content. Messiaen discusses each tableau chronologically and points out important dramatic moments and the musical techniques he uses to reinforce them. Like many of the analytical commentaries that follow, while these descriptions provide valuable glimpses into Messiaen’s compositional intentions, they are of limited use analytically because they indicate what but not why something is happening. Finally, contains descriptions of the costumes that each character wears during the tableau.

87

88

Primary Sources III

Orchestral Works 136.

Messiaen, Olivier. Les Offrandes oubliées: Méditation symphonique pour Orchestre. Paris: Durand, 1931. M 1002.M5803 P. A religious introduction comprised of three stanzas, in which Messiaen describes the suffering of Jesus on the Cross, the sinfulness of humankind, and the spotless communion table upon which the Bread of Life and of Love is offered.

137.

Messiaen, Olivier. Le Tombeau resplendissant. With a preface by Yvonne LoriodMessiaen. Translated from the French by Joane Bennett. Paris: Durand, 1997. A preface by Loriod-Messiaen that provides a backdrop to the piece—when it was composed and the circumstances surrounding its creation, namely how the death of Messiaen’s mother Cécile Sauvage in 1927 was still felt in the piece, and how his subsequent stay with his paternal aunts restored his mental and physical health—as well as a summary of the piece’s form and musical elements. Includes a “text highlighted by Messiaen” (“Ma jeunesse est morte . . .”).

138.

Messiaen, Olivier. Réveil des oiseaux. Version révisée en 1988 par le compositeur. Paris: Durand, 1955/1999. Call number: 5628398 (IUCAT). In this preface, Messiaen states that there are only authentic birdsongs in Réveil des oiseaux. He advises performers to reproduce, as closely as possible, the mode of attack and timbre of the birds. Each bird is identified by name at its first appearance in the score below the instrument that represents it. Onomatopoeic suggestions, placed above the notes, are included to help performers find the desired timbres and attacks. The conductor should explain all of this to his or her musicians, as well as respect the music’s metronome markings, performance suggestions placed at the bottoms of pages, and grand silences. Since the pianist must imitate the mode of singing of a large number of birds, he or she is advised to take early morning walks in the woods during the spring in order to become acquainted with the original models. Messiaen concludes his preface by describing the programmatic intent of the music, which focuses on a spring day that begins at midnight and ends at midday. He provides information as to which bird (and its associated instrumental timbre) is singing at midnight, at four o’clock in the morning, at sunrise, and so on.

139.

Messiaen, Olivier. Oiseaux exotiques. Vienna: Universal, 1959/1995. M1010. M608 O4 1995. [Notes: Les corrections d’auteur 1985] Contains two prefaces written by Messiaen. Published in French with anonymous German and English translations. In the first preface, Messiaen supplies information about the commissioning (Pierre Boulez for the Domaine Musical concerts at the Petit Théâtre Marigny, Paris), dates of composition (1955–56), first performance (10 March 1956, Petit Théâtre Marigny), and dedicatee (Yvonne Loriod) of Oiseaux exotiques. After suggesting how the instruments should be placed in a concert hall, Messiaen notes how tempi with metronome markings, the character of each birdsong, and fingerings and pedalings in the piano part are

Primary Sources III

89

all meticulously indicated in the score, suggesting that performers should follow them. He also draws attention to how the conductor is provided with numerous footnotes to help him or her emphasize specific musical features and ensure acoustical balance. In the second preface, Messiaen lists the birdsongs, Hindu rhythms, and Greek metric patterns used in the piece. He also includes details regarding the colors, calls, and native habitats of some of the birds. Messiaen urges conductors and pianists to read the second preface carefully, for he believes that it can serve as an aid to a superior performance. 140.

Messiaen, Olivier. Chronochromie. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1963. M 1045.M58 C5. Contains two prefaces by Messiaen. In the first preface, Messiaen notes when Chronochromie was written (1959–60) and how it was the result of a commission from Heinrich Strobel and the Südwestfunk Orchestra. The temporal structure of the piece consists of thirty-two durations treated in symmetrical permutations. The melodic structure of the piece is based on birdsongs from France, Sweden, Japan, and Mexico. Messiaen emphasizes that the complex sounds and timbres of the piece color the music’s durations. He describes the piece’s form, which is an expansion of the strophe-antistrophe-epôde of the Greek triad. In the shorter second preface, Messiaen alerts conductors to the fact that all instruments are written as they will actually sound.

141.

Messiaen, Olivier. Sept Haïkaï: Esquisses japonaises. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1966. M 1010.M608 H3. A descriptive commentary of each of the seven pieces contained in the work. Mentions the different compositional techniques that occur during the course of a piece, such as the Indian rhythms dedicated to the three Shakti in the first and seventh movements. Describes the landscapes associated with specific pieces, such as “Le parc de Nara et les lanternes de pierre,” “Yamanaka-cadenza,” and “Miyajima et le torii dans le mer.” Notes the importance of sound-color relationships in “Miyajima.” Lists the Japanese birds used in the work, describing the plumage, associated orchestral colors, and songs of most of them. Dedicated to Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, Fumi Yamaguchi, Seiji Ozawa, Yoritsuné Matsudaïra, Sadao Bekku and Mitsuaki Hayama, the ornithologist Hoshino, and the landscapes, music, and birds of Japan.

142.

Messiaen, Olivier. Couleurs de la Cité céleste. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1966. M 985.M58 C8 (IUCAT). Two prefaces by Messiaen. In the first one, he describes the important role color plays in the piece. It determines the form of the entire work to such an extent that all musical elements such as plainchant, Hindu rhythms and Greek metric patterns, the permutation of duration, and birdsongs are employed solely to enhance its expression. Messiaen also mentions how sound-color relationships symbolize God and the heavenly Jerusalem. The second preface contains more details about Couleurs de la Cité céleste. Messiaen not only lists the five quotations from the Book of Revelation that inspired the work (4:3, 8:6, 9:1, 21:11, and

90

Primary Sources III

21:19, 20) but also refers to rhythmic techniques, plainchant, and birdsongs used in the music. 143.

Messiaen, Olivier. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1966. M 1245.M58 E9 (IUCAT). Messiaen recounts the commissioning of the work by André Malraux, its composition and orchestration in 1964, and how it was scored for the vast spaces found in churches, cathedrals, the open air, or mountaintops. He mentions several powerful images that were in his mind as he was composing the piece: Mexican pyramids; ancient Egyptian temples and statuary; Romanesque and Gothic churches; texts on the resurrection by Saint Thomas Aquinas; and the French Alps. After discussing the piece’s instrumentation, Messiaen provides an analysis of the composition. He examines each of the work’s five movements, noting how different musical elements reinforce the meaning of each movement’s scriptural text. Messiaen closes his preface with information on the first three performances of the work and a note to the conductor.

144.

Messiaen, Olivier. Des canyons aux étoiles.... Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1978. M 1040.M575 C3. Given the length of the work, a long preface is provided that includes an introduction and analytical notes on each of the work’s twelve movements. Messiaen explains that the title deals with the soul’s ascent from the canyons to the stars and beyond to the resurrected souls of Heaven, in order to glorify God and all of creation. Hence, the work is primarily a religious one involving praise and contemplation, and secondarily a geological and astronomical one. The sound-colors of the piece contain all the colors of the rainbow, along with the blue of the Stellar’s Jay and the red of Bryce Canyon. The birdsongs are mainly from Utah and the Hawaiian Islands, and Zion Park and the star Aldebaran symbolize the sky. After mentioning the commissioning of the work by Ms. Alice Tully and the music’s instrumentation (which includes wind and sand machines), Messiaen analyzes each movement.

145.

Messiaen, Olivier. Un Vitrail et des oiseaux. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1992. M 947. M47 V5 1992. After noting when Un Vitrail et des oiseaux was composed (1986), who commissioned it (Pierre Boulez for the Orchestre de l’Ensemble Intercontemporain), and its instrumentation, Messiaen outlines the piece’s form and musical elements, particularly birdsongs.

146.

Messiaen, Olivier. La Ville d’En-Haut. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1994. M 947.M55 V5 (IUCAT). Short preface by Messiaen explaining the work’s textual inspiration and musical content. The music is motivated by Colossians 3:1 and Revelation 21:2. It centers on glimpses of life after death. Messiaen describes the musical content of the work, especially its bird calls. The brass chorale symbolizes the glory of the heavenly Jerusalem; the birdsongs of the xylos (xylophone, xylorimba, and marimba),

Primary Sources III

91

woodwinds, and piano the joy of the resurrected, assured of being near to Christ; and the ever-changing colors evoked by the music’s chords represent the light from above. 147.

Messiaen, Olivier. Un Sourire. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1994. M 1045.M58 S6 1994. Short preface by Messiaen describing the composition of the work in 1989 at the request of Marek Janowski to honor the bicentenary of Mozart’s death in 1991. Messiaen characterizes the work as containing a very simple melody played by the violins, alternating with an exotic birdsong played by the xylos (xylophone, xylorimba, bells, suspended cymbal), woodwinds, and brass. Messiaen notes that despite all of Mozart’s sorrows, sufferings, hunger, cold, incomprehension, and the nearness of death, he never stopped smiling. This was likewise evident in his music. That is why Messiaen has titled his homage “A Smile.”

148.

Messiaen, Olivier. Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1998. M 1045. M58 E3 1998. Preface by Loriod-Messiaen. She describes how the work resulted from a commission from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for its 150th anniversary. The piece was written and orchestrated between 1987 and 1991. Éclairs sur l’AuDelà... is a series of meditations on life after death and the celestial Jerusalem, borrowing its texts primarily from the Book of Revelation, and secondarily from the Gospels of Saints John, Matthew, and Luke, the First Epistle of Saint John, and the Book of Daniel. Loriod-Messiaen notes the use of the Australian Superb Lyrebird’s song in the piece and its religious significance for Messiaen. Moreover, in keeping with Messiaen’s practice of listing all birdsongs used in a composition and including the names of birds in different languages, Loriod-Messiaen provides a list of the birds used in each movement. She also supplies the work’s instrumentation. Most of Loriod-Messiaen’s preface is devoted to analytical commentaries of each movement.

149.

Messiaen, Olivier. Concert à quatre. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 2003. M 1040.M575 C6 2004. Preface by Loriod-Messiaen describing the genesis of the work. Inspired by Mozart, Scarlatti, and Rameau, and conceived as a homage to Mstislav Rostropovich, Heinz Holliger, and Catherine Cantin. Composed in 1990 but left unfinished after Messiaen’s death in 1992. Recounts how the work was completed. Includes analytical commentaries of each movement taken from Messiaen’s notes. Finally, contains a list of birdsongs used in the movement in French, Latin, and English.

Chamber and Instrumental Works 150.

Messiaen, Olivier. Quatuor pour la f in du Temps. Paris: Durand, 1942/2008. ISBN: 1423438841, 9781423438847. M422.M58 Q2 2008 (IUCAT). Preface to one of the greatest works of the twentieth century. Messiaen talks about the inspiration behind the music, Revelation 10:1–7, where the angel declares

92

Primary Sources III

that there will be no more time, and the circumstances surrounding its composition. He refers to aspects of the work’s musical language (e.g., modes of limited transposition and special rhythms) and explains the symbolism behind the use of eight movements in the Quatuor. Messiaen then comments on the musical and symbolic contents of each movement and outlines a theory of his rhythmic language. He closes the preface by giving advice to those who perform the work, encouraging them to adhere closely to what is notated in the score but not at the expense of a vibrant interpretation. For English translations of the preface, see Clyde Holloway, “The Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen and Their Importance in His Total Oeuvre,” 479–86 (item 277), and Rebecca Rischin, For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet, 129–34 (item 643). Organ Works 151.

Messiaen, Olivier. Offrande au Saint-Sacrement. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 2001. M 11.M. In his preface, organist Olivier Latry states that Loriod-Messiaen discovered the Offrande au Saint-Sacrement in 1997. Latry believes that the work dates from 1928 because its second theme bears some stylistic resemblances to themes found in Le Banquet céleste. In addition, Latry considers the piece’s registration as being influenced by Tournemire. Includes an anonymous English translation of the preface.

152.

Messiaen, Olivier. Prélude. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 2002. M 11.M58 P8 (IUCAT). Latry states that Loriod-Messiaen discovered the Prélude, like the Offrande au Saint-Sacrement, in 1997. He speculates that the work was written in late 1929, not only because of its stylistic similarities to the Diptyque but also because of the G4 required in the pedal part and A6 in the keyboard part, which were possible on an atypical organ possessed by the Paris Conservatoire during Messiaen’s student days. Includes an anonymous English translation of the preface.

153.

Messiaen, Olivier. La Nativité du Seigneur. 4 vols. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1936. M 11.M58 N2 (IUCAT). An important source for understanding Messiaen’s earlier music. Messiaen discusses how La Nativité du Seigneur is treated from the vantage points of theology, the organ as an instrument, and compositional style. From the theological point of view, there are five ideas addressed: Christ and His Incarnation, His life on earth, the spiritual birth of Christians, characters associated with Christmas, and the maternity of the Virgin Mary. From the instrumental point of view, the organ is used with few registrational changes and an economy of timbres (e.g., reeds with few foundations). The pedal participates in the musical texture as an upper voice and is no longer limited to the bass. From the compositional point of view, five techniques are listed that are quintessentially Messiaen: (1) the modes of limited transposition; (2) enlarged pedals, embellishments, and appoggiaturas;

Primary Sources III

93

(3) added value; (4) the progressive increase or decrease of intervals, and (5) the chord on the dominant. Modes 1–3 are discussed in detail, with characteristic harmonizations supplied for the second and third modes. Two fourth modes are mentioned, which are in actuality modes 6 and 4 of the later Technique. They are characterized as uninteresting because they can be transposed six times, an overly large number of transpositions compared to modes 1–3 and thereby not in keeping with Messiaen’s aesthetic of restriction. Enlarged pedals, embellishments, and appoggiaturas refer to dissonant notes of like function being grouped together, in order to make them more perceptible in a post-tonal harmonic environment, while added values refer to the transformation of a rhythmic pattern through the addition of a short value (either by a dot, note, or rest) to one of its notes. The progressive increase or decrease of intervals anticipates Messiaen’s technique of agrandissement asymétrique (asymmetrical enlargement), the pitch counterpart to personnages rythmiques (rhythmic characters). During several repetitions of a musical idea or passage, some notes are transposed up a half step, others are transposed down a half step, while others remain stationary. Finally, while the chord on the dominant is explained as containing all the notes of a major scale, it is in reality a V 13 chord. It is shown with its inversions transposed so that they share the same bass note, which points to Messiaen’s later chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note. For English translations of the preface, see Irene Feddern, Messiaen on Messiaen: The Composer Writes about His Works, 7–9 (item 154), and Clyde Holloway, “The Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen and Their Importance in His Total Oeuvre,” 474–78 (item 277). 154.

Feddern, Irene, trans. Messiaen on Messiaen: The Composer Writes about His Works. Bloomington, IN: Frangipani Press, 1986. 26 p. MT 145.M54 M54. English translations of Messiaen’s liner notes to his recordings of his organ works on the Ducretet-Thompson label (Le Banquet céleste [1928] through Livre d’orgue [1951–52]) and the preface to his organ work La Nativité du Seigneur. According to Feddern, translations are deliberately literal in order to retain the flavor of the original.

155.

Messiaen, Olivier. Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1973. M 11.M58 M3 (IUCAT). Messiaen opens his preface with an explanation of the langage communicable, a musical language developed for the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. It consists of three basic elements: (1) a Roman alphabet in which each letter is assigned a fixed pitch, duration, and register; (2) a Latin-based system of grammatical cases; and (3) a set of leitmotifs. These elements are used to “translate” phrases from the Summa theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas into music. The preface to the Méditations also includes Messiaen’s commentaries on each piece’s musical and symbolic contents.

94

156.

Primary Sources III

Messiaen, Olivier. Livre du Saint Sacrement. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1989. M11 .M. Messiaen describes the organization of the eighteen pieces that comprise this organ collection. The first four pieces center on the adoration of the invisible Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. The next seven pieces recall the mysteries of Christ as seen through events in the life of Jesus, set out in chronological order. The last seven pieces prayerfully reflect on the mysteries of the Holy Eucharist. In the preface, Messiaen not only provides the textual basis of each piece but also describes musical elements and techniques used throughout most of the collection.

Piano Works 157.

Messiaen, Olivier. Visions de l’Amen. Paris: Durand, 1950. M 214.M54 V5 1950. In this preface Messiaen, inspired by the Catholic writer Ernest Hello, explains that the work is based on the fourfold significance of the word “Amen,” which deals respectively with the creative act, submission to the divine will, a desire for union with God, and acknowledgment of eternal consummation. He depicts the various meanings of “Amen” through seven “musical visions.” What follows next in the preface is a description of the musical techniques used in each piece. Messiaen points out that he utilizes stylized birdsong in the fifth piece, “Amen des Anges, des Saints, du chant des oiseaux,” and suggests that the rainbow of colors described in the Apocalypse is imitated in the last, “Amen de la Consommation.” Messiaen closes the preface by explaining how his rhythmic techniques are indicated in the score.

158.

Messiaen, Olivier. Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Paris: Durand, 1947. M25. M58 V5 (IUCAT). In this preface, Messiaen writes about the symbolism, theological influences, and principal themes of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. The piece deals with a series of contemplations of the infant Jesus in the manger by different theological and immaterial entities, as well as human beings. It also includes movements inspired by theological concepts and events, poetry, and the visual arts. Messiaen cites the work of Dom Columba Marmion (Le Christ dans ses mystères) and Maurice Toesca (Les Douze Regards) as influencing Vingt Regards, since both authors have written of similar contemplations by the shepherds, the angels, the Virgin Mary, and God the Father. Messiaen expanded their ideas by adding more contemplations to Vingt Regards. At the end of the preface, he attaches the commentaries that he read before each of the movements played by Yvonne Loriod at the work’s premiere (Salle Gaveau, Paris, 26 March 1945).

159.

Messiaen, Olivier. Quatre Études de rythme: avec analyse du compositeur—with analysis by the composer. Paris: Durand, 2008. M25.M58 E8 2008 (IUCAT). As noted in this book’s appendix (A.60), Messiaen may not have originally grouped these four pieces together, as reflected by their separate publication. He composed Mode de valeurs et d’intensités first, Neumes rythmiques second, and Île de feu I and II, third and fourth, respectively. After they were issued individually,

Primary Sources III

95

Messiaen gave the four works their collective title Quatre Études de rythme, stipulating the order known today. In this edition, they are published as a set. This publication features analyses of the pieces by Messiaen, accompanied by English translations. They are similar—though at times not as expansive in scope—to those included in the third volume of the Traité de rythme (item 119, 123–70). The musical analyses precede the scores of their respective pieces. 160.

Messiaen, Olivier. Catalogue d’oiseaux. 7 vols. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1964. M 25.M58 C23 (IUCAT). In his introduction, Messiaen provides the dates of composition for the Catalogue d’oiseaux (October 1956 to 1 September 1958). To prepare for the composition of these pieces, Messiaen remarks how necessary it was for him to travel and stay repeatedly in different parts of the world, in order to notate the songs of each bird. He maintains that memories dating back several hours or years were reawakened due to the precision of his notation. The work is dedicated to his avian models and Yvonne Loriod. There are thirteen movements in the Catalogue d’oiseaux, divided among seven volumes. Each volume lists the avian species found in the work. Messiaen provides each movement with a descriptive program of the bird and its natural habitat, laid out as a preface to the score. The following annotations summarize these prefaces (note that for the extended descriptions dealing with numerous birdsongs found below, I provide English names for Messiaen’s birds). Premier livre: (1) Le Chocard des Alpes (Alpine Chough): Messiaen relates the strophe-antistrophe-epôde of the Greek triad to the mountains of the Dauphiné in the French Alps. Interspersed between these sections are the cries of the Alpine Chough and Raven, along with music devoted to the flight patterns of the Golden Eagle and Alpine Choughs, in couplets 1 and 2. (2) Le Loriot (Golden Oriole): set in the early morning of June in the gardens and forests of the Charente district in southern France. The Golden Oriole’s song is joined by the calls of the Wren, the Robin, Blackbird, Redstart, Song Thrush, two Garden Warblers, and Chiffchaff. (3) Le Merle bleu (Blue Rock Thrush): begins along the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in the Roussillon region of France, near the Spanish border, in June. Features vivid pictures of the marine environment. The Blue Rock Thrush sings in the heights, recalling Balinese music in its song. Its blue plumage contrasts with the blue of the sea. The Thekla Lark and the Herring Gull are also heard in the piece. Deuxième livre: (4) Le Traquet Stapazin (Black-Eared Wheateater): set in the Roussillon region of France in the moors and terraced vineyards at the end of June. Describes the Black-Eared Wheateater’s appearance and song. Amidst descriptions

96

Primary Sources III

of the scenery, other birdsongs are noted, namely that of the Ortolan Bunting, Spectacled Warbler, Herring Gull, Raven, and Goldfinch. Describes how time passes from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Refers to the sun as the red and gold disc rising from the sea and into the sky. More birdsongs are heard at 9:00 a.m., including the Orphean Warbler, Corn Bunting, Rock Bunting, Melodious Warbler, and Thekla Lark. Several Black-Eared Wheateaters then answer each other. Characterizes the sun as disappearing behind the mountains encircled in blood and gold. More birds sing: the Spectacled Warbler, Ortolan Bunting, Black-Eared Wheateater, and Herring Gull. At the end of the piece, the Spectacled Warbler’s song is recalled. Troisième livre: (5) La Chouette Hulotte (Tawny Owl): describes the appearance of the Tawny Owl, whose voice evokes terror. Messiaen claims to have heard it around 2:00 a.m. in the woods of Orgeval, of Saint-Germaine-en-Laye, and on the road from Petichet to Cholonge (Isère). Mentions the cries of the Little Owl and LongEared Owl, and the Tawny Owl again, which depict, when taken together, the sinister and frightening aspects of the night. (6) L’Alouette Lulu (Wood Lark): set in the Great Pine Forest in the region of Forez at midnight. Involves a contrast between the chromatic and flowing descending runs of the Wood Lark heard high above the forest, opposed by the pungent tremolos of the Nightingale hidden in a bush. Quatrième livre: (7) La Rousserolle Effarvatte (Reed Warbler): based on the passing hours of the day, from midnight to 3:00 a.m. of the following day. Conceived in a circular manner where the second half repeats the events from the first half but in reverse order. Set in the swamps of the Sologne district. Although the Reed Warbler is the predominant songster, the music involves the songs of nineteen different species of birds, along with the sounds of other creatures that inhabit the swamps (such as frogs). But of all the birdsongs, those of the Warbler family dominate the music. The songs build to a peak at noon, signaled by the insect chirping of the Grasshopper Warbler. At nine o’clock in the evening, the sun sets, bathed in warm colors, on the pond of irises, while the Bittern emits a resonant and terrifying trumpetlike sound. At three o’clock in the morning, the Reed Warbler sings a long solo. The piece concludes with a recollection of the pond music and the call of the Bittern. Cinquième livre: (8) L’Alouette Calandrelle (Short-Toed Lark): set in the arid and rocky Craw wilderness of the Provence region in July, from 2:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon. Song of the Short-Toed Lark punctuated by the dry and monotonous

Primary Sources III

97

percussion of the Cicadas. The Kestrel’s warning is heard, then the ShortToed Lark in two-part counterpoint with the Crested Lark. At 6:00 p.m., the Skylark delivers a song while soaring above. The Quail and its call answer it. The piece concludes with a reminiscence of the Short-Toed Lark’s song. (9) La Bouscarle (Cetti’s Warbler): takes place along the riverbank of the Charente region in late April. The piece includes numerous birdsongs, second only to La Rousserolle Effarvatte. The two principal birds are the Cetti’s Warbler and the Kingfisher. Reflections of the trees grace the river’s surface. At the end of the piece, the flight of the Kingfisher, in which the bird exposes its colorful plumage to the sun, is followed by silence and then one last call from the Cetti’s Warbler. Sixième livre: (10) Le Merle de roche (Rock Thrush): the setting is the cliffs and rocks of the Cirque de Mourèze in the Héralt region in May. Begins at night. The Eagle Owl sings, the female responding. At dawn, the Jackdaws sound their various cries followed by the Black Redstart. The Rock Thrush then sings its song from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon. The Black Redstart takes up its calls again followed by the Jackdaws, which signals the end of dusk. It is night once again, and the Eagle Owl sings, bringing about shadow and terror. Septième livre: (11) La Buse variable (Buzzard): as in the first piece, set in the mountainous region of the Dauphiné, along Lake Laffrey and described in terms of its form. Consists of an introduction, three couplets, and a coda. Within this formal scheme, the Buzzard sounds its call while flying. It eventually descends. Various birds, including the Buzzard, sound their cries. A violent struggle occurs between six Carrion Crows and the Buzzard for the same prey. The bystanding Red-Backed Shrike sounds its alarm, followed by the Whitethroat’s strophes and the Mistlethrush’s refrain. The Buzzard sounds its call again as it takes off, slowly soaring up. (12) Le Traquet rieur (Black Wheateater): like Le Traquet Stapazin, this setting is in the Mediterranean coast of the Roussillon region of France. Messiaen describes a beautiful sunny morning in May, with a rocky cliff, moors, and a blue sea silvered by the sun providing a backdrop for the birdsongs in this piece. The Black Wheateater’s songs are juxtaposed with those of the Blue Rock Thrush, Herring Gull, Swifts, Black-Eared Wheateater, and Spectacled Warbler, along with joyful impressions of the blue sea. (13) Le Courlis cendré (Curlew): set in the Île d’Ouessant in the Finistère region, off the coast of Brittainy. On Pern Point, the Curlew sounds its

98

Primary Sources III

solo, evoking the desolation of seascapes. On Feunteun-Velen Point, more songs follow all the avian calls of the seashore. Fog and night gradually cover the sea. The piece reaches a climax with the sound of the lighthouse foghorn. The music closes with the song of the Curlew. 161.

Messiaen, Olivier. Prélude (1964). Edited by Loriod-Messiaen. Paris: Durand, 2000. M25.M. Short preface presumably by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen accompanied by an anonymous English translation. Discusses the form of the work.

162.

Messiaen, Olivier. La Fauvette des jardins. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1972. M 25.M58 F4 (IUCAT). Like the Reed Warbler (La Rousserolle Effarvatte) from the Catalogue d’oiseaux, this piece is based on the passing hours of the day, beginning after dark between the end of June and the beginning of July, to 9:00 p.m. of the following night. It is set in the Dauphiné Mountains, along Lake Laffrey and the foot of the mountain of the Grand Serre in Petichet, Isère. Messiaen describes the environment of the eighteen French birds that sing in this piece in vivid, coloristic detail. The Garden Warbler’s song seems to make time stand still. As is customary with Messiaen, the birdsongs in this piece are all listed in several languages.

163.

Messiaen, Olivier. Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1988. M 25.M. Describes the six pieces found in this collection as both simultaneously similar and different. They are similar in harmonic style because of their changing sound-colors, brought about by the use of the chords of transposed inversions (which predominate), chords of contracted resonance, and chords of total chromaticism. Because each bird has its own proper aesthetic, the pieces differ in their melodic and rhythmic contents. Written in 1985 and dedicated to Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen.

Vocal Works 164.

Messiaen, Olivier. Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. Paris: Durand, 1952. M 2101 .5.M. In an undated preface, Messiaen recounts when Trois Petites Liturgies was composed, and the circumstances of its world premiere at the Concerts de la Pléiade in Paris at the Salle de l’Ancien Conservatoire on 21 April 1945. He goes on to describe other performances of the work through 1963, particularly one occurring on 20 September 1957 at the Scuola grande di San Rocco, Venice, where Stravinsky and the future Pope John XXIII, Cardinal Roncalli, were present. Messiaen devotes the rest of the preface to an analytical description of the threemovement work, noting its formal structures, themes, birdsongs, compositional devices, and textual sources. In an additional section titled “Musical Examples,” Messiaen provides detailed descriptions of the color associations of the modes

Primary Sources III

99

of limited transposition used in the work. This section seems to originate from an even later date than that suggested by his recounting of the work’s performances: not only does it include color associations that correspond closely with those Messiaen described in the 1960s and 1970s, but also a published signature that closed many of his later writings (see Wai-Ling Cheong, “Messiaen’s Triadic Colouration: Modes as Interversion” [item 403], 58). 165.

Messiaen, Olivier. Chant des Déportés. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1998. M 1530. M594 C4 1998 fol. According to the uncredited information in the score, Henry Barraud, Director of Music of Radio France, commissioned Messiaen in 1945 to compose a work honoring the liberation of prisoners from German concentration camps. After its premiere in November 1945, Chant des Déportés was placed in the Radio France library, where it remained for forty-six years—for his part, Messiaen thought the work to be lost. In an interview conducted in October 1991, Messiaen expressed regrets regarding the apparent loss of Chant des Déportés. The interviewer promised to look for the score, which he subsequently located in the Radio France library. He sent a photocopy of the score to Messiaen, who was delighted by the work’s rediscovery. Includes an English translation.

166.

Messiaen, Olivier. Cinq Rechants. Paris: Éditions Salabert, 1949. M 1586.M. Contains a performance note by Messiaen. He explains the significance of the music’s complex meters and diamond-shaped notes. He encourages singers to perform the durations exactly and to pronounce the pseudo-Hindu language as written. Finally, Messiaen states that since love governs the work, it is sufficient to guide the singers in interpreting the piece.

167.

Messiaen, Olivier. La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1972. M 2000.M58 T7 (fol.). Contains performance notes for the percussionists, a Latin pronunciation guide for the singers, a list of performances between 1969 and 1972, and diagrams of how concerts in Paris, London, and Strasbourg were set up. States when the composition was written and describes its textual sources, formal design, and instrumentation. Brief commentaries on each piece follow, in which religious texts and their theological significance are described, as well as the musical techniques used. The prefatory material concludes with the work’s Latin texts accompanied by their French translations.

Electronic Works 168.

Messiaen, Olivier. Fête des belles eaux. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 2003. M 685.M. Messiaen describes the circumstances surrounding the composition of the Fête des belles eaux for the Paris Exposition (“Exposition Internationale des Arts et des Techniques appliqués à la Vie Moderne”) in 1937. The city of Paris organized a festival of sound, water, and light along the banks of the Seine River, accompanied by works commissioned from eighteen composers. One of them

100

Primary Sources III

was Messiaen’s Fête des belles eaux. While his colleagues opted for more traditional performing forces, Messiaen chose a sextet of Ondes Martenot, which he believed was a fabulous choice, considering how the music was to be amplified by loudspeakers placed on all the buildings along the Seine. He remarks how the form and timings of the music were imposed upon him according to the changing displays of water and light. Quoting the Gospel of Saint John (4:14), he views the music accompanying the jets of water shooting up to a great height as a symbol of divine grace and eternity. Musical Works by Others/Method Books 169.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Mana: 6 pièces pour piano, by André Jolivet. Paris: Éditions Costallat, 1946. M 25.J75 M3 (IUCAT). Messiaen begins his introduction by discussing the stylistic use of rhythm, melody, harmony, pitch registers, texture, and silence in Mana. He then turns his attention to musical themes and how they shape each piece. Messiaen’s text is translated into English by Pierre Messiaen, the composer’s father, and Rollo Myers. The translation is marred by typographical errors.

170.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Pulsations: Rythmes à frapper, by Jean-Michel Bardez. 2 vols. Paris: Éditions Rideau Rouge, 1976. A short preface by Messiaen in his own script praising the pedagogy of Bardez’s book on rhythm. He believes that it will greatly benefit young students of solfège.

171.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Flûtes au present: Traité des techniques contemporaines sur les flûtes traversières à l’usage des compositeurs et des flûtistes, by Pierre-Yves Artaud and Gérard Geay. Paris: Éditions Jobert & Éditions musicales transatlantiques, 1980. 131 p. MT 340.A77 1980. In this preface, Messiaen describes the contents of a flute method book that deals with special effects and techniques used in contemporary music. He states that because one of the authors is the flutist Pierre-Yves Artaud, the book is geared toward professional performers. He believes that Flûtes au present will benefit both performers and composers alike, as well as contribute to the notation and technique of the flute.

172.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Dichrostachys: Pièces pour orgue, by Francine Guiberteau. Paris: Éditions M. Combre, 1983. In this preface reproduced in his own cursive script, Messiaen characterizes Guiberteau’s Dichrostachys as excellent music and well written for the organ. He appreciates her employment of liturgical themes, as well as how the music responds to the text from the Dialogue des Carmélites by Georges Bernanos that inspired it.

173.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Musique à chanter pour les classes de formation musicale, by Jean-Paul Holstein, Pierre-Yves Level, and Alain Louvier, 9 vols. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1983–86. Not examined (could not obtain).

Primary Sources III

174.

101

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Variations pour piano (ut dièse mineur): Deux mélodies, by Denis Joly. Saint-Étienne: Académie Musicologique du Forez, 1987. M 3.1.J64 M5 1987. In another preface published in his own cursive script, Messiaen writes that Denis Joly, deceased at the time this preface was written, was a fellow student in Jean Gallon’s harmony class at the Paris Conservatoire. They would often discuss music after class, as a result solidifying their friendship, which lasted over fifty years. Messiaen declares that Joly left posterity several precious works, three of which are included in this publication. The Variations pour piano are dedicated to Paul Dukas, who was both Messiaen and Joly’s composition teacher (Messiaen also mentions that he and Joly both studied organ with Marcel Dupré). Messiaen praises the Variations, opining that Dukas would have appreciated their beauty, pianistic writing, and means of expression. He also maintains that all those who perform the Variations or the two songs set to texts by Laurent Tailhade will only wish that Joly, a fine musician who was apparently preoccupied with his duties as Director of the Paris Conservatoire, had composed more. (Messiaen is incorrect by stating that one of the texts is by Arthur Rimbaud, for the publication labels both texts as being written by Tailhade.)

175.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Technique de l’onde éléctronique, type Martenot: Volume 1: Le Clavier, by Jeanne Loriod (3 vols.). Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1987. MT 724.L67 1987. In this preface dating from May 1982 that is accompanied by an anonymous English translation, Messiaen discusses the historical context, construction, timbral possibilities, and seven principal models of the Ondes Martenot. He praises Jeanne Loriod’s method book for its exhaustive coverage of the instrument’s playing techniques and timbres. He notes that the Ondes Martenot’s conceivable types of attacks far exceed those of conventional instruments. He also discusses the instrument’s different models, singling out how the fifth and seventh inspired various works by Honegger, Jolivet, Varèse, Landowski, Murail, and himself.

Articles/Special Issues 176.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Préface [to ‘Experiences musicales (musiques concrètes, électronique, exotiques)’].” La Revue musicale 244 (1959): 5–6. ISSN: 0768–1593. An overview by Messiaen of the state of musique concrète in 1959. For him, musique concrète had changed—signaled by its new name, recherches musicales. While its sonic materials remained the same, musique concrète was transformed by more methodical approaches to composition, the notation of scores, less reliance on chance, and the compositions of the inventor of musique concrète, Pierre Schaeffer. In addition to Schaeffer, Messiaen mentions Iannis Xenakis, Luc Ferrari, and François-Bernard Mâche as the music’s other notable proponents. He also notes how exciting it is to follow a musique concrète score while listening to it.

102

177.

Primary Sources III

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to “Étude comparée des langages harmoniques de Fauré et de Debussy,” by Françoise Gervais. La Revue musicale 272 (1971): 7–8. ISSN: 0768–1593. Messiaen praises Gervais’s study of the harmonic languages of Fauré and Debussy, regarding it as an important contribution to the science of musical analysis. He appreciates how Gervais sheds more light on the spirit and technique of these two composers by comparing their music with that of past (recent or distant) and present epochs. He believes that Gervais’s work possesses real didactic value and would greatly benefit not only students in conservatories, particularly analysts, harmonists, and composers, but musicologists as well.

178.

Messiaen, Olivier. [Preface to “L’Itinéraire.”] La Revue musicale 421–24 (1991): 7. ISSN: 0768–1593. In this extract from a 1974 interview conducted by Frantz Walter used as an introductory essay to this quadruple issue of La Revue musicale, Messiaen expresses his support for the “Itinéraire” movement as represented by the contemporary music group “L’Itinéraire” in France. For him, it represents the future for young composers. It transcends the cerebral qualities of past aesthetic movements, such as serialism, by emphasizing the sincere and beautiful in art.

Books 179.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Chansons folkloriques françaises au Canada: Leur langue musicale, Marguérite Béclard d’Harcourt and Raoul d’Harcourt, eds. Quebec: Presses Universitaires Laval, 1956. x, 449 p. M 1678.H3 C5. In his preface to this anthology of Canadian folksongs, Messiaen states that he will concentrate on the folksongs themselves and not on the outstanding work of the anthology’s editors, Marguérite Béclard d’Harcourt and Raoul d’Harcourt, who had previously collaborated on a collection of Peruvian folksongs from which Messiaen had borrowed a number of melodies for Harawi. Messiaen viewed Canadian folksongs as derived from French folksongs, with the former being more strongly modal in quality than the latter. He addresses these modal qualities, stating that many of the anthology’s folksongs belong to either the Dorian (“mode de ré”), Mixolydian (“mode de sol”), or Lydian (“mode de fa”) modes.

180.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to Du féérique au céleste, by Jules Chaix-Ruy. Grenoble: Roissard, 1971. In this preface, Messiaen applauds Chaix-Ruy’s ideas of linking the magical world of fairies with the Christian idea of heaven. He writes about his upbringing in Grenoble, where fairy tales and the elves, spirits, and sorcerers in Shakespeare captivated him. But more importantly, in his view, this magical world reflects the deeper truths of Christianity, in which fairy tales are real, where Angels and resurrected bodies are counterparts to their luminous characters. Yet, the greatest

Primary Sources III

103

wonder of all is the Incarnate Son of God, where eternity enters time, where the invisible becomes visible. Not surprisingly, Messiaen writes glowingly of Chaix-Ruy’s work in which the author takes the reader from illusion to truth. In his book, Chaix-Ruy considers Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, parallels between Rilke and Sorge, the poetry of William Blake, Saint Francis of Assisi, and even the music of Messiaen (pp. 199–203). Messiaen likens Chaix-Ruy’s chapter, “Tapisseries et Miroirs,” to 1 Corinthians 13:12 (“For now we see in a mirror . . .”), and notes that the book ends with an allusion to the pilgrims of Emmaus in Luke 24:13–35. 181.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to La Prophétie musicale dans l’histoire de l’humanité, by Albert Roustit. Roanne: Horvath, 1970. 259 p. ML 3849.R79. An unusual preface to say the least. Messiaen suggests that one might be astonished to find him, a Catholic, writing a preface for a book by Roustit, a Protestant. They often disagreed on musical and spiritual matters, but Messiaen was impressed by Roustit’s thesis and evidence that the history of music mirrors that of humankind and biblical prophecies. He encourages all interested persons to read the volume in order to prepare themselves for the terrible events (e.g., the appearance of the Antichrist) that will precede the end of time and space and one’s entrance into eternity.

182.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to La Prophétie musicale dans l’histoire de l’humanité, by Albert Roustit. Translated from the French as Prophecy in Music: Prophetic Parallels in Musical History, by Dr. John A. Green. Paris: l’Imprimerie D.K. Paris Vè, 1975. 290 p. English translation of item 181.

183.

Messiaen, Olivier. [Introduction.] La Recherche Artistique présente hommage à Olivier Messiaen (item 334), 3. A short essay in Messiaen’s handwriting that outlines his ideas on the meaning of faith. Published originally as an untitled introduction to La Recherche Artistique présente hommage à Olivier Messiaen in 1978, it has been reproduced in Almut Rößler’s Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen (item 218), Olivier Messiaen: Das Orgelwerk (item 475), and Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318). For Messiaen, faith is the sole reality. To grasp it fully, one must meet God by passing through death and resurrection, exiting, in other words, the temporal world. Music can prepare a person for this journey by means of its capacity to conduct a perpetual dialogue between space and time, and sound and color, which leads to a unification of these elements. The musician who grasps this fundamental principle can achieve a foretaste of eternity. Messiaen also explains what music signifies to him by paraphrasing Saint Thomas Aquinas (“La musique nous porte à Dieu, “par défaut de vérité,” jusqu’au jour où Lui-même nous éblouira, “par excès de vérité.” [Music carries us to God “by an absence of truth,” until the day

104

Primary Sources III

when He Himself will dazzle us “by an excess of truth” (my translation).]). He believes that music, despite its lack of truth, has the capacity to bring a person closer to God, who one day will reveal a superabundance of truth. 184.

Messiaen, Olivier. Forward to Marcel Dupré Raconte, by Marcel Dupré. Paris: Éditions Bornemann, 1972. Translated from the French and edited by Ralph Kneeream as Marcel Dupré (1886–1971): Recollections. Melville, NY: BelwinMills Publishing Corp., 1975. 169 p. ML 410.D947 A33. Messiaen wrote this foreword specifically for the English translation of Marcel Dupré Raconte. He reminisces affectionately about his former organ teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, taking note of how four photographs found in the book evoke memories of Dupré as both man and musician.

185.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface (“Olivier Messiaen parle de Maurice Emmanuel”) to L’histoire de la langue musicale: Antiquité—Moyen Age, by Maurice Emmanuel, vol. 1. Malakoff: Éditions Henri Laurens, 1981. ISBN: 2862680346. In this preface, Messiaen recounts his music history studies with Maurice Emmanuel at the Paris Conservatoire, noting how Emmanuel’s ideas on mode and rhythm oriented his compositional thought toward new musical approaches to sound. He also mentions pieces by Emmanuel that played a role in his musical formation: (1) Sonatine sur des modes hindous for piano, (2) the opera Salamine, and (3) Trente chansons Bourguignonnes du Pays de Beaune for either voice or chorus and piano. In particular, Messiaen expresses his admiration for Emmanuel’s modal accompaniments to the Trente chansons bourguignonnes, believing that he captured the poetic spirit of each song. Messiaen encourages the reader of L’histoire de la langue musicale to read or listen to this collection of music to better understand the book’s emphasis on doing away with bar lines and major tonalities and replacing them with Greek metric patterns and the modes of plainchant.

186.

Messiaen, Olivier. [Preface.] Anne Le Forestier, Olivier Messiaen: L’Ascension, Cahiers d’analyse et de formation musicale, 1:i. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1984. Messiaen praises Le Forestier’s superb application of the “Formation musicale” approach to studying music—the comprehensive coupling of analysis and solfège exercises—to his orchestral piece, L’Ascension. Alain Louvier developed the methodology as Director of the Conservatoire National de Région de Boulogne-Billancourt. In it, analysis precedes exercises that are its extension, taking the melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, dynamic, and orchestral material of the actual piece to understand its musical substance. Messiaen is convinced that after a month of experiencing such teaching, students will think of the work as he did, which is the greatest compliment he can give.

187.

Messiaen, Olivier. Preface to L’Âme en bourgeon. Paris: Libraire Séguier Archaimbaud, 1987. Not examined (could not obtain).

Primary Sources III

105

Contributions to Other Works 188.

Michael, Roger. Matins du monde; oratorio pour deux récitants et choeur parlé à plusieurs parties. Notes de travail d’O. Messiaen pour la musique et de Jan Doat pour la realization. Paris: Bordas, 1949. See item 92.

INTERVIEWS Interviews of Messiaen are listed in alphabetical order according to the interviewer’s surname or Messiaen’s name (when that is more appropriate), with accompanying translations following immediately thereafter. This is intended to make it easier for the reader to find a particular interview. 189.

Birkby, Arthur. “Interview with France’s Noted Organist and Composer Olivier Messiaen.” Clavier (April 1972): 18–24. ISSN: 0009–0854X. A short interview of Messiaen conducted in his studio at the Paris Conservatoire before he had to teach a class. Although concerned primarily with various aspects of Messiaen’s organ works and their performance, the interview explores Messiaen’s ideas about time and space.

190.

Boivin, Jean and Malou Haine. “Trois entretiens inédits d‘Olivier Messiaen avec Stéphane Audel (1958).” Transcrits, présentés et annotés par Jean Boivin et Malou Haine. Revue Musicale de Suisse Romande 62/3 (September 2009): 18–51. ISSN: 0035–3744. Transcriptions of three unpublished interviews that Stéphane Audel conducted with Messiaen for Radio Lausanne in 1958. Includes an insightful introduction and accompanying annotations that give these interviews historical context. Audel prepared the interviews with the composer’s involvement in December 1957. They were recorded in early January 1958 and subsequently broadcast a few months later. Audel’s questions, in all likelihood prepared with the assistance of Poulenc, had to be approved by Messiaen, showing that the composer insisted on controlling his image. Respecting these interviews, Messiaen discussed his musical background in Interview 1, rhythmic researches in Interview 2, and birdsong in Interview 3. Most astonishing—as the authors note—is Messiaen’s statement in Interview 3 about electronic music superseding instrumental music, just as instrumental music superseded the vocal and monophonic music of the Middle Ages (p. 48).

191.

Bruyr, José. “Olivier Messiaen.” In L’Écran des musiciens, seconde série, 124–31. Paris: José Corti, 1933. An interview given by Messiaen in 1931 at the time of his appointment as organiste titulaire at La Trinité but published in 1933. For a detailed examination of the

106

Primary Sources III

interview, see Hill and Simeone, Messiaen (item 273), 37–39. Hill and Simeone consider the interview “the most revealing of Messiaen’s published conversations from his early years, with some valuable observations on musical trends of the time” (p.  37). Bruyr (1889–1980) interviewed Messiaen at his home at 67 rue Rambuteau. Topics discussed included the influence of his mother, the poetess Cécile Sauvage, on his work as a musician; his childhood in Grenoble; his teachers in Paris; early works composed between 1928 and 1931; compositional techniques and musical trends of the time, which prompted remarks by Messiaen on how tonality should be enriched, not destroyed, and on neoclassicism and the music of Ravel, Albert Roussel (1869–1937), and Stravinsky; the religious nature of Messiaen’s works; and the importance of religion in his musical outlook. Highly recommended. 192.

Cadieu, Martine. “Entretiens sur l’art actuel: Martine Cadieu avec Olivier Messiaen.” Les Lettres françaises, 7–13 January 1965, 1 and 8. An interview of Messiaen interspersed with commentary. Asks Messiaen for his thoughts on a variety of topics, such as the state of musical life in present-day France, the perception of compositional technique on the part of the listening public, electronic music, Goléa’s three stylistic periods for Messiaen’s œuvre, various composers, Hindu rhythms, plainchant, and birdsong.

193.

Ernst, Karin. “Interview mit Olivier Messiaen.” In Der Beitrag Olivier Messiaens zur Orgelmusik des 20. Jahrhunderts (item 486), 318–24. Conducted at the Paris Conservatoire on 24 October 1977. Focuses on Messiaen’s work as an organist, organ music, and thoughts on organ building and contemporary organ composition. In this interview, Messiaen reflects upon the influences of Dupré and Tournemire in his life, his organ works (here Messiaen humorously refers to the Diptyque composed in 1930 as a sin of his youth [p. 321]), the problem of performing his organ music on instruments other than the one at La Trinité, and contemporary organ music in which he expresses his admiration not only for Ligeti’s Volumina, but also for that composer’s music in general.

194.

Gavoty, Bernard. “Qui êtes-vous, Olivier Messiaen.” Journal musical français (6 April 1961). ISSN: 0449–2102. Bernard Gavoty, the music critic of Figaro, interviewed Messiaen in February of 1961 before a performance of the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine at a Youth Music Concert in Paris. After dealing with various aspects of Messiaen’s early life, the interview turns to the topics of rhythm and birdsong. Messiaen notes the importance of rhythm in his music and his intention to write a treatise on rhythm. He talks about his work with birdsong and describes how he notates it.

195.

Gavoty, Bernard. “Who Are You Olivier Messiaen?” Tempo 58 (Summer 1961): 33–36. ISSN: 0040–2982. English translation of Bernard Gavoty’s interview of Messiaen conducted in February of 1961 (item 194).

Primary Sources III

196.

107

Gavoty, Bernard and Daniel[-]Lesur. Pour ou contre la musique moderne?. With a preface by Henry Barraud. Paris: Flammarion, 1957. 340 p. ML 197.G33. Between 1 January 1954 and 2 July 1955, Gavoty and Daniel-Lesur explored the state of modern music, especially in France, through numerous interviews, which included one with Messiaen, in a series of radio broadcasts on Radiodiffusion Française. They published their inquiry two years later. In his interview, which the authors describe as a monologue, not a conversation, but one that is grand in scope, Messiaen discusses how he has tried to liberate rhythm from its traditional associations with measure, meter, and symmetry. He also elaborates on the role of religion in his approach to composition, professing to be a believer, not a mystic, who talks of the mysteries of his Roman Catholic faith. Messiaen concludes his interview by talking about his song texts and their ties to the work of surrealistic poets such as Paul Éluard and Pierre Reverdy. He maintains that his texts have no literary pretensions and are designed solely with the music in mind.

197.

Gilly, Cécile and Claude Samuel, eds. “Les vertus de l’analyse.” In Acanthes An XV: Composer, enseigner, jouer la musique d’aujourd’hui. Paris: Éditions Van de Velde, 1991. ISBN: 2858681732. An undated interview of Messiaen (conducted presumably by Claude Samuel. This interview is taken from a collection of essays published by the Acanthes Center. Founded in 1977 under the name “Sirius,” Acanthes is devoted to the study and performance of contemporary music.). Messiaen discusses his work as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire and elements of his musical language, especially sound-color relationships and rhythm. Messiaen is also asked whether he knew any of the American composers who studied with Nadia Boulanger and whether he would recommend the study of harmony, counterpoint, and the classical repertoire to a young composer of today. He responds affirmatively to both questions, although with respect to the latter, he made an exception with the young Xenakis, encouraging the Greek composer to find his own “voice” through his knowledge of architecture and mathematics.

198.

Glandaz, Olivier. “Olivier Messiaen et l’orgue.” In L’Orgue: Revue trimestrielle 224 (item 332), 15–23. Olivier Glandaz, a French organbuilder, talked regularly with Messiaen in the organ loft at La Trinité between two Sunday services during the composer’s later years. In this essay, Glandaz discusses Messiaen’s ideas about organ registration, activities as an improviser and liturgical musician, thoughts about organ building and design, and how the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité related to his compositional aesthetic. He intersperses his observations with that of the composer.

199.

Glandaz, Olivier. “Olivier Messiaen’s Views on the Organ.” The American Organist 28/9 (September 1994): 57–61. ISSN: 0164–3150.

108

Primary Sources III

An expanded version of item 198, translated into English. Messiaen did not care for historic organ-building practices, believing them to produce copies suitable only for the performance of Bach and his contemporaries. Since he considered the organ to be an instrument of light capable of suggesting varied timbres, as well as continually evolving to meet the challenges of new repertoires, Messiaen preferred instruments with expanded tonal palettes. The article also includes Messiaen’s thoughts on mechanical vs. electric action, additions to the CavailléColl organ at La Trinité during Messiaen’s tenure there, and organ timbres, along with Glandaz’s observations about Messiaen as both performer and improviser during concerts and church services held at La Trinité. 200.

Glandaz, Olivier. Messiaen à l’orgue. Édité et présenté par Jean Tain. Paris: Klincksieck, 2014. 104 p. ISBN: 9782252039465 (pbk). LCCN: 2014502490. Collection of notes dating from 1981 to 1992 of organbuilder Olivier Glandaz, curator of the organ at La Trinité, who claims that he spoke daily with Messiaen. The book contains the following materials: (1) a 1985 interview by Michel Archimbaud with Messiaen, covering the composer’s early years as an organist; ideas about birdsong, color, teaching, and contemporary music; and the organ at La Trinité (pp.  13–24); (2) conversations that Glandaz had with Messiaen between 1981 and 1992 on playing and improvising, organ registration, and organs and organists in general (pp. 25–89). Also includes Messiaen’s 1980 essay on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité (item 106).

201.

Goléa, Antoine. “Messiaen und der Glaube.” In Melos (item 328), 397–99. According to the preface, this article is a German translation (presumably by Goléa) of the second of a series of interviews with Messiaen that Goléa was about to bring out in a collection of interviews with the publisher Rocher in Monaco, which we know now to be Rencontres avec Olivier Messiaen (see item 202, 33–42). In the interview, Messiaen discusses his Catholic beliefs and how they influenced his work as an organist and composer. He talks about his teachers, early childhood experiences, scriptural and liturgical texts, and the religious symbolism behind the “Offertoire” (“Les choses visibles et invisibles”) from the Messe de la Pentecôte, and “Les Mains de l’abîme” and “Les Yeux dans les roues” from the Livre d’orgue.

202.

Goléa, Antoine. Rencontres avec Olivier Messiaen. Paris-Genève: Slatkine, 1984. 281 p. ISBN: 2050002181. ML 410.M52 G64. (IUCAT). This source consists of a dozen radio interviews of Messiaen conducted by Goléa on Radiodiffusion Française in 1958, and Goléa’s observations about Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics and music. The interviews deal primarily with Messiaen’s works up to Chronochromie and the composer’s thoughts about contemporary music. Goléa first considered interviewing Messiaen on French radio in 1953 while working as Messiaen’s assistant in Darmstadt, where he served as a translator for the composer’s analysis courses. It took another three years before Messiaen consented to Goléa’s project. After the interviews were completed and

Primary Sources III

109

subsequently edited, Goléa combined them with his observations and commentaries to form a book, which was published by René Julliard in 1961 with Messiaen’s approval. For English translations of various excerpts, see Clyde Holloway, “The Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen and Their Importance in His Total Oeuvre” (item 277). 203.

Guth, Paul. “Nébuleuses spirales, stalactites et stalagmites suggèrent des rythmes à Olivier Messiaen.” Le Figaro Littéraire (February 14 1953): 4. An interview that addresses different aspects of Messiaen’s approach to rhythm. Guth interviews the composer after observing him teach at the Paris Conservatoire on Stravinsky’s use of rhythmic characters in the “Danse sacrale” from The Rite of Spring. Topics covered include Hindu rhythms, arsis and thesis, anacrusis–accent–termination, added values, nonretrogradable rhythms, rhythmic canons, birdsong, and the composer’s Tristan trilogy consisting of Harawi, the Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Cinq Rechants.

204.

Lade, Günter. “Gespräch mit Olivier Messiaen.” Ars Organi 36/4 (December 1988): 171–75. ISSN: 0004–2919. A German translation of an interview conducted on 26 February 1987 while Messiaen was in Vienna to hear the Viennese premiere of his Livre du Saint Sacrement played by organist Thomas Daniel Schlee at the Wiener Konzerthaus. In the conversation, Messiaen responds to several typical questions, such as those having to do with his early musical training, first attempts at composition, composers who influenced him, the role of the organ in his life, and the significance of the instrument at La Trinité for his organ music. However, we also get to hear Messiaen respond to a few atypical questions, such as those having to do with his relationships with Tournemire, a mentor whom he greatly admired; Widor, his first composition teacher; and Duruflé and Jehan Alain, both of whom he respected, although he felt Alain’s music was closer to his in spirit. Other atypical questions center on Messiaen’s thoughts on the future of the organ in the Catholic Church, where he expresses conservative views regarding the use of Latin (versus the vernacular) in the Mass and what constitutes good church music, and the role played by improvisation in his organ works.

205.

Lade, Günter. “Gespräch mit Olivier Messiaen.” Ars Organi 36/4 (December 1988): 171–75. Translated by Timothy Tikker as “A Conversation with Olivier Messiaen.” The American Organist 34/7 (July 2000): 80–81. ISSN: 0164–3150. English translation of Lade’s interview (item 204).

206.

Lyon, Raymond. Entretien avec Olivier Messiaen. Le Courrier musical de France (1978): 126–32. ISSN: 0011–0620. Interview of Messiaen on the occasion of his seventieth birthday that took place on 30 September 1978 at his residence on the rue Marcadet. According to Lyon, the printed interview is an exact transcription of the recorded conversation he had with Messiaen. Lyon wanted to discuss the opera (Saint François d’Assise)

110

Primary Sources III

Messiaen was composing at the time, but Messiaen refused. Instead, they talked about Messiaen’s childhood years, ornithology, religious beliefs, and sound-color relationships. 207.

Marti, Jean-Christophe. “Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen.” In Saint François d’Assise (item 568), 8–18. An interview conducted in January 1992. Before querying Messiaen about his opera Saint François d’Assise, Marti asks him about stages in his career that he considered to be fundamental and compositions that he might prefer. Messiaen answers by maintaining that he has always liked Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. He talks about the controversy surrounding its world premiere, interspersing his remarks with thoughts about various composers and their music. Marti moves on by asking Messiaen questions about time and eternity, the Resurrection, and his musical language before tackling Saint François. When discussing the opera, Messiaen explains its dramatic design and repertory of musical themes. He also notes the importance of birdsong in the sixth scene, Le Prêche aux oiseaux. At the end of the interview, Messiaen describes how inspiration returned to him in the form of the Livre du Saint Sacrement for organ after believing that he could no longer write music following Saint François. Reprinted as liner notes with English and German translations in Saint François d’Assise (Scènes franciscaines); Arnold Schoenberg Chor and Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano, conductor; Deutsche Grammophon 445 176–2.

208.

Massin, Brigitte. Olivier Messiaen: Une poétique du merveilleux. Aix-en-Provence: Éditions Alinéa, 1989. 232 p. ISBN 2904631771. ML 410.M595 M42 1989. During the course of several interviews, focuses on Messiaen’s religious faith and how it shaped his life and music. Attempts to gain a glimpse of how his creative mind worked and why it was linked intimately with his view of Christianity. Traverses several topics in five chapters, including the idea of the merveilleux, the marvelous and supernatural aspects of Messiaen’s faith; his connection to the church as both composer and organist; poetry, astronomy, and theology; space and time; and a discussion of his works, which includes valuable information on Saint François d’Assise. Adds many comments throughout the interviews, such as describing Messiaen as a difficult person to interview, with answers seemingly prepared in advance (p. 19).

209.

Meltzheim, Irène and Père Pascal Ide. “Le musicien de la joie: Entretien avec Olivier Messiaen: 60 années à la Trinité.” Du côté de la Trinité: Le journal de la paroisse (March 1991): 1–2. (I would like to thank Nigel Simeone for providing me with a copy of this interview.) An interview on the occasion of Messiaen’s sixty years of service as titular organist at La Trinité. Messiaen talks about a variety of topics, such as (1) his Cavaillé-Coll instrument; (2) the reciprocal relationship between his work as an improviser and composer; (3) the inspiration he receives from Hindu rhythms and birdsong; (4) the influence of the liturgical cycle and scriptural readings on

Primary Sources III

111

his choice of organ registrations; (5) sound-color relationships; (6) the liturgical renewal movement and how plainchant can never be replaced; (7) how faith influences composing; (8) his last organ work, the Livre du Saint Sacrement; (9) the origins of his faith; and (10) how he regrets composing some purely technical and profane works. The source also contains separate short essays by Messiaen on the electrification of the organ at La Trinité and the four dramas (faith, birdsong, sound-color relationships, and rhythm) that have affected his work throughout his life. 210.

Messiaen, Olivier. “Des paroles d’esprit: Entretien avec Olivier Messiaen.” In Charles de Gaulle, ed. Michel Cazenave and Olivier Germain Thomas, 44–46. Cahiers de l’Herne, no. 21. Paris: L’Herne, 1973. 370 p. DC 373.G3 C498. In this interview for a memorial volume dedicated to Charles de Gaulle, Messiaen voiced his admiration for a man whom he considered as a symbol of France. In explaining his reasons for signing a petition supporting de Gaulle’s reelection in 1965, Messiaen recalled his days as a prisoner of war at Stalag VIII A in Silesia in which the very name of de Gaulle brought forth hope amidst despair. He regarded de Gaulle as more than just a political figure but someone who embodied France itself. In this respect, Messiaen compared de Gaulle to Joan of Arc. Overall, a rare instance in which the composer expressed his politics.

211.1. Messiaen, Olivier. Entretien avec Claude Samuel. In Messiaen Edition; various performers, including Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, and ensembles; liner notes; Warner Classics 2564 62162–2, 2005; 18 CDs; 109–35 (translated into English by Stuart Walters). Recorded in Messiaen’s apartment in Paris in October 1988. Included on the eighteenth compact disc. Topics discussed include Messiaen’s thoughts on his works, birdsong, sound-color relationships, the nature of religious music, Saint François d’Assise, his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, Boulez and Stockhausen, his love for Japan, and his celebrity around the world. 211.2. Messiaen, Olivier. Olivier Messiaen: Les couleurs du temps: Trente ans d’entretiens avec Claude Samuel. Archives sonores INA. Paris: Radio France, 2000. 2 CDS and a 62-page book. Samuel’s recorded interviews of Messiaen, beginning in 1965. Broadcast, in part, on the program “France-Culture” by Maison de Radio France. Contains excerpts from recordings of Messiaen’s musical compositions dating from 1961 to 2000. CD1 contains the following conversations: (1) “De L’âme en bourgeon à la Turangalîla-Symphonie”; (2) “Messiaen, musicien de la foi”; (3) “De la musique improvisée à l’écriture des Méditations;” (4) “Messiaen, musicien de la couleur”; (5) “Chung: Messiaen et la pureté”; and (6) “Messiaen, l’ornithologue.” CD2 features the following contents: (1) “Messiaen, le voyageur”; (2) “Messiaen, le rythmicien”; (3) “Pierre-Laurent Aimard, élève prestigieux”; (4) “L’horizon monumental”; (5) “De l’opéra pratiqué à l’opéra enseigné”; (6) “Boulez ou les révélations de la première heure”; and (7) “Et l’avenir?.”

112

212.

Primary Sources III

Messiaen, Olivier. Musique et couleur: Nouveaux entretiens avec Claude Samuel. Paris: Belfond, 1986. 311 p. ISBN: 2714417159. ML 410.M595 A3 1986. In 1985 Messiaen once again agreed to collaborate with Claude Samuel by adding more conversations to the 1967 book Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen (item 219). What resulted was a revised and expanded version of that book, published in 1986 as Musique et couleur: Nouveaux entretiens avec Claude Samuel. With the exception of the newer conversations and the insertion of new and updated material in the older ones, the content of Musique et couleur is remarkably similar to that of Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen. The first two chapters (“A Lyrical Expectation” [pp.  13–18] and “Landmarks” [pp.  19–40]) deal with the foundations of Messiaen’s music (the poetic influence of his mother Cécile Sauvage, Shakespeare, Roman Catholicism, the Tristan myth, nature, and time and eternity) and thus correspond to the earlier book’s first conversation. Chapter 3 (“From Technique to Emotion” [pp. 41–64]) likewise has a counterpart in the second conversation of the earlier book. It takes up the topics of sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s music, the modes of limited transposition, and Messiaen’s opinions on pitch organization in music, orchestration, and the Ondes Martenot. However, there are things not included in the earlier book, such as more information regarding Messiaen’s favorite painters and his thoughts about artistic correspondences between different painters and composers. Chapter 4 (“Of Sounds and Colors” [pp. 65–70]), a new conversation, is an indepth look at the role of sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s music. Chapters 5 (“In Search of Rhythm” [pp.  71–90]) and 6 (“My Birds” [pp.  91–106]) offer little change from their counterparts (conversations three and four) in the earlier book. They address, respectively, the subjects of Messiaen’s approach to rhythm and fascination with birds. Chapters 7 (“The Orient Experience” [pp. 107–16]) and 9 (“An American Paradise” [pp. 169–90]), both new conversations, focus on Messiaen’s travels to Japan and the United States and their impact on him as seen by the stylized use of Gagaku music in Sept Haïkaï and the Noh drama in Saint François d’Assise, and by the inspiration of Bryce Canyon, Utah for Des canyons aux étoiles.... Finally, Chapters 8 (“Trajectory” [pp. 117–68]), 10 (“Transmitted Knowledge” [pp. 191–208]), and 11 (“Contradictions of the Century” [pp. 209– 26]), which correspond to conversations five through seven of the earlier book, cover many subjects, from Messiaen’s opinions on various composers, to updated discussions of his music, and his reflections on his work as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. Chapter 12 (“Saint Francis of Assisi” [pp. 227–76]) is the most significant new addition to the book because of its valuable discussion of Messiaen’s opera, Saint François d’Assise. It takes a detailed look at the work by examining its genesis, structure, use of leitmotifs, orchestration, staging problems and solutions, and reception by the public. Chapter 13 (“Visited Lands” [pp. 277–86]), another new conversation, is a travelogue, beginning on 29 April 1985, which lists Messiaen’s worldwide trips and triumphs.

Primary Sources III

213.

113

Messiaen, Olivier. Olivier Messiaen: Music and Color: Conversations with Claude Samuel. Translated by E. Thomas Glasow. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1994. 296 p. ISBN: 0931340675. ML 410.M595 A3 1994. English translation of item 212. Not included in the original are an homage to Messiaen by Claude Samuel (“In Memoriam: Olivier Messiaen” [pp. 261–62]), and an updated discography (pp. 269–81) and bibliography (pp. 283–88). Reviews: Vincent Benitez, Indiana Theory Review 17/2 (Fall 1996): 93–102; Christopher Dingle, Tempo 192 (April 1995): 29–30, 32; Christopher H. Gibbs, Opera Quarterly 11/ 3 (1995): 125–29.

214.

Murray, Michael. “An Interview with Olivier Messiaen.” The Diapason 70 (December 1978): 3, 5. ISSN: 0012–2378. In November 1970, organist Michael Murray interviewed Messiaen in French on his syndicated broadcast series, “Conversations.” Murray translated excerpts from that interview into English and published them in The Diapason in 1978. They cover several areas of Messiaen’s life and work, such as his childhood in Grenoble, his days at the Paris Conservatoire, early compositions such as the Préludes for piano (1929) and Les Offrandes oubliées (1930), color, and birdsong. Particularly valuable in this interview are Messiaen’s remarks about color and its role in his approach to composition.

215.

Nichols, Roger. “Messiaen at 70: Roger Nichols Talks to the Composer, Who Is 70 on December 10.” Music and Musicians 27/4 (December 1978): 20–23. ISSN: 0027–4232. Nichols interviewed Messiaen on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. The interview contains candid and detailed responses from Messiaen to a variety of questions. In answering a question as to whether or not he has experienced a stylistic curve similar to that of Beethoven, Messiaen says no, because he has not renounced his past and has kept up with the latest musical trends through his role as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. As a result, he possesses a wealth of materials that is growing all of the time. Messiaen talks about Poulenc, Milhaud, and Honegger, as well as the hostile reactions he encountered in the press, which he attributes to him being a Catholic. He mentions how his work with birdsong has met with misunderstanding. But on the other hand, he takes pride in the fact that he is the only person who has really notated birdsong, pointing out that professional ornithologists are unable to do this. The most significant part of the interview deals with the subject of color. Here Messiaen not only traverses familiar territory, but also reveals some aspects of the role of sound-color relationships in his music that are infrequently mentioned in other interviews, such as a sound complex having only one color (a complicated color or a simple one), or violent harmonies evoking red and gentle harmonies evoking blue.

216.

Pinzauti, Leonardo. “Gespräch mit Olivier Messiaen.” Melos 39, no. 5 (1972): 270–73. A most peculiar interview, as Pinzauti notes in his introduction. Unlike the stimulating discussions he had with Dallapiccola, Donatoni, Bussotti, Henze,

114

Primary Sources III

and Malipiero, Pinzauti ran into a provervbial brick wall with Messiaen, between the things the composer said (which Pinzauti surmises were expressed with a little displeasure) and his musical work. Messiaen also listened and answered with the certainty of a devotional book, almost dispassionately. Pinzauti tried to center the conversation around the theme of nature in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, to which the composer nodded in approval. Once the discussion got started, it covered music after World War II, music’s role in the Church (especially spiritual, liturgical, and theological music), Messiaen’s teachers Dukas and Dupré and favorite composers (with Debussy holding a preeminent place), and his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire. 217.

Rößler, Almut. Beiträge zur geistigen Welt Olivier Messiaens. Duisburg: Gilles und Francke, 1984. 168 p. ISBN: 3921104874. This volume focuses on the theology of Messiaen as seen through Almut Rößler’s encounters with the composer as an interviewer, audience member while someone else posed questions to him, and interpreter of his organ works. It also contains various texts by Messiaen. Rößler translated all French texts into German with the assistance of Edgar Ries. Of interest are: a public discussion involving Messiaen on 7 December 1968 during the First Düsseldorf Messiaen Festival in Chapter 2 (pp. 27–38); Messiaen’s Erasmus Address on 25 June 1971 in Amsterdam in Chapter 3 (pp. 39–48); a platform discussion involving Messiaen on 11 June 1972 in the Bach Hall of St. John’s Church during the Second Düsseldorf Messiaen Festival in Chapter 4 (pp. 50–59); two interviews of Messiaen by Rößler in Paris on 23 April 1979 and 16 December 1983 in Chapters 6 (pp. 71–124) and 7 (pp. 126–54), respectively, the second interview coming on the heels of the world premiere of Saint François d’Assise; and Rößler’s essay on rhythmic freedom in the performance of Messiaen’s organ works in Chapter 8 (pp. 155–62). In the book’s translation (item 218), this last chapter is augmented by two additional essays that are drawn from Rößler’s appendix to Ingrid Hohlfeld-Ufer’s volume, Die musikalische Sprache Olivier Messiaens (item 668). One deals with general observations concerning the interpretation of Messiaen’s organ works (pp.  145–57), and the other with the registration and interpretation of particular pieces (pp. 158–69).

218.

Rößler, Almut. Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen: With Original Texts by the Composer. Translated by Barbara Dagg, Nancy Poland, and Timothy Tikker. Duisburg: Gilles und Francke, 1986. 188 p. ISBN: 3921104998. ML 410.M595 B3813 1986. English translation of item 217. Translations from the German (Chapters 1–4, 6–8, appendices, concluding remarks) by Barbara Dagg and Nancy Poland. Translation of the Conférence de Notre-Dame (Chapter 5) from the French by Timothy Tikker. Reviews: David Palmer, The Diapason 77/11 (November 1986): 6.

219.

Samuel, Claude. Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Belfond, 1967. 236 p. ML 410.M595 S3.

Primary Sources III

115

In 1967 at the invitation of Pierre Belfond, Messiaen agreed to collaborate with Claude Samuel on a set of seven conversations that were to be recorded. The conversations were published later that year as Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen by Éditions Pierre Belfond. These seven conversations provide a sketch not only of a complex human being but also that of an equally complex music. Conversation one (pp. 9–31) introduces many of the elements that form the foundation of Messiaen’s music: (1) the poetic intuitions of his mother Cécile Sauvage that directed him toward music; (2) his reading of Shakespeare as a child; (3) Roman Catholicism, the Tristan myth, and nature as represented by birdsong; and (4) the dialectical opposition between time and eternity. In conversation two (pp.  35–61) Messiaen ruminates about the role of sound-color relationships in his music, his perception of color in the music of other composers, his compositional techniques, and assorted topics related to pitch organization in music, orchestration, and the Ondes Martenot. The next two conversations tackle big topics, with conversation three (pp. 65–91) focusing on Messiaen’s rhythmic language and conversation four (pp. 95–118) addressing birdsong. In conversation five (pp. 121–74) Messiaen discusses composers who have influenced his approach to music, such as Mozart, Gluck, Wagner, Debussy, Ravel, Honegger, Milhaud, Rameau, Scarlatti, Chopin, and Albéniz. He closes conversation five by talking about his musical works through Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1964). Conversation six (pp. 177–98) explores Messiaen’s relationship to the modern world, particularly his discomfort with it, and work as a teacher. Conversation seven (pp.  201–16) concludes the book by considering Messiaen’s views on modern music. Reviews: Bennitt Gardiner, “Dialogues with Messiaen,” Musical Events (October 1967): 6–9. 220.

Samuel, Claude. Conversations with Olivier Messiaen. Translated by Felix Aprahamian. London: Stainer and Bell, 1976. 140 p. ISBN: 0852493088. ML 410. M595 S33. English translation of item 219. Reviews: Arthur Lawrence, The Diapason 70 (December 1978): 4.

221.

Samuel, Claude. Permanences d’Olivier Messiaen: Dialogues et Commentaires. Paris: Actes Sud, 1999. 484 p. ISBN: 2742723765. ML 410.M595 S35 1999. Reprints the “Musique et couleur” interviews from 1986 minus the last chapter, “Les domaines visités” (see item 212). Interspersed between the chapters are assorted materials that range from commentaries to a correspondence between Samuel and Messiaen from 1971–92. Updates the bibliography and discography from the 1986 publication.

222.

Strobel, Heinrich. “[Gespräch mit] Olivier Messiaen.” Melos 16, no. 4 (April 1949): 101–4.

116

Primary Sources III

An interview conducted on the occasion of the first performance of Messiaen’s “Trois Tâla” (movements 3, 4, and 5 of the Turangalîla-Symphonie, selections sanctioned by Messiaen himself) in 1949 in Baden-Baden, Germany, by the Südwestfunkorchester conducted by André Cluytens. There Messiaen discussed his music and ideas with the editor of Melos (presumably Heinrich Strobel). The interview covers a variety of topics, from La Jeune France, rhythm, the modes of limited transposition, to discussions of Messiaen’s works, concluding with a consideration of his new symphony (Turangalîla-Symphonie) that was going to be premiered later that year in Boston by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Of note in this interview is Messiaen’s discussion of his rhythmic device known as personnages rythmiques (rhythmic characters) that differs from his usual remarks where one rhythm augments at each repetition, another diminishes at each repetition, and the third rhythm stays the same. Instead, in addition to the three characters mentioned before, Messiaen states that there is a fourth one that augments and diminishes alternately with each repetition. 223.

Szersnovicz, Patrick. “Olivier Messiaen: La Liturgie de l’Arc-en-Ciel.” Le Monde de la Musique (July–August 1987): 29–35. OCLC: 224682309. In 1987, Patrick Szersnovicz interviewed Messiaen in honor of the upcoming eightieth-birthday celebrations of 1988 (“l’année Messiaen”). He prefaces his interview with a thoughtful portrait of the composer and his work. The conversation covers more interesting ground than the usual interviews of Messiaen, as reflected by exchanges dealing with aesthetic questions related to contemporary music in the areas of electro-acoustic music and form. Then come discussions about the Christian writers and theologians who influenced Messiaen, his views about religious music (his and that of others), and a potpourri of other topics, spanning Debussy, Wyschnegradsky, the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, thoughts about older contemporary composers, as well as composers who were his students, and sound-colors in music. It is worth singling out a discussion about form during the interview. Szersnovicz remarked to Messiaen that his treatment of form in his music did not rise to the level associated with that of rhythm or harmony. (In Szersnovicz’s opinion, form in Messiaen’s music consists of a series of Stravinskian-like block structures, with no substantial development.) Messiaen responds by stating that his approach to form is unconventional (in reality, an evocation of a rich, multi-faceted temporal experience): I do think that I have not done much research on questions of form. My best works are perhaps those where there is no form in the strict sense of the word. Look at the pieces from my Catalogue d’Oiseaux or the Fauvette des jardins. These pieces have no actual musical form. They follow the lively progress of the hours of the day and night. They follow nature, and the luminous, thermal, and acoustic events that occur during a single day and night. It is a form like any other. Indeed, it is very much alive. I believe that’s precisely where I went the furthest in this domain (pp. 30–31, my translation).

Primary Sources III

224.

117

Walter, Edith. “Entretien-Dossier: Olivier Messiaen.” Harmonie (November 1983): 14–25. Interview of Messiaen on the occasion of the world premiere of Saint François d’Assise in Paris. Messiaen discusses the opera’s background, dramatic design, music (especially sound-color relationships, rhythm, and birdsong), and staging at the Palais Garnier. The interview is followed by a summary of the opera’s dramatic design by Messiaen (pp. 19–20) and extracts from his interviews with Antoine Goléa and Claude Samuel (see items 202 and 219, respectively).

225.

Watts, Harriet. “Canyons, Colours[,] and Birds: An Interview with Olivier Messiaen.” Tempo 128 (March 1979): 2–8. ISSN: 0040–2982. In this interview conducted on 5 August 1978, Messiaen recounts the genesis of Des canyons aux étoiles..., specifically, how Alice Tully commissioned the work, his decision to go to southern Utah to see Bryce Canyon, and the time spent there notating birdsongs and taking pictures of the marvelous scenery. Next, he comments on his synesthetic experience of color, giving his usual packaged descriptions, although there seems to be an error on his part—or that of the translator of the interview—when he mentions colors corresponding with single notes instead of chords (p. 4). (In primary source documents, such as the Conférence de Notre-Dame, Messiaen insists that it is chords or complexes of tones that generate colors, not isolated tones [item 128, 11]. A single note can assume a color association when added to a chord, embellishing its overall color.) Before returning to Des canyons to discuss it in more detail, Messiaen expresses his appreciation of the painters Delaunay, Kandinsky, Čiurlionis, and Blanc-Gatti in relation to his sound-color aesthetic. Finally, the composer expresses his delight when asked by Watts regarding his thoughts about having a mountain in Utah named after him, Mount Messiaen. (This interview is a republication of Harriet Watts, “From the Canyons to the Stars: Interview with Olivier Messiaen on the Influence of Landscape on His Latest Symphony,” Decade: The Magazine of Contemporary Arts Culture [March/April 1979]: 8–16.)

226.

Watts, Harriet. “From the Canyons to the Stars: Interview with Olivier Messiaen on the Influence of Landscape on His Latest Symphony.” Decade: The Magazine of Contemporary Arts Culture (March/April 1979): 8–16. ISSN: 0162–7139. This original publication of Watts’s interview of Messiaen on 5 August 1978 contains color photographs of Mount Messiaen, Bryce Canyon, and Zion Park (see also item 225).

227.

Zimmerman, Heinrich. “Ein Gespräch mit Olivier Messiaen.” Musik und Kirche 29 (1969): 38–39. ISSN: 0027–4771. This article summarizes the public discussion with Messiaen that took place on 7 December 1968 on the stage in the Bach Hall of the Johanneskirche, Düsseldorf, during the First Düsseldorf Messiaen Festival celebrating his sixtieth birthday. Topics covered include the interpretative relevance of the biblical or liturgical

118

Primary Sources III

quotations that Messiaen attached to his organ works, Teilhard de Chardin’s possible influence on Messiaen, birdsong, Xenakis, Hindu rhythms, the modes of limited transposition, and jazz. Most of the discussion was transcribed for Almut Rößler’s book, Beiträge zur geistigen Welt Olivier Messiaens (pp. 27–38; see item 217), and translated into English by Barbara Dagg and Nancy Poland for Rößler’s Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen (pp. 27–37; see item 218). Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen 228.

Hill, Peter. “Interview with Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 283–303. On 9 January 1993, Peter Hill interviewed Loriod-Messiaen at her apartment on the rue Marcadet in Paris. The conversation covered various topics. She discusses her compiling of the Traité de rythme and the way in which Messiaen composed, a process that included numerous sketches. She also considers whether or not Messiaen wrote idiomatically for different instruments, and how his music should be performed. The conversation then focuses on Loriod-Messiaen herself: her childhood; early music study; studies at the Paris Conservatoire, which includes an account of her first meeting with Messiaen in the latter’s harmony class; and descriptions of her fellow students. The conversation returns to the subject of Messiaen, namely regarding questions of fingering in his piano music, his difficult personal life, his experience as a prisoner of war during World War II, his piano music, his work with birdsong, Saint François d’Assise, Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà..., and his legacy as a composer. Highly recommended.

229.

Tüngler, Irene. “Yvonne Loriod[-Messiaen] interviewed by Irene Tüngler.” In Messiaen Edition; various performers, including Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, and ensembles; liner notes; Warner Classics 2564 62162–2, 2005; 18 CDs; 136–38 (translated into English by Stuart Spencer). (For a French text of the interview, see Irene Tüngler, “Interview with Yvonne Loriod[-Messiaen],” in Olivier Messiaen, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine; Orchestre National de France, Kent Nagano conductor; Yvonne Loriod, piano; Jeanne Loriod, Ondes Martenot; liner notes; Erato 0630–12702–2, 1996; 16–18.) Not on any of the collection’s compact discs. Moreover, does not specify when or where the interview took place, although one could surmise the early to mid1990s based on Loriod-Messiaen’s remarks about Messiaen’s death and preparing the Traité de rythme for publication. Despite its brevity, this interview traverses a wide terrain of subject matter. Tüngler asks Loriod-Messiaen about her husband as a person and if she was ever involved in his work as a composer. She responds by stating that Messiaen was an extrovert, contrary to biographies that describe him as the exact opposite, and that she was never involved in his compositions or work. Tüngler touches upon other topics, such as Loriod-Messiaen’s understanding and appreciation of Messiaen’s music, her predilections for other musical works, and her relationship

Primary Sources III

119

with her husband. Loriod-Messiaen answers by noting how her grasp and admiration of Messiaen’s music has increased over the years, especially since she has begun to put together the Traité de rythme. She confides to Tüngler that her favorite composers are Mozart and Messiaen. Finally, she mentions the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair of 1945 and states that her personal relationship with Messiaen was completely harmonious. PUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE AND DEDICATORY NOTES 230.

Fauquet, Joël-Marie, ed. “Correspondance inédite: Lettres d’Olivier Messiaen à Charles Tournemire.” In Charles Tournemire (1870–1939), L’Orgue: Cahiers et mémoires, no. 41, 80–87. Paris: Association des Amis de l’orgue, 1989. 124 p. ML 410.T6847 C53 1989. Contains twelve unpublished letters from Messiaen to Tournemire from 1930 to 1933 that are in private archives. A revealing account of the relationship between the two musicians. Messiaen’s letters address different topics, such as (1) his comments about Tournemire’s L’Orgue mystique; (2) events leading up to his appointment at La Trinité; (3) inviting Tournemire to the public dress rehearsal of Les Offrandes oubliées on 5 December 1931 at the Société des Concerts in order to glean his opinion about the work; (4) trying to congratulate Tournemire on the quality of some of his pieces from the L’Orgue mystique that were played by Dom Charles Letestu in the second half of his recital at Sainte-Clotilde on 14 December 1931; (5) Messiaen’s thanks to Tournemire for his positive review of Les Offrandes oubliées in Le Courrier musical of 15 December 1931; (6) Messiaen’s suggestion that he and his (first) wife Claire Delbos come to Tournemire’s home in order for her to play his Thème et variations for the older musician, and that Tournemire critique Messiaen’s Hymne au Saint-Sacrement; and (7) Messiaen’s comments about Tournemire’s Trois poèmes pour orgue, op. 59, and his opinion that if modern musicians had Tournemire’s faith, they, although not capable of matching Tournemire in musical quality, would definitely write better music.

231.

Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne, and Olivier Messiaen. “Bien Cher Félix [ . . .]”: Letters from Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod to Felix Aprahamian. French and English Text. Edited and translated by Nigel Simeone. Cambridge: Mirage Press, 1998. 55 p. ISBN: 0953408701. ML 410.M52 A15 (IUCAT). Contains the correspondence between Messiaen and his second wife, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, and Felix Aprahamian (1914–2005), a champion of Messiaen’s music in England since the mid-1930s. This volume is especially valuable for its detailed information on Messiaen’s visits to England and the first performances of several of his major works there from 1936 to 1947, the decade before he achieved international stardom with the Turangalîla-Symphonie in 1949.

232.

Wangermée, Robert, ed. Paul Collaer: Correspondance avec des amis musiciens. Liège: P. Mardaga, 1996. 479 p. ISBN: 2870096062. ML 423.C77 A4 1996.

120

Primary Sources III

Contains letters from Messiaen to Paul Collaer (1891–1989) during the 1940s (see pp. 371–72, 402–3, and 413). Messiaen thanks Collaer for an upcoming performance of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps in Brussels, mentions the Visions de l’Amen (still in manuscript), confirms performance dates for several of his pieces for Belgian radio (I.N.R. [L’Institut National de Radiodiffusion]), and talks about going to the United States not only to teach at Tanglewood, but also to arrange for the world premiere of the Turangalîla-Symphonie in Boston. 233.

Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne. “Lettre de Madame Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 12. A reproduction of a letter dated 22 October 1994 from Loriod-Messiaen to Père Francis Kohn, curé of La Trinité, giving her consent to the Messiaen Festival (Intégrale de l’œuvre d’orgue d’Olivier Messiaen) that was to be held in March/ April of 1995. She also asks the curé to thank the six organists (Jennifer Bate, Jon Gillock, Naji Hakim, Louis Thiry, Thomas Daniel Schlee, and Hans Ola-Ericsson) who were going to play Messiaen’s complete organ works during the festival, Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars, and the rest of the festival’s participants.

234.

Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne. “A Letter from Madame Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen.” In Jon Gillock, Celebration Messiaen: The Complete Works for Organ. Special Program Book in Honor of the Ninetieth Anniversary of the Birth of Olivier Messiaen, ed., Madame Francine Matiffa, 12–13. New York: The Riverside Church in the City of New York, 1999. On page 12, a reproduction of a testimonial to Jon Gillock from Loriod-Messiaen dated 8 November 1998 on the occasion of his performing Messiaen’s complete organ works in six concerts at the Riverside Church in New York in 1999. Loriod-Messiaen recounts the history of Gillock’s relationship with Messiaen, praises his past performances of Messiaen’s organ works, and expresses her gratitude to him for the feat he was about to undertake. Gillock provides an English translation of the letter on p. 13.

DOCUMENTARIES AND FILMED PERFORMANCES 235.

Messiaen, Olivier. Les Grands interprètes: Yvonne Loriod et Olivier Messiaen. Une émission de Bernard Gavoty. Yvonne Loriod and Olivier Messiaen, guests; Bernard Gavoty, interviewer. Produced by Bernard Gavoty; directed by Gérard Herzog. 38 min. Paris: ORTF (prod.), Bry-sur-Marne: INA (distrib.), prod. 1964; distrib. 1975. PAL: Videocassette. OCLC: 691472536. On this television program from 1964, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen is featured as a performer, and Bernard Gavoty interviews both her and Olivier Messiaen. The program opens with Loriod-Messiaen playing the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A Major (K. 331), Schumann’s second Novelette in D major, Debussy’s “Etude pour les huit doigts,” and the “Corcovado” (Saudades do Brasil, op. 67) of Milhaud. The program then turns to Gavoty’s interview of Messiaen,

Primary Sources III

121

with some questions directed at Loriod-Messiaen. Gavoty and Messiaen discuss a variety of topics, such as the composer’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, especially the “Regard de l’Esprit de joie,” and his musical language. The program closes with Loriod-Messiaen’s stunning performance of that piece. 236.

Messiaen, Olivier. Et expecto [sic] resurrectionem mortuorum, Chartres, le 19 juin 1965. L’orchestre et le groupe de percussions de Strasbourg, Serge Baudo, conductor; Olivier Messiaen, composer and participant. Produced by Luc Ferrari; directed by Gérard Patris. 44 min. Paris: ORTF (prod.), prod. 1965; Bry-surMarne: INA (distrib.), distrib. 1975. PAL: Videocassette. OCLC: 691464105. Documentary about Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum and its second performance in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres on 20 June 1965, with General Charles de Gaulle attending. This performance followed on the heels of the work’s premiere in Sainte-Chapelle, Paris on 7 May 1965. The documentary offers a profile of the work as viewed from Messiaen’s perspective, as well as footage of the dress rehearsal and the actual performance in Chartres. During the filming of the dress rehearsal, Messiaen is seen alongside Baudo, offering his feedback at various moments. He is also filmed commenting on each movement. Finally, this film has been available on YouTube since 28 February 2015 [www.youtube.com/watch?v= GWCPyx2MAK4].

237.

Messiaen, Olivier. Olivier Messiaen et les oiseaux. A film by Denise R. Tual and Michel Fano. 80 min. SOFRACIMA, Denise Tual, and Fondation Royaumont, 1973. Videocassette. A film by Denise Tual and Michel Fano offering a multi-faceted portrait of Messiaen. Interviewed for the film are the composer, Loriod-Messiaen, and Iannis Xenakis. The film includes scenes of Messiaen recalling his childhood in Grenoble, transcribing birdsong, imitating bird calls with Loriod-Messiaen playing them immediately on the piano, improvising on the organ at La Trinité, teaching on Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande at the Paris Conservatoire (perhaps the most valuable part of the film), talking about the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, and discussing sound-color relationships in his music. Works played during the film include: (1) Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine; (2) Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum; (3) Visions de l’Amen; (4) Quatuor pour la fin du Temps; and (5) Sept Haïkaï. For a transcription of the class session at the Paris Conservatoire, see Jean Boivin, La classe de Messiaen, 214–23 (item 550). For an English translation of excerpts from the class session, see Vincent P. Benitez, “A Creative Legacy: Messiaen as Teacher of Analysis,” 120–25, 128–29, 138–39 (item 548).

238.

Messiaen, Olivier. Olivier Messiaen: The Music of Faith. Produced and directed by Alan Benson. 79 min. London Weekend Television/Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1985/2000. Videocassette, DVD. ML 410.M55 O556 2003 DVD. Produced by London Weekend Television in 1985 for the British television program, “The South Bank Show.” This documentary covers the life and music of

122

Primary Sources III

Messiaen. It is narrated by the composer with an English translation heard over his voice. The documentary addresses his early life in Grenoble, particularly his relationship with his mother, Cécile Sauvage; his days as a student at the Paris Conservatoire; his Roman Catholic faith as seen through La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ and Les Corps glorieux; the influence of Debussy; his love of birdsong; the role of sound-color relationships and natural resonance in his approach to harmony; the circumstances surrounding the composition of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps; his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire; his pivotal relationship with his student Yvonne Loriod, an acclaimed pianist who eventually became his second wife; and the Turangalîla-Symphonie. A valuable part of the documentary is the commentary by Messiaen’s student George Benjamin. Highly recommended. 239.

Messiaen, Olivier. Les Leçons. Directed by Olivier Mille. 60 min. Artline Productions and La Sept (France), 1988. Videocassette. In July 1987, Messiaen was the featured composer at the Centre Acanthes festival, and professor at the Chartreuse de Villeneuve lez Avignon, all part of the Centre’s annual focus on the music of an important contemporary composer. Both he and Loriod-Messiaen gave classes, with Messiaen discussing the elements of his musical language and the role of faith in his compositional aesthetic, in connection with his pieces. The documentary includes excerpts from the Catalogue d’osieaux performed by Véronique Pélisséro (“Le Merle bleu” [III]) and Roger Muraro (“La Rousserolle Effarvatte” [VII]), as part of a complete performance of the Catalogue by current or former students of Loriod-Messiaen. It also features a performance of “Le Rouge-gorge” (III) from the Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux by Loriod-Messiaen during Messiaen’s discussion of that piece while teaching; and performances (excerpts) from the 1983 premiere of Saint François d’Assise, Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, Chronochromie, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, and Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.

240.

Messiaen, Olivier. Quartet for the End of Time; Improvisations. Directed by Georges Bessonnet. 82 min. G.B. Productions France/Image Entertainment, 1991/1999. DVD. M424.M47 Q87 1999 DVD. Contains three improvisations (ca. 25 minutes) on “Puer natus est nobis” (Unto us a child is born) performed by Messiaen in October 1985 on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité. They include: (1) “And the Shepherds See a Group of Angels in the Fields Who Are Singing, ‘Glory to God in the Highest’”; (2) “And the Three Kings Had Seen the Star of the Christ in the East and Headed Toward Nazareth” (“Nazareth” is a mistake on Messiaen’s part when he announced the textual basis of this improvisation; the “Three Kings” were headed, of course, to Bethlehem); and (3) “And as a Present, the Three Kings Gave Mary and Jesus Gold as Though to a King, and Incense as Though to a God, and Myrrh as Though to a Mortal Man.” Includes shots of Messiaen playing at the organ console, and the organ case and loft. After the improvisations, Le Quatuor Olivier Messiaen (Alain Moglia, violin; Michel Arrignon, clarinet; Sonia Wieder-Atherton, cello;

Primary Sources III

123

Jean-Claude Henriot, piano) performs the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps live at the Vaux De Cernay Abbey. 241.

Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne. Yvonne Loriod: Pianist & Teacher: A Film by François Manceaux. Directed by François Manceaux. With the exceptional participation of Olivier Messiaen. [Une leçon particulière de musique avec Yvonne Loriod: avec la participation exceptionnelle d’Olivier Messiaen.] 57 min. Leçons particulières de musique, 3. Collections de Olivier Bernager & François Manceaux. Arles, France: Harmonia Mundi, 1991/2011. According to the notes accompanying this DVD, Les Leçons particulières de musique (“Private Music Lessons”) was a series of twelve innovative television programs centering on the leading performers of the late twentieth century, capturing their artistry, especially with respect to teaching private music lessons. The French television channel La Sept (later Arte) broadcast the programs between 1987 and 1991. Instead of filming traditional masterclasses, producers Olivier Bernager and François Manceaux opted to present artistic narratives tracing the progression of the lessons through lavish settings, creative camera work, and skillfull lighting effects. In the third program in the series, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen is seen giving lessons to (1) Nicolas Angelich on Messiaen’s “Par Lui tout a été fait,” the sixth movement of the Vingt Regards sur I’Enfant-Jésus; (2) Kei Saotome on Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2, III; and (3) Yoko Keneko and Masaaki Yasuda on Mozart’s Sonata for 2 pianos in D major, K. 448 (375a), II. Interspersed throughout these lessons are (1) Loriod-Messiaen’s account of her meeting Messiaen, (2) a discussion about birds, (3) a conversation between Loriod-Messiaen and her former Paris Conservatory student, pianist Roger Muraro, (4) a conversation with the Messiaens about Loriod-Messiaen having her Paris Conservatory students play in public, and (5) the Messiaens discussing the symbolism of their names. The program also includes Loriod-Messiaen performing “Résurrection,” the sixth and last song of Chants de Terre et de Ciel, with soprano Agnès Robert, and “Noël,” the thirteenth movement from Vingt Regards. Messiaen’s “exceptional participation” in this documentary amounts primarily to looking at scores while Angelich and Loriod-Messiaen perform their movements from Vingt Regards. He does chime in when his wife is coaching Angelich, offering information about the premiere of Vingt Regards, as well as a discussion of how the piece progresses symbolically by groups of five. Loriod-Messiaen subsequently suggests that the discussion move on to an analysis of “Par Lui tout a été fait.” Taking that as a cue, Messiaen comments on the fugal nature of the first half of the piece, the macrocosmic (infinitely large) and microcosmic (infinitely small) qualities of the middle section, and the reprise of the fugue—now in retrograde, culminating with a three-part stretto involving the technique of asymmetrical enlargement. As a transition to the documentary’s brief discussion about birds, Messiaen then declares that the most difficult aspect of his music for the public to grasp is his use of birdsong. We then hear the song of the gerygone

124

Primary Sources III

from Saint François d’Assise, played on the piano, as the scene changes to a countryside, and then to the Messiaens’ apartment as he discusses his method of birdsong transcription, followed by Loriod-Messiaen’s remarks on how she was gradually able to identify actual birdsongs from her experiences of them in her husband’s music. The scene switches back to the site of the lesson, with LoriodMessiaen briefly discussing “La colombe” from the Préludes, after which both she and Messiaen discuss how they met. After the Chants de Terre et de Ciel, the scene switches back to the Messiaens’ rue Marcadet apartment, as they comment on a picture of the two of them and talk about their names, with Messiaen remarking that he insisted that his wife keep her surname Loriod, since it recalls the name of a bird (“loriot” [oriole]) that he liked. He adds that she is not Yvonne Messiaen to him but Yvonne Loriod. But to the camera, Loriod-Messiaen states that she signs with both names. 242.

Messiaen, Olivier. Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time. Directed by Astrid Wortelboer. 60 min. Amaya, 1993. Videocassette. Not examined. Contains an interview of Messiaen by Leo Samana conducted in 1991 (“Entretien avec Olivier Messiaen”).

243.

Messiaen, Olivier. Des Canyons aux Étoiles: Le Monde d’Olivier Messiaen. Un film de Olivier Mille. 1, La foi; 2, La nature, les oiseaux; 3, Les couleurs, les rythmes, l’enseignement. Directed by Olivier Mille. 54 min., 51 min., and 49 min. Artline films; Conservatoire National de Musique et de Danse de Paris; Imalyre-VT COM France Télécom; INA Entreprise; and Le SACEM, 1997/2013. This is the most comprehensive—and clearly the best—documentary film made on Messiaen. It is in three episodes, covering aspects of the composer’s faith (1, La foi), love of nature and birds (2, La nature, les oiseaux), and compositional aesthetics involving sound-color relationships and rhythm, as well as work as a teacher (3, Les couleurs, les rythmes, l’enseignement). Interspersed throughout the episodes are historic interviews and films featuring Messiaen dating from 1964 to 1987, and interviews with prominent figures who knew Messiaen well, such as Gilbert Amy, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars, Jacques Penot, Alain Louvier, François-Bernard Mâche, Pierre Boulez, Heinz Holliger, George Benjamin, and Michel Fano, Finally, the episodes include notable performances (excerpts) from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (Pierre Laurent-Aimard), Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (Stéphanie-Marie Degand, violin; Jérôme Voisin, clarinet; Ophélie Gaillard, cello; and Patrick Chevalier-Zygmanowski, piano), Livre du Saint Sacrement (Naji Hakim [X] and Olivier Latry [IV], organ), Chants de Terre et de Ciel (rehearsal, with Maria Oran, soprano; Loriod-Messiaen, piano; and Messiaen), Saint François d’Assise (1983 premiere), Messe de la Pentecôte (Hakim, organ), Oiseaux exotiques (Ensemble InterContemporain, Boulez, conductor; Laurent-Aimard, piano), Chronochromie (Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Boulez, conductor), and Île de Feu II (Nicolas Angelich, piano). Extracts of interviews from Des Canyons aux Étoiles are included in the special features section of the DVD Liturgie de cristal.

Primary Sources III

244.

125

Messiaen, Olivier. Ratios and Radiance, Feathers and Faith: The Music of Olivier Messiaen. Brown Symposium XXII, February 3–4, 2000, at Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX. Robert Sherlaw Johnson, Paul Griffiths, Hans-Ola Ericsson, Jonathan Bernard, and others. Developed by Professor F. Ellsworth Peterson. 727 min. Recorded at Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX. 9 VHS videocassettes. [With permission, available from the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center— Special Collections, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX]. On 3–4 February 2000, this symposium explored the music of Messiaen through a series of lectures and performances by leading scholars and performers of his music. Most of the symposium was captured on nine VHS videocassettes. (The present author obtained and viewed volumes 1–4, and 8, through the auspices of the Interlibrary Loan Services of the Pennsylvania State University.) Lectures focusing on Messiaen included “Introduction to the Music of Messiaen” (vol. 1/ pt. 2) and “Birdsong in Catalogue d’Oiseaux: An Imitation of Nature?” (vol. 6) by Robert Sherlaw-Johnson; “Sounding Numbers” and “Introduction to Harawi” (vols. 2 and 3, respectively) by Paul Griffiths; “Music which Touches Everything and at the Same Time Touches God” (vol. 4) by Hans-Ola Ericsson; and “The Color of Sound and the Sound of Color: Messiaen’s Synaesthetic World” (vol. 5) by Jonathan Bernard. The symposium also included performances of Harawi (vol. 3, Virginia Dupuy, mezzo-soprano, Shields-Collins Bray, piano), excerpts from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus and Catalogue d’oiseaux (vol. 8, Robert SherlawJohnson, piano), and the Livre du Saint Sacrement and L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orgue (not recorded, Hans-Ola Ericsson, organ).

245.

Messiaen, Olivier. Liturgie de cristal. Directed by Olivier Mille; commentary by Paul Barge. 107 min. (total running time). Artline Films—ARTE France—INA Entreprise—Conservatoire National de Musique et de Danse de Paris, 2002; Ideale Audience International, 2007. DVD. ML410.M595 L58 2007 [IUCAT]. A multi-faceted, thematic documentary of Messiaen, containing archival clips— spanning 1964 to 1987—of him discussing his compositional techniques, scenes from Denise Tual’s documentary film, Messiaen et les oiseaux, and filmed performances of excerpts from his works, closing with segments from the 1998 Salzburg production of Saint François d’Assise directed by Peter Sellars. Many of these excerpts derive from director Mille’s previous documentaries, Les Leçons and Des Canyons aux Étoiles: Le Monde d’Olivier Messiaen. The DVD’s special features showcase, moreover, excerpts of interviews from the director’s Des Canyons, in which significant personages discuss Messiaen’s life, music, and work.

5 Biographical and Stylistic Studies

This chapter focuses on general biographical and stylistic studies of Messiaen’s music, as well as more specialized discussions. It also includes essay collections, program booklets, and special periodical issues devoted to the composer.

GENERAL STUDIES OF MESSIAEN’S LIFE AND MUSIC, STYLE, AND AESTHETICS 246.

Amblard, Jacques. Vingt regards sur Messiaen: Une étiologie de la médiation. Arts. Série Histoire, théorie et pratiques des arts. Aix-en-Provence: Presses universitaires de Provence, 2015. 339 p. ISBN: 9791032000076 (pbk.). ML410.M595 A83 2015. Presents refreshing musical and socio-cultural viewpoints on Messiaen and his music. Assesses the reception of the composer’s work, as well as the role of birdsong in his compositional aesthetics. Not only considers the presence of Romanticism—in the form of timbre—in Messiaen’s music, but also offers a decidedly different perspective on the composer’s approach to rhythm, arguing that it is more homorhythmic in nature, ultimately signifying a verticalized “monorhythm.” This single temporal voice can be likened—in Messiaen’s view—to the voice of God the Father speaking to Moses. In the latter part of the book, explores the roles magic, wonder, philosophy, childhood, faith, esotericism, and human love play in Messiaen’s creative world, along with the sharp contrasts present in his music, where the sublime may be juxtaposed with the banal, although such juxtapositions may invariably accentuate the richness of the musical score. Turns to the relationship a Gesamtkunstwerk has with culture,

126

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

127

politics, and spirituality. Also discusses Messiaen’s synesthesia and his love for literature and theater. And finally, in a series of futuristic “regards” centering on the twenty-first century, posits—quite plausibly—that Messiaen anticipated a possible synthesis between modemism and postmodernism, and unlike other, younger composers searching for a similar integration, Messiaen accomplished it in a natural way. 247.

Amy, Gilbert. “Messiaen, un heritage assume?” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 5–11. Composer and former student of Messiaen, Gilbert Amy discusses Messiaen as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, as well as ruminates about those teachers, mentors, and composers who shaped his compositional outlook, in order to reconcile Messiaen’s dogmatic religious beliefs with his evolving musical thought. Amy recounts his teacher’s unconventional pedagogical style, pointing out his preferences for studying certain composers; advocacy for plainchant, Indian rhythmic patterns, and birdsong in the classroom; and inclusion of philosophical, scientific, theological, and ornithological readings, all of which is intended to augment the study of musical masterpieces during the mid-1950s. This pedagogical style speaks, most importantly, to a universal—that is, catholic—approach to the study of music, which is in harmony with his compositional practice. Amy then turns to those musicians who had an impact on Messiaen’s creative thought, such as his music history teacher Maurice Emmanuel, mentor Charles Tournemire, and composers Richard Wagner, Claude Debussy, Paul Dukas, and André Jolivet.

248.

Anderson, Julian. “Messiaen and the Notion of Influence.” Tempo 63, no. 247 (2009): 2–18. ISSN: 0040–2982. This article traces the influence of Jolivet’s innovative music of the 1930s—as reflected by Mana, and ideas regarding harmonic generation derived from acoustics, on Messiaen’s music of the late 1930s to 1950s. To a lesser extent, it also considers the influences of Tournemire and Berg (i.e., Wozzeck) on the composer, who frequently adapted such material for inclusion into his music, for a variety of reasons. A real plus about the article is its claim that Messiaen’s turning chords and the first chords of contracted resonance derive from Jolivet’s harmonic practice. However, its assertion that the inferior resonance elements of the first chords of contracted resonance stem from Messiaen’s incorporation of Jolivet’s harmonic procedures (especially involving the calculation of differential tones) is somewhat of a stretch (pp. 8–10).

249.

Anderson, Julian. “Messiaen and the Problem of Communication.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 257–68. This essay focuses on Messiaen’s compulsion to communicate with the outside world through music characterized by vivid musical utterances and symbolic encodings. Claims that the composer’s more abstract music is ultimately ineffective, because it centered on technique and not expression. Perhaps more

128

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

importantly, maintains that Messiaen’s need to communicate may stem from his very troubled childhood, as described in Béatrice Marchal’s tome, Les Chants du silence: Olivier Messiaen, fils de Cécile Sauvage ou la musique face à l’impossible parole (item 845), particularly in connection with his mother Cécile’s affair with Jean de Gourmont and subsequent bouts of depression after it ended, leaving her unable to communicate. This situation foreshadowed that with his first wife, Claire Delbos, whose gradual mental deterioration precluded any communication with the outside world. Although one can disagree with the author’s dismissive remarks about the relative merits of Mode de valeurs, Soixante-quatre durées, or Chronochromie, in light of the fact that they reflect Messiaen’s preoccupation with time and eternity, or argue that the Concert à quatre is a worthwhile piece, the author has uncovered a side to the composer that is truly thought provoking. 250.

Arnault, Pascal and Nicolas Darbon. Olivier Messiaen: Les sons impalpables du rêve. With prefaces by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen and Jacques Petit. 2d ed. Lillebonne: Millénaire III Éditions, 1999. 187 p. ML 410.M595 A86 1999. A critical study of Messiaen and his work. Part 1 (pp. 9–50) is devoted to various biographical and stylistic elements that helped shape Messiaen’s character and compositional aesthetics. Included in this section is information about his work as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire from 1941–78. Part 2 (pp. 51–96) consists of analyses of selected keyboard works and music involving voice. Part 3 (pp. 97–172) examines Messiaen’s ideas on rhythm, melody, and harmony in the Technique, as well as compositional techniques that postdate it. Part 3 closes with an analysis of Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà..., which is deemed a synthesis of Messiaen’s techniques.

251.

Balmer, Yves. “Edifier son œuvre: genèse, médiation, diffusion de l’œuvre d’Olivier Messiaen.” 2 vols. Thèse de doctorat: Musicologie. Université Charles de Gaulle (Lille), 2008. 689, 214 p. This dissertation uses sketches and other manuscript materials in an attempt to understand how Messiaen composed, especially with respect to Visions de l’Amen. It also considers the composer in connection with his activities as a promoter of his work, exploring how he constructed, controlled, and publicized his image. The dissertation is divided into three parts, titled as follows: (1) “Comment compose Messiaen?,” (2) “Edifier son langage ou comment Messiaen revendique une place éminente dans l’histoire de la musique ?,” and (3) “Messiaen à l’étranger: étude de politique culturelle.” Regarded by the document’s author as somewhat independent of each other, perhaps as “three glances on the composer Messiaen,” these three parts can be read as stand-alone texts.

252.

Barthel-Calvet, Anne-Sylvie. “The Messiaen—Xenakis Conjunction.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 175–200.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

129

In this essay, Barthel-Calvet considers the relationship between Messiaen and Xenakis, focusing on the convergence of their musical aesthetics. She examines Xenakis’s notebooks from his days as an auditeur in Messiaen’s class at the Paris Conservatoire (1951–54)—part of the Xenakis archives currently under the control of the composer’s daughter, Mâkhi Xenakis—to describe Messiaen’s formative influence on him. Barthel-Calvet then details the creative intersections between the compositional practices of teacher and student, especially in relation to serialism, rhythmic permutations, and additive rhythm. 253.

Bell, Carla Huston. Olivier Messiaen. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1984. 158 p. ISBN: 0805794573. ML 410.M595 B4 1984. Derived from her dissertation of 1977, Bell’s study examines ten representative works by Messiaen from 1929 to 1958, beginning with the “Chant d’extase dans un paysage triste” from the Préludes pour piano, and ending with “La Chouette Hulotte” from the Catalogue d’oiseaux, in order to provide a better understanding not only of Messiaen’s musical style but also of his position in twentieth-century music. Prefaces her analytical appraisal of Messiaen’s work by considering his major influences as well as the components of his musical language.

254.

Boswell-Kurc, Lilise. “Olivier Messiaen’s Religious War-time Works and their Controversial Reception in France (1941–46).” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, New York University, 2001. This dissertation examines “Le Cas Messiaen,” the affair in the French press surrounding the reception of Messiaen’s religious works during the mid-1940s. Part 1 (Chapters 1–4) introduces the affair and considers those elements behind the controversy. Part 2 (Chapters 5–7) surveys the three most criticized aspects associated with Messiaen’s wartime music: the commentaries that accompanied his works, the overly systematic nature of the Technique, and the dichotomy produced by the music’s spiritual and sensual elements. An exhaustive study shedding new light on the affair, especially how it was brewing for a long time and how it was driven not by the music’s characteristics but by extra-musical matters. Highly recommended.

255.

Boulez, Pierre. “Une sorte de principe d’incertitude . . .” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 47–52. In this nuanced, aesthetic portrait of Messiaen, Boulez states that the composer’s “modernity” never really posed a problem for him. It accompanied him throughout his musical life, provoking different reactions on his part. Boulez recounts how the modernity of Messiaen appeared to him, first in the form of the Thème et variations for violin and piano (1932), which exhibited a very personal harmonic language that he later realized was modal. This first contact prompted him to meet Messiaen and enroll in his harmony class at the Conservatoire. Messiaen’s modernity then appeared to Boulez through the composer’s teaching, which contrasted sharply with the dry academicism then present at the

130

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Conservatoire. In the class, Messiaen taught harmony in terms of the development of chord types and their changing functions throughout history, an insertion of the past into the present. Boulez also appreciated Messiaen introducing him to contemporary music, especially Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. He then turns to a discussion of Messiaen’s compositional practice, as related to his modernistic approach to the manipulation of different musical parameters, and penchant for intuitively juxtaposing musical elements, a heterogenity of materials that still included modernistic techniques. All of this points to a modernity embraced by Messiaen that advocates a very specific point of view without abandoning other opinions that fine tune his thought through reinforcement, counterpoint, or contradiction (p. 52). Although Boulez does not acknowledge it, Messiaen’s modernity calls to mind a Thomistic pattern of thinking, exemplified in the Summa theologiae. 256.

Broad, Stephen. “Recontextualising Messiaen’s Early Career.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, University of Oxford, 2005. Re-evaluates Messiaen’s early career and development. Challenges the idea that Messiaen was somehow divorced from the main artistic movements of the twentieth century. Reassesses Messiaen’s early career by examining: (1) his biographical and musical positioning in his own writings; (2) his relationship with his immediate musical contemporaries; (3) the role of Claire Delbos; (4) his relationship to French musical tradition; and (5) his role in French aesthetic debates of the 1930s. Contains a valuable bibliography (although devoid of sources written by German authors) and four appendices that include, respectively, annotated transcriptions of the articles Messiaen wrote for various French journals between 1936 and 1939, a catalogue of Messiaen’s journalism from 1935 to 1939, selected personalia, and Messiaen’s records at the Paris Conservatoire. Well researched and highly informative. A valuable study that should grace the bookshelves of any serious Messiaen scholar.

257.

Broad, Stephen. “Messiaen and Cocteau.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 1–12. This essay reconsiders Messiaen’s relationship to neoclassicism as a member of La Jeune France, especially in connection with the aesthetic promoted by Jean Cocteau. To accomplish this reassessment, the essay evaluates articles the composer wrote during the second half of the 1930s. Instead of having a limited association with La Jeune France and its ideals, and writing infrequent negative opinions about neoclassicism, “Messiaen [as argued convincingly in the essay] waged a subtle, but sustained and public campaign against neoclassicism through his journalism for some three years between 1936 and 1939” (p. 5).

258.

Broad, Stephen. “Messiaen: Poetics, Polemics, and Politics.” Scottish Music Review 1/1 (2007): 83–98. ISSN 1755–4934 In this article, Broad focuses on Messiaen’s early writings and other sources (e.g., journalistic, criticism—much of which has only become recently available) to

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

131

form a new judgment of his early career with respect to his compositional development in general, and his aesthetic viewpoints as expressed during the 1930s before he became more cautious in revealing his thoughts. In particular, Broad examines Messiaen’s writings in French and Belgian journals from 1936 to 1939 that include concert reviews, opinions on contemporary music, and discussions of his music. Broad looks first at what Messiaen wrote in the midst of a political climate in turmoil, which includes the composer’s active support of La Jeune France and their campaign against neoclassicism. He ends with an examination of Messiaen’s commentary about Milhaud, where he champions his music and cites him as an “acknowledged” personage in new music, along with Stravinsky and Berg. Up to now, there has been a notion that Messiaen was a composer “set apart,” among other stereotypes. These newly available writings, however, give a much more nuanced, tolerant, and interesting picture of the composer, as well as encouragement to researchers to have a more open mind when dealing with him and his music. 259.

Broad, Stephen, trans. Olivier Messiaen: Journalism 1935–1939. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2012. xiii, 169 p. ISBN: 9780754608769 (hardcover); 9781409444770 (ebook). ML410.M595 A5 2012. In this book, Broad compiles articles Messiaen wrote for various French journals in the second half of the 1930s, and translates them into English. These articles include (1) discussions of musical works by Messiaen and other composers; (2) reviews of published music, keyboard method books, and concerts as well as recitals; (3) journalistic exchanges between Messiaen and other musicians; and (4) essays on musical aesthetics. Throughout these articles, Messiaen demonstrates that as a writer he can be either matter-of-fact, generous in his assessments of other musicians, or polemical respecting musical aesthetics. As Broad suggests in his Introduction (p. 10), some of the articles compel us to re-evaluate conventional readings of Messiaen’s early career, as related to La Jeune France and the wider musical debates current in the 1930s. Reviews: Philip Borg-Wheeler, Rhinegold Publishing [www.rhinegold.co.uk/ olivier-messiaen-journalism-1935–1939/].

260.

Broad, Stephen. “Messiaen and Art Sacré.” in Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 269–78. Explores connections Messiaen might have had with the Art Sacré movement from the 1930s to early 1950s. Attempts to show how different aspects of the movement, including the heated dispute it sparked in the early 1950s about taste in religious art, could lead to a better understanding of the development of Messiaen’s compositional style.

261.

Burton, Richard D E [1946–2008]. Olivier Messiaen: Texts, Contexts, and Intertexts (1937–1948). Edited by Roger Nichols. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. ISBN: 9780190277949 (hardcover); 0190277947. ML410.M595 B87 2016.

132

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Arguing against a reading of Messiaen’s Catholicism as a purely personal matter, this book by the late French literature scholar Richard Burton greatly enhances our understanding of Messiaen by connecting his Catholic faith to its wider French cultural landscape. This unique and engagingly written tome goes beyond previously published work that either portrays Messiaen as a devout, religious musician with only superficial connections with the French culture around him, or as a musician who was spiritual in name only. Rather, Burton presents a decidedly different take on Messiaen’s middle years and the music emerging from this time. Utilizing his substantial expertise in French culture, particularly French Catholic and surrealist literature, Burton uncovers frequent scriptural references and allusions to theological writings in these middle-period works. He states that Messiaen was a devout, traditional Roman Catholic, a composer whose music stemmed from a “lifetime of daily readings of the Bible” and “attendance at Mass,” and that he was the polar opposite of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre—an atheist, activist, leftist, and hostile to birds or birdsong. In five chapters, Burton considers Messiaen’s works spanning Poèmes pour Mi (1937) to Cinq Rechants (1949), exploring the seminal ideas driving these pieces. The readings do not flow from the pen of a musicologist, but from someone who was a Professor of French and Francophone Studies at Sussex University, deeply interested in Messiaen and his music from wide-ranging cultural perspectives. What results are fascinating insights, both for the professional musician and individual melomane, who are captivated by this composer. As an instance, in his discussion of time and eternity in Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Burton cites Claudel’s commentary on the Book of Revelation (1932, published as Au milieu des vitraux de l’Apocalypse in 1966), revealing many ideological parallels between the poet/dramatist and musician. Although this book contains editorial and production miscues, they can—and should—be excused, given the book’s genesis, as well as path to and ultimate publication. It is highly recommended, and a must read for all Messiaen scholars. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 73/2 (December 2017), forthcoming. 262.

Carroll, Mark. “‘Who Lives Will See, Who Sees Will Hear’: Messiaen on Life, Death, Serialism and Synaesthesia.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 28–37. Composer/musicologist André Boucourechliev posed questions as to the state of serial music in Preuves (spanning five issues from 1965–66). In response, Messiaen wrote a wide-ranging essay that attempted to answer the questions, and in the process, gave an overview of serialism’s progress. In his conclusion, he also put forth his own spiritual, philosophical, and aesthetic beliefs. The author includes responses from others as well, in order to give context to Messiaen’s response, which touches on the meaning of “serial” music, the potential of electronic music, the use of natural phenomena such as birdsong, chance determinations, synesthesia and color, the reception of contemporary music, and finally, a

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

133

celebration of music and art that help the listener transcend reality toward the beyond. 263.

Dingle, Christopher. “Messiaen and Mozart: A Love without Influence?” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 217–33. Argues that Mozart ranks as one of the foremost influences on Messiaen’s music, a creative presence that extends beyond the incorporation of musical materials on the compositional surface. Probes the consequences of Messiaen’s veneration of Mozart in his music, although the topic of melodic accentuation in Mozart features no acknowledgment of Messiaen’s debt to Vincent d’Indy’s Cours de composition musicale, nor is there any mention of the literature on that subject (see Boivin, item 550, and Benitez, item 548).

264.

Dingle, Christopher. “Sacred Machines: Fear, Mystery and Transfi guration in Messiaen’s Mechanical Procedures.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 13–31. Examines the mechanized processes associated with Messiaen’s compositional materials, with the intent of surveying his musical output and life. The author proposes two types of “mechanization,” manifest and mysterious, with the latter associated with serial modes and colored time. Claims that Messiaen’s attraction to compositional machines was prompted by his fear of their impersonality and lifelessness, motivating him to transform them into evocative religious metaphors that are expressed in his music.

265.

Dingle, Christopher. “Yvonne Loriod as Source and Influence.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 197–210. Considers Loriod-Messiaen’s role in Messiaen’s life and career. Looks at her influence on his compositional craft as both an extraordinary pianist and artistic muse, along with the consequences of their romantic relationship. Subsequently turns to her role as a teacher and promoter of Messiaen’s artistic legacy.

266.

Dingle, Christopher. The Life of Messiaen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. xii, 261 p. ISBN: 9780521632201; 052163220X; 9780521635479 (pbk.); 0521635470 (pbk.). ML410.M595 D56 2007. This book is a traditional biography that supplies an introduction to Messiaen’s life and work. It is a part of the Musical Lives series of Cambridge University Press. Although indebted to Hill and Simeone’s tome on the composer (item 273) in its charting of Messiaen’s personal life and career, this overview offers additional insights about him not found in that source, providing a more nuanced reading of his music in light of its socio-cultural context. Despite the lack of musical examples, which is the practice of all volumes in the series, and for a tome of its type, this book discusses Messiaen’s highly sophisticated music and compositional development with competence and élan. Yet missing within the text is a stronger engagement with the composer’s weighty

134

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Roman Catholic theology, or fascination with sound-color relationships, a topic one is led to expect from the book’s cover featuring a Delaunay painting. Reviews: Jeremy Begbie, The Christian Century 125/18 (September 9, 2008): 53–54; William R. Braun, Opera News 72/7 (January 2008): 65; Robert Fallon, Tempo 62/246 (October 2008), 67–70. 267.

Fallon, Robert. “Placing Mount Messiaen.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 323–39. The author describes the events leading up to the dedication of Mount Messiaen in southern Utah. While acknowledging that Harriet Watts told the same story in her interview of Messiaen (item 225), he notes that she made an error regarding the mountain’s location (pp. 327–28). The rest of the article centers on the author’s pilgrimage to Mount Messiaen and his at times self-indulgent ruminations about the geological landscape and how it shapes his perception of Messiaen’s association with nature.

268.

Fallon, Robert. “The Tombeaux of Messiaen: At the Intersection of Influence and Reception.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 243–73. A thoughtful consideration of Messiaen’s impact on later composers, particularly with respect to his use of harmony, slow tempos imbued with intense expression, and instrumentation. Presents a large collection of music—which the author designates as tombeaux—that acknowledges Messiaen’s influence in some tangible way. Concludes the essay with lists of music from different stylistic traditions composed in recognition of Messiaen (pp. 262–73).

269.

Gan-Quesada, Germán. “Three Decades of Messiaen’s Music in Spain: A Brief Survey, 1945–1978.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 301–22. Gan-Quesada considers the reception of Messiaen’s music in Spain from 1945 to 1978, not only in an attempt to understand that country’s musical scene in the second half of the twentieth century, but also to broaden the scope of Messiaen scholarship. Spanish musical circles regarded the composer as challenging to categorize stylistically, because of the religious and modernistic tendencies evinced by his music. Limiting critical sources examined to those from Barcelona and Madrid, the author frames the musical assessment of Messiaen in Spain mainly in relation to the composer’s initial visit in 1949, and later ones in 1974 and 1976; the evolving political situation during this time period; and his influence on Spanish composers. At the end of the essay (p. 321, n. 84), the author offers a most-welcome list of “relevant aesthetical and analytical essays” on the music of Messiaen by Spanish musicologists. However, he maintains that the present author did not include any Spanish contributions in the first edition of this research guide due to the inadequate state of affairs regarding Hispanic scholarship on Messiaen (“much work . . . remains to be done”). This is inaccurate, as the selection criteria for sources were clearly spelled out in the book’s preface (pp. xiii, xvi). In other words, most of the entries are in English, French,

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

135

and German, due to reasons of scholarly significance as well as considerations of space, with sources in Spanish, along with several other languages, excluded. 270.

Griffiths, Paul. Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1985. 274 p. ISBN: 0801418135. ML 410.M595 G7 1985. Concentrates on Messiaen’s manipulation of musical time in order to understand his compositional style. Characterizes the composer’s approaches to melody, harmony, and rhythm in relation to tonal conventions, concluding that Messiaen had a penchant for repetitive forms that evoke stasis—an absence of goaldirected motion—in his music. Proposes that what underlies all of Messiaen’s works is a conception of music in terms of individual events with no underlying contexts. Examines Messiaen’s life and music chronologically, placing a greater weight on the earlier works in order to promote connections they have with later compositions. Includes a chronology of Messiaen’s life and music (up to Saint François d’Assise) and a catalogue of his works. Reviews: Arnold Whittall, The Music Review 46/3 (August 1985): 226–28.

271.

Halbreich, Harry. Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Fayard/Fondation SACEM, 1980. 532 p. ISBN: 221300790X. ML 410.M595 H3. This secondary French-language source was written by a former pupil of Messiaen. Divided into four parts (“L’homme et son univers,” “Le langage musical,” “L’œuvre,” “Messiaen parmi nous”), this study provides insights into Messiaen’s life, faith, compositional aesthetics, music, and work as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. Of particular note are the discussions of Messiaen’s harmonic vocabulary and sound-color relationships. Halbreich includes several chords in his discussion of Messiaen’s harmony that are not addressed in the Technique or by other Messiaen authors prior to the 1980s. Moreover, he was the first scholar to list the color associations suggested by specific modal transpositions in Messiaen’s colored-hearing synesthesia. According to Hill and Simeone, this study was written under Messiaen’s “watchful supervision” (Hill and Simeone [item 273], 1.).

272.

Halbreich, Harry. L’œuvre d’Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Fayard, 2008. 595 p. ISBN: 9782213636474; 2213636478. ML410.M595 H28 2008. An updated edition of Halbreich’s earlier tome published in 1980. Follows the same four-part organization of the original, with the principal exceptions being the additions of analyses of music composed or discovered after 1980. Includes Halbreich’s analysis of Saint François d’Assise (pp.  483–527) that was initially published in L’Avant-Scène Opéra (item 568).

273.

Hill, Peter and Nigel Simeone. Messiaen. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005. xii, 435 p. ISBN: 0300109075. ML 410.M595 H55 2005. In their biography, Hill and Simeone go beyond the portrait of Messiaen that emerged from his interviews, lectures, and didactic treatises, as well as from books

136

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

written about him and his music. Although Messiaen meticulously described the elements of his musical language, he said very little about what drove their use in a composition. He was equally reticent about any new works in progress and divulged few details about his private life. Because they were granted access to the composer’s archive by Loriod-Messiaen, Hill and Simeone reveal information about Messiaen hitherto unknown to the scholarly world. Through their examination of the correspondence, diaries, lecture notes, musical notebooks, and compositional sketches found at the archive, they draw a fascinating picture of both Messiaen’s work and domestic life. They are able to trace the development of his musical ideas, accordingly allowing them to provide information not only about the genesis of different works but his compositional process as well. They were also able to find a lighter side to Messiaen’s personality. Although he was a serious individual, he could be gregarious and not without a sense of humor. Hill and Simeone show, furthermore, the more difficult aspects of Messiaen’s private life, such as his care of Claire Delbos, his first wife, and the physical suffering he endured in later years. The book is well annotated and includes numerous reproductions of photographs and documents, along with an impressive bibliography. Highly recommended. Reviews: William R. Braun, Opera News 71/1 (July 2006): 64; Robert Fallon, Journal of the American Musicological Society 63/2 (Summer 2010): 378–92; M. Neil, Choice 43/8 (April 2006): 1413; and Andrew Thomson, “All for Jesus,” Musical Times 147/1894 (Spring 2006): 73–80. 274.

Hill, Peter und Nigel Simeone. Olivier Messiaen. Aus dem Englischen von Birgit Irgang. Mainz: Schott, 2007. 464 p. ISBN: 9783795705916; 3795705916. OCLC: 188261125. German translation of Hill and Simeone’s Messiaen biography that follows the original very closely, even to the extent of containing nearly all of its photographs as they appear throughout the book.

275.

Hill, Peter et Nigel Simeone. Olivier Messiaen. Traduit de l’anglais par Lucie Kayas. Paris: Fayard, 2008. 592 p. ISBN: 9782213629780; 2213629781. OCLC: 470602733. French translation of Hill and Simeone’s Messiaen biography, although unlike its German counterpart, this translation does not contain all of the photographs from the original text. Even more, its photographs of people are placed approximately in the center of the book, not interspersed throughout as in the original. At the behest of Sophie Debouvie of Éditions Fayard, the authors augmented their biography by adding an epilogue that focuses on Messiaen’s musical language (“Épilogue: la pensée musicale,” pp. 481–510), and a chronological catalogue of works (“Catalogue des œuvres d’Olivier Messiaen,” pp. 541–70).

276.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. Olivier Messiaen: Leben und Werk. Laaber: Laaber-Verlag, 1988. 242 p. ISBN: 3890071392. ML 410.M595 H57 1988. Not only surveys Messiaen’s life and career as a composer and teacher but also interprets his music from different perspectives. Compares Messiaen’s music

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

137

with that of Boulez, Ravel, and Wagner in three separate sections. Also discusses Messiaen’s works in relation to absolute music, modernism, the composer’s langage communicable, and tonality and atonality. Closes the study with a section devoted to Saint François d’Assise, where general information about the opera’s genesis, instrumental forces, and dramatic and musical designs is provided. Reviews: Almut Rößler, Musica 43/2 (March/April 1989): 165–66; Musik und Kirche 58/6 (1988): 303–4. 277.

Holloway, Clyde. “The Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen and Their Importance in His Total Oeuvre.” DSM document, Union Theological Seminary, 1974. v, 586 p. Lengthy study dealing with Messiaen’s organ works up to the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité in the context of his total output. Provides valuable information on aspects of Messiaen’s compositional style, as found not only in his organ music but in his other music as well. Includes English translations of excerpts from Antoine Goléa’s Rencontres avec Olivier Messiaen (item 202), Claude Samuel’s Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen (item 219), and Messiaen’s prefaces to his organ works and the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.

278.

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw. Messiaen. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. 232 p. ISBN: 0520067347; 9780520067349. ML 410.M595 J6 1989. In this survey of Messiaen’s music and compositional style, Johnson identifies his approaches to harmony, color, and rhythm, and his ability to integrate earlier procedures with newer ideas as key elements that distinguish the composer’s work in the twentieth century. While noting that Messiaen’s works lie mostly outside of the French tradition, Johnson regards his compositions, especially those up to the mid-1940s, as being influenced by Debussy and Stravinsky. Valuable also in this tome are appendices that include the 120 deçi-tâlas in modern notation from the thirteenth-century North Indian music treatise Samgîta-ratnâkara, attributed to Sharngadeva (these deçi-tâlas were listed in Lavignac’s Encyclopédie de la musique and available to Messiaen during his student days—see Joanny Grosset, “Inde: Histoire de la musique depuis l’origine jusqu’a nos jours,” in Encyclopédie de la musique et dictionnaire du conservatoire, ed. Albert Lavignac and Lionel de la Laurencie, 11 vols. [Paris: Delagrave, 1913], I/1: 301–4), and an impressive list of bird names in French, Latin, and English and the works from 1953 to 1986 in which they appear. Reviews: David Drew, Times Literary Supplement, 12 September 1975, 1030; Paul Griffiths, “Deux Regards,” The Musical Times 116/1592 (October 1975): 881–83; Robert P. Morgan, The Musical Quarterly 62/4 (October 1976): 607–12; and Dika Newlin, Library Journal 100/13 (July 1975): 1328.

279.

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw. Messiaen. New expanded edition with additions by Caroline Rae. London: Ominibus Press, 2008. 248 p. ISBN: 9781847725875 (pbk.); 1847725872 (pbk.). ML410 .M595 J6 2008.

138

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

An updated edition of Johnson’s book on Messiaen. Besides reproducing what was published in the book’s second edition (which stopped at 1986), this 2008 version features a postscript written by Caroline Rae (pp. 196–208) devoted to a discussion of Messiaen’s later music, beginning with La Ville d’En-Haut (1987) and concluding with the Concert à quatre (1990–92). To foster a sense of continuity with Johnson’s text, Rae attempts to “adopt a similar approach in discussing each work in turn” (p. 196). Contains a revised bibliography. 280.

Laycock, Gary Eng Yeow. “Re-evaluating Olivier Messiaen’s Musical Language from 1917 to 1935.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, Indiana University, 2010. Using La Nativité du Seigneur (1935) as a benchmark, this dissertation examines the early works of Messiaen (1917–35) that are not addressed in any depth by the composer in his Technique (1944) or Traité de rythme (1949–92). To contextualize this music, it re-evaluates Messiaen’s early musical language. As a result, it argues that his early works are not a prelude to La Nativité and beyond, but represent a significant stage in his compositional development. In other words, the dissertation’s goal is to encourage a reassessment of Messiaen’s early compositions. Besides noting the musical influences of Messiaen’s teachers at the Paris Conservatoire, and composers he admired from the sixteenth to the early twentieth century, this dissertation supplies valuable information about his training at the Conservatoire, based on archival research conducted in Paris.

281.

Luchese, Diane. “Olivier Messiaen’s Slow Music: Glimpses of Eternity in Time.” PhD dissertation, Northwestern University, 1998. viii, 196 p. Considers some of the elements that distinguish Messiaen’s slow music. Argues that the frequently applied descriptive term “static” is insufficient because it overlooks the music’s progressive qualities. Views Messiaen’s slow music as ultimately paradoxical, as impressions of the changelessness of eternity are combined with the forward directionality of linear time. Chapters 1 through 4 lay the groundwork for the study’s analytical application in Chapter 5, which involves analyses of four Messiaen works that span the 1930s to 1980s.

282.

Luchese, Diane. “Olivier Messiaen’s Slow Music: A Reflection of Eternity in Time.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 179–92. An exploration of Messiaen’s view of time and eternity as seen in twenty-five typically slow compositions (often described as spiritual in nature or even timeless) in order to identify aspects that contribute to the distinctive sound quality inherent in these pieces. This examination has resulted in the discovery of certain features beyond those typically associated with Messiaen (e.g., nonretrogradable rhythms, modes of limited transposition, le langage communicable) that seem to be present most of the time—sonic suggestions that somehow convey an atmosphere of timelessness and the divine. These factors that work in tandem to characterize the special atmosphere of Messiaen’s slow pieces are: static elements, slowness, deceleration, silence, lack of conflict, minimal contextual dissonance,

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

139

stable levels of tension, vivid colors, and programmatic imagery. A list of the slow works examined is appended to the end of the essay. 283.

Luckow, Heather White. “From France to Quebec: Messiaen’s Transatlantic Legacy.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 201–25. Discusses the influence Messiaen had on three of his students from Quebec, Serge Garant, Clermont Pépin, and André Prévost. The author shows how these Canadian composers accepted Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, as well as absorbed his harmonic and rhythmic techniques into their musical language.

284.

Macdonald, Hugh. “Messiaen in Retrospect.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 313–22. This essay concludes volume one of Messiaen Perspectives. It ruminates about Messiaen’s position within French music and that of the twentieth century in general. Evaluates Messiaen in relation to a whole host of composers and different styles, although there are some missteps—keys do suggest colors (p. 316), and the composer does not have to be “forgiven for thinking that Massenet’s music had nothing to contribute to his own” (p. 319), as evidenced by a recent article on Messiaen’s borrowings from Massenet by Yves Balmer, Thomas Lacôte, and Christopher Murray (item 395).

285.

Mari, Pierrette. Olivier Messiaen: L’homme et son œuvre. Paris: Éditions Seghers, 1965. 191 p. ML 410.M595 M4. Explores Messiaen’s life, compositional techniques, and music according to medium. The analytical examination of his works is far from detailed: no musical examples accompany any discussion. Although it does provide valuable information on various aspects of Messiaen’s life, the book contains statements not supported by documentation. For example, mode 5, which is not one of Messiaen’s color modes, is described as evoking “gray-rose-green studded with gold” (p. 29). Finally, the book contains a catalogue of works up to Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1965), a bibliography of Messiaen’s writings, and a selected discography.

286.

McGinnis, Margaret Elizabeth. “Playing the Fields: Messiaen, Music, and the Extramusical.” PhD dissertation, University of North Carolina, 2003. viii, 254 p. This dissertation investigates the interaction between the musical and extramusical in the work of Messiaen, emphasizing its relationship to his cultural milieu. It uses the sociological theories of Pierre Bourdieu, and the concept of “play” in the semiological work of Kofi Agawu, to interpret how this interaction unfolded in Messiaen’s compositional practice. To advance its thesis, the dissertation focuses on the topics of mysticism, modernism, colored-hearing synesthesia, and theology as a means to comprehend this “play.” All of these topics indicate, furthermore, how music can assume extra-musical meaning, as well as how extra-musical topics can be used as vehicles of “cultural discourse and positioning” (p. 20). In connection with these topics, the dissertation concludes

140

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

that Messiaen did not align himself with any cultural pole; rather, his musical language positions him squarely in the middle. 287.

Michaely, Aloyse. Die Musik Olivier Messiaens: Untersuchungen zum Gesamtschaffen. Hamburger Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft: Sonderband. Hamburg: Verlag der Musikalienhandlung Karl Dieter Wagner, 1987. 841 p. ISBN: 3889790275. ML 410.M595 M5 1987. An exhaustive examination of Messiaen’s music spanning 841 pages. Interprets the music’s theological content as determining every aspect of structure. Relies heavily on Messiaen’s commentaries and writings to comprehend his work. Analyzes the composer’s musical language in relation to his theological ideas regarding the Creation, the Holy Trinity, and Resurrection and Eternal Life. Of note is the author’s insightful discussion of sound-color relationships (pp. 357–90). Includes an appendix that lists Messiaen’s works according to genre, a selected bibliography, and indexes of names and compositions by Messiaen, respectively. Highly recommended.

288.

Nichols, Roger. Messiaen, 2d ed. Oxford Studies of Composers, no. 13. London: Oxford University Press, 1986. 89 p. ISBN: 019315465X (hard); 0193154595 (paperback). ML 410.M595 N5 1986. A concise examination of Messiaen’s life and compositional style, covering music up to Saint François d’Assise (1975–83). Since it is part of the Oxford Studies of Composers series, this volume is short and descriptive, geared to providing an overview rather than a detailed examination of Messiaen’s works and the compositional techniques that inform them.

289.

Nonken, Marilyn. “Messiaen and the Spectralists.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 227–40. Considers Messiaen’s relationship to spectralism during its formative years of 1967–73. Describes how the composer’s approach to color in terms of both harmony and timbre, along with the listener’s perception of it, influenced French spectralists, such as his student Tristan Murail. Unfortunately, this otherwise insightful article suffers from numerous bibliographic omissions, especially Messiaen (1994–2002 [item 119]) and Bernard (1986 and 1995 [items 400 and 401, respectively]).

290.

Olivier, Philippe. Olivier Messiaen ou la lumière: Essai. Collection points d’orgue. Paris: Hermann Éditeurs, 2008. 194 p.  9782705667252 (pbk.); 2705667253 (pbk.). ML410.M595 O47 2008. Purports to be the first-ever exploration of the spiritual uniqueness of Messiaen’s message (as found in his compositions and even his own words), in a Europe where religious values are currently downplayed. Claims that it shows that the composer’s works can be understood as acts of faith, dressed in the “weapons of light” of St. Paul. The book is divided into two septenaries (obviously an hommage to the organization of Messiaen’s La Transfiguration). The first septenary

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

141

includes reflections on the Fioretti, Beatitudes, conversion, birds, and stained-glass windows, whereas the second consists of more intensely wrought explorations, in the areas of Scripture, theology, the organ, the Eucharist, Incarnation, Resurrection, and Katholikos (the universal exhuded by Messiaen’s work). Unfortunately, the book contains factual errors (e.g., stating that Messiaen received the piano-vocal score of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande for his eighth birthday [see p. 38], rather than as an eleven-year old, for a birthday or Christmas gift in December 1919). 291.

Périer, Alain. Messiaen. Paris: Solfèges/Seuil, 1979. 191 p. ISBN: 2020001454. ML 410. M595 P5. A chronological life and works study written by one of Messiaen’s former pupils. Because of its date, examines Messiaen’s music through Des canyons aux étoiles.... Contains many photographs that were not available in most biographies of the time. According to Hill and Simeone, this study, like Halbreich’s tome, was written under Messiaen’s “watchful supervision” (Hill and Simeone [item 273], 1).

292.

Potter, Caroline. “Messiaen and Dutilleux.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 23–37. Traces the mutual respect that Messiaen and Dutilleux had for one another. Notes their common educational training at the Paris Conservatoire and shared veneration of Debussy. Contrasts the musical styles of both composers through analytical discussions of different works, remarking that although there were significant differences between their compositional approaches, the two men had extraordinary conversations.

293.

Pozzi, Raffaele. “The Reception of Olivier Messiaen in Italy: A Historical Interpretation.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 281–99. Charts how musical and cultural circles in post-war Italy and beyond received Messiaen’s music. Meticulously documents the composer’s visits to Italy, along with reviews of his work, noting, in the final analysis, how various facets of the Italian artistic establishment perceived Messiaen’s compositional practice. At first, he was viewed as a religious composer with a conservative image, prone to fuss at times over programmatic atmosphere at the expense of musical structure. Subsequently, he was regarded as a transitional figure between Webern and the serial avant-garde of the 1950s, and even as a “father figure” to Boulez and Stockhausen and their serial approaches. In toto, although “Messiaen has received modest institutional attention in Italy” (p. 299), his stature as a composer is rising.

294.

Rae, Caroline. “Messiaen and Ohana: Parallel Preoccupations or Anxiety of Influence?” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 153–74. Examines similarities between the music of Messiaen and Maurice Ohana (1913–92), pointing out the “parallel preoccupations” these two composers

142

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

shared involving “their love of nature and awe at the non-human reality of the cosmos” (p. 154). Although the author explores—in certain respects—how their respective compositional approaches converge, as well as how their musical personalities differ, most of this essay is about Ohana rather than Messiaen. 295.

Rostand, Claude. Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Éditions Ventadour, 1957. 48 p. ML 410.M595 R7. A book on Messiaen by a harsh critic of his music in the French press during the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair of the 1940s. Rostand later became a staunch advocate of Messiaen’s music. He explained his change of heart in the September 1961 issue of Le Figaro littéraire (“Bataille pour Chronochromie”). As for Messiaen, he forgave Rostand for his scathing reviews. The book itself considers Messiaen’s then present-day activities of the mid-1950s, the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair, his life, the psychology behind his art (that is, its connection to his Catholic faith), and his compositional techniques and music.

296.

Schloesser, Stephen. Visions of Amen: The Early Life and Music of Olivier Messiaen. Grand Rapids, MI and Cambridge, UK: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014. xxi, 572 p. ISBN: 9780802807625. ML410.M595 S44 2014. This book offers an engaging account of Messiaen’s early life and work as a composer. It examines his “ultra-Catholic avant-gardism” to unpack the influences lying behind his early music. Adroitly navigating through difficult historical waters, the book maps out connections between numerous lines of thought in order to provide a compelling interpretation of Messiaen at a formative stage in his career, allowing for a better appreciation of the later works to come. In its first half, the book provides an impressive account of Messiaen’s early life, particularly with respect to his parents, Pierre Messiaen and Cécile Sauvage. It details who they were and how they not only interacted with each other, but also shaped the artistic proclivities of their famous son. It also challenges Messiaen’s fallacious characterization of Pierre as a non-believer, showing how he was actually a fervent Catholic, as witnessed by his attraction to Catholic Revivalism. In addition, the book delves into Messiaen’s literary childhood as seen through the interests and work of both his father and mother. It shows in particular how the shadow of his mother still loomed large in his life, even after her death in 1927, through early compositions dating from 1928–31 interpreted as “grief works.” The book approaches its subject from a variety of fresh vantage points. Besides looking at the influence of Messiaen’s parents, it examines the composer’s work from the perspectives of popular culture and its impact; emotions such as joy, melancholy, fear, and awe; and a re-evaluation of Messiaen’s intense preoccupation with time and eternity in view of these emotions. For this author, this is one of the most effective parts of the study. The book culminates with an analysis of Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen, which many scholars view as a summation of his music and thought during the first part of his career. Unfortunately, the analysis is uneven in quality, because it lacks a coherent interpretation that could tie the piece’s disparate

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

143

threads together, offering instead questionable readings linking musical materials with assorted extra-musical ideas. The book concludes with a survey of Messiaen’s life and work after Visions, exploring the profound implications of the material presented in its first half by considering the continuity of aesthetic themes in his later career. Overall, an excellent publication, and highly recommended. Reviews: Christopher Anderson, The Christian Century 132/2 (January 21, 2015): 41–42; David Heetderks, Rhythms of Catholicism—The Living Church, [http://living church.org/rhythms-catholicism]. 297.

Shenton, Andrew. Olivier Messiaen’s System of Signs: Notes Towards Understanding His Music. Aldershot, Hants, England, and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2008. xiv, 196 p. ISBN: 9780754661689; 0754661687. ML410.M595 S54 2008. Shows how Messiaen attempted to convey the truths of his Catholic faith more clearly through the langage communicable, a semiotic system that he devised to encode passages from different texts. Uses the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité as a case study in an interdisciplinary reading of both the music and what it communicates. Addresses other matters related to the interpretation, perception, performance, and authorial intent of a theological music to which audiences may or may not relate. A tome that covers much ground in its ca. 170 pages, raising more questions than it answers. Reviews: Ivan Ćurković, International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 43/1 (June 2012): 242–44; DB, The Organ Magazine [www.theorganmag. com/bookrevs/shenton.html]; Robert Fallon, Tempo 62/246 (October 2008): 67–70; Frank Ferko, Diapason 99/11 (November 2008): 18; Gillian Weir, Organists’ Review 94/4 (November 2008): 87.

298.

Shenton, Andrew. “Five Quartets: The Search for the Still Point of the Turning World in the War Quartets of T. S. Eliot and Olivier Messiaen.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 145–61. Compares the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1940–41) of Olivier Messiaen with the Four Quartets (published 1943, in the United States) of T. S. Elliot to examine how music can be perceived from expressive and temporal vantage points. Considers three themes that the two works share: (1) time and technique; (2) the “unattended moment” (a moment of sudden illumination); and (3) the “still point of the turning world” (a state of complete stillness, grace, and simplicity). While admitting that the essay is speculative due to the lack of documentary evidence linking Messiaen personally with Eliot, proposes alternative ways to approach each work. But to understand the music on a more deeply personal level, argues that one must dispense with Messiaen’s commentaries as well as conscious analyses. Maintains that the composer’s texts are not only an impediment to listening but also foster a scholarly writing that echoes his ideas. Finally, the essay contains some questionable statements, such as Messiaen’s music not addressing “any defined Catholic notions of death, human destiny, the Second Coming or the Last Judgment” (p. 159).

144

299.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Sholl, Robert Peter. “Olivier Messiaen and the Culture of Modernity.” PhD dissertation, Kings College, University of London, 2003. 383 p. Argues that Messiaen viewed himself as a self-professed “liberator of humanity,” who combined both modernistic and religious elements in his music throughout his career to bring society closer to God. This viewpoint of Messiaen as a “religious modernist” is based upon supposed connections he had, by way of the music and aesthetics of Charles Tournemire, to a nineteenth-century French tradition of antimodernist thought, seen primarily through the writings of Joséphin “Sâr” Péladan (1859–1918) and Joris-Karl Huysmans (1848–1907). The study is distinguished by an impressive command of historical, literary, and theological sources related to Messiaen, as well as by insightful perspectives as to their place in the composer’s life and work. However, the study is also characterized by a dismissive attitude toward the Messiaen literature, especially involving the composer’s writings, as it seeks to reveal a more interesting Messiaen than hitherto described. This laudable goal notwithstanding, which it only sometimes fulfills, the study is full of statements at odds with those by Messiaen, giving the impression that the composer deliberately obfuscated his agenda. Finally, the study does not set up musical-theoretical frameworks for its analytical viewpoints; instead, it analyzes musical elements in an ad hoc manner without due regard for building methodical arguments.

300.

Taylor, Benedict. “On Time and Eternity in Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 256–80. Acknowledging the difficulties encountered when trying to understand the complex nature of Messiaen’s music in conjunction with what he said about it, the author evaluates Messiaen’s commentaries on time, how they relate to his music, and to others’ accounts of it. He contextualizes the composer’s ideas about time and eternity in connection with Saints Augustine and Aquinas, Aristotle, and Newton. He then examines problems associated with the scholarly work of others on this subject (Paul Griffiths, Timothy Koozin, Robert Sherlaw Johnson). Discussed further are attributions of symbolism and metaphor and the lack of clarity that can result. Next, the author reviews issues related to whether Messiaen’s understanding of time was external and objective, or internal and subjective, while also viewing it from multiple perspectives. The views of Henri Bergson are mentioned here and also in relation to problems in rhythmic perception, along with time and symbol. Audible and abstract aspects of musical time are then considered. In the end, there may be no definitive conclusion, but it is certainly wise to examine these ideas, rather than dismiss what Messiaen and others have said about the topic.

SPECIALIZED DISCUSSIONS OF MESSIAEN’S MUSIC 301.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Contemplations of Covenant and Incarnation: Musical Symbols of Faith in the Two Great Piano Cycles of the 1940s. Hillsdale, NY:

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

145

Pendragon Press, 2007. 296 p. ISBN: 9781576471296 (alk. paper). ML410.M595 B784 2007. Part of a trilogy of scholarly tomes that considers significant segments of Messiaen’s œuvre (see also items 304 and 306), this book considers Visions de l’Amen and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, drawing especially from the author’s previous work in the analysis of the latter piece. To establish a context for her readings, the author not only looks at the Catholic renewal in France during the first part of the twentieth century, but also supplies her take on Messiaen’s musical language, emphasizing his proclivities for using vertical and horizontal symmetries, growth processes, additive rhythms, and sound-color relationships as part of his compositional arsenal. The author interprets the form of Visions de l’Amen as symmetrical in design through the pairing of different movements (1–7, 2–6, 3–5, 4) to bolster her claim that the theological focus of the piece lies in its central movement, “Amen du Désir” (pp.  123–26). Expressing humanity’s active relationship with God, particularly its desire for union, the fourth movement is the only one related to each of the others, while the flanking pairs underscore their kinship with the divine. The author devotes most of the book, however, to Vingt Regards. Linking her reading with Dom Columba Marmion’s Le Christ dans ses Mystères, she posits that the piece’s twenty movements can be grouped into an overall symmetrical structure. Movements 1 through 5 constitute “an exposition of both the signifiers and the signified—the musical material and the religious concepts on which Messiaen’s theology is founded” (p. 175). The remaining oddnumbered movements are developmental in nature, the even-numbered ones between 8 and 18 provide moments of contrast, and movements 6 and 20 convey a “large, bipartite synthesis” (p. 215). Although not without some serious interpretative miscues and typographical errors, as a whole, the book is a definite contribution to the Messiaen literature. Reviews: Christopher Dingle, Music and Letters 91/3 (August 2010): 457–62; and Robert Fallon, Tempo 62/246 (October 2008): 67–70. 302.

Bruhn, Siglind. Les visions d’Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Harmattan, 2008. 346 p. ISBN: 9782296056657; 2296056652. ML410.M595 B79 2008. French-language version of item 301.

303.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaens musikalische Sprache des Glaubens: theologische Symbolik in den Klavierzyklen Visions de l’Amen und Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jesus. Waldkirch: Edition Gorz, 2006. 330 p. ISBN: 3938095040 (pbk.); 9783938095041 (pbk.). ML410.M595 B786 2006. German-language version of item 301.

304.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Interpretations of Holiness and Trinity: Echoes of Medieval Theology in the Oratorio, Organ Meditations, and Opera. Dimension & Diversity: Studies in 20th-Century Music, No. 10, ed. Mark DeVoto. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2008. 229 p. ISBN: 9781576471395. ML410.M595 B7855 2008.

146

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

This volume examines the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, and Saint François d’Assise. It explores how the ideas of Saint Thomas Aquinas influence the content and meaning of these works, as well as outlines different aspects of Messiaen’s musical language as related to the book’s analytical focus. In its detailed considerations of the music, the book generally puts forth cogent and insightful interpretations, although not without its fair share of glitches, as typified by the errors contained in its reading of the three rhythmic ostinatos included in the ninth movement of La Transfiguration, “Perfecte conscius illius perfectae generationis” (see pp. 51, 81–84). Moreover, considering that it examines three late works of Messiaen, the book surprisingly does not exhibit a substantial engagement with his later harmonic vocabulary. This theoretical lacuna is typified by the book’s curious omission of any references to Chapter 3 of the seventh volume of the Traité de rythme, and by its reliance on the dated account of Messiaen’s chords in chapter 14 of the Technique. Indeed, the book regards the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note as a two-cluster mode (pp. 170–72), seemingly unaware that this harmonic type evolved from the earlier chord on the dominant. It likewise ignores the sound-color elements Messiaen associated with this chordal set. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 66/3 (March 2010): 524–27; Christopher Dingle, Music and Letters 91/3 (August 2010): 457–62. 305.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaens “Summa theologica”: musikalische Spurensuche mit Thomas von Aquin in La Transfiguration, Méditations und Saint François d’Assise. Waldkirch: Ed. Gorz, 2008. 268 p. ISBN: 3938095091; 9783938095096. ML410.M595 B78 2008 [Loeb Music Harvard Depository]. German-language version of item 304.

306.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Explorations of Love and Death: Musico-Poetic Signification in the Tristan Trilogy and Three Related Song Cycles. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2008. 288 p. ISBN: 9781576471364. ML410.M595 B785 2008. In this book, the author analyzes six pieces that constitute—in her view— “Messiaen’s ‘love-and-death’ group,” spanning the years 1936 to 1949: (1) Poèmes pour Mi, (2) Chants de terre et de ciel, (3) Trois Petites Liturgies de la présence divine, (4) Harawi, chant d’amour et de mort, (5) the Turangalîla-Symphonie, and (6) Cinq Rechants. These works revolve around the enduring themes of human love and death, and their relationships to the divine. The author begins by exploring each piece’s cultural and historical milieu in order to frame the interpretative challenges that she intends to address in her hermeneutic readings. There, she considers poetic, sonic, and theological facets, attempting to understand how each of these compositions connects this world with the next. Throughout the book, the author discusses how symmetry influences Messiaen’s musical writing, from the layout of chords on the piano to the organization of both text and music. Finally, her examination of Trois Petites Liturgies deserves to be singled out (pp. 117–51). The author considers the “Le cas Messiaen” controversy associated

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

147

with the piece’s premiere on 21 April 1945. Critics delighted in panning the commentaries Messiaen included in the concert’s program notes. For a variety of reasons, he did not include an explanatory preface, as per his custom, when Durand issued Trois Petites Liturgies in 1952. But as the author points out, these commentaries can be found in Brigitte Massin’s book on the composer (item 208, 159–65). In the first paragraph, Messiaen remarks how the concept of divine love—which brings humanity closer to God, in his opinion—dominates the work’s three poems. Although the author’s reading of Trois Petites Liturgies may tend toward the descriptive, it is still convincing, as she examines the work in connection with the various religious texts that inspired it, showing how Messiaen’s musical techniques express the theological rainbow so dear to his compositional aesthetics. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 66/3 (March 2010): 524–27; and Christopher Dingle, Music and Letters 91/3 (August 2010): 457–62. 307.

Bruhn, Siglind. Olivier Messiaen, Troubadour: Liebesverständnis und musikalische Symbolik in Poèmes pour Mi, Chants de terre et de ciel, Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine, Harawi, Turangalîla-Sinfonie und Cinq rechants. Waldkirch: Edition Gorz, 2007. 322 p. ISBN: 9783938095072 (pbk.); 3938095075 (pbk.). ML410.M595 B786 2007. German-language version of item 306.

308.

Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl. Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2001. x, 144 p. ISBN: 0275973409. ML 410.M595 D38 2001. Focuses on Messiaen’s Tristan trilogy—Harawi, Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Cinq Rechants. Chapter 1 (“The Composer and the Myth”) places the trilogy within the context of Messiaen’s work as a composer, emphasizing the influence of Wagner and his opera Tristan und Isolde. The next three chapters are devoted, respectively, to analyses of Harawi, Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Cinq Rechants (Chapter 2: “Harawi: Song of Love and Death”; Chapter 3: “Turangalîlasymphonie: The Cosmic Dimension of Love”; and Chapter 4: “Cinq rechants: The Lovers Fly Away”).

309.

Dingle, Christopher. Messiaen’s Final Works. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013. xix, 369 p. ISBN: 9780754606338 (hardcover). ML410.M595 D57 2013. Stemming from his dissertation at the University of Sheffield (Christopher Philip Dingle, “Understated Charm: Style and Technique in the Last Works of Olivier Messiaen” [item 628]), the author argues persuasively that Messiaen’s music changed after Saint François d’Assise (1975–83), resulting in a final stylistic period in his musical output. He charts the composer’s artistic renewal by examining all of the works written after the opera, from the Livre du Saint Sacrement (1984) to Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... (1987–91), including—for the sake of completeness—the unfinished (by Messiaen) Concert à quatre (1990–92). The author concentrates his efforts on Éclairs, regarding it as the “highlight” of this creative period.

148

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

The book is arranged into four parts. Part 1 supplies a backdrop to the book’s discussion of Éclairs, including a précis of Messiaen’s harmonic language, and examinations of Saint François and the Livre. Part 2 looks at the small-scale works written after the Livre, such as the Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux (1985), Un Vitrail et des oiseaux (1986), La Ville d’En-Haut (1987), Un Sourire (1989), and the Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes (1991). Part 3 is devoted to Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà..., the longest portion of the book. Part 4 functions as a postscript to the tome, with a consideration of Concert à quatre and a summary of Messiaen’s late style. The book also contains three appendices, the first listing the instrumentation of Messiaen’s final works, the second containing transcriptions of texts from two birdsong notebooks (Mss 23158 and 23159) compiled when the composer was in Australia in 1988, and the third featuring a tabulation of the birdsongs used in works after Saint François. Besides furnishing excellent historical and stylistic information about Messiaen’s final works, the author looks at the compositional techniques used in each piece, particularly as they are related to harmony. But for the music theorist interested in the analysis of Messiaen works, this is the weakest part of an otherwise insightful book, as there is no systematic and substantive exploration of the theoretical properties of Messiaen’s harmonic materials and how they are used in his music. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 70/4 (June 2014): 695–98; Luke Berryman, H-France Review 14/155 (September 2014): 1–4. 310.

Hsu [Forte], Madeleine. Olivier Messiaen, the Musical Mediator: A Study of the Influence of Liszt, Debussy, and Bartók. Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1996. 183 p. ISBN: 0838635954. ML 410.M595 H8 1996. Hsu analyzes Messiaen’s Préludes for piano (1929) and “Regard de l’esprit de joie” from the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (1944) in order to show how these analyses contribute to the works’ interpretation and performance. The author uses Jan La Rue’s approach to analysis (SHMRG: sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, growth) in examining each piece (Jan La Rue, Guidelines for Style Analysis [New York: W. W. Norton, 1970]). Hsu also discusses the stylistic influences of Liszt, Debussy, and Bartók on Messiaen, with a special consideration of important similarities and differences between the piano music of Messiaen and Bartók. Finally, the author provides interpretative comments for each analyzed piece.

311.

Pozzi, Raffaele. Il suono dell’estasi: Olivier Messiaen dal Banquet céleste alla Turangalîla-symphonie. Lucca: Libreria Musicale Italiana, 2002. viii, 220 p. ISBN: 8870963152. ML 410.M595 P6 2002. A stylistic study of Messiaen’s music from Le Banquet céleste through the Turangalîla-Symphonie. The book is divided into four parts followed by an appendix and other supplementary materials. The introduction (“La musica come simbole: Un profilo dell’estetica di Olivier Messiaen”) provides a profile of Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics. Chapter 1 (“L’Âme en bourgeon”) considers his formative years as a composer through L’Ascension for orchestra (1933). Chapter 2 (“Ritmi

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

149

di terra e di cielo”) is an examination of the new musical style that emerged from La Nativité du Seigneur (1935) and Les Corps glorieux (1939). Chapter 3 (“Apocalissi, visioni, mitologie”) concentrates on the music of the 1940s, from the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1940–41) through Cinq Rechants (1949). (Although it concludes with Cinq Rechants, which seems to contradict the book’s title, Chapter 3 devotes more attention to the Turangalîla-Symphonie.) The appendix contains tables of the modes of limited transposition, Greek meters, the 120 deci-tâlas of Sharngadeva, and special chords used by Messiaen in the 1930s and 1940s. The book also includes Messiaen’s song texts, a chronology of his life and works, a catalogue of his music, and a selected bibliography. 312.

Rae, Caroline. “Messiaen and the Romantic Gesture: Contemplations on his Piano Music and Pianism.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 235–56. Argues that Messiaen drew heavily from the Romantic tradition of piano music for figurations and textures in the Préludes (1928–29), Visions de l’Amen (1943), and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (1944). Informative discussions of how the pianistic traits of Chopin, Albéniz, and Liszt surface in Messiaen’s piano works, such as resonance effects, extremes of register, delineations of musical strands via individual dynamic markings, and, in the case of Albéniz and Liszt, orchestral approaches to the keyboard. Building on Madeleine Hsu’s work in Olivier Messiaen, the Musical Mediator: A Study of the Influence of Liszt, Debussy, and Bartók (item 310), Rae’s discussion of Liszt’s influence is noteworthy, considering that he was not included in Messiaen’s pantheon of keyboard composers.

ESSAY COLLECTIONS, PROGRAM BOOKLETS, AND SPECIAL PERIODICAL ISSUES DEVOTED TO MESSIAEN 313.1 Bongrain, Anne, ed. Messiaen 2008: Messiaen au Conservatoire: Contributions du Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris aux célébrations du centenaire de la naissance d'Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, 2008. 288 p. Accompanying DVD. ISBN: 2912541115; 9782912541116. ML85.C765 M564b; DVD 0859 (JUILCAT). Not examined (could not obtain). 313.2 Bruhn, Siglind, ed. Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love. Studies in Contemporary Music and Culture, ed. Joseph Auner, vol. 1. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1998. ix, 271 p. ISBN: 0815327471. ML 410.M595 M49 1998. Arranged into four parts, this collection of eleven essays deals with diverse aspects of Messiaen’s musical language. Part 1 explores the roles humanism, mathematics, and theology play in his work as a teacher and composer in order to introduce Messiaen the person. Part 2 not only examines the relationship between Messiaen’s aesthetic of the “charm of impossibilities” and his compositional techniques but also surveys his approach to rhythm. Part 3 examines celebratory

150

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

aspects of Messiaen’s music as reflected through the theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Franciscan spirituality, and birdsong. Finally, part 4 delves into poetic, linguistic, and structural aspects of Messiaen’s music. For individual entries, see items 349, 372, 413, 425, 440, 453, 551, 589, 597, 708, and 735. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 56/2 (December 1999): 424–26. 314.

Crispin, Judith Michelle, ed. Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010. xv, 335 p. ISBN: 1443824984; 9781443824989. ML410.M595 O46 2010. This collection of essays stemmed from the 2008 First International Conference of Messiaen Studies at the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, a gathering that stressed Australia’s significance in the centenary celebrations that were taking place all over the world. The essays feature a diverse array of topics, given by an equally diverse array of speakers. Topics covered include: (1) an examination of Timbres-Durées; (2) musical aesthetics of serial music, and as related to mysticism; (3) the symbology of Messiaen’s Angels in light of Rilke’s poetry; (4) Messiaen’s encounters with the Albert’s Lyrebird in Australia; (5) the science of birdsong; (6) analyses of Des canyons aux étoiles..., the Quatre Études de rythme, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, and O sacrum convivium!; (7) performance practice as related to Visions de l’Amen; (8) questions of time and eternity in Messiaen’s compositional practice; (9) stylistic and dramatic assessments of the Turangalîla-Symphonie; and (10) melodic accentuation in Messiaen’s analyses of Mozart. Includes an accompanying CD. Unfortunately, the collection suffers from editorial lapses. For individual entries, see 262, 281, 300, 456, 459, 518, 545, 567, 607, 610, 619, 621, 624, 704, 723, 746, and 770.

315.

Dingle, Christopher and Robert Fallon, eds. Messiaen Perspectives 1: Sources and Influences. xviii, 370 p. ISBN: 9781409426950 (hdbk); 9781472415158 (ebk— PDF); 9781472415165 (ebk—ePUB). ML410.M595 M494 2013. Messiaen Perspectives 2: Techniques, Influence and Reception. xx, 444 p. ISBN: 9781409426967 (hdbk); 9781472415172 (ebk—PDF); 9781472415189 (ebk—ePUB). ML410. M595 M494 2013. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013. In this two-volume collection, the editors note that Messiaen scholars have expanded our notions of the composer’s music and its socio-cultural contexts since his death in 1992, moving beyond his interviews and commentaries in order to engage more critically with his œuvre. The editors want to continue this trend in Messiaen research with Messiaen Perspectives 1 and 2. They utilize Messiaen’s connections with history and French culture and society as major themes that tie the volumes’ twenty-nine essays together. Messiaen Perspectives 1 deals with sources and influences that fashioned both the composer and his musical works. Messiaen Perspectives 2 is more analytical in character, as its chapters offer different readings—some more successfully than others—of Messiaen’s multifaceted compositional practice. As I note in my review of this work, although the volumes as a whole are very laudable, the analysis of Messiaen’s music is

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

151

the “‘perspective’ that could benefit most from further scholarly investigation” (p. 323). For individual entries, see 249, 252, 260, 263–65, 267–69, 283–84, 289, 293–94, 312, 356, 359, 431, 461–62, 554, 684, 702, 715, 740, 742, 756, 762, and 773. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, Music Theory Spectrum 37/2 (2015): 323–27; Gareth Healey, Music & Letters 96/1 (2015) 148–51; Andrew Thomson, “Best Regards,” The Musical Times 155/1928 (August 2014): 101–10. 316.

Dingle, Christopher and Nigel Simeone, eds. Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature. Aldershot, Hants, England, and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. xxvi, 351 p. ISBN: 9780754652971 (hbk); 9780754652977 (pbk). ML410.M595 O45 2007. Arising from the Messiaen 2002 International Conference in Sheffield, UK, this collection of essays interprets Messiaen’s position in the twentieth century from more critical perspectives than done in past scholarship. It challenges the notion of him as a composer “set apart,” as one who pursued his own creative path, oblivious to the socio-cultural contexts of his time. Although acknowledging that this aesthetic picture is valid in certain respects, the collection rightfully maintains that there are many more insights to uncover (due at the time to new information emerging from archival research), enabling scholars to draw both a more complex and nuanced picture of Messiaen and his work. Through its essays, this volume covers a wide range of topics in relation to Messiaen. These topics include (1) his interactions with or attitudes to Cocteau, Dutilleux, Toesca, and Lurçat; (2) Stravinsky’s influence on him; (3) his writing for the Ondes Martenot; (4) evaluating recordings of the Quatre Études de rythme; (5) an analysis of his harmonic practice; (6) birdsong; (7) his teaching; (8) a literary translation of L’Âme en bourgeon, the centerpiece of the collection; (9) the Turangalîla as ballet; (10) the literary sources and background that helped shape Saint François d’Assise; and (11) relationships between his music and the Catholic liturgy. For individual entries, see 257, 292, 379, 390, 415, 422, 441, 535, 552, 578, 609, 612, 712, 725, and 749. Reviews: Yves Balmer and Anne-Sylvie Barthel-Calvet, Revue de Musicologie 95/1 (2009): 253–54; Wai-Ling Cheong, Journal of the American Musicological Society 63/2 (Summer 2010): 392–401; Arnold Whittall, Music & Letters 89/4 (November 2008): 679–82.

317.

L’éducation musicale. “Dossier ‘Olivier Messiaen.’” L’éducation musicale 566 (May–June 2010): 12–44. An issue devoted largely to Messiaen. Of note are analyses of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps by Gérard Moindrot (pp. 12–19) and “Gagaku” (the fourth movement of Sept Haïkaï) by Patrick Revol (pp.  20–29). There is also an interview with Roger Muraro by Sylviane Falcinelli in which they discuss Messiaen’s music,

152

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

along with Muraro’s personal reminiscences about his associations with the composer and his wife (pp. 34–39). 318.

Église de la Trinité. Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi: Regard sur son œuvre d’orgue. Paris: Trinité Média Communication, 1995. 104 p. Arising from the “Festival Messiaen” held at La Trinité in 1995, these essays explore the compositional and theological aspects of Messiaen’s organ music along with various other facets of his work. The essays are organized into three categories: (1) “Le Festival Messiaen à l’Église de la Trinité: L’intégrale de l’œuvre d’orgue,” (2) “Splendeur des Mystères: L’alliance de l’art et de la foi,” and (3) “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” The volume also includes a facsimile of an essay by Messiaen in his own handwriting on the meaning of faith, a glossary of technical terms, and a short bibliography. A must read for anyone desiring a better understanding of the role of faith in Messiaen’s life and work. For selected entries, see 118, 183, 233, 348, 370, 377, 469, 488, 490–91, 521, 527, 531–32, 536, 538, 556–57, 563, and 641.

319.

Église de la Trinité. Trinité Messiaen 2008: “Un arc-en-ciel théologique”: Centenaire Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Trinité Média Communication, 2007. 128 p. Program booklet publicizing La Trinité’s yearlong celebration of the Messiaen centenary, featuring concerts, lectures, and an exhibition (“Exposition “L’église de la Trinité, Messiaen et Saint François d’Assise”). Includes essays by Harry Halbreich, Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars, George Benjamin, Loïc Mallié, Jacques Penot, and Olivier Glandaz, along with Messiaen’s commentaries for the organ and piano works performed in the church. Adorned with excellent photographs.

320.

Goetze, Albrecht and Jörn Peter Hiekel, eds. Religion und Glaube als künstlerische Kernkräfte im Werk von Olivier Messiaen: Ein Symposium des MEETINGPOINT MUSIC MESSIAEN. Hofheim [am Taunus]: Wolke, 2010. 197 p. ISBN: 9783936000269 (pbk.); 3936000263. ML410.M595 R45 2010. The contributions of this volume are derived from a symposium that took place in December 2008 on the occasion of Messiaen’s 100th birthday, as part of the activities of the MEETINGPOINT MUSIC MESSIAEN, a society headquartered in the twin-Polish-German cities of Zgorzelec-Görlitz. According to its website (www.meetingpoint-music-messiaen.net/meetingpoint-music-messiaen-e-v2/?lang=en), the society’s mission is to preserve the memory of the former prisoner-of-war camp in which Messiaen was held, Stalag VIII A, as well as connect the cities’ young Europeans through music. As the collection’s title indicates, the essays cluster around the theme of religion and belief, and are characterized by vastly different perspectives, from focusing on a single work to broader considerations involving philosophy and aesthetics. For selected entries, see 458, 540, 542, 689, 692, and 696.

321.

Hastetter, Michaela Christine and Christian Lenze, eds. Musik des Unsichtbaren: Der Komponist Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) am Schnittpunkt von Theologie und

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

153

Musik. St. Ottilien: EOS-Verlag, 2008. 284 p. ISBN: 9783830673576; 3830673574. ML410.M595 M87 2008. In the preface, the editors frame their collection’s examination of the music and Roman Catholic theology of Messiaen by contrasting his notion of the “music of the invisible” with Immanuel Kant’s theory of knowledge, which is prevalent in this present, secular age. Messiaen’s notion challenges Kant’s concept that God is ultimately not knowable, as God, according to the philosopher, lies outside the phenomenal world experienced by the senses. But the editors maintain that through the “music of the invisible,” Messiaen broke through Kantian cognition schemata and tackled the invisibility of God through sound. During an International Symposium occurring on 25–27 April 2008 at the MartinGrabmann-Forschungsinstitut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, scholars explored and reflected on Messiaen’s music and his theology pertaining to the “music of the invisible” through a series of interdisciplinary papers. This book is the result of that conference. Its fifteen essays cluster around four subjects: (1) biographical information related to Messiaen and his Roman Catholic faith; (2) mysteries associated with the Cross, Eucharist, and Resurrection; (3) theologies associated with glory, the invisible, and canon law; and (4) Messiaen’s legacy, as seen through the lenses of cultural reception, personal testimony, and philosophical rumination. For selected entries, see 473, 522–23, 526, 543, 547, 587, 636, 664, 695, and 698. Reviews: Robert Fallon, Journal of the American Musicological Society 63/2 (Summer 2010): 378–92. 322.

Heinemann, Michael, ed. Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux; Teil 2: Von der Messe de la Pentecôte bis zum Livre du Saint Sacrement. Veröffentlichung der Gesellschaft der Orgelfreunde, 236, 237: Studien zur Orgelmusik, ed. Hermann J. Busch and Michael Heinemann, vols. 2, 3. Sankt Augustin: Butz, 2008. 208 p. (vol. 1); 248 p. (vol. 2). ISBN: 9783928412087 (vol. 1, pbk.), 3928412086 (vol. 1, pbk.); 9783928412094 (vol. 2, pbk.), 3928412094 (vol. 2, pbk.). 7912855 v.1; 7912855 v.2 (IUCAT). This two-volume collection explores how Messiaen’s Catholic theology shapes the form and spiritual content of his organ music. The theological epigraphs he links with individual pieces are not vague, thematic ideas but insightful orientations that can lead to genuine musical and spiritual understanding. The editors of this collection view Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens as an introduction to the composer’s organ music. Volume 1 is organized into three parts. The first (“Aspekte”) discusses Messiaen’s relationship to the organ, theology, and the modes of limited transposition as related to his compositional practice (pp.  9–49). The second (“Die Werke”) surveys the music from Le Banquet céleste to Les Corps glorieux (pp. 51–159), whereas the third (“Materialien”) offers practical information about Messiaen and the organ, German translations of his liner notes that accompany recordings of his organ works, a French-German glossary, facsimiles of programs dating

154

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

from 1935–36, and a bibliography (161–208). The collection’s second volume addresses the expansion of the composer’s musical language and heightened level of communication in works composed since 1950. For individual entries in volume 1, see items 451, 482–83, 494, 524, 646, 648–51, 653–54, 656, and 663. For selected entries of volume 2, see items 546 and 687. 323.

Hill, Peter, ed. The Messiaen Companion. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1995. 581 p. ISBN: 0931340950 (hdbk.); 0931340942 (pbk.). ML 410.M595 M48 1995. The first to appear after Messiaen’s death in 1992, this study contains eighteen essays, an appendix listing the organ specifications at La Trinité, a chronology of Messiaen’s music, and a selected discography. The essays are arranged into three parts—part 1, Interlude, and part 2, using the Turangalîla-Symphonie (1946–48) as a convenient means to divide Messiaen’s output into two halves. Part 1 opens with an essay devoted to the composer’s musical language and is followed by four essays that consider Messiaen’s music to 1948 by performance medium: (1) organ; (2) piano; (3) vocal; and (4) instrumental. The Interlude contains five essays on various topics (color, theology, birdsong, and teaching) that underlie Messiaen’s work as a musician, along with an interview of Loriod-Messiaen. Part 2 contains seven essays, with the last four devoted to examinations of La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Des canyons aux étoiles..., Saint François d’Assise, and Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... For individual entries, see items 228, 357, 365, 401, 435, 464, 477–78, 480, 495, 502, 504–5, 549, 555, 559, 584, 625, 629, 638, and 766. Reviews: Richard D. Burbank, MLA Notes 53/1 (September 1996): 76–77; David Palmer, The Diapason 87/2 (February 1996): 8–9; and Julian Anderson, “Writ Small,” The Musical Times 136 (August 1995): 434–35.

324.

Hill, Peter, ed. The Messiaen Companion. New edition. London, UK: Faber and Faber, 2008. 604 p. ISBN: 978-0-571-24644-1; 0571246443. OCLC: 826626551. Reissued to coincide with the Messiaen centenary (see item 323).

325.

Keym, Stefan and Peter Jost, eds. Olivier Messiaen und die “französische Tradition.” Cologne: Christoph Dohr, 2013. 246 p.  9783868461121; 3868461124. ML410.M58 O56 2013. These international conference proceedings stem from a congress celebrating the Messiaen centenary in December 2008 in Munich (Münchner Institut français). Topics traverse, for the most part, familar territory: the French organ tradition; musical time; Renouveau catholique; and relationships to Satie, Maurice Emmanuel, Debussy, Tournemire, Les Six, and Jolivet. Authors include scholars such as Thomas Daniel Schlee, Stephen Broad, Stephan Keym, and Lucie Kayas.

326.

Lesure, Anik and Claude Samuel, eds. Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire. Collection Perpetuum mobile. Lyon, France: Symétrie, 2008. iv, 293 p. ISBN: 9782914373395; 2914373392. 1 sound disc (digital: 4 3/4 in.). ML410.M52 O449 Text (IUCAT).

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

155

This book celebrating the 2008 Messiaen Centenary is beautifully produced, to say the least. It includes high-quality reproductions of art associated with Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, photographs of the composer spanning his life and career, facsimiles of all sorts of autograph manuscripts (with one exception: Loriod-Messiaen wrote out the three transpositions of the first chord of contracted resonance and their accompanying texts found on page 161), and collations of materials from previous publications. Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire offers a portrait of Messiaen in twelve sections, centering on themes that are familiar from the Messiaen literature (faith, rhythm, color, and birds), interspersed with others, such as the musical heritage of Messiaen, modernity, and opera. Each section typically begins with a short essay by a person known to Messiaen, followed by historical documents related to the topic being discussed. The book also comes with a CD of Samuel’s interviews with Messiaen, from Les couleurs du temps: Trente ans d’entretiens avec Claude Samuel—see item 211.2. Highly recommended. For selected entries, see items 247, 255, 393, 449, 468, 537, and 562. Reviews: Yves Balmer and Anne-Sylvie Barthel-Calvet, Revue de Musicologie 95/1 (2009): 258–60; Robert Fallon, Journal of the American Musicological Society 63/2 (Summer 2010): 378–92. 327.

Massip, Catherine, ed. Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen. With a preface by Jean Favier. Paris: Bibliothèque nationale de France, 1996. 175 p. ISBN: 2717719857. ML 410.M595 P59 1996. This collection of essays was published on the occasion of the “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen” exhibition that took place at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, galerie Colbert, from 26 September to 17 November 1996. It contains six essays that examine Messiaen’s life, understanding of theology, ideas on rhythm and color, connection with birdsong, writing for the piano, and opera, Saint François d’Assise. The collection is illustrated with numerous photographs and reproductions of documents, including autograph manuscripts of Messiaen’s music and birdsong notebooks. It also contains a list of Messiaen’s published works, lists of the honors and prizes Messiaen received, and a selected bibliography. Highly recommended. For individual entries, see items 363, 428, 470, 509, 528, and 577.

328.

[Special Messiaen Edition.] Melos 25/12 (December 1958): 381–99. Special issue honoring Messiaen on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday in 1958. Contains a German translation of the text of his speech at the Brussels International Exhibition, on 15 September 1958; an homage to Messiaen from many of his former students; an essay on Messiaen’s life, influences, and musical techniques by Claude Rostand; and a German translation of an interview with Messiaen by Antoine Goléa. For individual entries, see items 126, 201, 374, and 565.

156

329.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Metzger, Heinz-Klaus, and Rainer Riehn, ed. Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen. Munich: Edition Text + Kritik, 1982. 128 p. ISBN: 3883771317. ML 410. M54 O54 1982. An issue devoted to Messiaen in a periodical that focuses on individual composers. Contents include (1) a revised German translation of Messiaen’s lecture at the Brussels International Exposition in 1958; (2) an examination of the “abyss” in Messiaen’s works; (3) an essay devoted to Messiaen’s relationship to new music after 1945 as seen through his association with non-Western musical systems and aesthetics; (4) a discussion of Messiaen’s birdsong style and an analysis of the first movement of Cinq Rechants; and (5) analyses of Livre d’orgue and Oiseaux exotiques. Contains a list of works, bibliography, and a short discography compiled by Rainer Riehn. For individual essays, see items 125, 367, 392, 611, 681, and 759.

330.

“Olivier Messiaen: 70th Anniversary.” Music: The AGO-RCCO Magazine 12/12 (December 1978). ISSN: 0027–4208. A special issue devoted to Messiaen on the occasion of his seventieth birthday on 10 December 1978. Includes (1) an article on how a Christmas communion service at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York was built around La Nativité du Seigneur; (2) a comparison of the 1934 and 1960 editions of Le Banquet céleste; (3) a discussion of Messiaen’s musical language; (4) an examination of Messiaen’s organ registrations and how to adapt them to nonFrench instruments; and (5) translations of the liner notes from the DucretetThomson recordings of Messiaen’s organ music, along with the prefaces to La Nativité du Seigneur and Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, as a way to describe his compositional aesthetic. For selected entries, see items 489 and 647

331.

“Olivier Messiaen: 80th Anniversary.” The Diapason 79 (December 1988). ISSN: 0012-2378. A special issue devoted to Messiaen on the occasion of his eightieth birthday on 10 December 1988. Contains (1) a birthday tribute, (2) an essay on Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, and (3) an examination of the organs associated with his music. For individual entries, see items 497 and 500.

332.

Sabatier, François et al. [“Tributes to Olivier Messiaen.”] L’Orgue: Revue trimestrielle: Bulletin des Amis de l’Orgue 224 (September/December 1992): 5–54. ISSN: 0030–5170. A special issue honoring Messiaen’s work as an organist. Includes essays that examine: (1) the man and the organist; (2) his approach to organ registration, work as an improviser and liturgical musician, ideas about organ building and design, and the importance of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité in his compositional aesthetic; (3) the Livre du Saint Sacrement; (4) his ideas about religion and its influence on his music; (5) recordings of his organ works; and (6) the unpublished letters of Bérenger de Miramon Fitz-James to Norbert Dufourcq from 1926–48, which mention Messiaen beginning in 1930. For selected entries, see items 198, 499, and 697.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

333.

157

Sabatier, François (directeur de la publication). “La Musique d’Orgue d’Olivier Messiaen.” L’Orgue: Revue trimestrielle: Bulletin des Amis de l’Orgue 283 (2008— III): 3–66. ISSN: 0030–5170. Special issue devoted to Messiaen’s organ works on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 2008. Includes the following articles: (1) “La musique d’orgue d’Olivier Messiaen et ses relations avec la théologie catholique” by François Sabatier (pp. 3–12); (2) “La chromesthésie ou la ‘musique colorée’” by Nicolas Loth (pp. 13–36); and (3) “Olivier Messiaen et Charles Tournemire autuor du chant grégorien” by François Sabatier (pp. 37–48).

334.

Samuel, Claude, artistic director. La Recherche Artistique présente hommage à Olivier Messiaen. Paris: La Recherche Artistique, November–December 1978. 110 p. ML 410.M52 R42 (IUCAT). Program booklet associated with the concerts in France honoring Messiaen on the occasion of his seventieth birthday in 1978. Contains an untitled introduction by Messiaen on his view of faith published in his own handwriting, an essay by Claude Samuel on Messiaen (“Olivier Messiaen ou la multiplicité transcendée”), a list of the concerts in France celebrating Messiaen’s music, an essay on Messiaen’s work as a teacher in his own words (“Olivier Messiaen: Pedagogue de notre Temps”), and commentaries on Messiaen’s music from Le Banquet céleste to Des canyons aux étoiles..., taken primarily from his liner notes to recordings and/or prefaces to his works (“Olivier Messiaen analyse ses œuvres”), although there is one essay by Alain Michel on La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur JésusChrist (“La Transfiguration et la Beauté: d’Olivier Messiaen à Urs von Balthasar”) that was included at Messiaen’s request. At the end of each commentary is a list of dates and locations where that particular work was being performed in France. For individual entries not duplicated elsewhere, see items 183, 376, and 767.

335.

Samuel, Claude. Olivier Messiaen en Dauphiné. Patrimoine en Isère. [Grenoble]: Conseil général de l’Isère, DL 2009. In this tribute to Messiaen published in 2009, this book argues that to fully appreciate the composer and his music, one must understand his profound attachment to the birds, landscapes, and mountains of the Dauphiné Alps, where his summer home in Petichet is located (in the region of Matheysine, Isère département). After a long biography by Claude Samuel (“Étapes d’une vie,” 9–59), the book includes a short essay by Nigel Simeone (“Olivier Messiaen à Petichet: Les Premières Années,” 61–65), and interviews of Roger Muraro (“Le Maître et son interprète,” 67–79), and Jean-Claude Roché (“Messiaen et les paysages d’oiseaux,” 81–89). Includes numerous photographs.

336.

Shenton, Andrew, ed. Messiaen the Theologian. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2010. xvii, 290 p. ISBN: 9780754666400 (hdbk.); 0754666409 (hdbk.). ML410.M595 M488 2010. Messiaen the Theologian features contributions that examine various facets of Messiaen’s theology and how they inform his music. Emerging from a conference

158

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

held at Boston University in 2007, the articles of this book seek to remove— as a whole—obstacles that stem from a lack of knowledge surrounding this subject, which could circumvent a substantive appreciation of Messiaen’s musical work. Messiaen the Theologian has four themes around which its essays gather: (1) Messiaen the Theologian; (2) Messiaen’s Relationship with Theologians; (3) Messiaen, Poets and Theological Themes; and (4) Theology in Messiaen’s Music. The topics discussed include the religious literature in Messiaen’s library, his Catholic stance as related to the European avant-garde, post-conciliar liturgical reform, the renouveau catholique (Catholic Renewal), Messiaen’s relationship with theologians such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and poets like Dante, musical poetics as related to the avant-garde, and analyses of Saint François d’Assise, the Livre du Saint Sacrament, and Sept Haïkaï. For individual entries, see 298, 362, 513, 515–16, 520, 525, 541, 544, 614, 622, 671, and 694. Reviews: Haig Mardirosian, The American Organist 45/2 (February 2011): 62–66; Lucien J. Richard, OMI, The Catholic Library World, March 2011, 81–83; Fiona Sampson, The Times Literary Supplement, January 28, 2011; Nicholas Thistlethwaite, The British Institute of Organ Studies 34 (2010): 192–94. 337.

Schlee, Thomas Daniel and Dietrich Kämpfer, ed. Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten. With a foreword by Hermann Josef Schuster. Köln: Wienand Verlag, 1998. 239 p. ISBN: 387909585X. ML 141.C64 M476 1998. A collection of essays inspired by Messiaen’s significant influence on the compositional thought and music of modern times. Published in 1998 to accompany a traveling exhibition on Messiaen’s life and music. Organized by the Guardini Stiftung, the exhibition was held at the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, and eight other European cities. Provides a rich and varied profile of Messiaen. Includes papers by Claude Samuel, Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars, Elmar Budde, former students of Messiaen, and Chong-Hui Choe-Thomas. Also contains excerpts of interviews with Messiaen by Samuel (Musique et Couleur [item 212]) and Brigitte Massin (Olivier Messiaen: Une poétique du merveilleux [item 208]). Concludes with a long “life and works” section by Thomas Daniel Schlee. In its appendix, contains a glossary of selected pitch and rhythmic components of Messiaen’s musical vocabulary. Beautifully illustrated. For individual entries not duplicated elsewhere, see items 346–47, 378, 382, 533, and 566.

338.

Sholl, Robert ed. Messiaen Studies. Cambridge Composer Series. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. ix, 260 p. ISBN: 9780521839815 (hardcover); 0521839815 (hardcover). ML410.M595 M487 2007. This collection of essays is a welcome addition to the Messiaen literature. It includes articles that examine the composer’s work from fresh biographical, cultural, historical, and musical-analytical standpoints. The collection proceeds in a largely chronological manner, looking at Messiaen’s: musical career in 1942

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

159

in a Paris controlled by the Nazis, surrealist poetics in Harawi, journey to the avant-garde, aesthetic of dazzlement, use of birdsong in Catalogue d’oiseaux, and Chronochromie and Saint François d’Assise. Unfortunately, the tome is marred by poor editing in that it does not include an introductory chapter that presents the major themes connecting its various essays, nor does it contain a bibliography, among other problems. For individual entries, see items 361, 364, 380, 388, 391, 579, 591, 616, 732, 739, and 755. 339.

“Zum 80. Geburtstag von Olivier Messiaen: Zu: ‘Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité’ und zu ‘Couleurs de la cité cèleste’ [and ‘Neumes Rythmiques’].” Musik und Bildung 20/11 (November 1988). ISSN: 0027–4747. A special issue celebrating Messiaen’s eightieth birthday on 10 December 1988. Features analyses of Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, Couleurs de la cité cèleste, and Neumes rythmiques. For individual entries, see items 617, 683, 776

GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, AND STYLISTIC DISCUSSIONS OF MESSIAEN AND HIS MUSIC IN ARTICLES AND ESSAYS IN COLLECTED EDITIONS 340.

Anderson, Julian. “Olivier Messiaen (1908–92): An Appreciation.” The Musical Times 133/1795 (September 1992): 449–51. ISSN: 0027–4666. A tribute to Messiaen highlighting his life and work on the occasion of his death on 28 April 1992. Notes the contradictions associated with Messiaen as both a composer and person.

341.

Angermann, Klaus. “Die Wollust der Ordnung: Messiaens constructive Sinnlichkeit.” Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 149/9 (September 1988): 11–17. ISSN: 0170–8791. Argues that the principles of order driving Messiaen’s music are distinguished by an eclectic approach to composition and based upon a multi-dimensional concept of time. As models of these principles, cites different structural processes found in works of the 1940s to 1980s. Sound-color relationships, linguistic structures, and religious elements are not only a part of these models but also are viewed metaphorically as a resonance structure, in which sensuous appeal and rational thought are reconciled through their interdependence. Also considers how Debussy, Wagner, Scriabin, Wyschnegradsky, and colored-hearing synesthesia in general may have influenced Messiaen.

342.

Armfelt, Nicholas. “Emotion in the Music of Messiaen.” The Musical Times 106 (November 1965): 856–58. ISSN: 0027–4666. Armfelt considers the emotive qualities of Messiaen’s music through an examination of its most striking features. He views Messiaen’s music as evoking intense

160

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

statement rather than argument, an emotive quality that disturbs most critical listeners. Armfelt examines the relationship between Messiaen’s compositional style and the various emotions associated with his music. He concludes his essay by stating that although listeners may not share Messiaen’s religious beliefs, they can surely accept the fullness of its expression. 343.

Balmer, Yves and Christopher Murray. “Olivier Messiaen et la reconstruction de son parcours sous l’Occupation: Le vide de l’année 1941.” In La musique à Paris sous l’Occupation, ed. Myriam Chimènes and Yannick Simon, 149–60. Preface by Henry Rousso. Paris: Fayard, 2013. 254 p. ISBN: 9782213677217; 2213677212. ML270.8.P2 M785 2013. Derived from a colloquium that occurred on 13–14 May 2013 in Paris, La Musique à Paris sous l’Occupation offers that event’s presentations in print form, from which this publication stems. This carefully researched article is, to put it mildly, provocative, as it reconstructs the events of Messiaen’s career in 1941 under Nazi rule, drawing attention to the fact that he redacted history to make himself look better for posterity. As a result, his dubious version of events was accepted uncritically by initial as well as later biographers. Although the article sets many things straight about this time in Messiaen’s life, including the compositional history of Visions de l’Amen, much of what it covers has been known for about a decade. As a non-dangerous prisoner-of-war, the Germans released Messiaen in 1941, not 1942 (as he maintained). And in relation to André Bloch—his predecessor as professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire, whose job he wanted, Messiaen has been accused of an unseemly opportunism due to Bloch’s removal from his post as a result of the “Statut des Juifs.” Finally, the article does not acknowledge Nigel Simeone’s “Messiaen in 1942: A Working Musician in Occupied Paris” (item 388) in the documentation of its sources, an essay that covers similar historical ground.

344.

Bernard[-Delapierre], Guy. “Souvenirs sur Olivier Messiaen.” Formes et couleurs (Lausanne: André Held), nos. 3–4 (1945): unpaginated (10 pp.). An article of historical importance written by Guy Bernard-Delapierre, dedicatee of the Technique, shortly after the premiere of the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine on 21 April 1945. He describes his first meeting with Messiaen while the two were being held captive by the German army in an open field near Toul, west of Nancy. He identifies Étienne Pasquier, the cellist of the Pasquier Trio, and Henri Akoka, a clarinetist, who were both going to participate in the historic performance of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps approximately seven months later, as two people among a group of the composer’s friends who tenderly deferred to him. For his part, Messiaen seemed to transcend the difficult circumstances experienced by all of the prisoners in the camp. Bernard-Delapierre also provides information about Messiaen’s ideas on music, religion, and philosophy through conversations he had with the

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

161

composer while in captivity. Messiaen talked about how Western music should be enriched by new modes and new rhythms, and how he derived inspiration from plainsong and Hindu ragas. The composer also discussed the role Christianity played in his work, where both creator and creation were celebrated. Bernard-Delapierre then describes his encounters with Messiaen after the two were repatriated to Paris, such as hearing Messiaen and Marcelle Bunlet perform selections from Poèmes pour Mi and Chants de Terre et de Ciel at his home on the rue Visconti, or Messiaen improvise at La Trinité. But most importantly, he discusses the reception of Messiaen’s music, both positive and negative, at the time. He describes the premiere of the Trois Petites Liturgies as a nearunanimous success, noting the approval of people like Jean Cocteau, Francis Poulenc, and Arthur Honegger. Thus, his review, in conjunction with many other favorable ones of the concert, tends to dispel the myth that the music of the Trois Petites Liturgies precipitated the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair, rather than a variety of extra-musical matters (such as Messiaen’s commentaries to his works) as articulated by Lilise Boswell-Kurc in her dissertation on Messiaen’s wartime works (see item 254). Indeed, Trois Petites Liturgies was recognized at the time as a masterpiece by both press and public. 345.

Bruhn, Siglind. “Religious Symbolism in the Music of Olivier Messiaen.” The American Journal of Semiotics 13/1–4 (Fall 1996 [1998]): 277–309. ISSN: 0277–7126. Notes that Messiaen’s musical language remained uniform throughout his career due to his zeal for promoting his Catholic faith through music. Views the three poles that Messiaen’s music revolves around (the theological truths of his Catholic faith, human love as manifested by Tristan and Isolde, and nature as typified through birdsong) as different manifestations of God’s love. Believes that within each pole are a variety of subtopics that reveal both the consistency and richness of Messiaen’s religious symbolism. Explores the symbols related to each pole and their subtopics by focusing on (1) the symmetrical organization of tonal material as expressions of God’s perfection and love; (2) the symmetrical and dissymmetrical unfolding of rhythm to represent time and eternity; (3) congruency and incongruency in multi-layered passages and their relationship to time or the lack thereof; and (4) leitmotifs and themes and how they symbolize God’s perfection. Examples are taken from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (1944).

346.

Budde, Elmar. “Vom Zauber des Unmöglichen: Zur geschichtlichen Voraussetzung des Komponierens von Farbklängen und Klangfarben in Werk Olivier Messiaens.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 21–27. Uses Messiaen’s ideas on sound-color relationships and the “charm of impossibilities” as the framework for a study of the correlation between time and color as a musical-immanent material problem from the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Looks at connections between sound and color in the thought and/or writings of E. T. A. Hoffmann, Schumann, Scriabin, Kandinsky,

162

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Schoenberg, and Adorno. Relates this historical survey to Messiaen’s compositional aesthetic. 347.

Choe-Thomas, Chong-Hui. “Eine Kunst des modernen Europas?: Vom ‘Vogelhändler von Paris’ zur ‘Jahrhundertfigur’: Zur Rezeption Olivier Messiaens in Deutschland.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 49–61. An examination of Messiaen’s critical reception by the German musical establishment. Describes Messiaen’s initial encounter with Germany as a prisoner-ofwar in Stalag VIII A in Görlitz, Silesia, which resulted in the composition of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Looks at Messiaen’s teaching activities in Darmstadt and association with the festival for new music in Donaueschingen after World War II. Mentions the tremendous impact Mode de valeurs et d’intensités had on German musicians, particularly Stockhausen, and the impetus it gave to a new type of serial music. In the 1950s, Messiaen was hailed as the one of the most important composers of new music by the German musical establishment. Messiaen was increasingly honored and recognized in Germany in the 1950s through 1970s with birthday celebrations and festivals in his honor. Provides a detailed look at Messiaen’s reception by the German press. Notes Messiaen’s continued recognition in Germany in the 1980s.

348.

Daniel-Lesur. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 89–90. Daniel-Lesur reminisces about his association with Messiaen. He admired Messiaen as a composer, organist, and person. He fondly remembers the world premiere of La Nativité du Seigneur on 27 February 1936 when Messiaen, judging the piece to be too long and difficult for one organist to play, asked him to perform the work’s first three movements (Jean Langlais played movements four through six, while Jean-Jacques Grunenwald played movements seven through nine). Daniel-Lesur also notes the delight he took in his intellectual interactions with Messiaen, and recalls the founding of La Jeune France of which he and Messiaen, along with Jolivet and Baudrier, were members.

349.

Darbyshire, Ian. “Messiaen and the Representation of the Theological Illusion of Time.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 33–51. Describes the dual character inherent in Messiaen’s conception of music as a combination of the scientific and the supernatural. Focuses on Messiaen’s representation of time, which is closely allied to spatial conceptions. Because of Messiaen’s investigation of musical duration, compares the composer to a musical geometer who uses numbers to divide time just as a geometer uses numbers to divide space.

350.

Dingle, Christopher. “Charm and Simplicity: Messiaen’s Final Works.” Tempo 192 (April 1995): 2–7. ISSN: 0040–2982. Proposes that Messiaen changed his compositional style in the last years of his life, becoming a master of musical understatement after the composition of

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

163

colossal works such as La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ and Saint François d’Assise. Surveys Messiaen’s final works, starting with Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux (1985) and concluding with Concert à quatre (1990–92). Special attention is given to Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... (1987–91) as an example of Messiaen’s new approach to composition. 351.

Freeman, Robin. “Trompette d’un Ange Secret: Olivier Messiaen and the Culture of Ecstasy.” Contemporary Music Review 14/3–4 (1996): 81–125. ISSN: 0749–4467. Freeman explores the relationship between Messiaen’s cultural interests and music. To draw a picture of the composer’s cultural profile, Freeman examines Messiaen’s interests in art, literature, music, philosophy, poetry, and theology, with the goal of either supplementing or clarifying what Messiaen said in different interviews and lectures. According to Freeman, Messiaen might have been the last great figure in a nineteenth-century resurgence of Catholic art that reached its apogee after the Franco–Prussian war. By situating Messiaen’s music in the culture from which it arose, Freeman believes that he presents a view of Messiaen that other scholars with more purely musical agendas may have been unaware.

352.

Fulcher, Jane F. “The Politics of Transcendence: Ideology in the Music of Messiaen in the 1930s.” The Musical Quarterly 86/3 (Fall 2002): 449–71. ISSN: 0027–4631. Fulcher interprets the early music of Messiaen in political terms, by situating him and the rest of La Jeune France (Yves Baudrier, André Jolivet, and Daniel-Lesur) within the ideological-aesthetic clashes occurring in France in the mid-1930s. La Jeune France opposed the cultural ideals of both the political Left and Right. They strove for a new kind of cultural ideal, one based on a spirituality that was both universal and all-encompassing in its dimensions, a “politics of the spirit” that resembled the ideals of the nonconformist movement of French intellectuals, who sought a “third path” linking progressive Catholicism with politics and ideology. Thus for Fulcher, Messiaen was not a composer merely impelled by his Catholic faith, but one who turned to nonconformist ideals to guide his work. According to the author, Messiaen transcended religion and engaged political ideology, in short blurring the boundaries between the two, by composing a music that balanced innovation with French tradition.

353.

Gavoty, Bernard. “Musique et mystique: Le ‘Cas’ Messiaen.” Les Études (October 1945): 21–37. In this article, Gavoty recognizes Messiaen’s abilities as a composer. He likens the controversial reception of Messiaen’s music in Paris in the mid-1940s, known as “Le Cas Messiaen”, to other French controversies involving Dreyfus and Wagner. However, Gavoty harshly criticizes Messiaen for his Technique, which he found to be both erudite and irritating, and his notices and commentaries. He questions Messiaen’s sincerity as a person and the profane atmosphere of his supposedly Christian music. (For more information on the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair,

164

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

including discussions of the numerous articles and reviews written either criticizing or defending Messiaen, see item 254—Lilise Boswell-Kurc, “Olivier Messiaen’s Religious War-time Works and their Controversial Reception in France [1941–46]”). 354.

Goléa, Antoine. “Das Weltbild des Komponisten Olivier Messiaen.” Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 130 (1969): 22–25. ISSN: 0170–8791. An essay that attempts to describe Messiaen’s view of life as reflected in his music. Believes that it is driven by a stress on a timeless universalism brought about by the deep spiritual unity of his musical language. Considers how that unity is conveyed musically. Concludes that Messiaen is not only an artist who strives for a physical and spiritual unity in his works, or a Catholic in the deepest sense of the word, or a bold pioneer in the fields of melody, harmony, and rhythm, but also an innovator who has enriched the actual sound of music through different textural and timbral means.

355.

Griffiths, Paul. “Poèmes and Haïkaï: A Note on Messiaen’s Development.” The Musical Times 112 (September 1971): 851–52. ISSN: 0027–4666. A reflection on the development of Messiaen’s musical style during a twenty-five year period, spanning 1937 to 1962 using Poèmes pour Mi (1936–37) and Sept Haïkaï (1962) as stylistic yardsticks. After noting certain constant aspects of the composer’s approach to composition, Griffiths distinguishes early Messiaen from later Messiaen through changes in compositional technique, concluding that the early music is motivated more by a mystical, surrealistic vision in which Messiaen personalizes his conception of God, whereas the later music is motivated more by a mystical, naturalistic vision in which Messiaen presents a more objective view of God, inviting the world to be filled with awe and joy.

356.

Hamer, Laura and Christopher Brent Murray. “Olivier Messiaen and the Prix de Rome as Rite of Passage.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 13–43. In keeping with the goal of Messiaen Perspectives of shining a spotlight on the less-covered aspects of Messiaen’s career and music, this essay explores his unsuccessful attempts to win the Prix de Rome in 1930 and 1931, examining the choruses he wrote to texts by Théodore de Banville (1823–91) and Catulle Mendès (1841–1909) as a means to understand his development as a composer.

357.

Hill, Peter. “Introduction [to The Messiaen Companion].” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 1–11. In this introduction to The Messiaen Companion, Hill looks at Messiaen’s work as a musician to set the stage for the more detailed consideration taken up by the book’s authors. He notes an adherence to a basic set of principles as Messiaen’s most remarkable trait, producing works that exhibit a consistent musical language and technique regardless of their position in the composer’s œuvre. To complete his picture of Messiaen, Hill discusses the composer’s literary interests and religious faith and their impact on his music, preoccupation with time, musical life

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

165

during the 1930s and 1940s, interest in birdsong, and composition of massive works in the mid-1960s to mid-1980s as an elder statesman of music. 358.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Olivier Messiaen: ‘.  .  . sehr schwer einzuordnen!’ ” Die Musikforschung 42/3 (July/September 1989): 222–32. ISSN: 0027–4801. Argues that the reason why Messiaen is so difficult to classify as a composer is because he incorporates non-Western elements into his musical language. In advancing this thesis, discusses Messiaen’s serial techniques as found in “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités” from the Quatre Études de rythme, “La Chouette Hulotte” from Catalogue d’oiseaux, and “Les Stigmates” from Saint François d’Assise; the modes of limited transposition; and the langage communicable.

359.

Kayas, Lucie and Christopher Brent Murray. “Olivier Messiaen and Portique pour une fille de France.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 45–67. This book chapter investigates the incidental choral music that Messiaen composed for Portique pour une fille de France, a huge spectacle honoring Joan of Arc. The most consequential premieres took place in the stadiums of Lyon and Marseilles on 11 May 1941. Portique pour une fille de France features a libretto by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Barbier that outlines the “Maid of Orléans’s” life. Overall, a welcome unearthing of lesser-known facets of Messiaen’s career.

360.

Leibowitz, René. “Olivier Messiaen ou l’hédonisme empirique dans la musique contemporaine.” L’Arche 9 (September 1945): 130–39. A harsh critique of Messiaen and his recently published Technique (1944). Because he believed in the natural evolution of music in which serialism succeeded Romanticism, thereby making it part of the canon, Leibowitz believed that composers should submit themselves to this historical imperative in order for their music to be considered legitimate. Messiaen did not pursue such an imperative, opting for a more personal musical style, making him, in Leibowitz’s eyes, someone who composed music only to satisfy himself (in other words, a hedonist). After opening with pleasantries about how Messiaen’s music is performed frequently, and that his music is not neoclassical in nature (despised by both Leibowitz and Messiaen), Leibowitz lets Messiaen have it in relation to the Technique. He did not like the separation of musical parameters in Messiaen’s treatise, arguing that a composer should write music with all of them in mind. Leibowitz also contends that Messiaen had a weak grasp of variation form, despite the innovative rhythmic structures he incorporated into his music. In a 1948 article titled “Propositions,” published in Polyphonie, Boulez came to his teacher’s defense (see item 781).

361.

Maas, Sander van. “Forms of Love: Messiaen’s Aesthetics of Éblouissement.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 78–100. This essay focuses on the logic uniting the love, music, and religion linked with Messiaen’s conception of the éblouissement. It describes the éblouissement in the

166

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

composer’s writings—noting how it eventually became a topos—and his references to musical examples indicative of that sensory aesthetic. It then turns to the notion of the sublime to interpret the éblouissement as a way to explain Messiaen’s use of block structures in his compositional approach, as well as the titles, epigraphs, and commentaries connected with his music. To address the extraordinary aural experience linked with “dazzlement and ‘breakthrough,’” the essay invokes the philosopher Jean-Luc Marion. Lastly, it appropriates the idea of the Gestalt relied on by the Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar—admired greatly by Messiaen—in order to develop its reading. 362.

Maas, Sander van. “Messiaen’s Saintly Naïveté.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 41–59. Assesses how the concept of the “naïve” and its correlates may function in Messiaen’s work. Considers the drama of the second and eighth scenes in the 2008 Amsterdam production of Saint François d’Assise, although there are errors in the author’s narrative (“second act” should be understood as “second scene” [see pp.  44, 57]). Moves on to a discussion of the naïve from broader vantage points in order to raise questions about its application to Messiaen from different cultural, historical, and religious perspectives. Explores how Richard Taruskin and Paul Griffiths view Messiaen’s “saintly naïveté,” the former regarding it as a “seal of credibility” for the composer’s music, and the latter as “unlimited possibility.”

363.

Massip, Catherine, comp. “Regards sur Olivier Messiaen: Textes réunis par Catherine Massip.” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 7–38. Presents a biographical sketch and portrait of Messiaen through various documents that include his program notes, prefaces, letters, and articles, as well as essays about Messiaen and his music by others. Contains many photographs of Messiaen throughout his career.

364.

McNulty, Paul. “Messiaen’s Journey Towards Asceticism.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 63–77. This essay focuses on Mode de valeurs et d’intensités and why it marked a change in Messiaen’s compositional style, reflecting a larger one in the musical landscape of post-war Europe. It speculates about those persons and events that triggered the writing of the piece, namely: (1) René Leibowitz and his emergence in Paris in the mid-1940s as a teacher of serial technique; (2) Leibowitz’s criticisms of Messiaen’s compositional approach—especially its separation of musical parameters—as evinced in his harsh assessment of the Technique in an article published in L’Arche (1945), to which Boulez responded in his article “Propositions” in Polyphonie 2 (1948); and (3) Messiaen’s attendance at a performance of John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano in Paris on 17 June 1949 that he deemed very enlightening. The essay analyzes a small slice of Mode de valeurs to highlight its compositional features.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

365.

167

Mellers, Wilfrid. “Mysticism and Theology.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 220–33. Mellers explores Messiaen’s religious views and their impact on his music. He contrasts the religion of “Faustian” man with Messiaen’s Catholicism. The former is a Protestant version of Christianity in which the ego and will are emphasized, while the latter exemplifies the Old Faith in which freedom from the ego and will is sought in order to find one’s self. Mellers argues that from his earliest days, Messiaen sought to achieve such a release in his music through the use of a static harmonic language, which freed the sensory moment from any notion of a before and after. Mellers then links Messiaen’s music with the early music of Satie and much of Debussy’s music, claiming that these works can be characterized as mystical because of their lack of linear movement. The rest of the essay focuses on the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Cinq Rechants, and Chronochromie. In his examination of “Abîme des oiseaux,” the third movement of the Quatuor, Mellers makes inaccurate statements regarding the use of microtonal pitches and Hindu ragas. In his discussion of Chronochromie, he notes the influence of rhythmic proportions inherent in nature and the music of Varèse on the work’s composition. Mellers concludes by ruminating on whether or not Messiaen was a theosophical or theological composer, stating in the final analysis that he strove to embrace what Saint Thomas Aquinas considered to be the essence of God: bliss itself.

366.

Messiaen, Alain. “Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Message.’” Musical Opinion 103/1227 (January 1980): 133–34, 136. ISSN: 0027–4623. An essay on Messiaen by his younger brother Alain (1912–90). Alain reminisces about the time when he and Olivier were children in Grenoble, especially when Olivier introduced him to Shakespeare, Maeterlinck, Calderon, and Ibsen. He surveys Olivier’s life, musical style, and works through La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ.

367.

Michaely, Aloyse. “L’Abîme: Das Bild des Abgrunds bei Olivier Messiaen.” In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 7–55. Examines the symbol of the abyss in the music of Messiaen. Investigates its origins and theological connotations in the Bible and writings of the Early Church Fathers. Considers its place and meaning in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics and how it is represented musically in his works. Highly recommended.

368.

Michaely, Aloyse. “Messiaens Trinitästraktate.” Musik und Kirche 69/2 (March/ April 1999): 90–98. ISSN: 0027–4771. A consideration of the significance of the Trinity in Messiaen’s music. Analyzes “Le Mystère de la Saint Trinité” from Les Corps glorieux and the fifth movement of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. Discusses how Messiaen uses musical techniques to depict the Persons of the Trinity.

168

369.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Nichols, Roger. “Boulez on Messiaen: Pierre Boulez in Conversation with Roger Nichols.” Organists’ Review 71/283 (1986): 167–70. ISSN: 0048–2161. An interview in which Boulez comments on both his relationship to Messiaen as well as his former mentor’s music. Boulez recounts his early studies with Messiaen as a harmony teacher, noting how he emphasized the evolution of harmonic style from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries in his classes, making links between different composers clear and comprehensible. Boulez then turns to the influence of the music of Asia on Messiaen, stating that in the final analysis, Messiaen absorbed such influences so completely that his music bears little resemblance to that of Asia. Finally, Boulez reflects on various subjects, such as the influence of Mode de valeurs et d’intensités on the serial music scene of postwar Europe, Messiaen’s penchant for using block forms, the premiere of the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine in 1945, conducting the tempi found in Messiaen’s orchestral compositions, and Messiaen’s foray into electronic music in 1952.

370.

de Obaldia, René. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 93–95. De Obaldia begins his tribute to Messiaen by discussing the composer’s work as an organist at La Trinité during 1945–50. He then describes how he first met Messiaen before the war with Germany in 1940. At that time, de Obaldia was associated with literary circles that had aesthetic goals comparable to those espoused by La Jeune France, of which Messiaen was a member. There were meetings in Parisian salons where ideas were exchanged between writers and musicians desirous of new modes of expression. At one of those meetings, de Obaldia heard Messiaen improvise on a popular song of the day, “Les Gars de la Marine.” Shortly after that, de Obaldia gave Messiaen a copy of one of his poems, “Action de Grâces,” and a friendship began. De Obaldia then describes how he and Messiaen talked not only about music but literature as well. He found out that besides his taste for Shakespeare and the poetry of his mother Cécile Sauvage, Messiaen liked H. G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Ernest Hello. De Obaldia concludes his essay by remarking how Messiaen continues to speak to the world through his music and how he encourages everyone to become children again in order to marvel at the world’s beauty.

371.

Petersen, Birger. “Musique théologique? Zur Analyse der Musik Olivier Messiaens.” Musik & Ästhetik 8/31 (July 2004): 88–96. ISSN: 1432–9425. Posits that Messiaen’s music has been analyzed from either formal-compositional or theological-semantic perspectives. Notes that Stefan Keym’s study of Saint François d’Assise (see item 590) attempts to synthesize the two viewpoints by focusing on color and time. Argues that Keym is not consistent in avoiding the semantical approaches he criticizes.

372.

Peterson, Larry W. “Messiaen and Surrealism: A Study of His Poetry.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 215–24.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

169

Explores the surrealist framework of the poetry Messiaen wrote for his art songs, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, and Cinq Rechants. Not only uses the work of André Breton and Paul Éluard to define surrealism, but also compares their work with that of Messiaen. Demonstrates how surrealist elements such as extravagant imagery, irrationality, and the “concept of the artistic relationship between the artist’s work and his soul or inner self ” (p. 223) are all present in Messiaen’s poems. 373.

Rostand, Claude. “Olivier Messiaen.” Melos 23 (October 1956): 284–86. A short essay on Messiaen translated into German by Willi Reich. The essay’s original publication is not specified. Rostand examines Messiaen’s life and work through 1956. He surveys Messiaen’s family background, student years at the Paris Conservatoire, and musical activities beginning in the 1930s. He then considers the role of religion in Messiaen’s musical aesthetics as well as his compositional techniques.

374.

Rostand, Claude. “Messiaen erneuert die französische Musik.” In Melos 25/12 (item 328), 393–96. In his discussion of Messiaen’s impact on French music, Rostand provides an overview of Messiaen’s life and works, looks at his musical and literary influences, and surveys his musical techniques.

375.

Roy, Jean. “Olivier Messiaen.” Études 371/1–2 (July/August 1989): 67–74. ISSN: 0014–1941. A stylistic examination of Messiaen’s music through Saint François d’Assise.

376.

Samuel, Claude. “Olivier Messiaen ou la multiplicité transcendée.” In La Recherche Artistique présente hommage à Olivier Messiaen (item 334), 6–10. In this tribute Samuel recognizes Messiaen as one of the great composers of the twentieth century. He notes Messiaen’s legacy as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire where he attracted students from all over the world. Samuel considers Messiaen’s creative work as revolving around the themes of (1) nature; (2) soundcolor relationships; (3) rhythm; (4) love; (5) and faith. In an age of doubt, suspicion, and despair, Samuel views Messiaen as a musician set apart, a man of faith conveying a different message.

377.

Samuel, Claude. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 84–85. Considers Messiaen and his position in contemporary music, arguing that the composer left a definite legacy in modern music despite listeners who could not fathom how such a religious person could be such a musical pioneer. For academics, Messiaen was an inoffensive eccentric, but to others, especially his former students, he was steeped in a world of musical innovation, sharing his ideas as both a composer and teacher. Although meeting Messiaen during his involvement with the first worldwide recording of the Turangalîla-Symphonie in

170

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

the 1950s, Samuel got to know Messiaen better through later meetings and the two books of conversations completed in 1967 and 1986, respectively. During that time, Samuel was struck not only by the sincerity of Messiaen’s faith but also by the sincere doubts the composer evinced toward each of his new works. 378.

Samuel, Claude. “Olivier Messiaen: Eine Würdigung.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 8–11. In this tribute to Messiaen, Samuel draws a varied portrait of the composer by touching upon the contradictions that have characterized his life and work. The essay deals with a number of topics, including aspects of Messiaen’s compositional process and musical style, his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, his love of Japan and its people, the United States, the Traité de rythme, and Schoenberg.

379.

Sauvage, Cécile. “L’Âme en bourgeon.” Translation and Afterword by Philip Weller. In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 191–278. A translation of L’Âme en bourgeon (“The Budding Soul”) that forms the centerpiece of Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature, according to the editors (p. xxiv). Pages 192 to 251 contain the translation, with the French original and English translation laid out on facing pages. Pages 252 to 278 feature an afterword that supplies an informative commentary on the work. After the translation, Weller examines the poetical world and work of Messiaen and his mother, Cécile Sauvage, as well as Sauvage’s legacy. He also includes notes on the title and translation, and closes his commentary with the program note that accompanied the premieres of Claire Delbos’s song cycle, L’Âme en bourgeon, and Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi, for the La Spirale Concert hors-série on 28 April 1937. Speculating that the note may have been written by Messiaen, Weller argues that its contents may reveal Messiaen’s and Claire Delbos’s readings of L’ Âme en bourgeon and her song cycle. In his perceptive afterword, Weller supplies a wealth of detail about L’Âme en bourgeon—written by Sauvage while she was pregnant with Messiaen—and how the work shaped the composer’s artistic outlook, as well as how the composer shaped the work’s critical reception. He assesses Sauvage’s poetry in relation to the French poetry of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although noting that Sauvage was not a pious traditional Catholic in the manner her son would become, Weller points out that mother passed on to son a “respect for tradition and a pressing, almost existential need for new invention, of needing to speak to one’s time yet also standing outside and beyond it” (p. 262). When all is said and done, Sauvage clearly molded the compositional poetics of Messiaen in innumerable ways, and Weller treats that subject imaginatively in the afterword. A very significant contribution to the Messiaen literature, and highly recommended.

380.

Shenton, Andrew. “Composer as Performer, Recording as Text: Notes Towards a ‘Manner of Realization’ for Messiaen’s Music.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 168–87.

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

171

This book chapter considers questions related to performing Messiaen’s music. It begins by assessing how score and recording factor into scholarly research. The chapter then looks at Messiaen’s recordings of his own organ music, or recordings on which he had either a direct or indirect influence, which for the author are valuable interpretative aids. He concludes that Messiaen’s recordings constitute a performance tradition to which future performers will turn in order to convey more personal and culturally relevant readings, while still augmenting our understanding of both the composer and his music. Although the author’s comparison of Messiaen’s Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité with the composer’s 1972 recording of it is enlightening as it seeks to understand his interpretative approach, more such examples could have strengthened the essay. 381.

Schlee, Thomas Daniel. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” Österreichische Musikzeitschrift 34/1 (January 1979): 28–40. ISSN: 0029–9316. Homage to Messiaen on the occasion of the composer’s seventieth birthday from a former student and noted interpreter of his organ works. Schlee draws an affectionate portrait of Messiaen by using recollections from his student days at the Paris Conservatoire from 1977–78, anecdotal comments, and analytical and critical observations. He provides a biographical sketch of Messiaen, discusses his musical style, describes his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, and talks about his work as an organist.

382.

Schlee, Thomas Daniel. “La Cité céleste.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste— Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 64–233. A detailed and fascinating portrait of Messiaen that examines: (1) his association with the Paris Conservatoire as both student and teacher; (2) his childhood and adult years; (3) his religious beliefs; (4) birdsong; (5) sound-color relationships; (6) the music of the firmament; (7) the Tristan trilogy; (8) Saint François d’Assise; and (9) the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Accompanied by numerous photographs and facsimiles.

383.

Schneider, Frank. “Olivier Messiaen oder die Botschaft der Liebe.” Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft 31/1 (1989): 39–49. ISSN: 0005–8106. Considers Messiaen as one of the most significant composers of the twentieth century. His compositional aesthetic is characterized by an inclusive approach to musical materials and intellectual thought. Messiaen has attempted to express divine love and redemption through his compositions. In this article, the author discusses these elements in relation to Messiaen’s development as a composer.

384.

Simeone, Nigel. “Messiaen and the Concerts de la Pléiade: ‘A Kind of Clandestine Revenge Against the Occupation.’” Music and Letters (November 2000): 551–69. ISSN: 0027–4224. Simeone examines the genesis, rehearsal, performance, and reception of Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen and Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine in light

172

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

of the Concerts de la Pléiade for which they were composed. Before proceeding with this examination, Simeone considers the origin of the Concerts de la Pléiade, examining the role film producer Denise Tual played in starting a concert series that was designed as an artistic resistance movement against the German Occupation of Paris during World War II, where performances of new or recent French music were banned. A must read for anyone interested in Messiaen’s musical activities in the early 1940s. 385.

Simeone, Nigel. “Messiaen in the 1930s: Offrandes oubliées.” The Musical Times 141/1873 (Winter 2000): 33–41. ISSN: 0027–4666. Examines Messiaen’s professional and private life in the 1930s through: (1) a series of letters written by Messiaen to Claude Arrieu (1903–90); (2) three test pieces written by Messiaen as a faculty member at the École Normale de Musique that appeared in the musical supplements of Le Monde musical; and (3) three articles written by Messiaen published in Le Monde musical. Spanning the years 1929–41, although most date from 1931–34, the letters to Arrieu, who met Messiaen in Dukas’s composition class at the Paris Conservatoire, reveal Messiaen’s life as a young composer and teacher, husband and father, and dutiful citizen as seen by his military service. Although two of Messiaen’s test pieces were published later as a part of Vingt Leçons de Solfège Modernes dans les Sept clés by Henry Lemoine & Cie (Solfège—see item 114]) and Vingt Leçons d’Harmonie by Alphonse Leduc & Cie ( Chant donné—see item 115), the third, Morceau de Lecture à Vue for piano, is heretofore unknown in the Messiaen literature. (According to Simeone [p. 40], Loriod-Messiaen informed him that the piece was to be published by Durand in the future. The author heard Peter Hill perform the piece on a concert program at the Pennsylvania State University on 26 September 2006.) Finally, Simeone points out that two of the three articles by Messiaen are devoted to pieces the composer wrote or spoke little about (the orchestral version of L’Ascension and Chants de terre et de ciel), and that all three articles (the third focusing on La Nativité du Seigneur) were written when the pieces were relatively new.

386.

Simeone, Nigel. “Offrandes oubliées 2: Messiaen, Boulanger and José Bruyr.” The Musical Times 142/1874 (Spring 2001): 17–22. ISSN: 0027–4666. In a follow-up article on Messiaen’s early years (see item 385), Simeone investigates the sensitive relationship between Messiaen and Nadia Boulanger. Using surviving correspondence between the two housed in the Music Department of the BnF, he traces their various interactions, ranging from Messiaen seeking Boulanger’s assistance to secure performances of his works to his participation or lack thereof as organist in memorial services for Boulanger’s sister Lili and mother Raïssa at La Trinité, of which Nadia was a parishioner. Includes translated excerpts of an interview with Messiaen conducted in October 1931 by the Belgian poet and musicologist José Bruyr, that Simeone incorporated into his biographical study of Messiaen (see items 191 and 273).

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

387.

173

Simeone, Nigel. “‘Chez Messiaen, tout est prière’: Messiaen’s Appointment at the Trinité.” The Musical Times 145/1889 (Winter 2004): 36–53. ISSN: 0027–4666. Details the circumstances that led to Messiaen’s appointment as organist titulaire at La Trinité in Paris, succeeding Charles Quef (1873–1931). Contains letters written by Marcel Dupré, Maurice Emmanuel, Charles Tournemire, and Charles-Marie Widor in support of Messiaen’s application, as well as Messiaen’s letters to Curé Hemmer, the parish priest of La Trinité, covering various issues related to his eventual appointment in 1931, including the Curé’s reservations about Messiaen’s playing of “dissonant” music when deputizing for Quef for two years. The rest of the article covers Messiaen’s work at La Trinité after his appointment. The article is a must read for its valuable information about this often neglected aspect of Messiaen’s life.

388.

Simeone, Nigel. “Messiaen in 1942: A Working Musician in Occupied Paris.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 1–33. After offering background information regarding Messiaen’s return to Paris in 1941, documents his musical activities and critiques of his work in Paris in 1942, based on the author’s access to the composer’s pocket diary and investigation of a variety of other sources. Concludes the study with an edited transcription of consequential entries from Messiaen’s diary for that year, accompanied by insightful contextual information.

389.

Simeone, Nigel. “Messiaen, Koussevitzky and the USA.” The Musical Times 149/1905 (Winter 2008): 25–44. ISSN: 0027–4666. After giving a brief overview of the various links Messiaen has had with the United States, the majority of this article is a narrative that examines some of the early performances of his music in America from 1936 to 1950, and in particular Serge Koussevitzky’s support of Messiaen. Major orchestras and pieces involved included: (1) the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and its performance of Les Offrandes oubliées in 1936; (2) the later performance of that piece by the National Symphony in Washington, D.C.; (3) the 1947 San Francisco Symphony performance of L’Ascension at Carnegie Hall; and (4) the 1945 commission by Koussevitzky for the BSO that resulted in the Turangalîla Symphony, and its debut in 1949. The article also addresses Messiaen’s summer teaching at Tanglewood in 1949, alongside Aaron Copland. The narrative tells the story of the correspondence occurring during these years, as well as these performances and their reception. Highlighted are the contents of letters between Messiaen and various persons, associated mainly with the BSO, as well as a few photographs of involved personnel, concert programs, and an advertisement for the Tanglewood engagement.

390.

Tchamkerten, Jacques. “From Fête des belles eaux to Saint François d’Assise: The Evolution of the Writing for Ondes Martenot in the Music of Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 63–78.

174

Biographical and Stylistic Studies

Documents how Messiaen’s writing for the Ondes Martenot evolved, from Fête des Belles Eaux to Saint François d’Assise. Offers a brief history of the Ondes and writing for it, suggesting that Messiaen might have developed an attraction for the instrument after listening to Jolivet’s Danse incantatoire (p. 64). Most of the essay surveys how he uses the Ondes in the Fête des Belles Eaux, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Saint François d’Assise. As a postscript (p. 77), mentions four unpublished pieces dating from the 1930s, one titled “Solfège,” and the others labeled “Déchiffrages.” Loriod-Messiaen arranged these compositions for Ondes Martenot and piano. In 2002, Durand published these arrangements as Feuillets inédits. 391.

Whittall, Arnold. “Messiaen and Twentieth-Century Music.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 232–51. In this conclusion to Messiaen Studies, Whittall considers Messiaen’s position as a composer in the twentieth century, but from the standpoint of “tradition” (p.  233). He contextualizes his viewpoint by comparing Messiaen with composers such as Stravinsky, Tippett, Carter, Murail, Boulez, Pärt, and Takemitsu, along with situating his work in relation to the scholarly writings of Cross, Clarke, Lockspeiser, Drew, Deliège, R. S. Johnson, Fétis, Harvey, Griffiths, and J. Johnson. Whittall singles out Carter—born in 1908 like Messiaen—as the composer’s greatest stylistic counterpart (p. 252), leading him to compare Messiaen’s Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... (1987–91) with Carter’s Symphonia: sum fluxae pretiam spei (1993–95). In addition to these contextualizations of Messiaen, Whittall examines the composer’s harmonic practice in relation to two passages from La Fauvette des jardins (pp. 235–41). In this descriptive narrative centering around the “chord of transposed inversions on the same bass note” and sound-color harmonies in general, nothing of any analytical consequence is put forward. Whittall concludes his enlightening overview by dodging the question as to how to assess Messiaen’s position in the twentieth century, which is problematic, to say the least: “whether Messiaen is regarded primarily as a modernist or as something else becomes irrelevant in face of the fact that a history of twentieth-century music without his name and work prominently placed is, quite simply, inconceivable” (p. 253).

392.

Zeller, Hans Rudolf. “Messiaens kritische Universalität: Versuch über neue und ‘außereuropäische’ Musik.” In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 56–77. Looks at the influence of non-Western musical systems and aesthetics in contemporary music and its impact on the music of Messiaen. Maintains that the aesthetic behind Messiaen’s bird-inspired compositions of the 1950s is comparable to that of musique concrète (p. 74), because in both instances material is recorded and manipulated at a later point in time.

6 Topical Studies

This chapter considers different aspects of Messiaen’s music according to topics that reflect the work of Messiaen scholars. They range from analytical/theoretical studies to considerations of Messiaen’s Roman Catholic theology. ANALYTICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES OF MESSIAEN’S MUSIC 393.

Albèra, Philippe. “Le rythme repensé.” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 85–98. Presents a précis of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques, tracing its development chronologically via influences, writings, and musical applications. But missing in the article are discussions of others who influenced the composer’s approach, such as Vincent d’Indy, Dom André Mocquereau, Henri Bergson, and Gaston Bachelard.

394.

Balmer, Yves. “Entre analyse et propagande: Olivier Messiaen et son usage des notes de programme.” In Écrits de compositeurs: Une autorité en questions (XIXe et XXe Siècles), edited by Michel Duchesneau, Valérie Dufour, and Marie-Hélène Benoit-Otis, 27–47. Musicologie S, edited by Malou Haine and Michel Duchesneau. Paris: Vrin, 2013. 437 p. ISBN: 9782711624683 (pbk.); 2711624684. ML390 .E254 2013 (Harvard Library) While acknowledging the prolific nature of his writings, singles out program notes that Messiaen wrote for concerts of his works (notes housed primarily at the Fonds Yvonne Loriod at the BnF). Analyzes Messiaen’s use of them 175

176

Topical Studies

in relation to his musical activities and desire to control the dissemination of his public image. Reveals sides to his personality that have previously gone unnoticed. Messiaen paid detailed attention to the organization of his musical concerts, as well as to the public and its various musical and critical personalities. He realized the importance of concert venues in relation to the projection of his image, and the role program notes played in conveying his musical message. 395.

396.

Balmer, Yves, Thomas Lacôte, and Christopher Brent Murray. “Un cri de passion ne s’analyse pas: Olivier Messiaen’s Harmonic Borrowings from Jules Massenet.” Twentieth-Century Music 13/2 (September 2016): 233–60. This article focuses on Messiaen’s harmonic borrowings from Massenet’s music, which is an unexplored subject in the scholarly literature. It claims that Massenet had a continuing influence on Messiaen. The article notes Massenet’s presence in Messiaen’s commentaries and interviews, teaching, and construction of harmonic formulas. To buttress its arguments about Massenet’s pedagogical influence, the article points to 71 harmonic formulas that Boulez copied out and attributed to Messiaen (located at the Paul Sacher Institute), when he was a student in Messiaen’s harmony class. Next, the article examines how Messiaen adapted music from Manon as a creative source for material in the Amen du Désir, the fourth movement of Visions de l’Amen. It contrasts this harmonic borrowing with a melodic one from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, claiming that the Amen du Désir is “built from the imaginary confrontation of two operatic moments: Susanna’s teasing, but pure ‘Deh, vieni, non tardar’ and the torrid trio closing Des Grieux’s aria ‘Manon! Sphinx étonnant!’ from Act IV of Manon in which Manon passionately sings, ‘À toi mon amour! .  .  . À toi tout mon être!’” (p.  249). But missing in the article’s discussion is any mention of Ernest Hello’s meditation on the multi-faceted meanings of the Hebrew word Amen from his Paroles de Dieu, from which Messiaen fashioned the Visions de l’Amen. Balmer, Yves, Thomas Lacôte, and Christopher Brent Murray. “Messiaen the Borrower: Recomposing Debussy through the Deforming Prism.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 69/3 (Fall 2016): 699–791. ISSN: 0003–0139 (print); 1547–3848 (online). In this well-researched article, the authors state that Messiaen’s well-known borrowings from Debussy span his entire career, and that they are central to a proper understanding of his compositional practice. They base their work on a new interpretation of the Technique, along with how Messiaen reused passages from Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande and some piano compositions. The article distinguishes Messiaen’s borrowings from generally like-minded approaches of nineteenth- and other twentieth-century composers. The authors frame their article in two sections, the first of which describes their sources and methodology in the pursuit of their thesis, contextualizing their work with relevant scholarship. The second section regards Messiaen’s borrowings from the standpoint of compositional strategy, illustrating different approaches

Topical Studies

177

that he might have employed related to harmonic transformation, creation of meaning, reutilization of particular hand gestures from Debussy’s piano pieces, and “techniques for stitching together material from disparate sources” (p. 703). Lastly, the authors engage in a highly uninformed discussion about the field of post-tonal analysis (“set theory and its derivatives”) as applied to Messiaen’s music, which mars an otherwise excellent article (pp. 774–75). 397.

Balmer, Yves, Thomas Lacôte, and Christopher Brent Murray. Le modèle et l’invention: Olivier Messiaen et la technique de l’emprunt. Collection Musique XXXXI. Lyon: Symétrie, forthcoming. Not examined.

398.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Aspects of Harmony in Messiaen’s Later Music: An Examination of the Chords of Transposed Inversions on the Same Bass Note.” Journal of Musicological Research 23/2 (April–June 2004): 187–226. ISSN: 0141–1896. Studies Messiaen’s approach to harmony in his later music of the 1960s to 1990s by examining the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note. Places the chords of transposed inversions within Messiaen’s more recent non-modal harmonic vocabulary. Argues that they should be interpreted as chromatically enhanced triadic structures. Concludes the study by exploring how the chords of transposed inversions are used in musical passages, particularly in relation to the modes of limited transposition.

399.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Reconsidering Messiaen as Serialist.” Music Analysis 28, nos. 2–3 (2009): 267–99. This article argues that Messiaen’s serial practice centered on rhythm due to his theological preoccupation with time and eternity, as well as fascination with number. The practice was ongoing, extending beyond his experimental years of 1949–52. The article looks at how Messiaen’s ideas were influenced by philosophers Henri Bergson and Gaston Bachelard. Using these precepts as an interpretative lense, it analyzes several works dating from the 1960s to the 1990s.

400.

Bernard, Jonathan W. “Messiaen’s Synaesthesia: The Correspondence between Color and Sound Structure in His Music.” Music Perception 4/1 (Fall 1986): 41–68. ISSN: 0730–7829. A consideration of what drives Messiaen’s approach to sound-color relationships. Basing his study on the consistency of Messiaen’s synesthetic responses as reflected in the modes of limited transposition, Bernard examines relationships between sound and color, developing a hierarchy of criteria—such as modal quality, spacing considerations, absolute pitch, and pitch-class set identity—that he believes are important in determining the color associations for musical passages. Although he is unable to answer many questions regarding sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s music, Bernard is optimistic that they will be solved, in which case a theory of harmonic structure for Messiaen’s music based on characteristic interval content and order could be developed. The article’s only

178

Topical Studies

shortcoming is its tendency to regard passages from Messiaen’s later works as possibly being modal when they are in fact based on known chords that lie outside of the composer’s modal system. 401.

Bernard, Jonathan W. “Colour.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 203–19. A continuation of Bernard’s earlier study of color in Messiaen’s music (item 400). Although differing in certain respects—the article’s examples are all new and the concept of superimposition (relating the vertical intervals of two sonorities) is omitted—this essay is similar to the earlier one.

402.

Bernard-Delapierre, Guy. “La Musique: Olivier Messiaen.” Confluences (June– July 1945): 551–56. After noting recent performances of Messiaen’s music and the controversy they aroused (“Le Cas Messiaen” [see items 254 and 353]), Bernard-Delapierre both considers and defends the elements of Messiaen’s musical style, drawing from the Technique in his discussion. He likewise defends Messiaen’s religious beliefs, his desire to compose spiritual music, and his notices and commentaries. Despite the polemical nature of the article, it is a good exposition of Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics of the 1940s.

403.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Messiaen’s Triadic Colouration: Modes as Interversion.” Music Analysis 21/1 (March 2002): 53–84. ISSN: 0262–5245. Examines the successions of chords devised by Messiaen to realize entire modes of limited transposition in strict order. Argues that they should not be considered as theoretical models but rather as practical means to engage a mode in Messiaen’s music from both coloristic and permutational perspectives. Suggests that his quest for harmonic coloration is linked to linear and vertical reorderings of pitch.

404.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Messiaen’s Chord Tables: Ordering the Disordered.” Tempo 57/226 (October 2003): 2–10. ISSN: 0040–2982. Using Chronochromie as a backdrop, the article examines the chord tables devised by Messiaen to illustrate: (1) his chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note; (2) his first and second chords of contracted resonance; (3) his revolving (or turning) chords; and (4) his chord of total chromaticism. Although it covers material found in item 405, this essay also explores other topics, such as Messiaen’s motivations for setting up chord tables and what determined the pitch-class level for the first table of each chord type.

405.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Rediscovering Messiaen’s Invented Chords.” Acta Musicologica 75/1 (2003): 85–105. ISSN: 0001–6241. In this survey of Messiaen’s invented chords that are not derived from the modes of limited transposition, Cheong considers four chord types: (1) the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note; (2) the first and second chords of contracted resonance; (3) the revolving (or turning) chords; and (4) the chord of total chromaticism. Spurred by scholarly interest in Messiaen’s account of his

Topical Studies

179

use of three of these chord types in Chronochromie, and relying on the first five volumes of the Traité de rythme, Cheong examines the structure and origins of these invented chords, noting Messiaen’s inconsistent explanations of them in his interviews and writings, as well as how they appear without being named in early works such as La Nativité du Seigneur and in the Technique. Does not deal with the sound-color associations of these chords. 406.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Plainchants as Coloured Time in Messiaen’s Couleurs de la Cité Céleste.” Tempo 64/254 (2010), 20–37. After surveying Messiaen’s sound-color materials (modes of limited transposition and special color chords) in order to establish an analytical frame of reference, the author examines Couleurs de la Cité Céleste for the colored time emerging from its use of sound-color harmonies and plainchant (e.g., Easter, Pentecost). She concludes that in revisiting the idea of colored time in Couleurs, rather than done abstractly via symmetrical permutations in Chronochromie, Messiaen presents a more concrete realization through a gamelan, Klangfarbenmelodie, parallel organum, and chorale. According to the author, in Couleurs, Messiaen has reached an apex of his artistry, mixing his vast arsenal of compositional techniques with the largest amount of plainchant used in any published work, as of that time.

407.

Cochran, Timothy Benjamin. “Messiaen’s Debussy: Modes of Interpretation in Tome VI of Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie. PhD dissertation, Rutgers University, 2012. 248 p. Drawing from Messiaen’s analyses of Debussy’s works in volume six of the Traité de rythme, the author frames his approach as a study of how Messiaen views and conceptualizes the older composer’s music. He points out three types of interpretative strategies Messiaen applies to Debussy’s music, as reflected by the Traité VI, involving technical analyses of musical structure, references to water imagery, and literary considerations linked with the inclusion of poetic quotations in an analysis. He hopes to present Messiaen as an energetic analyst of Debussy’s music, possessing hermeneutic approaches to this repertoire that reflect his concerns as a composer. After an introductory chapter summarizing the contents of the Traité VI, as well as considering issues related to interpretation, the author explores the aforementioned interpretative strategies. In chapter 2, he examines how Messiaen’s interpretative lenses drive his readings of musical materials in Traité VI. In chapter 3, he considers the composer’s water metaphors as related to Debussy’s music, and in the succeeding chapter, how Messiaen’s metaphor of “the stone in the water” (a mistranslation on the author’s part; it should read “pebble in the water”) inspires durational oppositions in his avian music, namely, the insertion of rapid-fire birdsong within serene settings, or the dazzling presence of the divine amid ordinary existence. In chapter 5, he muses about the interpretative function of quotations from poetry that Messiaen inserted throughout Traité VI.

408.

Cochran, Timothy B. “Messiaen and the Composer’s Eye: Analyzing Debussy in the Traité.” Theoria 20 (2013): 121–51.

180

Topical Studies

To contextualize the purpose of the article, the author maintains that Messiaen’s analyses of Debussy’s music that comprise the entire sixth volume of the Traité de rythme represent an intense creative engagement with the older composer’s music. In other words, these analyses indicate that Messiaen the teacher brought Messiaen the composer into the classroom when he analyzed Debussy. In this article, the author examines how Messiaen’s compositional perspectives involving the “Virgin’s Eye” (analyzing from the standpoint of a blank slate) and the “Composer’s Eye” (analyzing from a composer’s mindset) inform not only his readings of Debussy’s music but also reveal how he viewed and composed his own music. The author looks at selected musical passages of both Debussy and Messiaen to advance his arguments. 409.

Cochran, Timothy B. “The Pebble in the Water”: Messiaen, Debussy and the Meaning of Rhythmic Contrast.” The Journal of Musicology 31/4 (Fall 2014): 503–40. ISSN: 0277–9269 Derived from chapters 3 and 4 of the author’s dissertation. States that in the sixth volume of the Traité de rythme, Messiaen employs the metaphor, “the pebble in the water,” to distinguish rhythmic contrasts in Debussy’s music that consist of the juxtaposition of long durations with much shorter ones. The composer associates these contrasts with the element of shock, exemplified by an outside presence disturbing a peaceful, static environment. Contends that many of Messiaen’s rhythmic oppositions share similarities with those he attributes to Debussy, particularly via musical scenarios showcasing fast avian twitterings occurring in placid environs, or manifestations of the divine within the experience of humanity. This “logic of shock” recurs in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics in a more conceptual fashion involving musical experience and its connection with the divine.

410.

Delaere, Mark. “Olivier Messiaen’s Analysis Seminar and the Development of Post-War Serial Music.” Translated by Richard Evans. Music Analysis 21/1 (March 2002): 35–51. ISSN: 0262–5245. Deals with the impact of Messiaen’s teaching on rhythm at the Paris Conservatoire on the theoretical thought and music of his students Boulez, Goeyvaerts, and Stockhausen, as a means to better gauge the composer’s influence on the development of post-war serialism in Europe. Pays special attention to analytical notes made by Goeyvaerts on some twenty pieces during his studies with Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire. Addresses the influence of Messiaen’s approach to analysis on the work of these composers through Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Mozart’s Symphony in G Minor.

411.

Drew, David. “Messiaen: A Provisional Study.” The Score 10 (December 1954): 33–49; 13 (September 1955): 59–73; 14 (December 1955): 41–61. Drew’s three articles are the first substantive English-language study of Messiaen’s music (because of their date, the articles cover only those works up to the early 1950s). In the first article, Drew provides a backdrop for his examination of

Topical Studies

181

Messiaen’s works by surveying the composer’s musical language and aesthetic. He notes the components of Messiaen’s harmonic language, and approach to tonality where one tonal center tends to be emphasized for a considerable length of time, producing simultaneous states of tonal catalepsy and chord-to-chord motions at different structural levels. Drew closes his survey by examining Messiaen’s use of melody, especially how plainsong, Hindu music, and birdsong influence his melodic style, and rhythm, his primary preoccupation as a composer. In the second article, Drew discusses Messiaen’s works, beginning with Le Banquet céleste and concluding with Visions de l’Amen. He builds upon observations derived from his first article, noting Messiaen’s use of chromatic modal harmony, tonal centers, static form, monody, and rhythm in his analyses. In the third article, Drew continues to look at the Visions, moving on to Vingt Regards sur l’EnfantJésus, Quatre Études de rythme, Messe de la Pentecôte, and Livre d’orgue, closing with an examination of the Turangalîla-Symphonie. He concludes by placing Messiaen’s art within the context of twentieth-century music. 412.

Dunbavand, S. J. “In Search of Musique Chatoyante: Technique, Theology, and the Play of Harmonic Resonance in Olivier Messiaen’s Vitrail Sonore.” MMus dissertation, University of Sheffield, 2013. xxiv, 150 p. This interdisciplinary study examines how Messiaen’s resonance-based harmony developed, with its associations of light and color that suggest stained-glass effects evocative of theological symbolism. The document catalogues Messiaen’s “special chords” (accords speciaux) to facilitate the analysis of style and color symbolism in his early to middle-period compositions. It then focuses on the theological implications of the composer’s harmonic techniques involving juxtaposition and superimposition, looking at a number of pieces, ranging from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus to Concert à quatre. This examination serves as a prelude to the “spirituality of light and color” manifested by La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ and the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. The study also links Messiaen’s coloring of the visual facets of God with the writings of Catholic author Dom Columba Marmion and theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. It likewise considers the composer’s fascination with the Celestial City of Jerusalem from the Book of Revelation in terms of a consistent use of soundcolor harmony. Finally, the study investigates references in the Traité de rythme to the stained-glass windows in the ambulatory of Bourges Cathedral portraying Christ in Glory of the Apocalypse. These images are inspired by passages in Revelation and Habakkuk, and are used as epigraphs in two movements of Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà..., “Apparition du Christ glorieux” and “Les Étoiles et la Gloire,” respectively, the music of which is analyzed as reflecting those windows.

413.

Fabbi, Roberto. “Theological Implications of Restrictions in Messiaen’s Compositional Processes.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 55–84. Explores how the idea of restriction is basic to Messiaen’s musical language and characterizes its relationship to his faith. Examines Messiaen’s compositional techniques related to pitch and rhythm, showing how they stem from

182

Topical Studies

his theology of restraint known as the “charm of impossibilities.” Characterizes Messiaen’s work as a longing for a truth that is both eternal and external. Since this longing involves death and resurrection, it is unattainable for the living and hence a “charm of a metaphysical impossibility.” Yet, this longing is an “immanent and concrete aesthetic quality” of Messiaen’s music which, as “it is incessantly compelled to re-become itself, incessantly recreates its own reality” (p. 81). 414.

Forster, Max. Technik modaler Komposition bei Olivier Messiaen. Tübinger Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft, ed. Georg von Dadelsen, vol. 4. Neuhausen-Stuttgart: Hänssler-Verlag, 1976. 148 p. ISBN: 3775102159. ML 410.M595 F7. Views Messiaen’s approach to composition as united by a modal system in which pitch and rhythm possess equal significance. The connection between the two parameters, which are in a “perfect analogy” based on their selection, grouping, and use in Messiaen’s music, derives ultimately from his aesthetic of the “charm of impossibilities” where transpositional limitation and nonretrogradability are characteristic features. After outlining Messiaen’s modal system as described in the Technique, the author looks at pitch and rhythm in the composer’s music in order to show how the dual meaning of “modus” works (as a means of selecting material that can be employed freely in a composition, and as a collection of material that cannot be changed when used). An examination of Messiaen’s compositional techniques that is worth studying, especially chapter 4 (pp. 84–114) in which modal qualities of Messiaen’s serial writing are investigated. Twelvetone models are constructed according to how a mode of limited transposition is partitioned within the octave and then subjected to permutation in order to generate further models. Having established an analytical framework for modal twelve-tone rows, the author then analyzes “Reprises par interversions” and “Les Yeux dans les roues” from the Livre d’orgue, and “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités.” Closes the chapter with a discussion of row technique within a modal system, where comparisons between Messiaen and Schoenberg are made.

415.

Forte, Allen. “Messiaen’s Chords.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 91–113. At the outset of this article, Forte states that employing a “contemporary musictheoretic approach” may uncover fundamental aspects of Messiaen’s music not fully scrutinized in previous scholarship. Citing the plethora of chords in the composer’s music as motivation for his study, Forte attempts to uncover how and why some of these chords were composed. Although acknowledging that some of Messiaen’s descriptions of these chords might be helpful, Forte deems that others might not, because they could obscure his argument as to how Messiaen’s harmonic practice works. In his discussions, Forte analyzes Messiaen’s chords as surface realizations of set classes within a post-tonal framework, analogous to like-minded realizations of functional chords in tonal music. He emphasizes inclusion relations in his readings, where chordal subsets are related to larger collections, and deals

Topical Studies

183

with voice-leading patterns. Forte reconsiders the modes of limited transposition as large source harmonies from which chords could be drawn, rather than as scales comprised of contiguous pitches. But this reconsideration muddies the structural waters typically associated with modal and non-modal membership in the composer’s harmonic syntax. In other words, Forte extends the idea of modal subsets too abstractly. Using mode 2, the octatonic collection, as an example, he argues that since modal subsets are transpositionally unrestricted, unlike their parent collections, they reinforce his idea of the modes as large source harmonies (pp. 94–95). Forte contends, moreover, that Messiaen’s harmonic vocabulary developed additively, noting that “some, perhaps all, ‘non-modal’ chords might be explained in terms of their disjunct subset constituents, subsets that are members of one of the distinctive modes [2, 3, 4, and 6]. In such instances one could say that the parts are greater than the whole” (pp.  104–5). This is an overreach, as Messiaen’s non-modal chords originate from different coloristic and transpositional aesthetics, leading to problems regarding what larger harmonic fields Messiaen’s smaller chords evoke within Forte’s analytical framework. Lastly, the article also interprets how streams of chords work in Messiaen. 416.

Fremiot, Marcel. “Le rythme dans le langage d’Olivier Messiaen.” Polyphonie: Revue musicale trimestrielle 2 (1948): 58–64. Asserts that rhythm is the most important element in Messiaen’s musical language, despite what the composer says about the primacy of melody in the Technique. For the author, rhythm influences melody, harmony, and counterpoint in Messiaen’s music. Surveys different rhythmic techniques from the 1930s and 1940s, such as rhythmic pedals, rhythmic canons, augmentation and diminution, rhythmic cells, nonretrogradable rhythms, added values, prime numbers, Greek metric patterns, Hindu deçi-tâlas, and rhythms derived from birdsongs. Views Messiaen’s rhythmic language as ametrical because it centers on a small duration and its free multiplication, which spawns rhythmic periods free of the constraints of traditional notions of beat or measure.

417.

Gallatin, James A. “An Overview of the Compositional Methods in Representative Works of Olivier Messiaen.” PhD dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 1986. viii, 585 p. Employs Allen Forte’s ideas on pitch-class set theory to understand Messiaen’s compositional techniques. Concludes that Messiaen’s techniques are based upon those codified in the Technique. To these techniques are added others, such as those derived from birdsong, symmetrical permutations, and the langage communicable, that develop them. Works analyzed in detail are selected from Préludes, Poèmes pour Mi, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, Cinq Rechants, Chronochromie, and the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.

418.

Gárdnonyi, Zsolt. “Olivier Messiaens Harmonik aus der Sicht der Orgelimprovisation.” Musik und Kirche 63/4 (July/August 1993): 197–204. ISSN: 0024–4471.

184

Topical Studies

Examines Messiaen’s approach to harmony from the perspective of organ improvisation. Believes that a knowledge of Messiaen’s improvisational practices can shed light on his complex musical notation. Looks at the origin of the chord of resonance in the harmonic series and how its registral realization as two different seventh chords not only lies comfortably underneath the fingers, but also makes seemingly difficult passages based on that chord more accessible as a result. In like manner, considers the harmonic possibilities of the second mode of limited transposition (that is, the octatonic collection) and how they are realized in Messiaen’s organ and piano works. 419.

Griffiths, Paul. “Catalogue de couleurs: Notes on Messiaen’s Tone Colours on His 70th Birthday.” The Musical Times 119 (December 1978): 1035–37. ISSN: 0027–4666. Considers Messiaen’s sound-color structures in an article celebrating the composer’s seventieth birthday. Analyzing excerpts from Sept Haïkaï and Couleurs de la Cité céleste in which Messiaen links colors with specific chords, Griffiths tries to uncover how sound and color correspond in order to shed some light on Messiaen’s approach to harmony.

420.

Harris, Joseph E. “Musique Colorée: Synesthestic Correspondence in the Works of Olivier Messiaen.” PhD dissertation, University of Iowa, 2004. viii, 168 p. This study attempts to quantify sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s music, provide a method to ascertain unknown harmonic colorations, and demonstrate, through an analysis of “Apparition du Christ glorieux” from the Éclairs sur l’AuDelà... how its findings lead to insights about the structure of Messiaen’s music that might not be available through more conventional means. While the dissertation provides valuable information about synesthesia in general, the methodology it proposes for the analysis of Messiaen’s color chords, which is based upon the idea that a chord’s pitch classes evoke individual colors, is problematic for two basic reasons that are worth noting here. First, the study ignores Messiaen’s explanations of how sound is related to color in the Conférence de Notre-Dame, a curious omission in light of its heavy dependence on his testimonies and writings: “It is childish to assign a color to each note. It is not isolated tones which produce colors, but chords, or better, complexes of tones. Each complex of tones has a well-defined color” (item 128, 11). Thus it is the interaction of notes and not the individual notes themselves that produce colors in Messiaen’s synesthesia. Second, although it has its analytical strengths, the methodology lacks precision now and then and leads to conclusions that run counter to the composer’s ideas on natural resonance, which are closely allied to his ideas on color.

421.

Healey, Gareth. “Messiaen and the Concept of ‘Personnages.’” Tempo 58/230 (October 2004): 10–19. ISSN: 0040–2982. In this article, Healey seeks to present a clearer picture of Messiaen’s concept of “personnages” than that outlined by previous scholars. Drawing primarily from various analyses found in Messiaen’s Traité de rythme, and secondarily from the

Topical Studies

185

composer’s conversations with Claude Samuel, Healey connects many of the dots lying behind the idea of “personnages” by showing its conceptual development as seen and employed by Messiaen, from its origins in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, to its first substantial manifestation in Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, to its musical zenith in the Turangalîla-Symphonie. In his discussion, Healey does not limit the idea of “personnages” to rhythm (“personnages rythmiques”) but extends it to melody and harmony (“personnages melodiques and harmoniques”), using a passage from the “Joie du sang des étoiles,” the fifth movement of the Turangalîla-Symphonie, to illustrate his points. 422.

Healey, Gareth. “Messiaen—Bibliophile.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 159–71. Considers Messiaen’s literary interests in relation to what is mentioned in the Traité de rythme. Groups these interests according to two categories, “Fictional and Poetical Works,” and “Non-Fiction Works.” Discusses the influences of poets such as Rainer Maria Rilke, Aloysius Bertrand, Edgar Allan Poe, and Stéphane Mallarmé on Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, but ignores Paul Valéry and Pierre Reverdy, who are both omitted from a table (10.1) devoted to a listing of items in the first category. In its examination of non-fiction works, considers Messiaen’s ideas about time, duration, and eternity in connection with Saint Thomas Aquinas, Henri Bergson, and Armand Cuvillier, and Christian beliefs with Aquinas, Marmion, and Hello.

423.

Healey, Gareth. “Form: Messiaen’s ‘Downfall’?” Twentieth-Century Music 4/2 (2008): 163–87. Notes how taciturn Messiaen was in relation to his pronouncements on musical form, and Hodeir’s rather negative critical appraisal of the composer’s music from formal perspectives (La Musique depuis Debussy, 1961 [item 834]). Using Hodeir’s assessment as a springboard, attempts to better understand Messiaen’s formal procedures by surveying analyses and commentaries in the Technique and the Traité de rythme. More significantly, offers a classification scheme featuring ten formal models, derived from a study of the composer’s music. Concludes that although form has not been a consequential aspect of his compositional aesthetic, Messiaen has been able to “integrate ‘traditional’ structures into his developing musical language” (p. 185).

424.

Healey, Gareth. Messiaen’s Musical Techniques: The Composer’s View and Beyond. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013. xiv, 205 p. ISBN: 9781409448259 (hdbk.); 1409448258 (hardcover: alk. paper); 978140944826–6 (ebook). ML410.M595 H43 2013. In this book, the author maintains that a detailed knowledge of Messiaen’s compositional techniques is prerequisite to understanding his music (with which this author is in complete accord). He charts the development of the composer’s ideas by examining his writings, concentrating on the Technique and the Traité de rythme. He acknowledges that an over-reliance on Messiaen’s writings, which consist of idiosyncratic insights that are not necessarily coherent in scope, might

186

Topical Studies

lead to unproductive scholarly results. Accordingly, the author attempts to show how the composer’s evolving ideas can be integrated, a viewpoint infrequently raised in the scholarly literature. He devises an analytical approach that claims to generate substantive readings of Messiaen’s music. The author examines Messiaen’s musical language in three stages. The first stage considers his writings and how various music theorists, composers, and extramusical influences shaped his outlook (chapters 2–5). The next stage studies the “development of the techniques discussed in these writings” (p.  1), exploring Messiaen’s rhythmic and pitch techniques in individual chapters (chapters 6–7, respectively). The last stage presents the author’s analytical strategies to interpret works not covered by Messiaen in depth, namely from different periods in his output, spanning the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps to Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (chapters 8–10). This section of the book incorporates aspects of pitch-class set theory and the author’s ideas about form, along with his understanding of Messiaen’s music. The author claims success in uncovering new analytical insights, but only time can measure them. The book suffers, however, from editorial miscues. Finally, besides two appendices devoted to a technical inventory and selected works list, respectively, the book includes an online supplement where readers can go to a Companion Website at www.garethhealey.com/messiaen to use software that can identify various chord types of Messiaen. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 71/1 (September 2014): 70–72. 425.

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw. “Rhythmic Technique and Symbolism in the Music of Olivier Messiaen.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 121–39. Traces the development of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques, with a consideration of rhythm from larger perspectives. Looks at the strategic role of silence in Messiaen’s later music, as well as the religious character of his use of rhythm, from his early works to the first movement of Des canyons aux étoiles... (“Le désert”).

426.

Keym, Stefan. “Zum Zusammenhang zwischen Farben und Dreiklangskomponenten der ‘speziellen Akkorde’ Olivier Messiaens.” Musiktheorie 19/3 (2004): 249–56. ISSN: 0177–4182. Short essay examining sound-color relationships in Messiaen’s non-modal or special chords (e.g., the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note, chord of total chromaticism, chords of contracted resonance I, and turning chords). Links the colors associations of these chords in Messiaen’s synesthesia with their triadic components.

427.

Keym, Stefan. “Von der Metapher zum System des ‘son-couleur’: Die Entwicklung von Messiaens harmonischem Farbbegriff im Kontext der französischen Musiktheorie.” In Olivier Messiaen: Texte, Analysen, Zeugnisse, Band 2: Das Werk im historischen und analytischen Kontext (item 121), 275–93. Traces the development of Messiaen’s sound-color theories, particularly in the context of French music theory. In relation to his use of colors in his music,

Topical Studies

187

Messiaen attempted to distinguish himself from other contemporary composers. The author reveals that Messiaen’s invocation of colors in the Technique emerged from a vague aesthetic, emphasizing the general effects of the music and its religious message. He likewise mentions how French music theory of the first few decades of the twentieth century did not embrace harmonic color concepts, the only exception being Charles Koechlin in his Traité de l’harmonie (ca. 1930), who like Ernst Kurth, associated them with the music of Wagner. The rest of the article proceeds chronologically, demonstrating how Messiaen’s sound-color theories underwent a transformation where he associated concrete color associations with his sonorities (since the 1960s). The only caveat I have with this otherwise excellent essay is that it does not address color symbolism in Messiaen’s music, a lacuna shared by other articles covering this topic. 428.

Louvier, Alain. “Olivier Messiaen, le rythme et la couleur.” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 47–60. A survey of Messiaen’s ideas on rhythm and sound-color relationships as seen through his teaching and music. The first two pages of the article duplicate the text of an earlier essay written in 1995 for Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (see item 318). They serve to outline basic tenets of Messiaen’s approach to rhythm (as experienced by Louvier in Messiaen’s analysis class in 1965–66) before the article’s discussion of its main topics. In his examination of Messiaen’s ideas on rhythm, Louvier looks at many elements that comprise the composer’s rhythmic aesthetic: (1) philosophical ideas about time and eternity; (2) a view of rhythm that encompasses all musical parameters; (3) Hindu deçi-tâlas; (4) Greek metric patterns; (5) irrational rhythms; (6) serialized durations; and (7) symmetrical permutations. In his discussion of Messiaen’s ideas on sound-color relationships, Louvier considers the modes of limited transposition and the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note. Louvier concludes his article by exploring how rhythm and sound-color relationships are synthesized in Couleurs de la Cité céleste.

429.

Mittelstadt, James. “Resonance: Unifying Factor in Messiaen’s Accords Spéciaux.” Journal of Musicological Research 28/1 (2009): 30–60. ISSN: 0141–1896. Claims that Messiaen’s ideas about natural resonance are crucial to comprehending the structure of his “accords spéciaux” (special chords) and how they work, as well as his use of the aggregate. Posits that the composer’s concept of resonance encompasses two varieties, natural acoustical resonance and the hypothetical inferior resonance (related to nineteenth-century harmonic dualism). Provides some history behind the concept of resonance (including harmonic dualism) in early twentieth-century French thought. The crux of the article, however, is a systematic examination of the accords spéciaux. Contends that in this article, an underlying unifying foundation for these chords has been uncovered. However, it only addresses half of the story, as it does not consider Messiaen’s sound-color aesthetics, where the eye (experiencing the simultaneous contrast of colors) is connected with the ear (experiencing natural resonance).

188

430.

Topical Studies

Neidhöfer, Christoph. “A Theory of Harmony and Voice Leading for the Music of Olivier Messiaen.” Music Theory Spectrum 27/1 (Spring 2005): 1–34. ISSN: 0195–6167. Neidhöfer considers modal harmony and voice leading in the early music of Messiaen (1929–43). He presents a classification system for modal harmonies and voice-leading patterns based on their numbered position (step class) within the mode. He then examines registral lines in Messiaen’s early music using his classification system, which, in his opinion, provides insights into the composer’s contrapuntal and harmonic structures from modal, tonal, and mod-12 (pitchclass) perspectives. Neidhöfer concludes his essay by examining harmonic and contrapuntal textures that involve different modes, which are sounded either simultaneously or successively.

431.

Neidhöfer, Christoph. “Messiaen’s Counterpoint.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 77–110. This article investigates Messiaen’s unorthodox and concealed uses of counterpoint in his music, which goes against the scholarly grain that most of his works lack contrapuntal writing, especially in pieces from the 1960s onward. It begins by looking at Messiaen’s incorporation of more traditional approaches to counterpoint in his music of the 1930s and 1940s, suggesting that these displays of expertise may be due to the training he received at the Paris Conservatoire, and the influence of Tournemire. The article then examines the composer’s contrapuntal designs, singling out voice-leading patterns that form the basis of chord progressions, techniques of contrapuntal transformation involving the author’s notion of double counterpoint (see p. 94), systematic changes to melodic interval sizes, and order rotation.

432.

Nelson, David Lowell. “An Analysis of Olivier Messiaen’s Chant Paraphrases.” PhD dissertation, Northwestern University, 1992. viii, 298 p. A study of Messiaen’s use of chant paraphrases from the Liber Usualis and the Liber Gradualis in five works written between the 1960s to 1980s. Each paraphrase is examined for its scoring, form, rhythm, metrical organization, melody, and harmony, and how these elements interact. Concludes that most chant settings become more complex as they unfold, exhibiting highly varied musical contents typical of Messiaen’s approach to composition.

433.

O’Connell, Kevin. “Messiaen’s ‘Liebestod’ and the Uses of Paraphrase.” The Musical Times 150/1907 (Summer 2009): 19–26. ISSN: 0027–4666. Uses the chorale that forms the middle section of “Les Enfants de Dieu”—which is the central movement of La Nativité du Seigneur—as a means to investigate Messiaen’s compositional development. This chorale in B major appears to be an almost measure-for-measure adaptation of the dramatic last part of Wagner’s “Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde. The way that Messiaen uses this quotation is then explored and described, prompting speculations as to the rationale behind

Topical Studies

189

its use. Ruminates that it could be a quotation, citation, or variation, but ultimately reads it as a Lisztian-inspired paraphrase. Considers the chorale as a passage exhibiting great harmonic vitality, and its utilization as literary in nature. In other words, this paraphrase places the movement into a new frame of reference, that of seeing the infant Christ’s divine love (for humanity) being realized in His Death (and Resurrection), comparable to the human love of Tristan and Isolde being realized in their deaths. And Messiaen’s placement of this allusion in the middle section of the central movement of La Nativité was no coincidence. Claims that he is “invoking the full redemptive power” of Christ’s Incarnation, which is “made fully explicit” in the last movement of the organ cycle, “Dieu parmi nous” (p. 26). 434.

Peterson, Larry Wayne. “Messiaen and Rhythm: Theory and Practice.” PhD dissertation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1973. xi, 239 p. Peterson studies Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques and compares them with historical approaches to rhythm to underscore Messiaen’s contributions to rhythmic theory. He illustrates these techniques by analyzing passages drawn from selected works. According to Peterson, Messiaen reviewed the author’s analyses of his music.

435.

Pople, Anthony. “Messiaen’s Musical Language: An Introduction.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 15–50. A survey of Messiaen’s musical language and style. Examines Messiaen’s interest in modality, especially non-Western types. Proceeds to aspects of the composer’s melodic and harmonic language as seen through the Technique, looking at the modes of limited transposition from different vantage points. Considers pitch relationships between the modes and common tonal harmonies by citing an example from the Technique, in which chords drawn from two different transpositions of mode 2 support dominant-seventh and tonic chords in the key of F-sharp major, respectively. Uses that example to facilitate a comparison between Messiaen’s and Stravinsky’s use of modality. Characterizes Messiaen’s approach to rhythm as ametrical, although acknowledges that there is both metrical and hypermetrical writing in his works. However, considers Messiaen’s separation of pitch and rhythm, and that of other musical parameters, as a more important contribution to Western music than any of his rhythmic techniques. Finally, looks at Messiaen’s fascination with self-imposed limitations on his approach to composition, sound-colors, numerical symbolism, extremes of tempo, and cyclic repetitions of pitch or rhythmic series. The essay’s one major shortcoming is the failure to discuss Messiaen’s accords spéciaux or non-modal chord types, which are used extensively in his later music, beginning in the 1950s.

436.

Pozzi, Raffaele. “Note sulla genesi dei ‘personaggi ritmici’ nell-opera di Olivier Messiaen.” L’analisi musicale (March 1991): 207–20. Examines the development of rhythmic characters in the music of Messiaen. Considers the origins of the compositional device in the music of Stravinsky,

190

Topical Studies

the Hindu rhythm simhavikrîdita, and Messiaen’s techniques of development by elimination and amplification. Surveys the use of the rhythmic device in Messiaen’s music of the 1940s and early 1950s. 437.

Roubet, Anne. “Harmonie, timbre, couleur: Modèles et analogies dans la pensée musicale d’Olivier Messiaen.” Analyse musicale, no. 48 (Sept 2003): 99–106. ISSN: 0295–3722. Using Couleurs de la Cité céleste as an emblematic example from Messiaen’s complete œuvre, the author views the composer’s use of color as primary, subsuming and subordinating harmony and timbre. Explores pitch and timbral elements in Messiaen’s music and what he said about them in the seventh volume of the Traité de rythme, and how they contribute to the religious symbolism of his music.

438.

Schrader, Thomas. “Was kein Ohr gehört hat”: eine Untersuchung der Musik Messiaens aus musikwissenschaftlicher und theologischer Sicht. Collectanea Musicologica, Band 15, ed. Franz Krautwurst. Augsburg: Wissner-Verlag, 2011. 235 p. ISBN: 9783896398260 (pbk.); 3896398261 (pbk.). ML410.M58 S37 2011 (Cornell University). Examines Messiaen’s music from both musicological and theological perspectives, the latter of which has been underappreciated (in his opinion). To gain a better understanding of how Messiaen’s theological ideas are realized in his music, the author examines three major works—Visions de l’Amen, Livre d’orgue, and Couleurs de la Cité céleste—from the vantage points of sound-color relationships, temporal organization, and birdsongs, as well as associations between music and text. Ends with a consideration of Messiaen’s idea of “dazzlement” (éblouissement) that uses color and light as expressions of joy and praise.

439.

Schweizer, Klaus. “‘Dokumentarische’ Materialien bei Olivier Messiaen. Zum 70. Geburtstag des Komponisten am 10. Dezember.” Melos/Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 4/6 (1978): 477–85. Examines how Messiaen assimilates pre-established musical materials such as plainchant melodies, given rhythmic patterns, and bird calls into his music through changing accentuation. Believes that the reason Messiaen scarcely admits to how extensively he modifies these materials may be due to the fact that the use of pre-established resources is an important compositional impulse.

440.

Shenton, Andrew. “Speaking with the Tongues of Men and of Angels: Messiaen’s ‘langage communicable.’” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 225–45. Examines Messiaen’s langage communicable, a musico-linguistic system used in the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, Des canyons aux étoiles..., and the Livre du Saint Sacrement, both linguistically and musically, and situates it within the larger semiotic framework of the Méditations. Interprets the langage communicable within cognitive and theological contexts and stresses the

Topical Studies

191

complexity of Messiaen’s semiotic system. By invoking Benjamin Lee Whorf ’s hypotheses and Steven Pinker’s concept of mentalese (“a word used for the language of thought”), suggests that Messiaen’s musical coding bypasses verbal constructions at the encoding and decoding stages. 441.

Shenton, Andrew. “Observations on Time in Olivier Messiaen’s Traité.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 173–89. Tackles the difficult subject of Messiaen’s ideas about time in chapter 1 of the Traité de rythme. Summarizes the composer’s discussions of time and eternity, duration, different types of time (biological, relative, superimposed, physiological, and psychological), and Bergsonian time in connection with musical rhythm. Yet, Messiaen does not treat these ideas in a systematic manner, since the Traité de rythme is not a treatise, but classroom notes that served primarily as the basis for his teaching at the Paris Conservatoire.

442.

Simpson-Litke, Rebecca. “The Modes of Limited Transpositions in Olivier Messiaen’s Music: Transformational and Tonal Approaches.” PhD dissertation, University of British Columbia, 2010. xii, 260 p. Overall, an excellent theoretical dissertation on the modes of limited transposition. Influenced by Christoph Neidhöfer’s theoretical work on Messiaen (item 430, and a conference version of item 431), the author examines the “theoretical structures, compositional uses, and musical effects” of the modes. In three chapters, she covers lots of territory. Chapter 1 modifies concepts from transformational theory (particularly Neo-Riemannian) to fashion a modal transformational approach. For the most part, the chapter situates its discussion of small-scale transformational relationships between trichords within a modal environment. Chapter 2 considers how pitch-class sets can be used to compare different modes from aural perspectives, and how one mode can be transformed into another. Chapter 3 explores how the tonal resources of the modes can be used to emulate pitch structures familiar from tonal music, and how a tonal center can be evoked or obfuscated. Chapter 4 is devoted to a case study utilizing “Actions de grâces” from Poèmes pour Mi, to illustrate the dissertation’s approach.

443.

Simundza, Mirjana. “Messiaen’s Rhythmical Organisation and Classical Indian Theory of Rhythm (I).” International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 18/1 (June 1987): 117–44. ISSN: 0351–5796. Items 443 and 444 form a two-part essay that considers the rhythmic techniques Messiaen developed from his study of the Indian deçi-tâlas of the thirteenthcentury Indian theorist Sharngadeva, as well as his use of South Indian rhythmic patterns in Oiseaux exotiques. After summarizing Messiaen’s Indian-inspired rhythmic principles, the essay provides a table of the deçi-tâlas used by Messiaen, along with another table listing those compositions in which deçi-tâlas are employed. The Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Oiseaux exotiques are then examined for their rhythmic organization. The essay concludes with a summary of the author’s findings.

192

444.

Topical Studies

Simundza, Mirjana. “Messiaen’s Rhythmical Organisation and Classical Indian Theory of Rhythm (II).” International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 19/1 (June 1988): 53–73. ISSN: 0351–5796. See item 443.

445.

Strinz, Werner. “Der Meister und sein Sacre: Olivier Messiaens und Pierre Boulez’ Analysen des Sacre du printemps.” In Olivier Messiaen: Texte, Analysen, Zeugnisse, Band 2: Das Werk im historischen und analytischen Kontext (item 121), 309–17. A welcome discussion of two famous analyses of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, contextualizing it by referencing the work of Jean Barraqué, Arnold Whittall, Pieter C. van den Toorn, Allen Forte, and Robert Piencikowski.

446.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk Messiaens.” Musica sacra 109 (1989): 93–97. ISSN: 0179–0356X. An examination of number symbolism in the organ works of Messiaen. Analyzes “Jésus accepte la souffrance” from La Nativité du Seigneur, and the “Offertoire” from the Messe de la Pentecôte.

447.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk von Olivier Messiaen.” Kirchenmusikalisches Jahrbuch 80 (1996): 115–31. ISSN: 0075–6199. A longer and more developed version of the author’s 1989 article found in item 446. Considers the symbolic import of numbers in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetic. Investigates the relationship between numerological structure and theological content in “Jésus accepte la souffrance” from La Nativité du Seigneur, “Le Mystère de la Saint Trinité” from Les Corps glorieux, “Offertoire” from the Messe de la Pentecôte, and Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.

448.

Trawick, Eleanor F. “Order, Progression, and Time in the Music of Messiaen.” Ex tempore 9/2 (Summer 1999): 64–76. ISSN: 0276–6795. After reviewing Messiaen’s ideas about musical time, Trawick explores his use of rhythmic interversion and retrogression. Analyzes excerpts from the Livre d’orgue, Cantéyodjayâ, and “Île de feu II” from the Quatre Études de rythme.

449.

Vinay, Gianfranco. “Les couleurs des sons.” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 147–54. This essay discusses Messiaen’s sound-color aesthetics by exploring the connections his ideas have with the theories of the Swiss painter, Charles Blanc-Gatti, whom he had met in 1931. In 1934, Blanc-Gatti developed the principles of his poetics of synesthesia in his book, Des couleurs et des sons (item 822). There are interesting aesthetic parallels between the painter and musician, such as the correspondence between the height of sounds and the sensation of colors based on the duration of the vibrations of light and sound waves. But curiously, the essay does not mention another Blanc-Gatti book, Sons et couleurs (1947), which deals with color symbolism, equally important to Messiaen’s aesthetic (see item 823).

Topical Studies

450.

193

Walker, Rosemary. “Modes and Pitch-Class Sets in Messiaen: A Brief Discussion of ‘Première communion de la Vierge.’” Music Analysis 8, nos. 1–2 (1989): 159–68. ISSN: 0262–5245. Uses pitch-class set theory to investigate Première communion de la Vierge, the eleventh movement of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Focuses on modal and non-modal pitch collections, hoping to relate the two and explain the “extra” pitches that are introduced at certain junctures in the piece. Concludes that Messiaen tends to use large pitch collections of cardinality seven and higher, and their subsets and supersets to represent the underlying control of one of the modes of limited transposition.

451.

Weissgerber, Lydia. “Vom Reiz der Unmöglichkeiten. Anmerkungen zu den Modi Messiaens.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 33–49. This essay examines the modes of limited transposition, serving as a technical chapter in a book devoted to Messiaen’s organ works. Looks at the explanations of the modes in the Technique, their historical background, and the structural principles driving them. Also examines voice-leading techniques with respect to intervals in modal harmonic successions (labeled “modalen Mixtur” by the author) in parallel and contrary motion, typical realizations of modal chords, and cadential formulas.

452.

Williams, Graham. “The Theories of Olivier Messiaen: Their Origins and Their Application in His Piano Music.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, University of Adelaide, 1978. Investigates Messiaen’s writings and their relationship to his piano music. Concentrates on the influences that were pivotal to his musical development. The study is organized into four parts. In chapters 1 through 4, Messiaen’s life and work are discussed. Chapters 5 through 10 are devoted to theological, philosophical, and literary writings that influenced Messiaen, such as those by Saint Thomas Aquinas, Dom Columba Marmion, Plato, Aristotle, Henri Bergson, Cécile Sauvage, Paul Claudel, André Breton, and Paul Éluard. In chapters 11 through 13, Messiaen’s musical language is explored with particular attention paid to rhythm. Chapters 1 through 3 of volume 2 consider Messiaen’s piano music in term of its stylistic evolution.

453.

Wu, Jean Marie. “Mystical Symbols of Faith: Olivier Messiaen’s Charm of Impossibilities.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 85–120. Considers Messiaen’s “charm of impossibilities” as manifested by his modes of limited transposition, nonretrogradable rhythms, and symmetrical permutations, and relates them to his theology. Analyzes modal color in “Le baiser de l’Enfant-Jésus” and nonretrogradability in the “Regard de l’Église d’amour,” both from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, and symmetrical permutations in Chronochromie.

194

Topical Studies

BIRDSONG 454.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Neumes and Greek Rhythms: The Breakthrough in Messiaen’s Birdsong.” Acta Musicologica 80/1 (2008): 1–32. ISSN: 0001–6241. In this article, Cheong traces the development of Messiaen’s approach to birdsong, noting the critical importance of the use of neumes and Greek rhythms in his mature avian-inspired works. As part of her thesis, she points to frequent references to these elements in the fifth volume of the Traité de rythme, versus their relative scarcity in commentaries associated with early birdsong. In the author’s opinion, the presence of neumes and Greek rhythms in Traité V is a significant clue to the evolution of Messiaen’s birdsong (p. 9). She then turns to that volume to consider how the composer analyzed neumes and Greek rhythms in relation to his mature birdsong. She also looks at these elements in connection with Messiaen’s early birdsong, and the processing of avian materials in works that predate Réveil des oiseaux. Cheong ends with thoughts about how one should interpret the extensive discussion of neumes and Greek rhythms in Traité V.

455.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “‘Miroir Fluide’: Messiaen, Debussy, and Cyrano’s ‘Synaesthetic’ Bird.” Music and Letters 95/4 (2014): 603–47. ISSN: 0027–4224. Explores how Debussy’s music sparked Messiaen’s imagination and abetted the fashioning of his coloristic soundworld. Draws from the composer’s reading of Debussy’s “Reflets dans l’eau” in the sixth volume of the Traité de rythme to make the case that this analysis (along with its preceding quotations) is “richly encoded,” which prompts one to uncover a web of relationships, involving not only Messiaen and Debussy but also Cyrano de Bergerac, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, and Pierre Boulez. Indeed, points to the idea of a “miroir fluide” from Cyrano’s Lettre VII—which comports well with the idea of Debussy’s “Reflets dans l’eau,” since both are associated with mirror-like reflections in water—and how one can interpret Traité VI in a similar metaphorical manner. Analyzes La Bouscarle from the Catalogue d’oiseaux in order to connect the article’s many interpretative threads. Includes a sophisticated examination of pitch-structural relations, along with how the “systematic networking of anhemitonic pentatonic collections” informs Messiaen’s consideration of a “pentatonicized twelve-note space.” The end result of this analytical foray is to reveal pitch organization tactics that derive largely from permutation. Contains seven informative appendices.

456.

Curtis, Sydney and Hollis Taylor. “Messiaen and the Albert’s Lyrebird: From Tambourine Mountain to Eclairs sur l’Au delà...” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 52–79. In this article, Australian ornithologist Sydney Curtis discusses his initial contacts with Messiaen (beginning in November 1981) about the Lyrebird and its characteristics, which included singing in captivity versus in the wild. He then details the time he spent with Messiaen in 1988 when the composer was in Australia, seeing birds in their natural habitats during his

Topical Studies

195

eightieth-birthday tour. Curtis also gives examples of the Albert’s Lyrebird’s song and its musical implications. Musicologist Hollis Taylor then discusses Messiaen’s transcriptions of lyrebird songs that he heard in Australia and how they were manifested musically (e.g, as recurring ascending perfect fourths and their transformations into diminished fifths). She concludes that even though Messiaen’s imaginative scoring transformed what he had originally heard into something of a composite bird, Curtis as an ornithologist still had no difficulty at all in recognizing the Albert’s Lyrebird’s entrance in a recording of “Les étoiles et la Gloire” from Eclairs sur l’Au-Delà....” 457.

Demuth, Norman. “Messiaen’s Early Birds.” The Musical Times 101/1412 (October 1960): 627–29. ISSN: 0027–4666. An article devoted to a discussion of Réveil des oiseaux. Notes the originality of Messiaen’s dawn chorus of thirty-seven birds, especially its contrived but inherently musical bird polyphony. Concludes that the piece is essentially a piano concerto based on the concertante principle, with cadenzas, as well as an orchestral transcription of a natural phenomenon.

458.

Drees, Stefan. “‘Inspiration retrouvée’: Messiaens Vogelstimmen und die Idee des Gotteslobs aus der Natur.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 97–110. This article discusses Messiaen’s passion for birdsong and nature, and how they transformed his music. The composer believes that birdsong is his ideal type of music: it is freely composed, improvised for pleasure, and communicated joyfully, among other criteria. By the 1950s, Messiaen made accurate notations of bird calls (as an ornithologist would do), with his avian music evincing increasing connections to theology, especially notable in the Catalogue d’oiseaux where nature takes over. Ultimately, in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, birds function as intermediaries between humanity and God, so that direct access to God is possible only through experiencing the natural.

459.

Edgerton, Michael. “Messiaen & Birdsong—A Consideration of Avian Dynamics.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 80–101. Looks at the science of birdsong from the perspectives of anatomy and nonlinear dynamics and how they can be applied to further a better understanding of Messiaen’s avian-inspired music. Introduces the principles of nonlinear dynamics in both human and avian phonation. Describes anatomical systems (e.g., airflow/ respiratory systems, resonator/articulation) and nonlinear phenomena in birdsong (subharmonics, biphonic sequences, and deterministic chaos). Compares spectrograms made from the audio recording of the wood thrush’s song that Messiaen used for his transcription in Oiseaux exotiques. Similarly, compares the composer’s notation of a blackbird call from the Catalogue d’oiseaux with a spectrogram of a different blackbird call, coupling it with an “artistic” rendition derived from the composer’s example. Subsequently, offers five examples of dual voice phonation found in blackbird calls. Concludes that these nonlinear phenomena might be utilized in current music composition and performance, the

196

Topical Studies

objective of which is to formulate a working theory of the harmonic tension of complex sounds generated by techniques of desynchronized sound production methods (p. 100). 460.

Fallon, Robert Joseph. “Messiaen’s Mimesis: The Language and Culture of the Bird Styles.” PhD dissertation, University of California at Berkeley, 2005. 329 p. Considers Messiaen’s bird style from both musical and cultural vantage points. Argues that the composer’s early music contains far more birdsongs than previously acknowledged. Demonstrates that Messiaen employed a sound recording to transcribe North American birdsongs in Oiseaux exotiques based upon research conducted at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. With the aid of spectrograms, scrutinizes the accuracy of the transcriptions. Associates different meanings with different bird styles, at times in an ahistorical manner: joy amidst suffering in the “early style” (1929–48), peace and freedom during the Cold War in the “middle style” (1948–52), and divine wisdom in the “late style” (1952–56).

461.

Fallon, Robert. “A Catalogue of Messiaen’s Birds.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 113–46. Offers a comprehensive catalogue that not only addresses inconsistencies in the nomenclature of Messiaen’s birds, but also updates the information presented in previous catalogues prepared by Loriod-Messiaen in the Traité 5:2 and Johnson in his book, Messiaen (see items 119 and 279, respectively). As the author points out, the catalogue (1) includes all bird species used by Messiaen in his music; (2) identifies all species in each movement of a composition, listing them chronologically by work; and (3) employs the English monikers from the International Ornithological Union’s World Bird List (p.  114). But this catalogue does not include the names of numerous other birds whose songs Messiaen transcribed— either while outdoors or from records—that he included in his avian notebooks.

462.

Hill, Peter. “From Réveil des oiseaux to Catalogue d’oiseaux: Messiaen’s Cahiers de notations des chants d’oiseaux, 1952–59.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 143–74. Clearly, the best essay in Messiaen Perspectives 1. Hill surveys Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks from 1952 to 1959, noting how as sketch materials, they supply insights into his compositional process in relation to the avian-inspired works he wrote during the 1950s. Based on his detailed and lucid examination of the musical riches found in these notebooks, Hill argues that birdsong became a creative impetus for Messiaen’s musical language, which receives a hearty affirmation from this author.

463.

Hold, Trevor. “Messiaen’s Birds.” Music and Letters 52 (April 1971): 113–22. ISSN: 0027–4224. Explores the technique of birdsong in Messiaen’s compositions, questioning the accuracy of the composer’s transcriptions in the process. Challenges his statement that he included only authentic birdsongs in Réveil des oiseaux. Compares four of

Topical Studies

197

Messiaen’s bird transcriptions with ones derived from a sound-spectrograph and phonograph recordings. While acknowledging that Messiaen captured certain traits of a bird’s music, concludes that his transcriptions should be viewed as “imaginative transmutations” rather than authentic reproductions. 464.

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw. “Birdsong.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 249–65. An examination of birdsong in the music of Messiaen. Johnson traces the development of birdsong in Messiaen’s music, beginning with the composer’s stylized uses of birdsong in the 1930s and 1940s before moving on to his more realistic approaches in the 1950s and beyond where melodic intervals, pitch registers, and tempi are all altered to accommodate human performers. Johnson also explores the symbolism of birdsong along with its pitch structure and form. He makes insightful remarks regarding the pitch structure of Messiaen’s avian melodies, noting the limits of pitch-class set theory as an analytical tool. Johnson attempts to develop formal criteria for the composer’s avian-inspired pieces where there is little or no motivic repetition. His solution is to devise four formal categories (calls, short repetitive song patterns, varied song patterns, and long streams of “chattering” song), which he believes fulfill, through their interaction within a work, the requirements of form as demanded by the repetition and contrast of musical ideas.

465.

Kraft, David. Birdsong in the Music of Olivier Messiaen. London, UK: Arosa Press, 2013. xix, 406 p. ISBN: 9781477517796 (pbk); 1477517790 (pbk). OCLC: 868250797. ML410.M595 K73 2012 (Brown University). In this book, the author analyzes Messiaen’s use of birdsong in his music. He develops a chronological account of the composer’s treatment of avian vocalizations in several major works, showing an evolution from a general style oiseau to one that is more artistic, detailed, expansive, and, ultimately, realistic. The author observes which birds are present and how Messiaen incorporated their songs into his music, namely by transforming their melodies, as well as ingeniously using orchestration, form, and rhythms in recurring patterns to highlight his artistic depictions of these creatures. He then systematizes these findings into tables for easier use. Incorporated into these analyses are Messiaen’s own relevant comments and texts from the Traité de rythme.

466.

Louvier, Alain. Messiaen et le concert de la nature. Analyse et Esthétique, 1778– 4557. Paris: Cité de la musique, 2012. 153 p. ISBN: 9782914147460. ML410. M595 L68 2012. This book attempts to understand the compositional aesthetics and techniques lying behind Messiaen’s birdsong-inspired music, which includes both the songs of birds and the sounds of nature. It investigates how Messiaen drew from this infinite well of sonic materials and set it to music, achieving a unique synthesis of songs, colors, and emotions. In chapter 1 (pp. 19–38), the book looks at various facets related to Messiaen’s notations of birdsong, whereas in chapter 2

198

Topical Studies

(pp. 41–60), serial and permutational techniques he employed to paint different environments and landscapes. Chapter 3 (pp.  61–87) interprets the Catalogue d’oiseaux as a naturalistic work, which is charaterized by the return of chords familiar from the tonal tradition, appearing as a source of poetic equilibrium in relation to Messiaen’s experimental works composed earlier in the deacde. Chapter 4 (pp. 89–111) considers fomal designs in connection with Réveil des oiseaux and Oiseaux exotiques. And finally, chapter 5 (pp. 113–31) examines Messiaen’s contrapuntal settings of birdsongs as well as the organization of birdsong tuttis. 467.

Maas, Sander van. “Messiaen, Deleuze, and the Birds of Proclamation.” In Speaking of Music: Addressing the Sonorous, ed. Keith Chapin and Andrew H. Clark, 169–85. New York: Fordham University Press, 2013. xi, 331 p. ISBN: 9780823251384 (hdbk); 9780823251391 (pkbk). ML3800 .S69 2013 (IUCAT). Maintains that Messiaen’s birdsong works are not simply representations of nature but “sonorous events reaching into a domain that few other composers have attempted to enter” (p.  170). In short, they possess decidedly religiousaesthetic dimensions. After discussing Messiaen’s style oiseau, examines—and argues against—Messiaen student François-Bernard Mâche’s bioacoustic reading of his teacher’s birds. Before developing the notion of time suggested by Mâche’s “archaeology” of Messiaen, which has ramifications for grasping the role birdsong plays in the temporal structuring of his music, considers French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s appraisal of Messiaen’s compositional treatment of both time and birdsong. Views Messiaen’s avian music as going beyond mimesis, opening up a “realm in which the aural imagination is free to project natures beyond nature as we know it” (p. 179). Considers this music’s mode of presentation as analogous to “apocalyptic utterances.” (Due to its significance, this article is listed only in this chapter, and not cross-listed in chapter 8, despite its inclusion in a collection of essays devoted to other topics.)

468.

Mâche, François-Bernard. “Messiaen ornithologue.” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 183–87. As Mâche notes in this discussion of Messiaen as an ornithologist, in the natural models that are birdsong, the composer sought to liberate his imagination. But paradoxically, he often processes this material more formally than mystically. However accurate his notations, their main function is heuristic in nature, a fundamental auxiliary to the creative imagination, the ultimate goal of which is to liberate music from models, implying, in the final analysis, a humanization of the imitated elements (p. 186). Far from being a personal fantasy, Messiaen’s ornithological work represents a major step in the awareness of new relations between humans and nature, of the animal model in artistic production.

469.

Penot, Jacques. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 96–98. Penot met Messiaen on the occasion of Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod’s visit to the Réserve Naturelle de Camargue in 1959 (the year is incorrectly listed in the

Topical Studies

199

essay as 1949). At that time, Penot had no idea of Messiaen’s notoriety as a musician. He notes that Messiaen appreciated the rigors of being an ornithologist: getting up early in the morning, going to bed late at night, or tolerating extreme temperatures in order to find birds and notate their songs. Messiaen would also secure, if necessary, the services of a local ornithologist to help him in his tasks. Penot describes Messiaen’s approach to transcribing birdsong by quoting the composer. To wit, Messiaen would notate one part of a bird’s song while simultaneously listening to another. Having Yvonne Loriod record these songs with a tape recorder allowed Messiaen to make a second, more accurate notation at home. However, he regarded the first notation done in the countryside as comporting to the variants found in nature and hence more artistic. Yet, Messiaen regarded the blending of the two notations as leading to a more accurate transcription. Penot concludes his essay by noting the impact Jacques Delamain had upon Messiaen. 470.

Penot, Jacques. “Olivier Messiaen ornithologue.” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 61–74. Considers Messiaen’s preoccupation with birdsong. Describes the composer as an “ornithologue” rather than an “ornithologiste” based on Messiaen’s use of that term to characterize his work. In Penot’s opinion (see pp.  71–72), while both words are synonyms deriving from ornithological science, “ornithologue” is closer in meaning to the root word “logos” (which means knowledge or wisdom) from which “logique,” “logue,” or “logiste” derive. Accordingly, an “ornithologue” exhibits a more learned grasp of birds than an “ornithologiste,” who, although highly adept, is more interested in knowing more about birds in order to protect them. Penot’s essay duplicates much of his earlier effort for Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (see items 318 and 469). That being said, he does expand upon that paper by elaborating upon Messiaen’s association with Jacques Delamain, a famous French ornithologist, and noting the local ornithologists who assisted Messiaen during his different trips to notate birdsong.

471.

Schultz, Rob. “Melodic Contour and Nonretrogradable Structure in the Birdsong of Olivier Messiaen.” Music Theory Spectrum 30/1 (Spring 2008): 89–137. ISSN: 0195–6167. A highly sophisticated article about analyzing Messiaen’s mature birdsong from the standpoint of contour theory, influenced by the composer’s remarks about melodic contours not only in his interviews but also the Technique and the fifth volume of the Traité de rythme. Bases its analytical approach on Robert Morris’s (1993) Contour-Reduction Algorithm and prime contour classification system. Applies the contour algorithm to the analysis of passages from Réveil des Oiseaux and birdsong notations from the Traité. Findings reveal the presence of many variably constructed nonretrogradable patterns at a deeper structural level. Evaluates the features of these patterns, and considers the questions raised about engaging in such an analysis, claiming that contour symmetries are suggestive of Messiaen’s tendency to put his own original stamp on his birdsong music.

200

472.

Topical Studies

Taylor, Hollis. “Whose Bird Is It? Messiaen’s Transcriptions of Australian Songbirds.” Twentieth-Century Music 11/1 (March 2014), 63–100. Taylor looks at the intersection of Messiaen, Australia, and birdsong, as it relates to the notation of pied butcherbird songs. As part of her examination, she makes use of correspondence between Australian ornithologist Sydney Curtis and Messiaen (some of which is published here for the first time); two newly available recordings that Messiaen had used for his transcriptions, sent to him by Curtis (Lyrebirds for Olivier Messiaen [1981] and Pour Messiaen [1989, assorted Australian birdsongs]); and birdsong notebooks (Mss 23158–23161). Taylor uses the Pour Messiaen recording to evaluate eight birdsong notations (limited to the pied butcherbird) that Messiaen made in his notebooks. She subjects both model and notation to sonographic and waveform analysis, concluding that the composer’s notations of the pied butcherbird’s calls align only partially with their models, but in a uniquely personal way. She also examines pied butcherbird transcriptions Messiaen made from a 1977 cassette recording, Bird Calls of the Inland (limited release), and a 1987 recording by Jean C. Roché (commercial release). Taylor likewise notes Jacques Delamain’s influence on the level of detail and method behind Messiaen’s ornithological activities. Including her own transcriptions as well, she proposes a method for showing how Messiaen filters these birdsongs through his personal musical vocabulary, believing that he actually adapted birdsong into his distinctive musical language as he transcribed it. This method (see pp.  90–91) includes looking into (1) rhythm, (2) tempo and meter, (3) pitch, (4), portamento, (5) dynamics, (6) articulations, (7) timbre, and (8) absence/presence (of elements of the bird’s call either being included or disregarded in Messiaen’s music). Using such a template to assess Messiaen’s birdsong transcriptions will confirm what has long been suspected by many—that, rather than being scientifically accurate, they serve more as memory-aids and preliminary sketches for his music.

473.

Thurner, Martin. “Olivier Messiaen—der mystische Vogel: Tiefenphänomenologie einer mystischen Naturgestalt.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 64–81. The author attempts to illuminate the humanity of Messiaen by focusing on his interests in birds and their songs. Using the phenomenological ideas of José Sánchez de Murillo in which concrete, bodily things are perceived as part of the “cohesive processes of life,” the author interprets Messiaen’s birds as symbols of nature (“Naturgestalten”) that have attained the freest of movements and the most delicate modes of sound. He also regards them as catalysts for musical creativity, as well as prototypes that can initiate spiritual experiences with God, perspectives shared by the Sufi poet Farīd-ad-Dīn ‘Attār and Carmelite writer Saint John of the Cross. According to the author, Messiaen’s love for birds now appears in a new light.

474.

Tremblay, Gilles. “Oiseau-nature, Messiaen, musique.” Cahiers canadiens de musique (Spring/Summer 1970): 15–40. ISSN: 0007–9634. Investigates how Messiaen reproduces birdsong and nature in five works composed during the 1950 and 1960s: (1) Réveil des oiseaux; (2) Oiseaux exotiques;

Topical Studies

201

(3) Catalogue d’oiseaux; (4) Chronochromie; and (5) Sept Haïkaï. Examines the challenges associated with notating birdsong and how Messiaen’s approach to that subject evolved throughout his career. In each of the pieces under consideration, examines how Messiaen uses coloristic effects, instrumental timbres, and intricate notations to capture a bird’s song and habitat. 475.

Zahn, Dieter. “Vogelstimmen.” In Olivier Messiaen: Das Orgelwerk, ed. Dieter Zahn and Angelika Hartmann, 15. Berlin: The Authors, 1991. Characterizes Messiaen’s avian-inspired music as evoking a sense of “freshness and fantasy.” Notes his early connection to birdsong with the composition of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps and the inclusion of a chapter on birdsong in the Technique. Describes Messiaen’s thoughts on the musical potential of birdsong. Mentions how the composer would transcribe birdsong first with a notepad and then later with the help of a tape recorder. Discusses the authenticity of Messiaen’s avian transcriptions either for solo instruments or orchestra, noting how he approximated the “twilight of sound and noise” evoked by birds more effectively through the use of thicker textures in his later compositions.

INSTRUMENTAL, ORCHESTRAL, CHORAL, AND VOCAL MUSIC 476.

Dingle, Christopher. “Forgotten Offerings: Messiaen’s First Orchestral Works.” Tempo 61, no. 241 (July 2007): 2–21. ISSN: 0040–2982. In this article, the author challenges the common assumption that Messiaen was essentially an organist-composer in the early years of his career. On the contrary, as a composer, Messiaen’s first four years at La Trinité (1931–35) were not characterized by a spate of newly minted organ works but rather four orchestral works: (1) Les Offrandes oubliées (composed 1930, premiered 19 February 1931); (2) Le Tombeau resplendissant (composed 1931, premiered 12 February 1933); (3) Hymne au Saint-Sacrement (1932, premiered 23 March 1933); and (4) L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orchestre (1932–33; premiered 1935). As the author notes, although scholars have paid “reasonable attention” to Les Offrandes oubliées and L’Ascension, they have not done so with respect to Le Tombeau and the Hymne. Accordingly, the author seeks to rectify that situation by centering his attention on these two works in his discussion. But the article’s purpose is not musical-analytical but instead historical, providing accurate information about the histories and, more significantly, delving into why these compositions have been ignored.

477.

Hayes, Malcolm. “Instrumental, Orchestral, and Choral Works to 1948.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 157–200. Surveys Messiaen’s instrumental, orchestral, and choral works from 1930 to 1948. Pieces examined are: Les Offrandes oubliées; Le Tombeau resplendissant; Hymne au Saint-Sacrement; Thème et variations; L’Ascension; Fête des belles

202

Topical Studies

eaux; Quatuor pour la fin du Temps; Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine; Turangalîla-Symphonie; and Cinq Rechants. Considers musical influences, the circumstances under which a work was written, aspects of musical style, and the intersection between Messiaen’s musical language and theology. 478.

Manning, Jane. “The Songs and Song Cycles.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 105–56. A practical examination of Messiaen’s songs and song cycles from a singer’s perspective. Manning, an internationally known performer, considers Trois Mélodies, La Mort du Nombre, Vocalise-étude, Poèmes pour Mi, Chants de Terre et de Ciel, and Harawi with the goal of relating the dramatic and musical qualities of each piece to the interpretative challenges faced by singers.

479.

Reverdy, Michèle. L’œuvre pour orchestre d’Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1988. 183 p. ISBN: 2856890385. MT 130.M37 R5 1988. A chronological survey of Messiaen’s orchestral music by one of his students. Although it identifies the compositional techniques used in each piece, the book does not speculate as to why they are used. In many ways, the book’s discussions of Messiaen’s music resemble those by the composer himself. The book includes a list of non-traditional orchestral instruments in their chronological order of appearance in Messiaen’s music (pp. 177–79), and a glossary of his compositional devices and harmonic elements (pp. 180–81).

480.

Troup, Malcolm. “Orchestral Music of the 1950s and 1960s.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 392–447. This essay examines Messiaen’s orchestral music from Réveil des oiseaux to Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Asserts that these works are characterized by a deep attachment to birdsong, an exploration of sound-color harmonies, and a return to religion as evinced by plainsong adaptations. Notes that unlike previous works, Messiaen treats the orchestra as a collection of soloists, generating an “uncompromising linear polyphony” in the process. Often repeats technical information already noted by the composer in discussions of each piece. Concludes that Messiaen’s preoccupation with timbre in these orchestral works influenced the timbral school of composition of the late twentieth century.

ORGAN MUSIC 481.

Ahrens, Sieglinde, Möller, Hans-Dieter, and Almut Rößler. Das Orgelwerk Messiaens. Duisberg: Gilles & Francke Verlag, 1976. 96 p. ISBN: 3921104076. MT 145. M54 A4 1976. An updated stylistic survey of Messiaen’s organ works, beginning with Le Banquet céleste (1928) and ending with Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité (1969). In this multi-authored volume, Hans-Dieter Möller discusses Messiaen’s organ works through Les Corps glorieux, Sieglinde Ahrens the Messe

Topical Studies

203

de la Pentecôte and the Livre d’orgue, and Almut Rößler the Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace and the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. An earlier edition of this work from 1968 only included the discussions by Möller and Ahrens. 482.

Böhmig, Reimund. “Zur Frage der Registrierung Messiaenscher Orgelwerke.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 166–71. Examines the question of registration in Messiaen’s organ works. The author posits that since Messiaen’s registrational indications are clear, there would be no difficulty in interpreting his organ works on a modern, French Romantic instrument. He also states that an organ with a good tonal design and high-quality intonation almost always offers sound possibilities for the realization of an organ work, by Messiaen or any other composer. Yet, with respect to performing Messiaen on Neo-Baroque organs, the author opines that a Bach organ is best suited for Bach’s music, and a Messiaen organ (i.e., French Romantic in tonal design) for Messiaen’s music. But in the final analysis, an organist should approach both organ music and the organ with humility, recognizing that the instrument is truly a work of art.

483.

Busch, Hermann J. “Vom Conservatoire zur Trinité. Die Orgeln des jungen Messiaen.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 162–65. A discussion centering on how the registrations and note limits found in Messiaen’s early organ works inform our knowledge of the organs with which he was familiar. This includes the Cavaillé-Coll/Mutin organ that he played as a student in the Salle Berlioz of the Paris Conservatoire—from which the Prélude and Diptyque probably derive, and the various incarnations of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité. Ultimately, this essay shows that Messiaen’s organ works are completely situated within French organ tradition.

484.

Demuth, Norman. “Messiaen and His Organ Music.” The Musical Times 96/1346 (April 1955): 203–6. ISSN: 0027–4666. Argues that to appreciate Messiaen’s music more fully, one must understand his underlying mystical philosophy (i.e., theology), which is inextricably linked to his music. Regards Messiaen’s mysticism as permeating his music. Considers the roles theology, birdsong, monodic textures, Hindu rhythms, harmony, and organ registration play in Messiaen’s organ works from Le Banquet céleste to the Livre d’orgue. Concludes that while Messiaen’s organ music is original, and that it will take time to appreciate, studying it will not go unrewarded.

485.

Dunbavand, S. J. “‘Orpheus the Explorer’: ‘Harmony of Parts’ and ‘Charm of Colour’ in the Performance of Olivier Messiaen’s Organ Music.” MMus project, University of Sheffield, 2013. xvi, 155 p.

204

Topical Studies

Builds upon the author’s “In Search of Musique Chatoyante” (item 412). This performance-oriented document compiles analytical, interpretative, and theological ideas from diverse sources to formulate an integrated, hermeneutic perspective on interpreting Messiaen’s organ works. Attempts to make musical-theological connections between ten individual works composed in different stylistic periods in order to uncover new approaches to performing the music. As part of the project, records these works on CD (accompanied by program notes). The rest of the document uses these pieces as case studies to explore the aesthetic themes that tie them together. 486.

Ernst, Karin. Der Beitrag Olivier Messiaens zur Orgelmusik des 20. Jahrhunderts. HochschulSammlung Philosophie: Musikwissenschaft, Band 1. Frieburg: HochschulVerlag, 1980. 367 p. ISBN: 3810720100. ML 410.M595 E7 1980. An examination of Messiaen’s contributions to twentieth-century organ music. After an opening chapter on French organ music at the beginning of the twentieth century (pp. 12–30) and a second chapter on the significance of Indian music for Messiaen’s organ works (pp. 31–68), considers the composer’s organ music from the perspectives of rhythm, melody, harmony, and form. Chapter 3 (pp. 69–127) is a detailed study of rhythm in Messiaen’s organ music, looking first at his conception of rhythm and then examining how the organ works manifest its different stages of development. (This chapter is essentially a catalogue of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques.) Chapter 4 (pp. 128–54) is an investigation of melody in Messiaen’s organ works that looks at favored intervals, melodic idioms, the influence of plainchant, and the use of register changes. Chapter 5 (pp. 155–202) is a study of harmony in Messiaen’s organ music that considers the modes of limited transposition, aspects of impressionistic harmony, color, atonality, and twelve-tone techniques. Chapter 6 (pp. 203–51) looks at the formal principles governing Messiaen’s organ music. The last two chapters involve, respectively, an analysis of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité (pp. 252–70) and a discussion of Messiaen’s relationship to organ music composed after 1960 (pp. 271–308). In its appendix, the book includes interviews with Messiaen (item 193), Almut Rößler, Wolfgang Stockmeier, and Gerhard Zacher, as well as reproductions of letters from Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen to the author. This material is followed by an index that correlates the book’s discussions with Messiaen’s organ pieces, and a bibliography.

487.

Gillock, Jon. Performing Messiaen’s Organ Music: 66 Masterclasses. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2010. xxii, 403 p. ISBN: 9780253353733 (cloth); 0253353734 (cloth). ML410.M595 G45 2010. In sixty-six masterclasses, concert organist Jon Gillock—whose playing Messiaen admired—offers insightful suggestions regarding the performance of the composer’s organ music. In doing so, Gillock presents a refreshing picture of just how expressive Messiaen’s music actually is. To formulate an interpretation, Gillock encourages performers to reflect on the meanings of Messiaen’s programmatic, expressive, and registrational indications, in order to apply them creatively in different musical situations.

Topical Studies

205

Part 1 of the book (chapters 1–14) contains an introduction and the sixty-six masterclasses. Part 2 (chapters 15–17) includes information about the history and development of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité (Paris). The book concludes with a biographical sketch of Messiaen (Appendix A), a list of those Messiaen organ pieces that are appropriate to the Liturgical Year (Appendix B), a glossary of terms and techniques, notes, and a bibliography. Despite containing some errors related to content, spelling, and translation, this book is a very valuable resource for any Messiaen scholar. Highly recommended. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, Performance Practice Review 16/1 (2010), Article 2; Robert Fallon, MLA Notes 67/3 (March 2011): 551–53; David Palmer, The Diapason 101/9 (September 1, 2010): 18; and B. Doherty, Choice (July 2010): 2113. 488.

Gillock, Jon. “Originalité de l’œuvre d’orgue du point de vue musical et instrumental.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 27–30. In this essay, Gillock notes the originality of the organ music of Messiaen from different perspectives. He considers Messiaen’s organ works as the culmination of the French Romantic organ tradition exemplified by Franck, Widor, Vierne, Dupré, Tournemire, Duruflé, and Langlais. Gillock mentions the elements of Messiaen’s musical language, claiming in the final analysis that the composer’s music, influenced by plainchant, represents the summit of spiritual expression in the Roman Catholic faith. He views Messiaen, furthermore, as the Catholic counterpart to Bach. Gillock devotes the rest of his essay to Messiaen’s innovative use of organ stops, employing several examples from the composer’s works to illustrate his points.

489.

Gillock, Jon, comp. and trans. “Messiaen’s Organ Works: The Composer’s Aesthetic and Analytical Notes.” In Music: The AGO-RCCO Magazine 12/12 (item 330), 42–54. Translates the liner notes from the Ducretet-Thomson recordings of Messiaen’s organ music (Le Banquet céleste through Livre d’orgue) and the prefaces to La Nativité du Seigneur and Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité as a way of presenting Messiaen’s compositional aesthetic. Also includes remarks by Messiaen about his organ music from the 1967 conversations with Claude Samuel (in the translation by Felix Aprahamian—see Claude Samuel, Conversations with Olivier Messiaen [item 220], 2–3, 13–14, 16–17, 77–78, 80–81, 96) and his corrections to the printed scores that he pointed out to Jon Gillock when Gillock studied with him in Paris in the winter of 1977.

490.

Glandaz, Olivier. “Olivier Messiaen et son instrument.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 81–82. Considers Messiaen’s ideas on the organ and organ registration. States that Messiaen made a break with tradition through his conception of the organ both as a vehicle for creation and as continually evolving. With respect to organ registration, color was paramount for Messiaen. He tended to use stops in a soloistic manner rather than combine them in related families as was the custom of his day. He was also

206

Topical Studies

opposed to the antiquarian movement in organ building. Although he was not hostile to instruments capable of playing Bach, Messiaen did not want organs limited to one or two repertoires. Moreover, he thought that antiquarian approaches to organ building adversely affected the sounds of reeds and foundations. After providing the registration of “Les Mains de l’Abîme” from the Livre d’orgue as a typical example of Messiaen’s approach to organ registration, states that Messiaen achieved a whole array of coloristic effects from his organ at La Trinité. In the final analysis, artificial harmonics derived from mixture and mutation stops may lie at the core of Messiaen’s search for color on the organ, since he not only was tempted to have other harmonics besides the commonly available fifths, thirds, or sevenths on his instrument, but also viewed them as an integral part of the organ of the future. 491.

Hakim, Naji. “Le Grand Orgue de l’église de la Trinité.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 80. A short essay describing the Cavaillé-Coll organ during Messiaen’s tenure as titular organist at La Trinité. The instrument has had a unique place in both the history of French organ building and music. Through modifications made to the original instrument as a result of his love for poetry and color, Messiaen played a pivotal role in determining the organ’s aesthetic direction. Although he retained the organ’s essential romantic sound by not altering its foundations and reeds, Messiaen expanded its sonorous potential by adding more mixtures and mutations. Thus the instrument was capable not only of grand tuttis and block registrations but also colorful combinations, such as the Positif ’s Quintaton 16’ and Nazard 2 2/3’, or the Grand Orgue’s Clairon 4’ and Plein Jeu IV. Ultimately, the organ at La Trinité finds its best expression in the music that Messiaen wrote for it.

492.

Kemmelmeyer, Karl-Jürgen. Die gedruckten Orgelwerke Olivier Messiaens bis zum “Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace”: Eine strukturwissenschaftliche Darstellung. Forschungsbeiträge zur Musikwissenschaft, Band 25; Veröffentlichungen zur theoretischen Musikwissenschaft, Band 4. 2 vols. Regensburg: Gustav Bosse Verlag, 1974. 233 p. (vol. 1). ISBN: 3764921080. ML 410.M595 K4. Develops structural models and types to describe Messiaen’s compositional techniques in Le Banquet céleste through Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace. Because Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques center on a small durational value and its free multiplication, they lead to a conception of rhythm as consisting of absolute durational values that can be serialized. Characterizes Messiaen’s compositional approach as involving the manipulation and development of smaller units in pitch and rhythm that generate larger structural blocks. States that a pitch series is normally employed in an improvisational manner rather than as a means of integrating pitches. Contains an excellent bibliography and Messiaen’s liner notes from the Ducretet-Thomson recordings in an appendix.

493.

Latry, Olivier and Loïc Mallié. L’oeuvre d’orgue d’Oliver Messiaen: Oeuvres d’avantguerre. Stuttgart, Germany: Carus-Verlag, 2008. 252 p. ISBN: 9783899481068; 3899481062. OCLC: 243546085.

Topical Studies

207

The authors bring their personal knowledge of Messiaen and his music to the writing of this book, with Latry having worked with the composer on his organ works, and Mallié having been his student at the Paris Conservatoire. They cover Messiaen’s organ music in chronological order up to the advent of World War II, from Le Banquet céleste to Les Corps glorieux. The examination of each organ piece begins with information about its compositional, publication, and performance histories, followed by insightful musical-theoretical/ stylistic analyses, accompanied by copious musical examples. The authors precede this coverage with a discussion of Messiaen’s musical language and the challenges presented to someone interpreting his organ works. Also included are facsimiles of letters that Messiaen wrote, an excerpt from Alléluias sereins of the Ascension suite annotated by Messiaen with registrations intended for the Trinité organ, and reproductions of paintings Blanc-Gatti created for La Nativité du Seigneur. 494.

Meischein, Burkhard. “Tradition und Meditation. Messiaens Wege zur Orgel.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 11–22. An overview of Messiaen’s relationship to the organ and how it shaped his compositional outlook. Considers his organ works as miniature “Gesamtkunstwerke.” Their accompanying commentaries—addressing matters of technique, connections with the other arts, and theology—inform one’s listening, playing, and structural comprehension of them (p.  11). Looks at influences and traditions that played roles in Messiaen’s musical formation, particularly the literary influences from his parents, and the French tradition of organ composition and improvisation. Maintains that Messiaen’s music always goes beyond itself, in that it reflects God and His creation, and his pieces are symbols of nature, the void, and the living that appear to human beings in unlimited forms (p. 21).

495.

Milsom, John. “Organ Music I.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 51–71. Looks at the different technical procedures used by Messiaen in his early organ music from Le Banquet céleste (1928) to Les Corps glorieux (1939). Compares the aural experience of these works with their analytical apprehension. Notes the importance of timbre and sonority in Messiaen’s organ music. Draws upon the composer’s 1956 recordings of his organ works at La Trinité as a means to probe their sonorous nature.

496.

Milsom, John. “Messiaen’s Organ Music.” Gramophone (December 1992): 31–32. Milsom compares various interpretations of Messiaen’s organ music to those recorded (in mono) by the composer in 1956, which were reissued by EMI in 1992 (Messiaen par lui-meme: Organ Works). He characterizes Messiaen’s playing as imprecise rhythmically, and regards Messiaen’s Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité as contributing to the generally awful quality of sound found on the discs. Despite these misgivings, Milsom views Messiaen’s interpretations as not only “spectacular and moving,” but also superior to those by other organists.

208

Topical Studies

In assessing performances by other artists, Milsom looked for recordings that were both similar in spirit with and presented a creative alternative to those by Messiaen. 497.

Palmer, David. “Olivier Messiaen: A Tribute on His 80th Birthday.” In The Diapason 79 (item 331), 10–11. A birthday tribute on the occasion of Messiaen’s eightieth birthday on 8 December 1988 that assesses his work, especially that for organ, and position as a composer in the late twentieth century. Palmer talks about many of the traits that characterize Messiaen’s musical style.

498.

Palmer, David. “Olivier Messiaen: A Biography.” The American Organist 20/4 (April 1986): 65–71. ISSN: 0164–3150. A short biography of Messiaen that provides context for the then upcoming world premiere of his Livre du Saint Sacrement (1984) on 1 July 1986 at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Detroit. A typical biographical essay that outlines personal and musical events in Messiaen’s life through 1986. Includes a chronological list of Messiaen’s music (p. 71).

499.

Roubinet, Michel. “À propos de la discographie d’Olivier Messiaen.” In L’Orgue: Revue trimestrielle 224 (item 332), 46–54. An annotated discography of the organ music of Messiaen. Includes recordings of the complete organ works by him, Louis Thiry, Jennifer Bate, and Hans-Ola Ericsson. Also includes recordings of selected works by Almut Rößler, MarieClaire Alain, Susan Landale, Simon Preston, Rudolf Innig, Wolfgang Rübsam, Erik Boström, Kevin Bowyer, and Edgar Krapp. Provides the stoplist of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité.

500.

Tikker, Timothy J. “The Organs of Olivier Messiaen.” The Diapason 79 (December 1988): 16–19; 80 (January 1989): 12–13; (February 1989): 10–13; (March 1989): 14–16. See item 331. A four-part series that studies the organs associated with the music of Messiaen in order to bring forth a clearer picture of his approach to organ registration. Compares the registrations specified by Messiaen in his scores with the tonal resources of the instruments. Part 1 focuses on the history of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité. It considers the relationship between the registrations of a particular organ work and the state of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at the time that work was composed. Part 2 examines other French organs associated with the music of Messiaen, such as the Cavaillé-Coll organ rebuilt by V. & F. Gonzales for the Palais de Chaillot in 1938. On that organ Messiaen premiered Les Corps glorieux on 15 April 1945. (While he acknowledges that the first performance of Les Corps glorieux took place on 15 November 1943 at La Trinité with the composer at the organ, Tikker argues that it was probably less public and hence less consequential compared to the performance at the Palais de Chaillot, because it took place during the German occupation of Paris [see p.  13, n. 31].) Also

Topical Studies

209

examined is the Jacquot-Lavergne organ at the Paris Conservatoire where the Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace was played for the 1961 organ concours. Part 3 looks at German organs: the E. F. Walcker organ associated with the world premiere of the Livre d’orgue at the Villa Berg, Stuttgart; and the von Beckerath tracker organ associated with the European and German premieres, respectively, of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité and the Livre du Saint Sacrement at the Johanneskirche in Düsseldorf. Part 4 considers American organs, specifically the M. P. Möller organs associated with the world premieres of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité and the Livre du Saint Sacrement in Washington, D.C. and Detroit, Michigan, respectively. Since the Livre d’orgue, all of Messiaen’s organ works, except for the Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace, have seen their world premieres outside of France. But as the author notes, the registrations of these works show that they were intended for the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité. Although this article is geared toward professional organists with its discussions of organ construction, the tonal characteristics of individual stops and ensemble registrations, and French, German, and American schools of organ building, it is highly recommended. 501.

Waumsley, Stuart. The Organ Music of Olivier Messiaen. 2nd ed. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1975. 56 p. MT 145.M54 W4 1975. A stylistic examination of Messiaen’s organ music up to Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. Based on the author’s thesis at Birmingham University and updated from a previous edition of 1968. The only published English-language study devoted to Messiaen’s organ works. Includes a summary of Messiaen’s musical language followed by a chronological discussion of the organ music.

502.

Weir, Gillian. “Organ Music II.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 352–91. A performer’s stylistic survey of Messiaen’s later organ music from the Messe de la Pentecôte to the Livre du Saint Sacrement. In her discussion of the Messe and the Livre d’orgue, Weir focuses on Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques (because of their importance in these works), presenting discussions of rhythmic characters, chromatic durations, permutation techniques, irrational values, nonretrogradable rhythms, serialized durations, and the free rhythm of birdsong. Weir then examines the Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace, a piece noted for its use of plainchant and birdsong, and issues related to the registration of Messiaen’s organ music. She moves on to a consideration of Messiaen’s last two organ cycles, the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité and the Livre du Saint Sacrement. In her discussion of the Méditations, Weir provides a thorough explanation of the composer’s langage communicable and its rationale, in addition to noting aspects of his later musical style, which consists of intricately wrought musical textures that exude a grand simplicity. In the Livre du Saint Sacrement, she prefaces her survey of its movements by examining its theological plan, where the first four movements are associated with acts of adoration, the next seven describe events in the life of Christ, and the last seven focus on transubstantiation. Weir concludes her essay by recalling her encounters with Messiaen and

210

Topical Studies

reflecting on various aspects of the composer’s organ music and how it should be performed. PIANO MUSIC 503.

Dingle, Christopher. “Messiaen as Pianist: A Romantic in a Modernist World.” In Perspectives on the Performance of French Piano Music, ed. Scott McCarrey and Lesley A. Wright, 29–50. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. xxiv, 210 p. ISBN: 9781409400646. ML724 .P47 2014. This article underscores the apparent conflict between the “composer Olivier Messiaen,” and his notated scores for or involving the piano, and the “performer Olivier Messiaen,” and his recordings of such works. Since the composer’s piano works are linked with a Modernist, objective performance aesthetic in which fidelity to the musical text is an overriding concern, the author argues that Messiaen’s aesthetic is actually Romantic in orientation, conforming to the performance traditions of the first half of the twentieth century, notwithstanding the composer’s (and Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen’s) statements to the contrary. The author’s examinations of Messiaen’s recordings (Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Poèmes pour Mi, Visions de l’Amen, and Harawi) in which the composer participated as a pianist reveal flexible approaches to rhythm and tempo, suggesting a performance ethos linked with Romantic music. In the final analysis, the author surmises that Messiaen did not want “performers to reproduce the score as automatons . . . , but to take the score as the basis of [an] interpretation,” concluding whimsically that perhaps performers “should play Messiaen like Chopin” (p. 46).

504.

Hill, Peter. “Piano Music I.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 72–104. Hill surveys Messiaen’s early piano music from the Préludes to Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. He maintains that the Préludes owe little to Debussy; rather, they exhibit qualities characteristic of Messiaen, such as the suggestion of mysterious and tender moods, an acute sensitivity to harmony, and a strength of musical architecture. After a brief mention of the Fantaisie burlesque, Pièce pour le Tombeau de Paul Dukas, and Rondeau, Hill examines the Visions de l’Amen, the first of many pieces where the piano becomes the vehicle of Messiaen’s grandest musical thoughts, where attention to detail gives way to a music epic in proportion and universal in expression. Hill concludes his essay by looking at Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, a piece which not only builds upon the model of Visions de l’Amen for its use of cyclic themes, but also recaptures the tender intimacy of the Préludes.

505.

Hill, Peter. “Piano Music II.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 307–51. In this continuation of his earlier essay in The Messiaen Companion (item 504), Hill examines Messiaen’s later piano music from 1948 to 1985. He offers insightful stylistic commentaries on each piece, tracing Messiaen’s compositional odyssey

Topical Studies

211

from the pseudo-serial experiments first charted in Cantéyodjayâ and continued in Quatre Études de rythme, to the birdsong pieces of Catalogue d’oiseaux, La Fauvette des jardins, and Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux. The essay’s only shortcoming is its failure to explain the construction of Messiaen’s later chord types, which would have enhanced the reader’s appreciation of the composer’s approach to harmony. 506.

Hill, Peter. “For the Birds.” The Musical Times 135/1819 (September 1994): 552– 55. ISSN: 0027–4666. After recently recording the complete piano works of Messiaen, Hill talks about performing the composer’s music. His discussion includes frequent reminiscences of his studies with Messiaen. Hill mentions how Messiaen proclaimed that he was not a French impressionist, suggesting his dislike for any unnecessary blurring of texture. In his approach to birdsong, Messiaen translated from rather than imitated nature, “inventing parallels or ‘metaphors’ which have their own purely musical integrity” (p. 552). Hill also remarks how the balancing of color and dynamic was Messiaen’s ultimate criterion for virtuosity, and how the piano beginning in the 1940s served as a vehicle for Messiaen’s thoughts and musical experimentation.

507.

Lee, John Madison. “Harmony in the Solo Piano Works of Olivier Messiaen: The First Twenty Years.” College Music Symposium 23 (1983): 65–80. ISSN: 0069–5696. Investigates the harmonic structures found in Messiaen’s solo piano works from the Préludes through the Quatre Études de rythme. Describes trends and consistencies of style among the pieces examined. The study also looks at melody, register, the spelling of chords, chord progression, and form when these factors are relevant to its interpretation of the composer’s harmonic structures. In works from 1929 to 1944, the study notes (1) Messiaen’s use of tertian sonorities, particularly those with added notes; (2) the modes of limited transposition; (3) tonal ambiguities; (4) multiple superposition of tertian sonorities; (5) chord progressions that begin with tertian-based chords and move to less definitive ones; (6) occasional quartal structures; (7) harmonic planing; and (8) linear harmonies. As for the later works of 1949 to 1950, the study observes a variety of new techniques and harmonic structures not found in previous works, although in Île de feu I and II there are techniques similar to those discussed in earlier compositions, such as the planing of untraditional harmonies, the superposition of quartal and quintal harmonies, the superposition of a nontertian chord over a tertian one, and the extended reiteration of a particular sonority.

508.

Liebe, Anne. Zahl, Wort und Spiel im Klavierwerk von Olivier Messiaen. Musikwissenschaftliche Publikationen, ed. Herbert Schneider, 39. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag, 2013. 342 p. 9783487146959; 3487146959. ML410.M58 L53 2013 (Cornell University Press). In this book, the author begins with a discussion of Messiaen as a pianist. She then covers the Préludes, Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, and the Catalogue

212

Topical Studies

d’oiseaux. In the Préludes, the author notes the influences of Debussy and Chopin, the importance of canon as a structural device, and that the prime numbers 13 and 17 refer to Cécile Sauvage’s death, and 167, as a symbol of hope. She also discusses words as theology, natural science, and literature in the overall architecture of Vingt Regards. Finally, she looks at Île de feu I and II, Mode de valeurs et d’intensités, and the aforementioned Catalogue d’oiseaux. 509.

Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne. “Étude sur l’œuvre pianistique d’Olivier Messiaen.” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 75–160. A performer’s examination of the innovative textures found in Messiaen’s piano music. Considers Messiaen to be the originator of contemporary writing for the piano because he used register in such a way that transcended the practice of previous composers. Notes how carefully Messiaen edited his piano scores, meticulously indicating how he wanted his music to be performed. Mentions the role of timbre in his approach to piano writing, a result of the many orchestral works he analyzed at the piano as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. Most of the article examines Messiaen’s piano music in relation to extreme registers, distinctions between registers, geometric movements, fingering considerations, aspects of sonority, poetic style, rhythm, melodic interversions, and the treatment of chords, lines, and motifs.

IMPROVISATION 510.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Messiaen as Improviser.” Dutch Journal of Music Theory 13, no. 2 (2008): 129–44. ISSN: 1385–3066 (print), 1876–2824 (online). [Since 2014, this journal is now known as Music Theory and Analysis (MTA). ISSN: 2295– 5917 (print), ISSN: 2295–5925 (online).] This article examines Messiaen’s approach to improvisation and its relationship to his compositional practice. It investigates how Marcel Dupré and Charles Tournemire influenced Messiaen in his formative years as an improviser. The article then examines the close ties his improvisational practice has with his organ works. Finally, to get a glimpse into Messiaen’s improvisational techniques, the article analyzes the second of four extemporizations on ‘Puer natus est nobis’ that he recorded at La Trinité on 21 October 1985.

511.

Gárdnonyi, Zsolt. “Olivier Messiaens Harmonik aus der Sicht der Orgelimprovisation.” Musik und Kirche 63/4 (July/August 1993): 197–204. ISSN: 0024–4471. Looks at Messiaen’s harmonic approach from the vantage point of organ improvisation (see item 418).

512.

Sholl, Robert Peter. “Olivier Messiaen and the Culture of Modernity.” PhD dissertation, Kings College, University of London, 2003. 383 p. Includes a section on the significance of improvisation in Messiaen’s compositional practice (“Of Colour, Improvisation and Birdsong” pp. 279–97 [item 299]).

Topical Studies

213

RELIGION 513.

Balmer, Yves. “Religious Literature in Messiaen’s Personal Library.” Translated into English by Christopher Brent Murray. In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 15–27. After a less than engaging introduction, the author finally articulates the purpose of the essay at the bottom of its second page, namely, to reconstruct the Catholic books in Messiaen’s personal library through references in the Traité de rythme. This is done in an effort to surmise the types of Catholic thought that might have influenced the composer. He finds that the references cluster around the Catholic Literary Renaissance, either directly or indirectly, as in the case of the essay collection Les Rythmes et la vie. But the author does not investigate how any of these sources might have shaped Messiaen’s Catholic or compositional outlook in any depth, preferring instead to sketch a general portrait of the maître. Finally, the English translator is not identified in the article but in the Acknowledgments (p. xix), and original French texts are not provided in extensive quotations from the sources in question.

514.

Balmer, Yves. “‘Je suis né croyant .  .  . ’: Aux sources du catholicisme d’Olivier Messiaen.” In Musique, arts et religion dans l’entre-deux-guerres, ed. Sylvain Caron and Michel Duchesneau, 417–41. Collection Perpetuum mobile. Lyon: Symétrie, 2009. 512 p. ISBN: 978-2-914373-50-0. Since the remarks of Messiaen about his life and career over several decades— in order to control his public image—have not been subjected to critical analysis by scholars (as of 2009), the author attempts to unpack one of the most famous sentences the composer ever uttered: “Je suis né croyant” (I was born a believer). With that statement, the author contends that Messiaen wanted to distance himself from both his family and the society in which he lived. He strives to offer a more nuanced reading of this statement in relation to Messiaen’s Catholicism, showing how the Catholic faith of his father Pierre and brother Alain, as well as the composer’s own religious beliefs (which were in sync with the Catholic milieu of the 1930s, thus making him a “child of his time”) contradicts any idea of religious separation. In other words, the author desires to challenge the unquestioning mythology propagated by certain musicologists around that statement. Finally, through the study of the sources of Messiaen’s Catholicism, the author purports to demonstrate the actual coherence of the composer’s belief and aesthetic within the socio-cultural thought of his time, despite Messiaen’s statement. Since the author associates NeoThomism with Messiaen (see pp. 436–37), the reader is encouraged to examine Douglas Shadle’s contribution, “Messiaen’s Relationship to Jacques Maritain’s Musical Circle and Neo-Thomism,” in Messiaen the Theologian (item 544), for a different perspective.

515.

Bannister, Peter. “Messiaen as Preacher and Evangelist in the Context of European Modernism.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 29–40.

214

Topical Studies

Argues that Messiaen enjoys a unique position in late twentieth-century music because of the way he engaged modernity through his religious works. Charts his development as a “preacher through music,” touching upon (1) the various works and publications containing apologetic commentaries that fomented the critical firestorm of “Le Cas Messiaen” in the 1940s, (2) his relationship to the post-war avant-garde, and (3) the employment of different musical techniques and materials—especially birdsong—in works from the 1950s to 1980s, in order to advance his Catholic ideals. 516.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Messiaen and Aquinas.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 101–23. In this book chapter, the author investigates the ways in which the Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas shaped Messiaen’s compositional thought. After introducing Aquinas’s theology and its importance to the Roman Catholic Church, as well as considering the Angelic Doctor’s synthesis of faith and reason in connection with the renouveau catholique in post-war France, Benitez examines how Aquinas left his theological imprint on Messiaen’s works, from Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine to Saint François d’Assise.

517.

Bruhn, Siglind. “Traces of a Thomistic De musica in the Compositions of Olivier Messiaen.” Logos 11/4 (Fall 2008): 16–56. ISSN: 1091–6687. This article deals with two aspects of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s influence on Messiaen. First, it considers the composer’s appropriation of Aquinas’s ideas on music and how they underlie many of his compositions, including those dealing with the theme of love and death, and some of his avian-inspired works. Second, it addresses the musical translation of sentences from the Summa Theologiae. As part of its focus, the article looks at mirroring processes in Messiaen’s music, in which vertical symmetries are concerned with space, and horizontal symmetries with time; growth processes as indicating spiritual transformation; and selective permutation, redolent of time “out of order.” It closes with a survey of Thomistic references in Messiaen’s music. Highly recommended.

518.

Crispin, Judith. “Messiaen’s Transcendent Angels and the Ten Duino Elegies of Rilke.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 38–51. Looks at Messiaen’s use of the angel as an archetype of Catholic mysticism in a number of his works. Compares this usage to Islamic counterparts as found in Rilke’s ten Duino Elegies. But in spite of his affection for Rilke’s poetry, Messiaen turned to Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae with respect to fashioning his view of angels. The author infers, though, that both Rilke and Messiaen share a broader view of angels that extends beyond religious mysticism, that is, regarding their appearance and especially language, relating it to that of birds, and their relationships between God and humans, and finally with linear time and eternity. Based on some of Messiaen’s writings, proposes that perhaps he really was attempting to write music that could function as communication with angels.

Topical Studies

519.

215

Fallon, Robert. “Messiaen’s Gothic Spirituality and the Renouveau Catholique.” Translated by Martine Rhéaume. In Musique, arts et religion dans l’entre-deux-guerres, ed. Sylvain Caron and Michel Duchesneau, 387–403. Collection Perpetuum mobile. Lyon: Symétrie, 2009. 512 p. ISBN: 978-2-914373-50-0. The author argues that it is highly problematic to categorize Messiaen as falling within a specific Catholic tradition, since his religious beliefs seemingly stem from a wide variety of sources. The author cites a number of Catholic theologians and writers, as well as St. John, who influenced Messiaen’s spiritual outlook. Accordingly, given the critical role theology plays in the composer’s works, and to appreciate his music more deeply, the author contends that we must thoroughly understand the religious message conveyed by Messiaen, in a way that can tie together the disparate aspects of his theology. To accomplish this goal, the author proposes to interpret significant influences on Messiaen’s theological viewpoints through a system of beliefs inspired by a form of neo-Platonism known as Gothic Spirituality, which has a recurring theme that is found in Messiaen’s religious aesthetics, the mediation between heaven and earth. Absent in the article is any substantive discussion of the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ that is revealed in the canonical Scriptures and by the Catholic Church. For Hans Urs von Balthasar, one of Messiaen’s favorite theologians, to know the Trinitarian reality of God is to believe in the real presence of Christ in the Catholic Church’s sacramental life. Fundamentally, it is the sacremental glory of the Incarnate Christ that unites the different strands of Messiaen’s theology, which the metaphysics of neo-Platonism can only partially address.

520.

Fallon, Robert. “Dante as Guide to Messiaen’s Gothic Spirituality.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 127–43. Explores how Dante may have strongly influenced Messiaen’s compositional outlook. Points to many similarities between the Italian poet and French musician in the areas of “biography, technique, theology, and imagery” (p. 128). Speculates how Messiaen may have become acquainted with Dante, while recognizing that he largely remained silent about the poet in his writings. To get around this connectional conundrum, invokes Harold Bloom’s theory of poetry known as the Anxiety of Influence. According to Bloom, the repression of a precursor will result in that “giant” casting a long shadow over a poet’s imagination, which describes Messiaen’s “repression” but fundamental debt to Dante for his compositional aesthetics. Overall, this article is not wholly convincing, as its documentary evidence is slim with respect to proposing a plausible connection between the poet and composer.

521.

Halbreich, Harry. “Une théologie sonore: Par la connaissance vers l’Inconnaissable.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 21–26. Because of their artistic and spiritual importance, considers Messiaen’s organ works as not only unsurpassed in the twentieth century, but also equaled only by the organ works of Bach in all of music. Compares the music of Messiaen with

216

Topical Studies

that of Bach from both musical and theological perspectives, emphasizing the characteristics that they have in common. Notes how both composers believed that all music was sacred and an act of worship. Concludes with a stylistic survey of Messiaen’s organ works followed by a discussion of their relationships to the liturgical year, feasts of the dedication of churches, and the Holy Sacrament. 522.

Hastetter, Michaela Christine. “War Olivier Messiaen ein Mystiker?: Auf den Spuren der Mystik von Johannes vom Kreuz im ‘Regard de la croix.’” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 126–42. In this article, Hastetter raises the question, “Was Olivier Messiaen a mystic?” (p.  126). Although she acknowledges that Messiaen regarded his music as not being mystical but theological in nature, Hastetter believes that this question can be revisited, especially after the composer’s death. And to do justice to this topic, she argues that one must—quite naturally—investigate Christian mysticism more thoroughly. For the author, at the center of a Christian mystic’s life is an intense encounter with God in Jesus Christ. His or her religious beliefs are cast, moreover, within the framework of the Church. Accordingly, based on these criteria, Hastetter seeks to answer her question by examining the writings of Saint John of the Cross and the symbolism evoked in the “Regard de la Croix,” the seventh movement of the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. She concludes that Messiaen’s music expresses definite mystical qualities through a passionate love for Christ, as well as echoes the mystical character of Saint John of the Cross’s writings.

523.

Hastetter, Michaela Christine. “Klingende Pneumatologie: der Heilige Geist im Œuvre Olivier Messiaens, ein Blick auf die mittlere Schaffensperiode.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 13–28. Interprets the biblically oriented musical imagery of the Holy Spirit in Messiaen’s Messe de la Pentecôte and Livre d’orgue. States that there is little real theological discussion of the Holy Spirit in the Messiaen literature, in spite of the Spirit’s theological prominence in the Roman Catholic Church of recent times. Points out Messiaen’s strong attachment to the Holy Spirit as a powerful messenger on Earth. In an address at the conferring of the Praemium Erasmianum in Amsterdam in 1971, Messiaen stated that he believed in God, the Holy Trinity, the Word made flesh, and the Holy Spirit, to which he dedicated his Messe de la Pentecôte. Discusses various pieces in terms of pneumatological imagery: the (1) “Entrée” (“Les langues de feu”), (2) Communion (“Les oiseaux et les sources”), and (3) “Sortie” (“Le vent de l’Esprit”) from the Messe; and (1) “Les Mains de l’abîme” and (2) “Les Yeux dans les roues” from the Livre. Even draws comparisons between “Les Yeux dans les roues” and Bach’s depiction of the Holy Spirit in “Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herr Gott,” BWV 651. Relates these discussions to ideas about the Spirit developed by Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Finally, provides context for these discussions by offering brief remarks about Messiaen’s chaotic personal situation in the late 1940s in relation to the deteriorating health of his first wife, Claire Delbos.

Topical Studies

524.

217

Heinemann, Michael. “Der Komponist als Theologe. Zu Messiaens Musikotheologie.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 23–32. This essay examines Messiaen’s Roman Catholic theology in relation to his compositional aesthetics and organ works. It argues that in order to fully understand the composer’s spiritual disposition, one must be familar with the writings of Ernest Hello, who urged his readership to take a position on the relevance of Christianity to present-day life (p. 25). Accordingly, the essay devotes much space to Hello’s impact on the composer. Also considers the work of Dom Columba Marmion, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Romano Guardini.

525.

Heller, Karin. “Olivier Messiaen and Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger: Two Views of the Liturgical Reform according to the Second Vatican Council.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 63–82. Essay in two parts, the first of which draws attention to the Catholic revival movement that emphasized liturgy and sacred music, which spanned the beginning of the twentieth century to the opening of Vatican II in 1962. Concludes this part by investigating Messiaen’s relationship to the Catholic liturgy in which the composer more frequently expressed his notion of its theological realities through music for the concert hall instead of the church. In this activity, and given his keen interest in nature, Messiaen follows in the footsteps of Romantic theologians. The second part of the essay delves into the introduction of liturgical reform in Paris and compares the ways in which Lustiger and Messiaen responded to it, particularly through the former’s implementation of the reform when he was a pastor at Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal.

526.

Heller, Karin. “Olivier Messiaen und Kardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger: Zwei Stellungnahmen zur Liturgiereform des Zweiten Vatikanischen Konzils.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 40–63. German version of item 525.

527.

Ide, Père Pascal. “Une rencontre décisive.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 76–79. In this essay, Père Ide explores relationships between Messiaen and Saint Thomas Aquinas. He examines their shared conceptions of God as being simple and joyous, approaches to theology, and similarities in spirit. In particular, Père Ide looks at how Messiaen and Aquinas both addressed theological subjects with a certain sense of detachment, how they could find Christian truth in unlikely sources, and how their theology embraced the horizontal and vertical aspects of the Cross.

528.

Ide, Père Pascal. “Olivier Messiaen théologien?” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 39–46. Père Ide proposes that Messiaen should be considered a theologian despite the fact that he did not write any theological works. Although he acknowledges the

218

Topical Studies

troubling nature of this thesis, he believes that Messiaen merits the title. Père Ide notes how the majority of Messiaen’s works celebrate the mysteries of the Christian faith. Even profane works such as the Turangalîla-Symphonie still have a religious connection as human love is but a reflection of divine love. Père Ide considers elements found in Messiaen’s musical language, such as nonretrogradable rhythms or sound-color relationships, as evoking the transcendence of God. He also points out how Messiaen saw evidence of God in creation, as exemplified, for instance, by his Des canyons aux étoiles.... In sum, Père Ide, quoting Harry Halbreich (item 271), regards Messiaen as a harbinger of a great return to God that has characterized the end of the current millennium. 529.

Ide, Père Pascal. “Olivier Messiaen, un musicien ébloui par l’infinité de Dieu.” Nouvelle Revue Théologique 121/3 (July–September 1999): 436–53. On the occasion of the ninetieth anniversary of Messiaen’s birth and the then publication of the first four volumes of the Traité de rythme, Père Ide provides a reflection on the importance of Messiaen as not only an outstanding musician “dazzled by the infinity of God” but also a theologian. Père Ide notes that as a Catholic believer and composer, Messiaen wrote many deeply religious works, but he often addressed audiences comprised mostly of non-believers. These works stem from a variety of mystical and theological sources, as well as scientific and musical ones. Père Ide argues that these diverse elements merge to form a unity that results from Messiaen’s contemplation of God. He looks at the composer’s ideas about liturgical, religious, and colored music, presented in the lecture at Notre-Dame de Paris on 4 December 1977 (item 127). Interpreting as well as paraphrasing the composer’s ideas, Père Ide states we can now understand colored music in theological terms, namely, that the first two types of music summon the senses, whereas the third (colored music) surpasses the senses and all concept, leading one to faith and true contemplation, the beatific vision of God after death. In colored music, there is no distinction between hearing and vision, but a unified contemplation of all things in God (a Thomistic concept). Observing that God’s creation (“pure nature”) dazzles Messiaen and finds its way into his music, Père Ide interprets him as viewing God as the Alpha and Omega of all creation. Messiaen’s contemplative unity also incorporates analogy—human love vs. divine love, and the “charm of impossibilities.” In his music, he brings together the invisible and visible, the eternal and temporal, the immutable and mutable, the spiritual and carnal, and the ubiquitous and localized—all with a unity of purpose.

530.

Ide, Père Pascal. “La théologie de l’amour dans quelques écrits d’Olivier Messiaen.” In Colloque “Messiaen, la force d’un message.” Académie royale de Belgique, Bruxelles, 4–5 mai 2012 (forthcoming). In this paper, Père Ide focuses on the theology of love (agape, but without excluding eros) that informs Messiaen’s music. As he notes, love is the “throbbing heart

Topical Studies

219

of Christian revelation” (see 1 John 4:8–12, 16–19). To frame his thesis, and citing René de Obaldia, Père Ide singles out two theologians who have prominently influenced Messiaen’s theological thinking: Saint Thomas Aquinas and Hans Urs von Balthasar (a theologian too little studied in relation to Messiaen). Ultimately, both Messiaen and Balthasar show a shared sensitivity to agape as forming the core of Christian theology. Although that cannot be said about Saint Thomas Aquinas (truth is at the heart of his theology), this theology of love enriches the presence of the Angelic Doctor’s religious precepts in Messiaen’s music. In the rest of the article, Père Ide surveys various works by Messiaen that evince this agape-centered theology, bringing in Aquinas and Balthasar strategically to accentuate different points. In sum, this paper is a truly excellent, theological examination of Messiaen’s music in relation to his Catholic faith. It probes the depths of its subject, which is not surprising, since the author is a Catholic priest who holds doctorates in philosophy and theology, in addition to one in medicine. He likewise knew Messiaen as a priest assigned to La Trinité. Highly recommended, to put it mildly. (Copy of this manuscript generously supplied to the author by Père Ide.) 531.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 99. An affectionate tribute by a former concert pianist turned priest who discusses Messiaen’s spiritual impact upon him. Père Kars recounts his background—studies at the Paris Conservatoire, finalist at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1966, first-prize winner at the Second International Olivier Messiaen Piano Competition in 1968—that prepared him for his subsequent career as a concert pianist. In 1966, Père Kars began to study the piano music of Messiaen. He was fascinated by the music and passionate about the composer’s accompanying commentaries. This led ultimately, in his opinion, to his conversion to Catholicism and vocation as a priest. In the final analysis, Père Kars considers Messiaen as his first spiritual father, as he and his music were used to bring Kars closer to God.

532.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Spiritualité de l’œuvre d’orgue de Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 68–75. Père Kars surveys the organ works of Messiaen according to their spiritual and theological themes. He notes that most of them are related to nearly all of the liturgical year—Christmas, Easter (the Passion and Resurrection), the Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, the Holy Sacrament, All Saints’ Day, Feast of the Dedication of Churches, and the Solemnity of Christ the King. Père Kars examines Messiaen’s organ works according to the following categories, listed in their order of importance: (1) the Incarnation, Passion and Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ; (2) the Holy Spirit; (3) God the Father; (4) the Holy Trinity; (5) the Holy Eucharist; (6) the Blessed Virgin Mary; (7) the Church; (8) the liturgy of the people of God; (9) the soul of the believer and his spiritual journey in grace to glory; (10) the invisible world, especially that of Angels; and

220

Topical Studies

(11) the glory of the invisible Church. He notes the theological significance of birdsong and the music of the stars in Messiaen’s organ works as they foretell the resurrection of believers. Finally, Père Kars mentions two organ works that fall outside of any apparent spiritual category: “Reprises par interversion” and “Soixante-Quatre durées,” both from the Livre d’orgue. Yet for Père Kars, they reflect a profound spiritual dimension, although more hidden: both pieces not only praise the God of time and space but also explore the relationships between time and eternity, leading Messiaen to the Traité de rythme. For a later English version of this article, the reader should consult Organists’ Review ([“The Spirituality of Messiaen’s Organ Works”], November 2008: 17–19, 21). Highly recommended. 533.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Das Werk Olivier Messiaens und die katholische Liturgie.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 12–20. A later English version of this article was published in Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature. See item 535 for the article’s description.

534.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Joy in the Compositions of Olivier Messiaen.” Communio: International Catholic Review 31/4 (2004): 695–709. Messiaen said that the most important goal of his music was to express the tenets of his Catholic faith. Accordingly, one of them is Christian joy, which many may experience as an “expansion of the heart” when listening to his works, as when listening to those of Bach (p. 696). Père Kars places Messiaen, however, in an even more special category, as one whose works have a “quasi-sacramental dimension” (p. 697). In this article, Père Kars traces various types of joy and how they are manifested in a variety of pieces, ranging from La Nativité du Seigneur to Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... He also discusses other relevant sources of inspiration, as they relate to depictions of joy (e.g., éblouissement, stained-glass windows, synesthesia, birdsong).

535.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “The Works of Olivier Messiaen and the Catholic Liturgy.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 323–33. In this chapter that closes Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature, Père Kars explores how Messiaen’s music engages Catholic liturgy, remarking that given the huge dimensions of this topic and the scope of his essay, he can only cover selected aspects. He organizes the chapter into four sections: (1) “Messiaen and the liturgy,” (2) “The liturgical dimension inherent throughout his work,” (3) “Theological Rainbow,” and (4) “Epilogue/Postscript.” The first section considers Messiaen’s liturgical music, such as the Messe de la Pentecôte, among others. The second is more expansive, as it discusses Messiaen’s work as a liturgical organist and examples of sacramental and eschatological music in his œuvre. It also advances the idea of a cosmic liturgy that is echoed by the composer’s bird music, abstract works like the Livre d’orgue, and the human love expressed in the Turangalîla-Symphonie. This section also discusses the missionary aspects of Messiaen’s work (liturgy “without walls”), exemplified by Saint François d’Assise. The third section discusses, along with the role of the Cross, the epiphanic and

Topical Studies

221

artisanal dimensions of Messiaen’s compositional practice. Finally, the fourth offers an extract from a speech given by Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger (former Archbishop of Paris) at the 1995 Messiaen Festival at La Trinité, as a way of summing up the chapter’s ideas. A personal postscript discussing Messiaen’s influence on Père Kars’s spiritual journey closes the chapter. 536.

Kohn, Père Francis. “Homme de foi et serviteur de Dieu.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 9–11. A tribute to Messiaen as organist at La Trinité written on 1 November 1994 for “Le Festival Messiaen à l’Église de la Trinité” in 1995. Père Francis Kohn, the last of the six curés who worked with Messiaen during his ca. sixty-year tenure at La Trinité, notes the composer’s dedication and faithfulness to his job as parish organist. He marveled at how Messiaen, a composer of international stature, could perform his duties with such humility. He also mentions special occasions on which the composer was honored by the church as well as Cardinal Lustiger of Paris. Père Kohn concludes his essay by noting the purpose of “Le Festival Messiaen,” which was not simply an homage to Messiaen but an intense exploration of the spiritual dimensions of his organ music.

537.

Latry, Olivier and Loïc Mallié. “L’orgue, instrument de la foi.” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 23–30. Examines the role that the organ played in Messiaen’s development as a composer. States that he used the instrument as a means to explore harmony, plainchant, rhythm, and timbre, creating innovative compositional techniques that he incorporated into his music. Notes how the composer’s organ works revolve around theological themes related to the Incarnation, Resurrection, and Eucharist, joyful mysteries emerging from a musician de la joie. Finally, the authors pose an intriguing question: What if Messiaen had not seen an organ at the age of seventeen? What would have been the consequences of him not pursuing organ study for the instrument and its literature in the twentieth and twentieth-first centuries (p. 13)? Fortunately for music history, he did. (Presumably, the authors are referring to Messiaen’s first lesson as an eighteen-year-old auditeur in Dupré’s cours préparatoire on the organ at Meudon. But as Stephen Schloesser speculates, Messiaen might have studied the organ as a boy with his harmony teacher, Jean de Gibon [item 296, 43]).

538.

Lustiger, Cardinal Jean-Marie. “Musicien de l’invisible.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 7–8. A short essay by Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris, on Messiaen’s significance as a liturgical musician, written for “Le Festival Messiaen à l’Église de la Trinité” in 1995. In Lustiger’s view, Messiaen united Christian spirituality with musical art in his organ works, going beyond those considerations that might separate the two. He composed a music that not only illustrated his faith but also allowed one to penetrate into its deeper mysteries. Messiaen showed everyone how to progress along a spiritual path, inviting each person to submit to Christian truth in all its beauty.

222

539.

Topical Studies

Maas, Sander van. The Reinvention of Religious Music: Olivier Messiaen’s Breakthrough toward the Beyond. New York: Fordham University Press, 2009. xi, 229 p. ISBN: 9780823230570 (cloth); 9780823230587; 0823230570 (cloth). ML410. M595 M34 2009. In this book, van Maas considers the musical, philosophical, and religious qualities of Messiaen’s works in order to ascertain how one should grasp and perceive religious music. He maintains that scholarly work on this subject has been inadequate, due to a widespread opinion that analyzing musica sacra is essentially problematic. Since he regards this perspective as dated, van Maas champions a rethinking of religious music. He examines Messiaen’s ideas regarding the relationship between music and religion as a prelude to his analysis of La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1965–69) (which exemplifies for him the composer’s aesthetic of a “breakthrough toward the beyond” via an encounter with sound-color relationships). Later in the book, he assumes the role of cultural theorist to advance a dialogue between Messiaen’s aesthetic of breakthrough and the thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar (one of the composer’s favorite theologians), Jean-Luc Marion, Saint Augustine, Søren Kierkegaard, Jacques Derrida, Jean-Luc Nancy, and Jean-François Lyotard. In sum, this book is a successful interdisciplinary study of religious music in a contemporary world. Reviews: Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 67/4 (June 2011): 741–43; and Robert Fallon, Journal of the American Musicological Society 63/2 (Summer 2010): 378–92.

540.

Massow, Albrecht von. “Komponieren für Orgel zwischen Religion und Kunst.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 83–95. A thoughtful essay about how composing liturgical music for the organ at present involves a fundamental conflict, stemming from aesthetics dividing religion and modernity. Specifically, the conflict arises from doubts about religion’s ability to form social meaning, and conversely, about modernity’s social foundation. Accordingly, the author posits that significant musical developments since the dawn of the twentieth century appear to be impractical as abstract expressions of secularization, and consequently, as a syntax for music, particularly that of the religious kind. The author explores the ideas of Habermas, Adorno, Hegel, and nineteenth-century Romanticism in this discussion. He opines that composers who wanted to write ideologically bound music encountered problems between their materials and methods. This leads to Messiaen and his liturgical music, with the following question posed: How can his new materials and methods be incorporated into something so traditional? In part, Messiaen’s liturgically oriented compositions are intended more for the concert hall than for Mass. But they still employ ideas of both the past and present, however abstractly. In this context of religion versus modernity, there is a tension with respect to Messiaen’s compositional methods. But his organ works have freed the instrument for new expressions, hence, pointing to a conflict in religion itself.

Topical Studies

541.

223

Schloesser, Stephen. “The Charm of Impossibilities: Mystic Surrealism as Contemplative Voluptuousness.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 163–82. This essay considers the post-war renouveau catholique—and Catholicism itself— as an example of “dialectical realism,” a seemingly contradictory notion that welcomes both the realistic and unrealistic into its purview. Messiaen embraced this idea of the irreconcilable (e.g., creation vs. apocalypse) in his compositional aesthetic known as the “charm of impossibilities,” advancing glimpses of the beyond through musical depictions of the transcendent. In the preface to the Technique, Messiaen cited several influential but seemingly antipodal figures whose inclusion can be explained in terms of the incompatible: (1) Cécile Sauvage, (2) Shakespeare, (3) Paul Claudel, (4) Pierre Reverdy, (5) Paul Éluard, (6) Ernest Hello, and (7) Dom Columba Marmion. (Although not on this list, the author adds the name of Charles Tournemire, to whom Messiaen is indebted for regarding himself as a “contemplative ‘commenting on’ sacred texts” [p. 166]). The essay explores these influences under “Mystical,” “Symbolist,” “Fantastical,” “Surrealist,” and “Catholic” categories, all within the context of Jazz Age Catholicism.

542.

Schnebel, Dieter. “Messiaen—Avantgarde—Theologie.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 65–72. In 1950, Messiaen taught a composition course at Darmstadt that the author attended. Schnebel recalls the composer focusing his attention on ancient Greek music, plainchant, Indian music theory, birdsong, and musical time. Although he used serial techniques, Messiaen pursued his own path as a composer, writing a rational but emotionally ecstatic music centering on Christian apocalyptic ideas. Schnebel regards Messiaen as very French, almost a French Bruckner, since his music, although deeply religious, is more universal than Catholic in expression. Schnebel also discusses the apocalyptic theology and spiritual themes present in Messiaen’s works, much of it deriving from the Book of Revelation. Notable in his music, however, is a lack of attention to the earthly existence of Jesus, as opposed to the more mystical aspects related to His Birth, Sacrifice and Transfiguration. But most striking is Messiaen’s use of sound imagery, with its strongly developed vertical and horizontal aspects, as well as his manipulation of rhythm in order to extend serialism to the temporal dimension. By these means, Messiaen seeks to make music suggest the hereafter.

543.

Sequeri, Pierangelo. “Oliver Messiaen—ein Portrait zwischen Quatuor pour la fin de temps und Saint François d’Assise.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 29–39. This essay frames its portrait of Messiaen within the context of a contemporary cultural relationship between music and theology in the twentieth century. It maintains that the avant-garde viewed the language of atonal music as a “natural symbol,” suggesting a struggle for aesthetic freedom against the musical poetics of the past. And as a corollary, this new art argued for a new social order, especially one cleansed from religion. But as the essay notes, contemporary music is

224

Topical Studies

filled with theologically oriented works, begging the question as to whether or not this music is truly alien to religion. This is where Messiaen enters the picture. The essay traces a portrait of Messiaen within the tension-filled poles of the twentieth century. It offers a reading as to how he met the challenge of using a new musical language to express the tenets of his Roman Catholic faith. According to the essay, he met it by moving freely between aesthetic contrasts, such as those linked with a constructive structuralism and an expressionistic improvisation, and mystical reflection and sensual enchantment. 544.

Shadle, Douglas. “Messiaen’s Relationship to Jacques Maritain’s Musical Circle and Neo-Thomism.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 83–99. Considers Messiaen’s relationship to the musical circle influenced by the NeoThomism of the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain. Composers such as Arthur Lourié, Igor Stravinsky, and Francis Poulenc subscribed to Maritain’s ideas in one form or another, as evidenced by their writings and compositional styles. Maritain even singled out Lourié as the best musical exponent of Neo-Thomism due to the pre-eminence he placed on melody in his works, with Gregorian and Byzantine chant serving as creative stimuli. Although he likewise embraced the primacy of melody, as well as plainchant—as expressed through the prism of his musical language, Messiaen carved out a different musical path than Lourié, one that embraced musical modernism, non-traditional sources, and emotional sincerity. In other words, Messiaen practiced “aggiornamento through ressourcement,” generating a richer musical landscape than the intellectual and impersonal one inspired by Neo-Thomism. But Neo-Thomism was not only far from being uniform in thought but also ideologically motivated (observations that the author could have noted in his narrative). For instance, Neo-Thomists tried to mold Aquinas into their own image by claiming that he abandoned his doctrine of illumination to portray the Angelic Doctor as a pure Aristotelian. Although he did not consider himself as a Thomist, the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar appreciated the Angelic Doctor’s thinking, integrating it into his work in various ways.

545.

Sitsky, Larry. “Some Aphoristic Thoughts by a Pragmatic Composer on Questions Linking Music and Mysticism, with Some Special Reference to Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 245–55. A composer-author and collector of literature on mysticism, Sitsky considers whether there is a mystical tradition in Western art music, but comes to the conclusion that there is not, although there have been composers that could be regarded as falling within such a tradition. To arrive at this opinion, he freely moves from one idea and composer to another, commenting on various strands of mystic thought (Theosophy, Golden Dawn magical society, Chinese herbal medicine, shamanism, Plato, Kabbalah, astrology, mathematics, spiritualism, masonry, theory of correspondences, etc.) and composers linked with these ideas (Scriabin, Cyril Scott, Hildegard von Bingen, Busoni, Dane Rudhyar, Holst, Liszt, Gluck, Berlioz, Nikolai Obukhov, and of course, Messiaen). He also poses

Topical Studies

225

several questions, such as (1) whether a mystic actually experiences cosmic harmony or God up close; (2) whether being religious is a prerequisite to being a mystic, or, if one is religious, is one a mystic; and (3) whether the use of labeling by a composer helps the listener enter into his or her mindset. The result is certainly food for thought. 546.

Thissen, Paul. “Katholizismus—Autonome Kunst—Avantgarde: Jacques Maritain und Olivier Messiaen.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil II: Von der Messe de la Pentecôte bis zum Livre du Saint Sacrement (item 322), 54–74. Examines the aesthetics of Jacques Maritain and Messiaen in connection with the philosopher’s influence on the composer.

547.

Voderholzer, Rudolf. “Herrlichkeit: Ästhetische Parallelen zwischen dem theologischen Werk Hans Urs von Balthasars und der Musik Olivier Messiaens.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 187–205. An enlightening essay about a very important but relatively unexplored subject: the aesthetic connections between the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar and the music of Olivier Messiaen. In the first part of the chapter, Voderholzer surveys the musical and theological backgrounds of both men, characterizing Messiaen as a theologically trained musician and lay apostle, and von Balthasar as a musical theologian and priest. In the case of Messiaen, he unpacks the composer’s theological influences, trying to uncover—despite the slight evidence—his knowledge of, and relationship to, von Balthasar’s work (the composer was familiar with the Swiss theologian’s Points de repère and The Glory of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetics). In his examination of von Balthasar, Voderholzer considers the priest’s career, immense erudition, and theological works. He then returns to Messiaen to discuss aspects of von Balthasar’s theology present in Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, and Saint François d’Assise. The highlight of the essay occurs in the conclusion (pp.  201–5). Voderholzer offers five aesthetic parallels between the theology of von Balthasar and the music of Messiaen. They are categorized as follows, with explanations: (1) Mysticism that is committed to the truth: Through Christ—the personification of absolute truth, myth becomes truth (2) Mysticism that comes from the mystery of God: There is no contradiction between mysticism and Church dogma, since mysticism is grounded in sacred mysteries to which dogma testifies (3) Dazzlement: There is objective evidence for the glory of God, which can be served by the creative work of art (4) The Glory of God and the Cross: According to Voderholzer, there is a “slight tension” between von Balthasar and Messiaen in their perspectives on

226

Topical Studies

divine glory and the Cross. For von Balthasar, although the Cross represents suffering—that is, an absence of glory, it more importantly reveals Origen’s notion of a passio caritatis, that is a suffering of love, of which God is not unworthy. Ultimately, the Cross emerges victorious in the Resurrection. Conversely, most of Messiaen’s music is formulated around expressions of eternal glory, although his works are not entirely devoid of somber aspects, as exemplified by “Les Stigmates,” scene 7 of Saint François. (5) Transfiguration: Christ’s Transfiguration connects von Balthasar both spiritually and personally to Messiaen. In their respective aesthetics, they emphasize the event’s cosmic, radiant, and soteriological connotations of glory. (In a conversation I had with Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars in Paray-leMonial, France, on 4 July 2010, he stated that von Balthasar appreciated Messiaen’s La Transfiguration and even owned a vinyl recording of it, writing comments on the liner notes.)

TEACHING 548.

Benitez, Vincent P. “A Creative Legacy: Messiaen as Teacher of Analysis.” College Music Symposium 40 (2000): 117–39. ISSN: 0069–5696. Surveys Messiaen’s work as teacher of analysis at the Paris Conservatoire. Examines his approaches to harmony, sound-color relationships, rhythm, melodic accentuation, and aesthetics. Includes an English translation of excerpts from Jean Boivin’s transcription (see item 550—La classe de Messiaen) of the only known footage of Messiaen teaching (on Debussy’s Pelléas at Mélisande) at the Paris Conservatoire, drawn from the 1973 documentary film, Olivier Messiaen et les oiseaux, produced by Denise Tual and Michel Fano (item 237).

549.

Benjamin, George. “Messiaen as Teacher: The Master of Harmony.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 268–73. Benjamin recounts his experiences as a student in Messiaen’s composition class at the Paris Conservatoire immediately before the composer retired in 1978. He found Messiaen to be a teacher who placed a great importance on developing a student’s individuality; in other words, Messiaen did not want his students to be overly influenced by his music and ideas. Benjamin describes other attributes of Messiaen’s pedagogy, such as his approach to harmonic analysis, where he stressed the development of certain chord types and their changing functions throughout music history as opposed to the study of harmonic levels, tension, and polyphony; the study of rhythm; the critiquing of student compositions in class; and the study of new instrumental techniques. Overall, a reverential portrait of Messiaen as a teacher.

550.

Boivin, Jean. La classe de Messiaen. Paris: Christian Bourgeois, 1995. 482 p. ISBN: 2267012499. ML 410.M595 B65 1995.

Topical Studies

227

The most important publication to date on Messiaen’s work as a teacher. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 (chapters 1–3) documents the history of Messiaen’s teaching activities in France, from his work at the École Normale de Musique and the Schola Cantorum in the 1930s to the Paris Conservatoire from 1941 to 1978. Boivin provides a wealth of information on Messiaen’s harmony class (1941–46), the private lessons he gave in musical analysis at the home of Guy-Bernard Delapierre, his rivalry with René Leibowitz, the controversy in the press known as “Le Cas Messiaen,” and later classes in analysis (1947–66) and composition (1966–78). Part 2 (chapters 4–6) looks at Messiaen’s approach to musical analysis, attempts to reconstruct analyses made by Messiaen from notes taken by students, and reflects upon his teaching legacy. Of additional value in this book is a transcription of the only known footage of Messiaen teaching (on Debussy’s Pelléas at Mélisande) at the Paris Conservatoire taken from Denise Tual and Michel Fano’s documentary film Messiaen et les oiseaux (1973—see item 237. For an English translation of excerpts from this transcription, see Vincent P. Benitez, “A Creative Legacy: Messiaen as Teacher of Analysis,” [item 548], 117–39, passim.), and two appendices, the first listing the names of all students who attended Messiaen’s classes from 1941 to 1978, noting their nationalities and status as a student or auditor, and the second listing the repertoire studied for most of those classes. Highly recommended. Reviews: Jean-Michel Bardez, “La classe de Messiaen de Jean Boivin,” Circuit 9/1 (1998): 27–40; Christopher Dingle, “La classe de Messiaen by Jean Boivin,” Tempo 202 (October 1997): 25–26. 551.

Boivin, Jean. “Messiaen’s Teaching at the Paris Conservatoire: A Humanist’s Legacy.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 5–31. Investigates Messiaen’s teaching at the Paris Conservatoire as seen through the first three volumes of the Traité de rythme and the recollections of his former students. Considers his personality, cultural refinement, faith, preoccupation with time and eternity, and ability to go beyond mere technique to the essence of creation.

552.

Boivin, Jean. “Musical Analysis according to Messiaen: A Critical View of a Most Original Approach.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 137–57. A survey of Messiaen’s approach to analysis, particularly as related to the Traité de rythme. Points out the almost non-existent connection to the music-theoretical literature in those volumes, while also mentioning musicological books included there and in student notebooks. Concludes that Messiaen’s “theoretical grounding was thus rather typical of a non-scholarly, though obviously curious and well-read [sic], French musician of his time” (p. 144). Throughout his analytical discourse, Messiaen borrowed freely from various musical and non-musical sources, revealing no underlying methodology. In fact, he often attributed intentions to composers that were rather dubious. But when referring to the analyses

228

Topical Studies

of Debussy in volume 6 of the Traité de rythme in the conclusion to the article, the author reacts in a manner similar to that of former Messiaen students discussing the Traité de rythme with me. Namely, that these analyses should be experienced in the classroom, to capture the “sonorous dimension of his teaching” (p. 156). 553.

Boivin, Jean. “Genèse et réception du Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie, (1949–1992) d’Olivier Messiaen: Pour une nouvelle lecture des écrits du compositeur.” In Écrits de compositeurs: Une autorité en questions (XIXe et XXe Siècles), edited by Michel Duchesneau, Valérie Dufour, and Marie-Hélène Benoit-Otis, 75–93. MusicologieS, edited by Malou Haine and Michel Duchesneau. Paris: Vrin, 2013. 437 p. ISBN: 9782711624683 (pbk.); 2711624684. ML390 .E254 2013 (Harvard Library) French language original of item 554.

554.

Boivin, Jean. “Genesis and Reception of Olivier Messiaen’s Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie, 1949–1992: Toward a New Reading of the Composer’s Writings.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 341–61. This article examines the genesis and reception of the Traité de rythme. It focuses on critical reviews of the seven-volume treatise from scholars in Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Although noting Messiaen’s remarkable command of a wide variety of literature, these reviewers take the composer to task for the Traité’s haphazard organization and lack of analytical rigor relating to both his works and those of others. To be fair, these criticisms are somewhat harsh, as Messiaen was not a music theorist, nor was Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen—who was given instructions as to how the Traité de rythme should be prepared for publication after Messiaen’s death—a professional music editor. In fact, the Traité de rythme includes class notes that Messiaen used while teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, as different students who took his class have pointed out to me. Finally, the article poses a provocative question: Are the commentaries associated with Messiaen’s works, and bolstered by the Traité de rythme, really “necessary for the appreciation of his music[?],” or, was this vast material intended “to control . . . the discourse on his music[?]” (p. 359). In consequence, the author exhorts scholars analyzing Messiaen’s music or theoretical work to separate themselves from the composer’s writings, making sure that he is not setting the agenda for their critical discourse. However, the author does not acknowledge a dangerous liability in this exhortation. Any informed reading of Messiaen’s music or theoretical work should have strong historical ties to him, to be of any scholarly relevance. Put more simply, a zeal for separation should not blind one to producing an ahistorical reading of his music, which is worse than blindly following the reception terms set by the composer. (This article is a revised translation of an essay in Écrits de compositeurs: Une autorité en questions [XIXe et XXe Siècles] [see item 553].)

555.

Boulez, Pierre. “Messiaen as Teacher: The Power of Example.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 266–68. (This essay is a translation of a speech [“La toute

Topical Studies

229

puissance de l’exemple”] given on the occasion of Messiaen’s seventieth birthday tribute at the Paris Opéra on 10 December 1978, following a performance of Des canyons aux étoiles... by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen and the Ensemble InterContemporain directed by Boulez. The speech was first published in a collection of essays by Boulez titled Points de repère, 2e éd. [Paris, 1980]. The present essay is taken from Martin Cooper’s English translation of that volume, Orientations: Collected Writings by Pierre Boulez [item 785].) In this essay, Boulez considers the example Messiaen set as both a composer and teacher that inspired him to find himself as a musician. This kind of magic, as Boulez puts it, was accomplished not only by Messiaen’s music but, more importantly, by the force of his personality and example. Boulez also discusses Messiaen’s compositional legacy, one that includes liberating French music from the narrow confines of the “good taste” that dominated the aesthetic of France’s musical past, and treating music as a universal phenomenon with no boundaries, which greatly enriched the older composer’s powers of expression. 556.

Castérède, Jacques. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 88. Castérède was a student in Messiaen’s analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire from 1949–52. He admired Messiaen’s teaching, especially when the composer spoke about his own music. He recounts the time when Messiaen, during the course of analyzing the Messe de la Pentecôte, took seven or eight students to La Trinité to hear the music played on the instrument on which it was conceived. After the passage of some thirty-five years, Castérède states that he can only now truly appreciate the significance of Messiaen’s teaching and how much he learned.

557.

Fano, Michel. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 87. As a student at the Paris Conservatoire from 1949–51, Fano characterizes Messiaen’s teaching of analysis as distinctly different from the dry academicism then prevalent at that institution. He notes how Messiaen taught with a passionate and generous spirit, fervently exploring uncharted musical territories and always guiding his students to find themselves as musicians. Fano was impressed, furthermore, by Messiaen’s immense cultural education and knowledge of music when he taught in the classroom.

558.

Goehr, Alexander. “The Messiaen Class.” In Finding the Key: Selected Writings of Alexander Goehr, ed. Derrick Puffett, 42–57. London: Faber and Faber, 1998. xiii, 321 p. ISBN: 0571193102. ML 410.G563 A3 1998 (IUCAT). An engaging account of Goehr’s studies as a member of Messiaen’s analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire from 1955 to 1956. Since Goehr maintains that his recollections are at odds with what has been written about Messiaen’s class, the content of the essay goes beyond the typical reverent observations expressed by Messiaen’s former students and explores intricate classroom dynamics between him and his

230

Topical Studies

pupils. From the outset, Goehr describes the tensions between Messiaen and his students, both French and foreign. Although the French students were highly accomplished musicians, they were largely ignorant of Messiaen’s importance as a composer. Conversely, while less technically equipped, the foreign students, including Goehr, had come to Paris to study specifically with Messiaen, appreciating, in a word, his special talents. Goehr also discusses Messiaen’s strengths and weaknesses as a teacher. Messiaen was at his best analyzing melody, relating music to literary and visual images, discussing Debussy by combining all of his musical interests in a unified manner, and, most importantly, lecturing on time and duration. On the other hand, Messiaen was a conservative teacher (not the revolutionary Goehr had envisioned) and at times bureaucratic. Following French tradition, Messiaen analyzed chordal structures individually with no regard for structural levels. In other words, all was surface. Highly recommended. 559.

Hill, Peter. “Messiaen as Teacher: Messiaen on His Own Music.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 273–82. Hill recalls his studies with Messiaen, which began in 1987, while he was recording the composer’s complete piano music. He reflects about what he learned regarding the interpretation of Messiaen’s music as seen through the Catalogue d’oiseaux and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Hill notes the importance Messiaen placed on projecting the feeling of a piece; on balancing a principal line with its upper harmonic resonances, or the notes within a chord; on shaping virtuosic passages poetically; on rhythmic flexibility; and on exactness in pedaling. Reflecting on each of his sessions with Messiaen, Hill realized that the composer was actually helping him to develop his own interpretative ideas and insights.

560.

Janz, Tobias. “Messiaen’s Mozart und die ‘Théorie de l’accentuation.’” In Olivier Messiaen: Texte, Analysen, Zeugnisse, Band 2: Das Werk im historischen und analytischen Kontext (item 121), 295–307. Examines Messiaen’s theories about melodic accentuation (derived from Vincent d’Indy’s Cours de composition musicale, 2 vols. [1912]) from the Mozart chapter in the Traité de rythme, volume 4.

561.

Jolas, Betsy. “Milhaud, Messiaen: Maître et maître.” In Le Conservatoire de Paris: deux cents ans de pédagogie, 1795–1995, ed. Anne Bongrain and Alain Poirier, with the collaboration of Marie-Hélène Coudroy-Saghaï, 371–77. Paris: BuchetChastel, 1999. 444 p. ISBN: 2283017742. MT 3.P2 C35 (IUCAT). Darius Milhaud held the post of Professor of Composition at the Paris Conservatoire from 1949 to 1962. Messiaen held three different posts, first as Professor of Harmony from 1941 to 1947, Analysis from 1947 to 1966, and Composition from 1966 to 1978. Jolas studied with both Milhaud and Messiaen, and she praises the teaching of both musicians in this article.

562.

Jolas, Betsy. “L’effet Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: Le livre du centenaire (item 326), 209–14.

Topical Studies

231

An affectionate tribute to Messiaen as a teacher. Having been admitted to the composition class of Milhaud in 1954, Jolas also entered Messiaen’s analysis and musical aesthetics class, during which the composer covered the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th symphonies of Beethoven. She marveled at Messiaen’s teaching of these well-known works, effusive about the detailed and colorful commentary delivered from the piano, and the originality of his approach, as if he were hearing these symphonies for the first time. 563.

Louvier, Alain. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 86. Louvier was a member of Messiaen’s analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire from 1965 to 1966, the last academic year in which Messiaen officially taught musical analysis before assuming his new duties as Professor of Composition the following year. The topic that year was rhythm. Louvier describes Messiaen as possessing an inquisitive, universal spirit, likening him to Leonardo da Vinci. Not only did he introduce his students to the musical thought of the Middle Ages, Antiquity, India, and Japan, but Messiaen also placed music in a new quadrivium comprised of mathematics, physics, cosmology, acoustics, physiology, poetry, philosophy, theories of movement, and color. Messiaen demystified the revolutionary aspects of recent music by demonstrating that their innovations in rhythm and timbre still could be traced to the work of great composers such as Mozart or Debussy. He taught his students how Debussy was a great rhythmician whose qualitative principles could be grasped in a quantitative manner. Finally, considered by many student composers as a master of Gregorian chant, Messiaen showed his students how the rhythmic principles of plainchant were still relevant to an understanding of twentieth-century music.

564.

Rößler, Almut. “Olivier Messiaen als Lehrer: Ein Beitrag zum Prinzip der ‘authentischen Interpretation’. ” Musik und Kirche 58/6 (1988): 285–89. ISSN: 0027–4771. An internationally recognized performer of Messiaen’s organ works who studied with the composer, Rößler describes qualities associated with Messiaen’s teaching of organ interpretation, namely his (1) calm disposition, (2) strictness, (3) perfectionism, (4) faithfulness to the text, (5) approaches to rhythm and registration, and (6) imaginative handling of intellectual and theological subjects.

565.

[Special Messiaen Edition.] “Hommage à Messiaen.” In Melos 25/12 (item 328), 386–92. Short essays by former students of Messiaen describing their interactions with him as a teacher. Contributors include Sieglinde Ahrens, Gilbert Amy, Jean Barraqué, Pierre Boulez, Jacques Charpentier, Raymond Depraz, Marcel Frémiot, Alexander Goehr, Karel Goeyvaerts, Yvette Grimaud, Yvonne Loriod, Jean-Louis Martinet, Serge Nigg, Jean-Jacques Normand, Makato Shinohara, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Gilles Tremblay.

566.

Stockhausen, Karlheinz et al. “Messiaen ist ein glühender Schmelztiegel: Zeitgenössische Zeugnisse über Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: La Cité céleste—Das

232

Topical Studies

himmlische Jerusalem: Über Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten (item 337), 29–33. Short tributes to Messiaen as a teacher by former students Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, Iannis Xenakis, and Nguyen Thien Dao. Two of the tributes are reprinted from earlier publications. Stockhausen’s contribution is a reprint of his 1958 essay for Melos (see item 565), and Boulez’s essays (“Eine Klasse und ihre Schimären” [“A Class and Its Fantasies”] and “Rückblick” [“Retrospective”]) were published elsewhere, most notably in Points de repère (item 784). Dao’s text (“Über Messiaen”) was written in 1979 (with no indication of publication), while Xenakis’s tribute (“Über Messiaen”) seems to be the only essay written specifically for this occasion. 567.

Wu, Po-Yi (Nelson). “Messiaen’s Dynamic Mozart.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 281–300. Messiaen’s important influence as a teacher of many twentieth-century composers at the Paris Conservatoire is well known, but his analyses of Mozart’s music are not as familiar, compared to his work with Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande. This book chapter focuses on melodic accentuation in Mozart, which is derived from the theories of d’Indy and Dom André Mocquereau. It compares Messiaen’s analysis of the Andante cantabile of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony with that of Cooper and Meyer, Wallace Berry, Joel Lester, and Christopher Hasty, believing that Messiaen’s analysis of the music informs our grasp of Mozart’s works. The chapter closes with advice about being careful not to be overly focused on minutiae, and in the end, not considering the proverbial big picture. Beyond the purposes of instruction, Messiaen’s analyses and his dynamic view of music demonstrate a great love for it, and provide us with a goal for which all those wanting a better understanding of music should strive.

7 Studies of Particular Works

This chapter contains sources that focus on individual works of Messiaen. They include analytical-theoretical studies, biographical considerations, performers’ examinations, and stylistic discussions. They are arranged according to the following genres: (1) opera; (2) orchestral works; (3) chamber and instrumental works; (4) organ works; (5) piano works; (6) vocal and choral works; and (7) electronic works. Cross-references to pieces discussed in the more general sources of previous chapters are avoided. OPERA Saint François d’Assise 568.

L’Avant-Scène Opéra. Saint François d’Assise: Messiaen. Special Bilingual Program Book of the Salzburg Festival. Paris: L’Avant-Scène Opéra, Opéra d’aujourd’hui, no. 4, 1992. 125 p. Issued in 1992 as a special program book on Saint François d’Assise by the Salzburg Festival in conjunction with performances of the opera in that city, this source, in both French and German, includes (1) an introduction by Pierre Boulez (“Messiaen: Profil perdu,” pp. 3–7); (2) Messiaen’s last interview (see item 207—“Entretien avec Olivier Messiaen” [pp. 8–18]; followed by a German translation [pp.  19–30] with Jean-Christophe Marti in January 1992); (3)  a synopsis of the opera by Messiaen taken from the published score of Saint François d’Assise (“Argument,” pp. 36–39); (4) a complete libretto with musical-dramatic commentary by Harry Halbreich (“Livret français intégral/Analyse musicale,” pp. 41–101); (5) a listing of the opera’s musical themes in Messiaen’s autograph 233

234

Studies of Particular Works

manuscript (“Thèmes musicaux,” pp.  102–5); (6) an interview with José Van Dam on singing the title role (“Chanter le rôle-titre,” pp. 116–19); and (7) various essays by René de Obaldia (“Séraphique Messiaen,” pp. 32–35), Adolf Holl (“Réflexions sur François d’Assise,” pp. 106–11), Jean-François Labie (“Ne vous procurez ni or ni argent,” pp.  112–15), and Peter Sellars (“Pierre de touche,” pp. 120–21). Contains a list of performances (complete as well as selected scenes) and a bibliography. 569.

L’Avant-Scène Opéra. Saint François d’Assise. Paris: L’Avant-Scène Opéra, no. 223, 2004. 112 p. ISBN: 2843852021. An updated version of item 568. In French only. New features include (1) an introduction (“Points de repère,” pp.  3–9) and glossary of Messiaen’s musical terminology (“Glossaire,” pp.  47–49) by Hélène Cao; (2) the inclusion of musical examples (presumably by Cao) with Harry Halbreich’s 1992 musicaldramatic commentary on Saint François d’Assise (“Commentaire musical,” pp.  14–45); and (3) essays by Gérard Condé (“La lumière luit dans les ténèbres .  .  .  ,” pp.  62–64) and Pierre Flinois (“Saint François d’Assise à la scène,” pp. 70–77 [describes performances of Saint François from 1983 to 2004]; and “Discographie,” pp.  78–81). Concludes with a history of the opera’s performances (pp.  82–83) and an expanded bibliography (pp.  84–85) prepared by Elisabetta Soldini.

570.

Saint François d’Assise (Scènes franciscaines). Program Book, Paris performances, October/November 2004. Paris: Opéra national de Paris, 2004. Includes laudable essays by Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars on the various expressions of spiritual joy in the works of Messiaen from a Roman Catholic theological perspective (pp. 47–51), and Gérard Pesson on the influence of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande on Saint François d’Assise with respect to how intuition and dramatic symbols shape the structure of both operas (pp. 54–59).

571.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Pitch Organization and Dramatic Design in Saint François d’Assise of Olivier Messiaen.” PhD dissertation, Indiana University, 2001. vi, 456 p. Considers how Messiaen uses different techniques of pitch organization to enhance the dramatic design of his opera, Saint François d’Assise. To set a foundation for its investigation, the study examines the opera’s religious subjects, musical themes, formal designs, and harmonic vocabulary.

572.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Simultaneous Contrast and Additive Designs in Olivier Messiaen’s Opera, Saint François d’Assise.” Music Theory Online 8/2 (August 2002). ISSN: 1067–3040. Explores Messiaen’s claim regarding the role of simultaneous contrast in his approach to composition. Not only includes discussions of the use of simultaneous contrast in the work of Robert Delaunay, the composer’s favorite painter, but also makes a case for their musical counterparts in Saint François d’Assise.

Studies of Particular Works

573.

235

Benitez, Vincent P. “Narrating Saint Francis’s Spiritual Journey: Referential Pitch Structures and Symbolic Images in Olivier Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” In Poznan Studies on Opera. Volume 4, Theories of Opera, ed. Maciej Jablonski, 363–411. Poznan, Poland: Publishing House of the Poznan Society for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences, 2004. 460 p. ISBN 837063401X. ML 1700 .1.T46 2004. Drawn from the sixth chapter of the author’s dissertation (see item 571), this study investigates the dramatic design of Saint François d’Assise from a tonal/ color perspective in order to interpret the development of grace in Saint Francis’s soul, the opera’s dramatic nexus. It focuses on Saint Francis’s spiritual journey and the musical techniques that inform the various stages along its path.

574.

Benitez, Vincent P. Olivier Messiaen’s Opera, Saint François d’Assise. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2018 (forthcoming). Offers an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of Saint François d’Assise that synthesizes music-theoretical, coloristic, cultural, theological, and philosophical perspectives. Demonstrates how sound-color relationships and Christian color symbolism inform the opera’s musical and dramatic design. More broadly, illuminates the inner workings of Messiaen’s approach to harmony. In formulating its interpretation, uses post-tonal analytical techniques and approaches devised specifically for the study of Messiaen, derived from different manuscript sources (e.g., the short score of the opera, birdsong notebooks, and the composer’s last musical manuscript, a set of improvisation notes for his last organ concert, given on 18 December 1991 at La Trinité), accounts of musicians and priests close to Messiaen, and the theological-philosophical literature that informs his compositional aesthetics. Ultimately, shows not only what this religious drama signified to the composer, but also what it can signify to contemporary sensibilities.

575.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Interpretations of Holiness and Trinity: Echoes of Medieval Theology in the Oratorio, Organ Meditations, and Opera. See item 304.

576.

Corbetta, Silvia. Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d’Assise: Cammino verso la joie parfaite. Varese: Zecchini, 2009. v, 145 p. ISBN: 8887203768 (pbk.); 9788887203769 (pbk.). ML410.M595 C67 2009. In this analytical study, considers mosaic form (an idea derived from Stefan Keym [item 591]) in relation to Saint François d’Assise, analyzing La Croix, scene 1 to illustrate its approach (pp. 55–94). Also examines aspects of the opera’s temporal structure (pp.  95–114). Concludes with a look as to how Saint François symbolizes a path toward Messiaen’s conception of perfect joy (pp.  114–37). At the beginning of the book (pp. 5–54), contextualizes its examination of the opera by discussing relevant biographical and stylistic elements, compositional techniques in relation to Messiaen’s treatises and lectures, and his “charm of impossibilities,” a discussion that includes brief examinations of sound-color

236

Studies of Particular Works

relationships, along with modal and non-modal sonorities. Given that Messiaen remarked that Saint François contained all of his harmonic procedures and the colors that he had envisioned for his chords, the book’s slim coverage of the opera’s harmonic language is a significant lacuna. 577.

Couvignou, Lionel. “Saint François d’Assise.” In Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen (item 327), 161–69. An examination of the genesis and musical style of Saint François d’Assise. Recounts the commissioning of the opera by Rolf Liebermann in the presence of then President Georges Pompidou, describes Messiaen’s conception of the opera’s drama and the texts that inspired it, discusses his employment of musical themes to delineate the opera’s characters, considers the use and significance of birdsong in the work, and notes Messiaen’s block-like approach to form based on contrasts of timbre, use of instrumental and choral forces, and harmonic writing.

578.

Dingle, Christopher. “Frescoes and Legends: The Sources and Background of Saint François d’Assise.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 301–22. Studies the sources for the libretto of Saint François d’Assise “for what it reveals about the composer and the work” (p. 301). Such a goal should be evaluated in relation to the opera’s stature as Messiaen’s magnum opus, a work that articulated the principal mysteries of his Roman Catholic faith, and included all of his harmonic procedures and sound-color harmonies. Examines and assesses textual (e.g., Fioretti, Considerations on the Holy Stigmata, and the Canticle of the Creatures), visual (e.g., paintings/frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto, Grünewald, Fra Angelico, and Delaunay), and liturgical (e.g., Holy Week, particularly its Passion elements) sources. Likewise considers how number symbolism, Messiaen’s compositional practice, and operas by Wagner, Debussy, Mussorgsky, Dukas, and Mozart influence Saint François. Curiously, does not cite Berg’s Wozzeck as a “cultural resonance.”

579.

Fallon, Robert. “Two Paths to Paradise: Reform in Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 206–31. Disputes Messiaen’s contention that Saint François d’Assise focuses on the development of grace in its eponymous protagonist; argues instead that the opera conveys a rich theological symbolism shaped by ressourcement theology. For the author, Saint François centers on two ideas revolving around a preparation for the Final Judgment: one related to the path to “perfect joy,” and the other to the beauty of music, which leads the believer to the divine. Overall, uncovers a wealth of Catholic theological thought in the twentieth century that places Saint François in insightful aesthetic and cultural contexts. However, the article is eisegetical in nature, revealing more about the author’s theological perspectives rather than those of Messiaen.

Studies of Particular Works

580.

237

Fischer, Michel. “Olivier Messiaen: ‘Saint François d’Assise (scènes franciscaines)’: Un itinéraire musical du cheminement de la grace.” Analyse musicale 49 (December 2003): 47–65. ISSN: 0295–3722. Attempts to comprehend the drama of Saint François d’Assise by considering Saint Francis’s path to grace. Examines scenes 3 through 5 and 7 through 8 in which the friar’s encounter with the Leper, the dochmiac rhythm symbolizing the imposition of grace, the Angel’s fourfold appearances, and the friar’s request both to suffer and love as Christ did on the Cross, are considered significant elements of the opera’s dramaturgy. Contains a selected bibliography and discography.

581.

Gárdonyi, Zsolt. “Phänomene harmoniegeschichtlicher Kontinuität in Olivier Messiaens Oper Saint François d’Assise.” Melos 47/3 (1985): 58–66. Focuses on the structural characteristics of the octatonic collection (i.e., the second mode of limited transposition) as used in the Angel’s music of scenes 4 and 5 of Saint François d’Assise. Notes the major triads derived from an equal partitioning of the collection that often accompany the Angel. Also considers Messiaen’s use of the octatonic collection historically by comparing it with that of Liszt, Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, Bartók, and Stravinsky.

582.

Gorin, Jean-Pierre; Messiaen, Olivier; Sellars, Peter; and Esa-Pekka Salonen; Arnold-Schönberg-Chor [Vienna]; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Letter to Peter: Notes on Peter Sellars’s Staging of Saint François d’Assise by Olivier Messiaen. 77 min. Salzburger Festspiele 1992 = Brief an Peter. [Wien]: ORF [u.a.], 1992. Videocassette [VHS]. Documentary film by Jean-Pierre Gorin about Peter Sellars’s staging of Saint François d’Assise at the Salzburg Festival in 1992.

583.

Grenier, Robert. “Recollections on Singing Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” The Opera Quarterly 18/1 (Winter 2002): 58–65. ISSN: 0736–0053. Written by a singer who co-sang the role of Frère Bernard during the first production of Saint François d’Assise in Paris in 1983. Contains his memories of the experience, and of his working relationship with Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen. Reflecting years later, the author considered the opera as being not principally about the voice, but as posing profound questions concerning the saint’s spiritual quest (to greater self-discipline), and that those ideas should remain predominant.

584.

Griffiths, Paul. “Saint François d’Assise.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 488–509. In this essay, Griffiths gives an overview of Saint François d’Assise, noting its genesis, dramatic plot, musical themes, and performance history. He discusses Messiaen as a creative figure in the late twentieth century as seen through the

238

Studies of Particular Works

opera. Griffiths considers Saint François as an iconic work that reflects Messiaen’s tendency to mix reality with its representation in his music. He also views Saint François as an example of Messiaen’s approach to composition, in which he combined a singular focus with multiple compositional techniques: nothing was seemingly excluded in the musical depiction of the opera’s dramatic events. 585.

Griffiths, Paul. “Saint François d’Assise.” In The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie, 4:126–27. 4 vols. London: Macmillan, 1992. ISBN: 0935859926. ML 102.O6 N5 1992. Summarizes the opera’s performing forces and dramatic design. Regards Saint François d’Assise as a spiritual drama that focuses on the development of grace in Saint Francis’s soul. There is no dramatic continuity either within or among the opera’s eight scenes; instead, the work suggests a cycle of stained-glass windows through its static content. Includes descriptions of the dramatic events in each scene. Evaluates the place of Saint François in Messiaen’s œuvre.

586.

Guiberteau, Francine. “Le Saint François d’Assise d’Olivier Messiaen: Événement et avènement.” Analyse musicale 1 (November 1985): 61–83. ISSN: 0295–3722. Examines the opera’s musical themes from melodic and harmonic perspectives. Remains somewhat close to Messiaen’s analytical views by focusing on the tritone’s role in shaping melodies, pointing out palindromic pitch structures, and identifying chords—at times incorrectly—through the use of his analytical labels.

587.

Heuberger, Stephan. “Das Kreuz und die vollkommene Freud: Verborgene musikalische Querverbindungen zwischen den Opern Saint François d’Assise von Olivier Messiaen und Wozzeck von Alban Berg.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 85–103. In this chapter, Heuberger enhances our understanding of Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise and Berg’s Wozzeck through insightful comparisons of their musical and dramatic qualities. He uncovers powerful parallelisms, such as that occurring at the outset of both operas when he discusses the structure and treatment of Saint Francis’s and Wozzeck’s musical themes, and the aesthetic implications that emerge from them (pp. 94–96).

588.

Hill, Camille Crunelle. “The Synthesis of Messiaen’s Musical Language in His Opera Saint François d’Assise.” PhD dissertation, University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, 1996. xi, 379 p. A study of the elements of Messiaen’s musical language and how they are integrated into the grand mosaic that forms Saint François d’Assise. Hill’s treatment of pitch materials involves identifying the modes of limited transposition and their shaping of melodic themes, chords not derived from the modes, and serial techniques in musical passages. Argues for a mosaic form in the opera composed of pitch and timbral elements that accumulate to create larger musical-dramatic designs.

Studies of Particular Works

589.

239

Hill, Camille Crunelle. “Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Theme of Truth in Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 143–67. Draws on the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Francis, Franciscan writers like Père Louis-Antoine, and Messiaen to examine the composer’s exploration of the concept of truth in Saint François d’Assise. According to the author, Messiaen develops the idea by means of a musical “Theme of Truth” sung by the character of the Angel to words paraphrased from the Summa Theologiae of Aquinas. Based upon the modes of limited transposition, the pitches of this theme evoke visual colors in Messiaen’s synesthesia. Aquinas’s text on truth and Messiaen’s modes combine “sacred truth with visual and tonal color to create a music of ‘éblouissement’” (dazzlement). The only drawback to this otherwise well-written article are its incorrect modal analyses.

590.

Keym, Stefan. Farbe und Zeit: Untersuchungen zur musiktheatralen Struktur und Semantik von Olivier Messiaens Saint François d’Assise. Studien und Materialien zur Musikwissenschaft, vol. 26. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag, 2002. xi, 557 p. ISBN: 3487116618. MT 100.M47 K49 2002. In an exhaustive study of the musical-theatrical structure and semantics of Saint François d’Assise, Keym attempts to achieve a synthesis between formalcompositional and theological-semantic analytical approaches by investigating how color and time interact. He looks at the development of Messiaen’s musical language in terms of color and time, as well as each item individually. Keym concludes with an examination of Saint François as religious musical theater. The book contains four appendices, namely: (1) a technical glossary explaining Messiaen’s harmonic language and device of symmetrical permutations; (2) photocopied pages from birdsong notebooks related to the opera; (3) an overview of the opera’s drama; and (4) a table listing the opera’s textual sources.

591.

Keym, Stefan. “‘The Art of the Most Intensive Contrast’: Olivier Messiaen’s Mosaic Form up to Its Apotheosis in Saint François d’Assise.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 188–205. Offers a perceptive account of Messiaen’s formal thinking through analyses of the mosaic forms (“juxtaposition and frequent recurrence of many short contrasting modules” [p. 189]) used in Couleurs de la Cité céleste, La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, and Saint François d’Assise. In the chapter’s introduction, debunks conventional assessments of the composer’s approach to form as inadequate when compared with organic formal models emphasizing traditional notions of thematic and tonal development.

592.

Lambruschini, Carola. Il Saint François d’Assise di Olivier Messiaen. Milano: ABEditore, 2013. xv, 447 p. ISBN: 8865511389; 9788865511381. ML410. M595L36 2013 (PSU-CAT).

240

Studies of Particular Works

Analytical monograph of the opera. Divided into four sections: (1) an introduction to Saint François d’Assise, which considers its genesis, scoring, and broad outlines (pp. 3–18); (2) analyses of the text and music of each scene (pp. 21–337); (3) discussions of the opera’s characters and musical themes, as well as birdsong (pp. 341–425); and (4) appendices featuring a technical glossary, a chronology of Messiaen’s life and works, and bibliography (pp. 429–47). 593.

Maas, Sander van. “Dorsal Monuments: Messiaen, Sellars, and Saint Francis.” The Opera Quarterly 27/4 (Autumn 2011): 420–42. ISSN: 1476–2870. Posits that “Messiaen’s works . . . address religious modes of time that restructure . . . presence,” which is the way that works are critically revealed (p. 420). This restructuring can be accomplished, moreover, theough sundry means. Accordingly, focuses on how gestures can modify linear time in Messiaen’s music, and as a consequence, how these modifications of presence alter the meaning of his works. Looks at monumentality in Messiaen’s aesthetics, especially in his compositions linked with eschatological themes, which sets up the focus of the article, Saint François d’Assise and its tension between the present and the future, leading to an exploration of death, due to the modulation of presence. Explores the concept of dorsality—“the homogeneous thematic space of the back and its conceptual extensions, such as turnings (back) and conand reversions”—in order to highlight the article’s supposition that “Messiaen needed to step outside his religious frame of reference in order to free himself artistically and produce his monumental opera” (p. 421). (But one wonders if Messiaen the composer-theologian had to indeed free himself from anything, to step outside his religious frame of reference to convey the monumentality of an opera focusing on Catholic theology.) In its discussion of Saint François, looks at the Sellars production of the opera in relation to presence. Hypothesizes that it is the concept of dorsality that informs Messiaen’s monumental approach in the opera, in which there is movement toward the light of the divine, but with no end to be found. As with all of this author’s work, this essay is erudite and thought provoking. But it reflects a tendency in Messiaen scholarship to minimize the Christian aspects of his work, viewing it as peripheral to the intellectual and spiritual depth of the music.

594.

Michaely, Aloyse. Messiaens Saint François d’Assise: Die musikalisch-theologische Summe eines Lebenswerkes. Querstand; Bd. 1/2. Musikalische Konzepte, edited by Heinz-Klaus Metzger and Rainer Riehn. Frankfurt am Main: Stroemfeld, 2006. 316 p. ISBN: 3878779763; 9783878779766. MT100.M47 M53 (IUCAT). In the first two parts of the book (pp. 7–115), Michaely covers the genesis, sources, scenes (from perspectives such as Saint Francis’s development of grace, Canticle of the Sun, sermon to the birds, and stigmatization), and characters of Saint François d’Assise. The third part of the book (pp. 117–314) focuses on the opera’s music, examining its harmonic language, themes, compositional elements, and birdsongs, along with offering analyses of individual scenes.

Studies of Particular Works

595.

241

Palmer, David. “Saint François d’Assise: An Opera by Messiaen.” The American Organist 18 (March 1984): 46–48. ISSN: 0164–3150. A summary of Saint François d’Assise from musical and dramatic vantage points. Notes that the musical language of the opera is reminiscent of the style Messiaen developed since the 1960s, as typified by La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, and Des canyons aux étoiles.... Of interest is the discussion of harmony and color, rhythmic techniques, and birdsong. Finally, because the author attended performances of the opera in Paris on 1, 3, and 6 December 1983, he is able to provide readers with some comments about the quality of the production, which was superior in his opinion.

596.

Palmer, David. “Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” The Diapason (May 1984): 6. ISSN: 0012–2378. Essentially the same essay on Saint François d’Assise as that published in The American Organist (item 595). Describes the opera’s background; dramatic design; performing forces; costumes, sets, and lighting; and musical elements, particularly birdsong. Provides a critique of the performances of Saint François in Paris on 1, 3, and 6 December 1983. Concludes by placing the opera within the context of Messiaen’s œuvre, declaring it to be “a grand summation of [his] musical language, intensified and fused for the first time with his own parallel visual elements.”

597.

Petersen, Nils Holger. “Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise and Franciscan Spirituality.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 169–93. Provides an historical backdrop to Saint François d’Assise by exploring the medieval spiritual traditions connected with the Franciscan movement of the early thirteenth century and their relationship to the opera. The emphasis on Saint Francis’s spiritual growth and the use of historical costumes and decor accord well with twelfth- and thirteenth-century musical-dramatic and pictorial traditions. The opera not only alludes to the medieval liturgy through vocal gestures that hint at the differences between recitation and melodic singing, but also evokes Gothic spirituality and mendicant piety through the distinction between the development of Saint Francis’s feelings and biblical and liturgical praises.

598.

Sholl, Robert. “The Shock of the Positive: Olivier Messiaen, St. Francis, and Redemption through Modernity.” In Resonant Witness: Conversations between Music and Theology, ed. Jeremy S. Begbie and Steven R. Guthrie, 162–89. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2011. viii, 497 p. ISBN: 9780802862778 (pbk.); 0802862772 (pbk.). ML3921 .R47 (IUCAT). This essay discusses Messiaen’s engagement with musical modernism through a study of his opera, Saint François d’Assise. It argues that the composer

242

Studies of Particular Works

transformed modernism’s contradictions through his theological music, a body of work intended to lead humanity back to God through a “refreshment of modernity.” The essay maintains, moreover, that Saint François’s focus on the spiritual transformation of its eponymous protagonist is secondary to the more primary invitation extended to humanity to participate in such a conversion. Specifically, it regards the character of Saint Francis, represented through his “leitmotif,” as an allegorical figure, signifying both the “striving of Messiaen himself and humanity” toward their goals (p. 165). Accordingly, the friar’s progression of faith, as mirrored through the musical changes applied to his leitmotif, allows one to experience the “journey toward Messiaen’s allegorical redemption of secular modernity and humanity through his opera” (p. 166). In other words, the composer plays the role of a modern-day Saint John the Baptist, a reconfigured modernistic voice crying out to humanity in the wilderness, exhorting them to turn to God (in a broad spiritual sense). This is in stark contrast to the devout, Roman Catholic composer-theologian known from history, a musician who wanted to write an opera about a person who most closely resembled Christ (and all that entails from a traditional Catholic theological perspective). Despite the fuzzy understanding of what a leitmotif is, and the tenuous connections emerging from discussions attempting to link the musical and extra-musical, this essay is very thought provoking.

ORCHESTRAL WORKS Les Offrandes oubliées 599.

Klassen, Janina. “Theologischer Regenbogen: Les offrandes oubliées von Olivier Messiaen.” Jahrbuch des Staatlichen Instituts für Musikforschung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (1998): 268–76. ISSN: 0572–6239. Examines the religious symbolism, formal structure, and pitch content (i.e., modes of limited transposition) of Les Offrandes oubliées.

L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orchestre 600.

Le Forestier, Anne. With prefaces by Olivier Messiaen and Alain Louvier. Olivier Messiaen: L’Ascension, Cahiers d’analyse et de formation musicale, 1:i. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1984. As a professor of the “Formation musicale” approach to studying music at the Conservatoire National de Région de Boulogne-Billancourt, Le Forestier applies its analysis-solfège approach to Messiaen’s L’Ascension. In this context, analysis precedes ear-training exercises, which are derived from the pitch, rhythmic, dynamic, and orchestral materials of a work. Le Forestier’s musical exercises are fashioned to assist students in internalizing the music of L’Ascension.

Studies of Particular Works

243

Turangalîla-Symphonie 601.

Barber, Charles Frederick. “Messiaen and His Turangalîla-Symphonie.” DMA final project, Stanford University, 1991. iv, 127 p. Considers the compositional and performance history of the TurangalîlaSymphonie and its position not only in Messiaen’s œuvre, but also in that of other twentieth-century composers attempting similar goals. Includes a discussion of the factors that influenced the Turangalîla-Symphonie, a movement-by-movement analysis, and an appendix (no. 6) suggesting conducting strategies in order to resolve the work’s rehearsal and performance problems.

602.

Bradbury, William C. “Messiaen and Gamelan: An Analysis of Gamelan in the ‘Turangalila-symphonie.’” DMA Thesis, vol. 2, Cornell University, 1991. 102 p. Investigates the influence of Balinese gamelan music on the Turangalîla-Symphonie. Uses the work of Colin McPhee to summarize gamelan gong and kebyar styles. Analyzes the symphony, noting how Messiaen based some of his percussion parts on Balinese musical practices and included compositional elements stemming from gamelan timbres, melodic devices, and colotomic structures.

603.

Burkat, Leonard. “Current Chronicle.” The Musical Quarterly 36/2 (April 1950): 259–68. ISSN: 0027–4631. The first known English-language article on the Turangalîla-Symphonie from an author who attended the work’s world premiere in Boston. Burkat describes the symphony’s musical components in a movement-by-movement commentary, highlighting many of the work’s rhythmic aspects.

604.

Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl. Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth. See item 308.

605.

Fancher, Joseph E. “Pitch Organization in the Turangalîla-Symphonie of Olivier Messiaen.” PhD dissertation, University of Oregon, 2003. xv, 313 p. Examines pitch organization in the Turangalîla-Symphonie from the perspectives of pitch-class set theory and neo-Schenkerian analysis. Argues that Messiaen employs an (016) trichord as a generative pitch cell for the entire symphony, which not only informs the construction of larger pitch collections on the surface but also relates temporally distant sections of music to each other. Focuses on modal pitch collections to the neglect of non-modal ones in the work.

606.

Hook, Julian. “Rhythm in the Music of Messiaen: An Algebraic Study and an Application in the Turangalîla Symphony.” Music Theory Spectrum 20/1 (Spring 1998): 97–120. ISSN: 0195–6167. Systematic study of rhythm in the music of Messiaen using algebraic terminology and notation. Classifies fifty rhythms from the Turangalîla Symphony as either arising from generative, periodic, progressive, or recursive procedures. Considers

244

Studies of Particular Works

interactions between pitch and rhythm and different rhythms upon each other. The author’s employment of the term “rhythmic characters” to describe the many rhythmic processes at work in the symphony is incorrect. Messiaen’s conception of rhythmic characters, which has been articulated unequivocally by the composer in his numerous interviews, lectures, and treatises, and echoed by many sources in the secondary literature, is much more narrow in scope. It centers around the tripartite polyrhythmic structuring of a musical passage where one rhythm augments at each repetition, another diminishes at each repetition, and the third rhythm stays the same. 607.

McNeill, Rhoderick. “Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie and its Place within the Symphonic Genre of the First Half of the Twentieth Century.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 193–204. The author raises several questions about the Turangalîla-Symphonie: (1) Does the piece fit into the category of works belonging to a “second age” of the symphony (from Brahms/Bruckner to the mid-1950s), a period that featured both neoclassical and neoromantic trends? (2) Does it represent its own time—is it groundbreaking, reactionary, or visionary? (3) Does it even fit into the symphonic genre at all? Perhaps it was one-of-a-kind and totally new? To contextualize his study, the author surveys the symphonic tradition of the late nineteenth and first few decades of the twentieth century. He then compares aspects of the Turangalîla to various other works, and includes comments about the symphony by Messiaen, as well as the piece’s initial reception. The author concludes by suggesting that the Turangalîla is a significant step away from the older, sonata form-based type of symphony to a newer, more flexible symphonic genre.

608.

Schweizer, Klaus. Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie. Meisterwerke der Musik, vol. 32. Munich: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, 1982. 79 p. ISBN: 3770520734. MT 130.M37 S4 1982. An examination of the Turangalîla-Symphonie through formal, pitch, and rhythmic analysis. The study is divided into three parts: part 1 is an introduction that focuses on the genesis and first performances of the work; part 2, the majority of the study, is a movement-by-movement analysis of the symphony; and part 3 contains answers to questions concerning compositional aesthetics, a publisher’s note (translated into German) from the Durand edition of the Turangalîla-Symphonie, Messiaen’s liner notes (translated into German) from two RCA recordings of the symphony, and reviews of the work’s premiere in Boston from the Boston Herald and first performance in Europe (Aix-en-Provence) from Epoque (both translated into German). Finally, in a letter to Schweizer dated 23 March 1980, Messiaen documented the order in which he composed the symphony’s movements, probably in short score (see p. 7).

609.

Simeone, Nigel. “Dancing Turangalîla: Messiaen and the Ballet.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 289–99.

Studies of Particular Works

245

This book chapter traces the history of Messiaen’s “more or less accidental involvement as a ballet composer” during his musical career (p. 289). It investigates his ballet projects, focusing on the eventual staging of Roland Petit’s ballet entitled the Turangalîla, premiered on 21 June 1968. As the author notes, Messiaen had mixed feelings about the ballet and, during his twilight years, was adamantly opposed to the creation of any ballets based on his music. 610.

Zatkalik, Miloš. “Is There a Story in Messiaen’s Turangalîla? From the Romantic to the Ironic and Back via the Tragic.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 301–10. In searching for scholarly work on narrative in Messiaen’s music, the author came up short; instead, many scholars claim that his music is not narrative. Although some scholars may refer to relationships to, say, the Tristan myth, no reference to narratological strategies is advanced. In this chapter, the author purports that one can apply a narrative approach, even when one is only, to quote J. J. Nattiez, “link[ing] the succession of sound events according to a plot” (p. 301). The author then undertakes a narrative analysis of the Turangalîla-Symphonie by using narrative categories (myths and archetypes) as advocated by literary critic Northrop Frye: victory vs. defeat, and order vs. transgression, which in turn yield the four categories of comedy, romance, tragedy, and irony/satire (p. 302). He offers two different readings and several interpretations of each, through scenarios subject to various considerations. He concludes that there is evidence for all four of the myths as dominant in the symphony—whereby Messiaen’s extra-musical pluralism exists alongside an eclecticism of compositional techniques and musical languages, suggesting a “kind of ‘narrative pluralism’” (p. 320).

Oiseaux exotiques 611.

Blarr, Oskar Gottlieb. Oiseaux exotiques. In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 108–22. Stylistic and structural analysis of Oiseaux exotiques. Looks at the work in relation to its orchestration, formal relationships, layering of rhythmic and timbral elements, and pitch structure.

612.

Fallon, Robert. “The Record of Realism in Messiaen’s Bird Style.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 115–36. Reveals that a set of six 78 rpm records—released in 1942 as American Birdsongs by Comstock Publishing—served as the source for most of the North American birdsongs included in Oiseaux exotiques. Since Messiaen never acknowledged that he transcribed these birdsongs from this record set, this is a significant historical discovery. Compares five avian extracts from Oiseaux exotiques to spectrograms of the recorded birdsongs. Notes the relative accuracy of Messiaen’s style oiseau, as well as the artistic adjustments he made as a whole to distinguish

246

Studies of Particular Works

soloists from choruses. Argues that the composer prized representation for its theological ramifications, aligning his birdsong aesthetic with a variety of religious and non-religious viewpoints. Claims that the composer turned to birdsong—in part—for political reasons in the 1950s (p.  126), an ahistorical idea that is pursued in the author’s Journal of Musicology article (item 669). All things considered, a very significant contribution to the Messiaen literature. 613.

Hill, Peter and Nigel Simeone. Olivier Messiaen: Oiseaux exotiques. Landmarks in Music Since 1950. Aldershot, Hants, England, and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. ISBN: 9780754656306 (hardback); 9780754656302 (paperback). With this monograph, the authors consider a critical phase in Messiaen’s development as a composer by investigating Oiseaux exotiques (1955–56), as it is the first work to integrate birdsong successfully into his musical language. Their book looks at the background, roots, structure, and reception of the piece, and its relationship to the composer’s later works. In particular, it charts the evolution of the compositional materials in Oiseaux exotiques by connecting the composer’s birdsong notations to his musical language. Chapter 1 of the book provides background to the subject matter, as it considers Messiaen’s relationship with the post-war European musical avant-garde and involvement with the Domaine musical concerts. Chapter 2 maps out the development of Messiaen’s birdsong sketches in Réveil des oiseaux and Oiseaux exotiques, presenting various birdsongs in different stages of completion. Chapter 3 offers a “program-notes style” description of the piece, with readings framed in terms of tonal metaphors. Accompanying the book is a CD containing audio recordings of American birdsongs from an eponymous anthology of six 78-rpm records recorded for Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology and released in 1942. Messiaen transcribed these birdsongs and used them in Oiseaux exotiques, a detail first discovered by Robert Fallon (item 612). In addition, the CD includes audio files of these transcriptions played on the piano by Peter Hill, along with a recording of the world premiere of Oiseaux exotiques (Petit Théâtre Marigny, Paris 10 March 1956), taken from the original Véga recording (C30A65, Accord/Universal 476 9209). Reviews: Yves Balmer and Anne-Sylvie Barthel-Calvet, Revue de Musicologie 95/1 (2009): 250–52; Vincent P. Benitez, MLA Notes 64/4 (June 2008): 743–45; Christopher Dingle, Tempo 62/243 (January 2008): 65–70; Arnold Whittall, Music and Letters 89/4 (November 2008): 679–82.

Sept Haïkaï: Esquisses japonaises 614.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Buddhist Temple, Shinto Shrine and the Invisible God of Sept Haïkaï.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 241–61.

Studies of Particular Works

247

Claims that in a program not disclosed in his commentaries, Messiaen represents a Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine in Sept Haïkaï to point to the invisible God of his Roman Catholic faith. Contends that he depicts the quasi-mirror imagery of the custodian kings of a Buddhist temple at Todaiji, Nara through Hindu and retrograde rhythmic patterns in the piece’s Introduction and Coda. Focuses on the turning chords used in “Le Parc de Nara et les lanterns de Pierre,” “Gagaku,” and “Miyajima et le torii dans le mer” to address the “multiple meanings of the torii explored in Sept Haïkaï” (p. 244). Due to the beauty of its physical setting, contends that “Miyajima” excels in the evocation of colors, especially through its turning chords and their tetrachordal complements (examples of Messiaen’s notion of simultaneous contrast, as well as an evocation of hot and cold colors according to the composer, as the author notes), and the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note that are especially associated with the movement’s chorale. Aside from the Japanese flavor of its turning chords, “Miyajima” emphasizes non-Japanese elements, namely, French birdsong, Greek rhythms, and the aforementioned tetrachordal complements as well as the chorale with its Christian connotations. All of these factors, combined with its highly coloristic nature, underscore the author’s assertion that “Miyajima” leads not only to a Shinto temple but also to a vast expanse, a pathway, in other words, to a second, invisible temple of God, if one can experience the sound-colors of the beyond articulated in the piece. 615.

Ohia, Chinyerem Maduakolam Nduka. “Messiaen’s Rhythmic Techniques and Their Structural Application in Sept Haïkaï.” PhD dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1989. x, 230 p. Investigates Messiaen’s use of rhythm as a form-generating device in his music. After examining the origins of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques, the study discusses how they are applied structurally in Sept Haïkaï to show how they both generate and unify the work. Pitch as a structural force is also considered, but primarily in terms of how it complements rhythm. Rhythm is the structural force behind the first, second, fourth, and seventh movements of Sept Haïkaï, whereas birdsong materials and sound-color structures form the basis of the third and sixth, and fifth movements, respectively. Concludes that what unifies Sept Haïkaï is the juxtaposition of materials, which are all superimposed in layers.

Chronochromie 616.

Bauer, Amy. “The Impossible Charm of Messiaen’s Chronochromie.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 145–67. In addition to detailing the harmonic and rhythmic complexities of Chronochromie’s Strophe I, in this essay Bauer attempts to advance a larger hermeneutic reading of Messiaen’s music. Through the voicing and transpositional restrictions he placed on the three non-modal chord types that respectively color three

248

Studies of Particular Works

durational layers, Messiaen, according to Bauer, increased “the tension between the inherent restrictions of his cyclic materials and their variation” in Chronochromie (p. 147). To conclude her essay, Bauer places her discussion of the piece within a broader philosophical context by relating Messiaen’s compositional techniques to the empiricist philosophy of Gilles Deleuze. Couleurs de la Cité céleste 617.

Kemmelmeyer, Karl-Jürgen. “Olivier Messiaen, ‘Couleurs de la Cité cèleste’— Farben der himmlischen Stadt, 1963: Versuch einer didaktischen Aufbereitung für die S II.” In Musik und Bildung 20/11 (item 339), 806–13. Analyzes the use of symmetrical permutations (interversions 13–15), Greek meters, Hindu rhythms, birdsong, biblical quotations, sound-color relationships, plainchant, and form in Couleurs de la Cité céleste. Also addresses the history and theological basis of the work, especially with respect to time. As the subtitle indicates, intended for use in German secondary schools.

Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum 618.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Composing with Pre-composed Chords in the Finale of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.” Revue de Musicologie 90/1 (2004): 115–32. ISSN: 0035–1601. Investigates Messiaen’s use of the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note, the first chords of contracted resonance, and turning chords in the Finale of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Argues that these chord types were pre-composed and that Messiaen had employed them systematically in his works from 1960 onward. Notes that while these chords may be fixed in their pitch-class content and intervallic spacing, they are used with some flexibility in the Finale, primarily through the use of added notes that complete triads embedded in these chords, and through the alteration of a chord’s intervallic spacing to accommodate registral spans established by the doubling of melodic notes. Finally, points out how Messiaen emphasizes conventional triads embedded in these chords through registral disposition, doublings, and orchestration, leading the author to speculate that these chords may be heard as colored triads.

619.

Lee, Martin. “Biblical Narrative and Musical Symbolism in Messiaen’s Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 122–57. Considers Messiaen’s use of passages from the Bible and Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae to understand how the composer expresses his Catholic faith in Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Supplies an analysis of Et Exspecto that explores how color chords, rhythms, form, and birdsongs are used in the music, as well as their symbolic meanings, to forge a deeper understanding of Messiaen’s

Studies of Particular Works

249

music. Includes special color-chord tables from the seventh volume of the Traité de rythme in an appendix. 620.

Lee, Martin. “The Charm of Impossibilities: Musical Language, Theology and Narrative Discourse in Olivier Messiaen’s Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.” PhD dissertation, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 2011, xv, 160 p. This document is an eclectic, analytical exploration of the cultural, theological, and musical aspects of Messiaen’s Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum and its connection to musical semiotics and narrative discourse. After a literature review and discussion of Messiaen’s harmonic language in chapters 1 and 2, respectively, the document considers in chapters 3 and 4 each movement in five phases, specifically identified by the author: (1) overall narrative scope, (2) biblical narrative, (3) musical narrative, (4) musical discourse, and (5) narrative discourse synthesis. The document builds upon the work of Almén on musical narrative, Agawu’s criteria of musical discourse, and Shenton’s (Messiaen’s) system of signs. It identifies fifty topics in the piece and places them in three broad categories: (1) Affect, Style, and Technique; (2) Instrumentation/Orchestration; and (3) Biblical/Theological. Most importantly, it argues that they help one more easily to understand the narrative, which in turn can help in a more precise understanding of theological contexts and meanings as expressed in the “‘spoken’ technique of Messiaen’s musical language” (p. 122).

621.

Nelson, David. “Stratification of Music and Symbol in the Fourth Movement of Messiaen’s Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 205–231. Examines the stratification of musical elements in the fourth movement of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. The movements of this work are programmatically related to Biblical quotations linked with the Resurrection; however, the fourth movement is slightly different, in that its scriptural citations derive from three different books of the Bible: 1 Corinthians, Revelation, and Job. Presents an overview of the fourth movement, which is a collage comprised of four separate ideas: (1) three tam-tam strokes; (2) the layering of two chant settings, an Indian rhythm (with no pitch), and the first movement’s theme; (3) the Calandra Lark’s song; and (4) an eight-measure chorale. Three of the movement’s sections are described as layerings (of chants and Indian rhythms, mostly), and these occur in a cyclical manner. What is more, there is a creative treatment of meter to reflect the melodic contour, and a complicated use of pitch. The inclusion of two chants from the Easter Sunday liturgy and further inspiration from the Isenheim Altarpiece also help to convey the symbolism of the Resurrection, in addition to the scriptural references.

622.

Simeone, Nigel. “‘Une oeuvre simple, solennelle .  .  .’: Messiaen’s Commission from André Malraux.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 185–98. This chapter details the genesis of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, from its commissioning by André Malraux (France’s first Minister of Cultural Affairs) to its premieres in La Saint-Chapelle, Paris on 7 May 1965, and Notre-Dame de

250

Studies of Particular Works

Chartres (Chartres Cathedral) on 20 June 1965. Documents the evolving concept of the work, observing how Messiaen considered writing a Mass, Requiem Mass, or De Profundis before settling on the final version of the piece. Although very informative, this article seems out of place with the more theologically oriented essays in the volume. Des canyons aux étoiles... 623.

Carl, Beate. Olivier Messiaens Orchesterwerk “Des canyons aux étoiles”: Studien zu Struktur und Konnex, 2 vols. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1994. ISBN: 3761811721. MT 130.M37 C37 1994. Considers Des canyons aux étoiles... within the context of not only Messiaen’s late musical style but also his entire orchestral œuvre. Looks at the piece’s overall musical design, spiritual and programmatic aspects, pitch organization, and musical style in each movement. Does not address specific elements of Messiaen’s later harmonic vocabulary, such as the chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note.

624.

Fujita, Shigeru. “Des canyons au étoiles...: ‘Messiaen’s Rational Thinking in the Designing of Musical Form.’” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 102–9. Uses Des canyons aux étoiles... as a case study to uncover the “rational thinking” behind Messiaen’s approach to musical form. Contends that the shuffling procedures characteristic of the composer’s rhythmic techniques are extended to his formal approaches. In other words, just as he shuffles (and reshuffles) durations in the rhythmic domain, he applies the same procedures to block structures in the formal domain, a process that generates the larger mosaic-like structures that characterize his music. Because Des canyons consists of twelve movements, the analysis focuses only on Les Orioles, the work’s second movement. Demonstrates the process by which the mosaic-like structure of Les Orioles might be generated through the shuffling (and reshuffling) of its musical blocks. Claims that the approach elucidated in this article could apply to other movements of the piece and that Messiaen’s approach to form was not intuitional, but rather highly rational.

625.

Steinitz, Richard. “Des canyons aux étoiles.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 460–87. A refreshing look at Des canyons aux étoiles... from the vantage points of symbolism and structure, architecture, timbre, harmony, and compositional aesthetics. The author begins by exploring symbolic elements in the work, especially the langage communicable (a representation of the alphabet by specific pitches and durations) in the second and fourth movements, and how the music grows by accretion. He then looks at what makes the piece’s large-scale architecture work, moving on to an examination of timbre and harmony, noting in the latter case

Studies of Particular Works

251

the vast harmonic continuum that Messiaen uses in the work and how phrases often resolve to major triads. Finally, the author argues that through his approach to music, Messiaen is close in spirit to the nature-worshipping German Romantics of the early nineteenth century, who advocated a new synthesis of art and religion.

Un Sourire 626.

Irvine, Catherine Anne. “The Interrelations of Formal Structure, Harmony, Register, and Instrumentation in Messiaen’s Un Sourire.” MM thesis, The University of Western Ontario, 1999. x, 184 p. Examines how Messiaen approaches form, harmony, register, and instrumentation in Un Sourire. Analyzes harmony from the standpoints of the modes of limited transposition and pitch-class set theory. While the modal analysis is deemed to be inconclusive, asserts that pitch-class set analysis, in conjunction with a study of registral arrays, produced better results. While using pitch-class set theory as an analytical tool, does not identify nor explore the structural aspects of the non-modal chords found in the music, making several statements that have more to do with American post-tonal theory than with Messiaen’s perspectives on harmony. Nevertheless, one of the better master’s theses on Messiaen.

Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... 627.

Dingle, Christopher Philip. “Understated Charm: Style and Technique in the Last Works of Olivier Messiaen.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, University of Sheffield, 2000. vii, 389 p. (vol. 1); iii, 244 p. (vol. 2). Argues that Messiaen’s late music underwent a definite stylistic change motivated by the composition of his opera Saint François d’Assise. To support the thesis, the dissertation examines the musical characteristics of seven works composed after Saint François, with special attention paid to harmony. The study focuses on the eleven-movement work Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà..., analyzing each movement before considering the work as a whole.

628.

Dingle, Christopher. Messiaen’s Final Works. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013. xix, 369 p. ISBN: 9780754606338 (hardcover). ML410.M595 D57 2013. The longest portion of this book focuses on Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... See item 309.

629.

Griffiths, Paul. “Éclairs sur l’au-delà.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 510–25. Griffiths begins the article by situating Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... within Messiaen’s later music. Unlike the grand summations that characterize the composer’s

252

Studies of Particular Works

output from La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ to Livre du Saint Sacrement, Griffiths considers Éclairs as a continuation of Messiaen’s creative activities, suggesting a consistency of thought. Griffiths then looks at the sequence of miniatures from which Éclairs emerged (Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux, Un Vitrail et des oiseaux, La Ville d’En-Haut, Un Sourire, and the Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes) before moving on to overviews of each movement. 630.

Tölle, Julian Christophe. Olivier Messiaen: Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà: Die christlicheschatologische Dimension des Opus ultimum. Europäische Hochschulschriften, Reihe 36, Musikwissenschaft, Band 191. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1999. 341 p. ISBN: 3631348460. ML 410.M595 T65 1999. Examines the eschatological elements of Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... After establishing an interpretative framework, analyzes the work’s eleven movements. Relates the musical language of each movement to Messiaen’s Traité de rythme and information gleaned from Loriod-Messiaen. Notes the significance of birdsong and number symbolism in the work. Interprets the titles and quotations placed at the beginning of each movement as referring to Messiaen’s life and work. In the appendix, includes a chronology of Messiaen’s later compositions from 1984 to 1992, an incomplete chronology of the genesis and writing of Éclairs sur l’AuDelà..., musical illustrations of Messiaen’s later harmonic vocabulary, a listing of the birdsongs used in the piece, an index of names, and a bibliography.

CHAMBER WORKS Quatuor pour la fin du Temps 631.

Gonin, Philippe. “Le Quatuor pour la fin du Temps d’Olivier Messiaen: Temps et écriture musicale.” Analyse musicale 44 (Sept 2002): 42–54. ISSN: 0295–3722. Explores how Messiaen’s Christian faith influenced his attempt to understand musical time through the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Considers the piece’s rhythmic, pitch, and formal aspects and how these elements contribute to this goal. Contains a schematic plan of the quartet’s movements, along with a bibliography and a discography.

632.

H[aedrich], M[arcel]. “Une grande premiere au Stalag VIII C[sic]: Olivier Messiaen présente son ‘Quatuor pour la fin des [sic] Temps.’” Le Figaro, 28 January 1942, 2. An eye-witness account of the premiere of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Haedrich recalls the event by describing the performance of each movement and the audience’s reactions. The atmosphere of the event, moreover, is compared to that of a contentious Parisian premiere.

633.

Jourdanet, Charles. “Il y a soixante ans en Allemagne: Messiaen créait Quatuor pour la fin du temps au stalag.” Nice-Matin, 15 January 2001.

Studies of Particular Works

253

An eye-witness account of the premiere of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Jourdanet estimates the audience’s size at the concert to be about 150, notes how Messiaen provided commentaries to each of the Quatuor’s eight movements before they were played, and describes the audience’s reaction to the work as mixed. He also mentions how Messiaen was given special treatment when he was composing the Quatuor, although he had to struggle with a lot of noise while writing the work’s third movement, the “Abîme des oiseaux.” 634.

Lauerwald, Hannelore. “Quartett auf das Ende der Zeiten: Olivier Messiaen als Kriegsgefangener in Görlitz.” Das Orchester 43/5 (1995): 17–19. Describes Messiaen’s life as a prisoner of war in Stalag VIII A in Görlitz, Silesia, from the time of his capture by the Germans in the summer of 1940 to his repatriation back to France in 1941, where he assumed the post of Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire. Notes that while in captivity, Messiaen found solace by studying various musical scores that he was allowed to keep. Details camp life at Stalag VIII A. As a hospital orderly in the French army, Messiaen was assigned to the camp’s medical detail, something that he has not mentioned in interviews. Talks about how Messiaen responded to getting together with Pasquier, Akoka, and Le Boulaire by composing a trio. Rehearsed in the camp’s washrooms, the piece became the “Intermède” of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Discusses the cultural life at the camp and Messiaen’s role in it, mentioning his lecture on color and numerical symbolism in the Book of Revelation as witnessed by a priest, the Abbé Jean Brossard. Describes the world premiere of the Quatuor on 15 January 1941, noting how cold it was on that day and how the theater was filled to capacity with about 400 people. Closes by talking about Messiaen’s repatriation back to France, life in Paris in the early 1940s, and his membership in an association of former French prisoners of war founded in 1965.

635.

Lauerwald, Hannelore. “Er musizierte mit Olivier Messiaen als Kriegsgefangener: Der französische Cellist Étienne Pasquier im Gespräch mit Hannelore Lauerwald.” Das Orchester 47/1 (1999): 21–23. An important source describing the genesis and world premiere of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Lauerwald interviewed cellist Étienne Pasquier of the Pasquier Trio shortly before his death in 1997 about his recollections regarding the composition and first performance of Messiaen’s Quatuor. Like Messiaen, Pasquier was a prisoner at Stalag VIII A in Görlitz, Silesia. He was the cellist for the world premiere of the Quatuor. Although Pasquier was aware of Messiaen’s reputation as a musician before World War II, he had never met Messiaen until their service together in the military near Verdun where he, as a corporal, was Messiaen’s superior. After their capture following a battle with the Germans, they, along with other soldiers, were held in a large field in Toul, near Nancy, before their transferal to Stalag VIII A. It was there that they met the clarinetist Henri Akoka for whom Messiaen wrote a piece for solo clarinet, which eventually became the “Abîme des oiseaux,” the third movement of the Quatuor. Akoka

254

Studies of Particular Works

performed the piece in the field with Pasquier serving as a “music stand” (in other words, he held the music while Akoka played). When Pasquier arrived at Stalag VIII A, he was assigned to the camp’s cooking detail. He mentions how he would always give Messiaen an extra serving of food when the guards were not looking, and how the Germans allowed Messiaen to compose music in the corner of Hut 27B that was used as a church. Pasquier recounts how he went on a supervised trip to Görlitz in order to buy a cello after collecting money from his fellow prisoners to pay for the instrument. Soon after that, Messiaen wrote a trio for violin, clarinet, and cello that he, Akoka, and violinist Jean Le Boulaire played. Pasquier asserts that the trio became the “Intermède” of the Quatuor, the work’s fourth movement. He also notes the many times he, Akoka, Le Boulaire, and Messiaen (after he was provided with a piano) rehearsed the Quatuor after it was completed from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the camp’s theater. Finally, Pasquier describes the premiere of the Quatuor that took place on Wednesday, 15 January 1941. He estimated the size of the audience to be 400 based on the number of seats in the theater (at odds with Messiaen’s estimate of several thousand), described how he and his fellow performers were attired, characterized the premiere as a complete success, and stated emphatically that he played on a cello with four strings, not three as maintained by Messiaen. The interview concludes with Pasquier describing how he, Messiaen, Akoka, and Le Boulaire were released from the camp with the aid of forged documents (stating that they were all “musician-soldiers”) and a sympathetic German officer. Pasquier also mentions the premiere of the Quatuor at the Théâtre des Mathurins in Paris after their release with Messiaen at the piano, Pasquier on cello, Pasquier’s brother Pierre on violin, and André Vacellier on clarinet. Pasquier closes by stating that it was Messiaen’s fame as a composer that ultimately freed him, Akoka, and Le Boulaire. 636.

Lenze, Christian. “Farbklänge des Unsichtbaren: Olivier Messiaens Visionen vom Ende der Zeit.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 206–20. In this examination of Messiaen’s coloristic vision of the end of time, Lenze regards the composer’s music as originating in not only both the Old and New Testaments, but also—and most importantly—the language of Revelation. Given this perspective, the author wants to look behind the symbolic veil that Messiaen has tried to uncover through his music. In consequence, Lenze examines the composer’s terminology related to the idea of the beyond, and considers the eschatological dimensions of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, even comparing the theology behind its movements with passages from Saint Augustine’s City of God.

637.

Lenze, Christian. “Es wird keine Zeit mehr sein . . .”: Untersuchung der klingenden Eschatologie in Olivier Messiaens Quatuor pour la fin du temps. St. Ottilien: EOS-Verl., 2012. xiii, 354 p. ISBN: 9783830674726; 3830674724. BR45 .M942 v.70 (Princeton Theological Seminary).

Studies of Particular Works

255

Considers Messiaen’s theology as expressed through his music by developing a conceptual framework for its analysis. In the process, looks at the Tristan myth, birdsong, the Conférence de Notre-Dame, sound-color relationships, number symbolism, and the Catholic Renewal. Examines the eschatology associated with the Quatuor pour le fin du Temps and catalogues its musical-theological ideas, after which the Quatour is analyzed. Lastly, muses about eschatological music as related to theological expression, and the language of contemporary music. 638.

Matheson, Iain G. “The End of Time: A Biblical Theme in Messiaen’s Quatuor.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 234–48. A shorter version of an essay originally published in Text as Pretext: Essays in Honour of Robert Davidson, ed. Robert P. Carroll (see item 802).

639.

McMullen, John William. The Miracle of Stalag 8A: Beauty Beyond the Horror: Olivier Messiaen and the Quartet for the End of Time. Evansville, IN: Bird Brain Pub., 2010. 228 p. ISBN: 9780982625521. F M478 M67 (Manhattan School of Music). This book is a novel that seeks to portray the setting and circumstances before, during, and after Messiaen’s internment as a P.O.W. during World War II at Stalag 8 A in Silesia. To facilitate a simple narrative style that the layperson would find moving, the author incorporates dialogue, such as what might have occurred between the principal characters involved (Messiaen, other interned musicians, etc.). The author (a theologian by training) shows how the composition and premiere performance of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was a product of its circumstances, yet it transcended them to be able to relate to all kinds of people then, as well as now.

640.

Morris, David. “A Semiotic Investigation of Messiaen’s ‘Abîme des oiseaux.’” Music Analysis 8/1–2 (1989): 125–58. ISSN: 0262–5245. A semiotic analysis of “Abîme des oiseaux,” the third movement of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, highlighting the work’s hierarchical structure. The analysis is modeled after Jean-Jacques Nattiez’s study of Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5. (Jean-Jacques Nattiez, “Densité 21.5 de Varèse: Essai d’analyse sémiologique,” in Monographies de sémiologie et d’analyses musicales, No. 2 [Montréal: University of Montréal, Groupe de Recherches en Sémiologie musicale, 1975]; trans. and rev. as “Varèse’s Density 21.5: A Study in Semiological Analysis,” Music Analysis 1/3 [October 1982]: 243–340.) It attempts to find “possible poietic evidence to support its initial, ‘neutral’ findings.” Because Messiaen talked extensively about his compositional techniques in the Technique de mon langage musical, the author believes it possible to “corroborate a neutrally conducted semiotic investigation with the composer’s own views.”

641.

Pasquier, Étienne. “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi (item 318), 91–92. Another important source about the genesis and first performance of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps from the cellist who was involved in the work’s world

256

Studies of Particular Works

premiere. Duplicates information found in Hannelore Lauerwald’s interview of Pasquier (see item 634). Étienne Pasquier was guardian of a postern at the Citadel of Vauban just outside of Verdun where he first met Messiaen. As a corporal, Pasquier was Messiaen’s superior and assigned him to guard duty. After the Germans defeated their military unit in 1940, he and Messiaen were taken prisoner together and sent to Stalag VIII A in Görlitz, Silesia. While awaiting transfer to the Stalag, Messiaen and Pasquier, along with other prisoners, were held for several days in a large field in Toul, near Nancy. There they were with all of their companions, one of whom was a clarinetist named Henri Akoka, who had been allowed to keep his instrument. Messiaen wrote a piece for solo clarinet for Akoka that the clarinetist played while there. According to Pasquier, this piece became the “Abîme des oiseaux,” the third movement of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. While at Stalag VIII A, Messiaen was recognized by the Germans for being the accomplished musician that he was. He subsequently received permission to perform the chamber music work on which he had been working, the Quatuor, at the Stalag. Rehearsals ensued with Messiaen at the piano, Pasquier playing the cello, Akoka the clarinet, and Jean Le Boulaire the violin, with the world premiere occurring on 15 January 1941. 642.

Pople, Anthony. Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Cambridge Music Handbooks, ed. Julian Rushton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. ISBN: 0521584973 (hard); 0521585384 (paperback). ML 410.M595 P58 1998. Examines Messiaen’s musical style through an analysis of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Includes an introduction that describes not only Messiaen’s musical influences, but also the quartet’s genesis, theological underpinning, and first performance; separate chapters devoted to a discussion of each movement; and a concluding chapter that considers the Quatuor’s position within the context of the composer’s musical output. A concise source that explains Messiaen’s compositional techniques in the quartet, comparing the quartet’s passages at times either with those from the composer’s other works or hypothetical models. Reviews: Christopher Mark, “Messiaen: ‘Quatuor pour la fin du temps,’” Music & Letters 82 (February 2001): 143–45; and Diane Luchese, Music Theory Online 5/2 (March 1999).

643.

Rischin, Rebecca. For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2003. ISBN: 0801441366. ML 410.M595 R57 2003. Recounts the circumstances surrounding the composition and premiere of Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Based on interviews and correspondence with Loriod-Messiaen; Étienne Pasquier and Jean Le Boulaire, cellist and violinist, respectively, of the original quartet; relatives of Henri Akoka, the quartet’s clarinetist; and witnesses to the work’s premiere. Challenges Messiaen’s recollections of which movement was composed first (the Intermède according to Messiaen or the Abîme des oiseaux according to Pasquier), whether or not Messiaen composed the work in the latrines or barracks, how many strings the cello had

Studies of Particular Works

257

(three according to Messiaen or four according to Pasquier), and the number of prisoners in the audience at the work’s premiere (5,000 according to Messiaen or 400, the capacity of the camp’s theater, according to Hannelore Lauerwald’s research in Polish archives). Suffers from an inadequate command of the sources related to its historical narrative, resulting in errors too numerous to cite here. The reader is encouraged to consult reviews by Leslie Sprout and Nigel Simeone (listed below) for more information. Reviews: Leslie Sprout, MLA Notes 61/2 (December 2004): 423–25; M. Neil, Choice 41/10 (June 2004): 1891; Nigel Simeone, The Musical Times 145/1886 (Spring 2004): 91–94; Alex Ross, “Revelations: The Story behind Messiaen’s ‘Quartet for the End of Time,’” The New Yorker (22 March 2004): 96–97; Alan Hirsch, The Booklist 100/6 (15 November 2003): 561–62; and [Anonymous], Publisher’s Weekly, 13 October 2003, 69. 644.

Ross, Mark Alan. “The Perception of Multitonal Levels in Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quatuor pour la fin du temps.’” PhD dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 1977. iii, 247 p. Views the harmonic structure of Messiaen’s music in terms of multitonal levels, based on an investigation of compositional techniques discussed in the Technique de mon langage musical. Analyzes the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps and selected movements from Poèmes pour Mi and Chants de Terre et de Ciel to illustrate the presence of multitonal levels, which result, according to the author, from the expansion and elaboration of the modes of limited transposition. Chapter 1 includes a discussion of Charles Blanc-Gatti’s ideas about sound-color relationships as articulated in the painter’s Sons et couleurs (item 823). Finally, the author’s name is incorrectly listed in various sources as “Mark Alan Rose.”

ORGAN WORKS Le Banquet céleste 645.

Christiaens, Jan. “Sounding Silence, Moving Stillness: Olivier Messiaen’s Le banquet céleste.’” In Silence, Music, Silent Music, edited by Nicky Losseff and Jenny Doctor, 53–68. Aldershot, Hampshire, England; Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. xii, 253 p. ISBN: 9780754655596; 0754655598. ML3800 .S543 2007. In this analytical essay, Christiaens interprets Le Banquet céleste as not only transcending the sound-silence paradox, but also affecting one’s perception of time and its meaning. For Messiaen, Le Banquet céleste is a work that fosters an intense, silent contemplation linked with communion. As a composer, he would typically derive theological ideas from a work’s religious content and translate them musically into a piece. In the case of Le Banquet céleste, Christiaens believes that these characteristics embrace silence and timelessness, which touch the faithful and can also serve as guiding principles when composing music. Le Banquet céleste

258

Studies of Particular Works

shapes the listener’s perception of how silence interacts with sound through its quiet beginning and ending, as silence encloses the music before and after it is sounded. Through its extremely slow tempo and static modal harmonies, the organ piece evokes the timeless nature of the eternal, in which the listener loses all temporal orientation. Christiaens turns to the temporal theories of French philosopher Henri Bergson and Messiaen’s adaptation of them in the first volume of his Traité de rythme, to better explain the piece. When all is said and done, these effects elicit a contemplation of silence and eternity, forcing listeners to re-evaluate their attitudes about sound and time. In general, a well-written essay, although I have three caveats of which readers should be made aware. To wit, like the near-contemporaneous “La Colombe” from the Préludes for piano, Le Banquet céleste strongly suggests a binary segmentation (mm. 1–11, 12–25), not three parts as espoused by the author (p. 63); the “un-idiomatic” use of the pedal is reminiscent of textures found in Tournemire’s organ music and probably in his improvisations as well (p. 67); and there is no mention of the music leaving an octatonic harmonic field for a diatonic one in m. 20. 646.

Heinemann, Michael. “Le Banquet céleste: Méditation (pour la fête du SaintSacrement).” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 52–54. Argues that the structure, key, melodic material, and text of the Corpus Christi Alleluia: Caro mea (“My flesh”) offer insights about the composition of Le Banquet céleste, since the chant’s text, based on John 6:55–56, includes the work’s epigraph (which quotes verse 56). Indeed, the author interprets the famous staccato “water drops” (staccato bref, à la goutte d’eau) of the pedal part that begin in measure 14 as a musical image of Christ’s blood-drops from the Cross (p. 53), which is suggested by the words “sanguis” and “sanguinem” in the alleluia verse.

647.

Smith, Rollin. “Le Banquet céleste.” In Music: The AGO-RCCO Magazine 12/12 (item 330), 35. A comparison of the original edition of Le Banquet céleste published in 1934 with the second edition published in 1960.

Offrande au Saint-Sacrement 648.

Heinemann, Michael. “Offrande au Saint Sacrement.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 61–63. Parses the Offrande au Saint-Sacrement (composed ca. 1929 and discovered posthumously in 1997) into two parts of approximately the same scope, with a longer, introductory section followed by a shorter second one, which is characterized by a soprano line ornamented as in a Baroque chorale prelude. Concludes that the Catholic doctrine of the real presence of Christ finds expression in this piece, through not only its structure, but also its devotional and reverent attitude.

Studies of Particular Works

259

Prélude 649.

Heinemann, Michael. “Prélude (pour orgue).” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 58–60. Considers the Prélude—composed ca. 1928–30 and discovered posthumously in 1997—as reflecting Baroque traditions of larger one-movement works generated through the symmetrical juxtaposition of smaller formal units (p. 60). Includes insightful observations about the piece’s musical materials and how they are manipulated.

Diptyque: Essai sur la vie terrestre et l’éternité bienheureuse 650.

Meischein, Burkhard. “Diptyque: Essai sur la vie terrestre et l’éternité bienheureux [sic].” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 63–72. An analysis of the Diptyque: Essai sur la vie terrestre et l’éternité bienheureuse that looks unsurprisingly at the influences of Dukas and Dupré, since Messiaen dedicates the Diptyque to these two former teachers. Offers a laudable reading of the piece, referring to Catholic notions of time and eternity derived from the Dictionnaire de théologie catholique (1923–50), and Messiaen’s analysis of the eighth movement of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (a reworking of the second section of the Diptyque), as part of its discourse.

Apparition de l’Église éternelle 651.

Busch, Hermann J. “Olivier Messiaen: Apparition de l’Église éternelle: Beobachtungen und Anmerkungen zur Interpretation.” Orgel International: Zeitschrift für Orgelbau und Orgelmusik 2/5 (1998): 48–49. ISSN: 1433–6464. A performer’s examination of a frequently played organ work of Messiaen. Notes the structural elements of the piece, such as: the pulsing bass characterized by Greek metric patterns; the second, third, and seventh modes of limited transposition; the immense crescendo and decrescendo; and open fifths. For the author, the work does not require a virtuoso. Considers Messiaen’s registrations for the piece as conceived on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité and how to adapt them to a German organ, as well as aspects of pacing. The use of the crescendo/ decrescendo technique is characteristic of the French symphonic organ.

652.

Festa, Paul and Olivier Messiaen. Apparition of the Eternal Church. A film by Paul Festa. 52 min. Bar Nothing Production, 2006. DVD. OCLC: 190765687. Thirty-one people are filmed listening to Apparition de l’Église éternelle and describe what they hear.

260

653.

Studies of Particular Works

Heinemann, Michael. “Apparition de l’Eglise [sic] éternelle.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 54–58. A discussion of the musical and progammatic content (i.e., Messiaen’s poetic description of the appearance of the eternal church) of Apparition de l’Église éternelle.

L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orgue 654.

Heinemann, Michael. “L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations Symphoniques.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 72–84. Analyses of each movement of L’Ascension. Informative in many respects, as they consider aspects of musical structure and syntax, along with examining relationships between music, liturgy, and theology, referencing the writings of Dom Columba Marmion to make various points.

655.

Holloway, Clyde. “The Organ Works of Olivier Messiaen and Their Importance in His Total Oeuvre” (item 277). Holloway’s consideration of L’Ascension is worth looking at for those desiring information about the organ version (see pp.  252–56). Although he considers the orchestral version first, his remarks about the first, second, and fourth movements apply to the organ version. Holloway discusses the challenges Messiaen faced when he transcribed L’Ascension for organ. He examines “Transports de joie d’une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne,” a new third movement that replaced the orchestral version’s “Alléluia sur la trompette, Alléluia sur la cymbale,” which Messiaen deemed as too problematic for transcription.

La Nativité du Seigneur: Neuf Méditations pour orgue 656.

Böhmig, Reimund, Heinemann, Michael and Lydia Weißgerber. “La Nativité du Seigneur: Neuf méditations.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 84–136. Compared to the other discussions of Messiaen’s organ music in this volume, this multi-authored one covering the individual movements of La Nativité is the most extensive. Heinemann authors most of the essays, with the exceptions of Böhmig’s “Le Verbe” and Weißgerber’s “Les Mages.” Weißgerber’s essay features a discussion on the structural significance of the modes of limited transposition and how they are used, all in an attempt to foster a closer link between the piece’s musical structure and theological message (pp. 113–30).

657.

Hassman, Carroll. “Messiaen: An Introduction to His Compositional Techniques and An Analysis of La Nativité.” The Diapason, pt. 1 (December 1971): 22–23; pt. 2 (January 1972): 26–27. ISSN: 0012–2378.

Studies of Particular Works

261

Surveys Messiaen’s compositional techniques before proceeding to an analytical discussion of selected pieces in La Nativité du Seigneur. The survey of compositional techniques in part 1 draws heavily from the Technique. The analytical discussion in part 2 takes a look at Messiaen’s use of pitch (particularly the modes of limited transposition), rhythm, form, and various developmental procedures in La Vierge et l’Enfant, Les Enfants de Dieu, and Dieu parmi nous. 658.

Hochreither, Karl. “Olivier Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur: Eine Einführung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der in diesem Werk angewandten kompositorischen Methoden.” In Festschrift für Michael Schneider zum 65. Geburtstag, 64–78. Berlin: Merseburger, 1974. 100 p. ISBN: 3875370821. ML 55.S365 1974. An introduction to the compositional techniques of Messiaen as seen through La Nativité du Seigneur. Examines the composer’s use of the modes of limited transposition, nonretrogradable rhythms, augmentation and diminution, rhythmic polyphony, Hindu rhythms, melodic intervals, melodic contours derived from musical works or plainchant, birdsong, and form.

659.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk Messiaens” (item 446), 93–97. Includes an analysis of the numerological structure and religious symbolism found in “Jésus accepte la souffrance.”

660.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk von Olivier Messiaen” (item 447), 115–31. A longer and more developed version of the author’s 1989 article found in item 446. Includes an analysis of “Jésus accepte la souffrance.”

661.

Zimmerman, Heinz Werner. “The Technique of Messiaen’s ‘La Nativité du Seigneur.’” Translated from the German by Audrey Davidson. Universitas: A Journal of Religion and the University 4 (1966): 123–34. ISSN: 0566–1943. Examines La Nativité du Seigneur in relation to Messiaen’s compositional techniques of the 1930s and 40s. After giving an overview of Messiaen’s life and work, looks at La Nativité from the standpoint of its theological symbolism as discussed in Messiaen’s preface. The rest of the article focuses on how aspects of the composer’s musical language are reflected in the piece. The translator does not provide the original source for the article.

Les Corps glorieux: Sept Visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités pour orgue 662.

Dellosa, Lerie Grace. “Messiaen’s Musical Language: Technique and Theological Symbolism in Les Corps glorieux, ‘Combat de la mort et de la vie.’” DMA dissertation, University of North Texas, 2015. xii, 144 p. This document analyzes “Combat de la mort et de la vie” from both technical and theological vantage points. The author bases her unconventional analytical

262

Studies of Particular Works

approach on Messiaen’s commentaries and use of Scripture, in order to define a more informed and dynamic performance of the piece. 663.

Heinemann, Michael. “Les Corps glorieux: Sept Visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil 1: Von Le banquet céleste bis Les corps glorieux (item 322), 138–59. In general, informative commentaries about the individual movements of Les Corps glorieux. However, for a volume that concentrates on how Messiaen’s Catholic faith influences his organ music, there was a missed opportunity in examining the link between Saint Thomas Aquinas’s remarks about the corporeal qualities of resurrected saints in the Summa Theologiae and movements 1, 5, and 6 dealing with various characteristics of the “Corps glorieux.”

664.

Kars, Père Jean-Rodolphe. “Quelques réflexions sur la structure trinitaire dans la seconde partie du Combat de la mort et de la vie d’Olivier Messiaen.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 143–55. In this article, Père Kars provides a close reading of the Trinitarian symbolism evoked in the second part of the “Combat de la mort et de la vie.” To contextualize this analysis, he offers ideas—indebted to Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI—about religious art music and its relationship to the Church’s liturgy. A work of religious art music is entirely compatible with the Church’s liturgy. It is a necessary expression of the Glory of God, which makes the cosmos resonate. The liturgy must perceive this expression, as it transposes and spiritualizes the cosmos in its song of praise in order to humanize the world. Because of its capacity for a wide variety of sounds, the organ is most suited to communicate this cosmic dialogue between God and humanity. In a letter to Père Kars dated 17 August 1986 (which Père Kars shared with me), Messiaen expressed his deep appreciation for an earlier version of this article. He lauded Père Kars’s analysis of “Combat de la mort et de la vie,” declaring that his music is not worthy of a commentary so deeply theological. Messiaen likewise stated that he appreciated Père Kars’s words about the role of the organ in the Liturgy.

665.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk von Olivier Messiaen.” A longer and more developed version of the author’s 1989 article found in item 446. Includes an analysis of the number symbolism found in “Le Mystère de la Saint Trinité.” See item 447.

Messe de la Pentecôte 666.

Bingham, Seth. “Messiaen’s Pentecostal Organ Mass.” Organ Institute Quarterly 3 (Winter 1953): 9–18. ISSN: 0474–4748. Descriptive overview of the Messe de la Pentecôte noting each movement’s use of organ registration, form, themes, and pitch and rhythmic techniques. Bingham

Studies of Particular Works

263

concludes with a discussion of Messiaen’s compositional style based on his examination of the Messe de la Pentecôte. He evaluates how effective the work’s musical elements are in communicating Messiaen’s religious message. 667.

Gut, Serge. Le Groupe de Jeune France: Yves Baudrier, Daniel[-]Lesur, André Jolivet, Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Honoré Champion, 1977. 158 p. ISBN: 2852030306. ML 390.G98. Includes brief analyses of each movement of the Messe de la Pentecôte (see item 831, 102–8).

668.

Hohlfeld-Ufer, Ingrid. Die musikalische Sprache Olivier Messiaen: Dargestellt an dem Orgelzyklus Die Pfingstmesse. With an appendix by Almut Rößler (Zur Interpretation der Orgelwerke Messiaens). Duisburg: Gilles & Francke, 1978. 127 p. ISBN: 3921104416. ML 410.M595 H6. A study of the elements of Messiaen’s musical language as seen through an analysis of the Messe de la Pentecôte. Considers the composer’s religious beliefs, ideas about time and eternity, thoughts about the meaning of liberty, and synthesis of both the sacred and secular in his music. Analyzes each movement of the Messe de la Pentecôte from the perspective of pitch and rhythm, noting, for instance, Messiaen’s use of irrational rhythms, chord successions, Hindu rhythms treated as rhythmic characters, modes, permutations of a fivenote series, a melody derived from plainchant alternating with melodies based on Hindu rhythms, special chords such as the chord on the dominant and chord of contracted resonance, and birdsong. The book includes an appendix by Almut Rößler that includes two essays on the interpretation of Messiaen’s organ works.

669.

Fallon, Robert. “Birds, Beasts, and Bombs in Messiaen’s Cold War Mass.” The Journal of Musicology 26/2 (Spring 2009): 175–204. ISSN: 0277–9269; eISSN: 1533–8347. In this essay, the author posits that contrary to typical characterizations of Messiaen as a devout religious composer, otherworldly in personal orientation, he actually was very interested in timely political issues, inserting these concerns as subtexts into his works. Instead of focusing on the mystery of Pentecost, and representing a summation of the improvisation techniques Messiaen employed for twenty years as titular organist at La Trinité, the author claims that Messe de la Pentecôte actually centers on the societal angst associated with the spectre of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War era. Through a religious rhetoric that juxtaposes symbolic evocations of good and evil—via birdsong representing peace and freedom, and a leitmotif representing the Beast of the Apocalypse, Messiaen exhorts humanity not only to be wary of the calamitous possibility of nuclear war but also to turn to God for hope in the light of evil. One can disagree sharply with this imaginative thesis, since there is no concrete historical evidence—either written or oral (especially from people who were close to Messiaen)—to support it. This clearly suggests that the Messe de la Pentecôte has more to do with Messiaen’s traditional

264

Studies of Particular Works

Catholic outlook related to Pentecost, work as an improviser, and some aesthetic connections to the avant-garde, which are all documented in the scholarly literature, rather than religiously motivated political advocacy. 670.

Park, Shi-Ae. “The Messe de la Pentecôte of Olivier Messiaen.” DMA document, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 2013. vii, 56 p. This document examines how Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques encompassing Greek meters, Hindu rhythms, rhythmic characters, and interversions intersect with his use of improvisatory materials associated with melody, harmony, and birdsong in the Messe de la Pentecôte. It examines how the intersection of these musical materials generates the form of each movement. Lastly, the document observes how Messiaen links his compositional techniques with organ registration in order to intensify the programmatic nature of the Biblical texts driving the music.

671.

Sholl, Robert. “Olivier Messiaen and the Avant-Garde Poetics of the Messe de la Pentecôte.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 199–222. The author contextualizes the Messe de la Pentecôte in terms of avant-garde thought. He looks at Messiaen’s compositional output from 1948–53 in light of this thesis, focusing on the Messe. The author builds upon his previous work of considering Messiaen as an ideological partisan, a politicized religious composer—which is highly questionable from a factual perspective—who used his Roman Catholic faith as a means to reconfigure the aesthetic principles governing the avant-garde. He claims, moreover, that the Technique is a manifesto, and that as a religious modernist, Messiaen reconfigured his sense of musical expression in order to shock audiences, with the desire of leading them back to God. In doing so, the author contends that the composer’s theological concerns were in sync with the core aesthetics of the avant-garde. In other words, the secular sublime is a zygotic twin of Catholic Christianity (p. 221).

672.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk Messiaens.” Includes an analysis of the numerological structure and religious symbolism found in the “Offertoire.” See item 446.

673.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk von Olivier Messiaen.” A longer and more developed version of the author’s 1989 article found in item 446. Includes an analysis of the “Offertoire.” See item 447.

Livre d’orgue 674.

Cohalan, Aileen, R.S.C.J. “Messiaen: Reflections on Livre d’Orgue.” The American Organist 2/7 (July 1968): 26–27, 37–39; 11 (November 1968): 28–30, 56; 12 (December 1968): 28–31. ISSN: 0164–3150.

Studies of Particular Works

265

Three-part series that examines the Livre d’orgue. Asserts that to understand any work of art more fully, one must evaluate both the work and the person who produced it. Part 1 considers various elements, influences, and qualities—the expression of the sensuous, Debussy, rhythm, the modes of limited transposition, serialism, and the use of birdsong—that characterize Messiaen’s music. Parts 2 and 3 analyze the individual movements of the Livre d’orgue, explaining Messiaen’s use of rows and permutational techniques. 675.

Forte, Allen. “Olivier Messiaen as Serialist.” Music Analysis 21/1 (March 2002): 3–34. ISSN: 0262–5245. This article is part of a larger study of serialism from 1921 to 1951. It views Messiaen as composing serial music from 1949 to 1951, inexplicably turning to a different, presumably avian, compositional aesthetic in the supposedly non-serial Catalogue d’oiseaux, after the composition of the Livre d’orgue. The article regards Messiaen’s serial music as remarkable for its innovative techniques, and encourages its inclusion in the dodecaphonic canon. To advance its argument, the article focuses on “Reprises par interversion,” the first piece from the Livre d’orgue, systematically examining it for its use of rhythmic characters, ordering procedures among its twelve-tone rows, and contour and symmetry. While the article offers many insights into the structure of “Reprises par interversion,” its connection to Messiaen is tangential at best. In its attempt to portray a secular, dodecaphonic Messiaen who is interested primarily in teaching his students how to outdo the composers of the second Viennese School, the article ignores Messiaen’s ideas on time and eternity, which are critical components of his approach to serial writing.

676.

Heiß, Hellmut. “Struktur und Symbolik in ‘Reprises par interversion’ und ‘Les mains de l’abîme’ aus Olivier Messiaens ‘Livre d’orgue.’” Zeitschrift für Musiktheorie 1/2 (1970): 32–38. ISSN: 0342–3395. Author states that he gained valuable insights into the structure and symbolism of “Reprises par interversion” and “Les Mains de l’abîme” through personal conversations with Messiaen. Examines the construction of the rows in both pieces, showing how continuity is preserved through the sharing of set classes (pitchclass sets related by transposition or inversion). In “Reprises par interversion,” looks at the organization of other musical parameters besides that of rhythm. In “Les Mains de l’abîme,” discusses aspects of form, the use of permutation in relation to “Reprises par interversion,” and tonal centers.

677.

Heiß, Hellmut. “Struktur und Symbolik in ‘Les yeux dans les roues’ aus Olivier Messiaens ‘Livre d’orgue.’” Zeitschrift für Musiktheorie 3/2 (1972): 22–27. ISSN: 0342–3395. A continuation of the author’s earlier article on the Livre d’orgue (item 676). Investigates the rows used in the three strata of “Les Yeux dans les roues.” Considers their structure and how they cohere both individually and in relation to other parts. Discusses why some tones are eliminated in the manual parts (usually to

266

Studies of Particular Works

avoid duplication with a note in the pedal part). Examines how the music reflects the vision of Ezekiel from the Hebrew Bible (Ezekiel 1:18, 20). 678.

McNulty, Paul Francis. “Olivier Messiaen: The Reluctant Avant-gardist. A Historical, Contextual and Analytical Study of the Quatre études de rythme and the Livre d’orgue.” PhD dissertation, Durham University, 2014. 326 p. This dissertation examines Quatre Études de rythme and Livre d’orgue, as these two works strongly indicate substantial changes in Messiaen’s compositional aesthetics, leading toward a marked use of serial techniques. The author traces developments in Messiaen’s musical style in relation to influences gleaned from outside sources, in order to determine what he actually did absorb into his music. In chapters 1–4, the author reviews the historical context surrounding Messiaen in 1940s France, theories and persons of influence (Boulez, Leibowitz, and Cage), and aspects of Messiaen’s musical language, including his ideas on serialism. In chapters 5–10, the author provides in-depth analyses of the Quatre Études and Livre d’orgue, focusing on rhythm, timbre, pitch/motives, permutation/interversion, and twelve-tone rows, among other aspects.

679.

Seidel, Elmar. “Messiaens Livre d’orgue.” Musik und Altar 10/6/167 (May–June 1958): 167–74. Regards Messiaen as one of the most important composers of post-war Europe, whose extension of ordering procedures to non-pitch parameters influenced the likes of Boulez, Nono, and Stockhausen. It is within this framework that the author places the Livre d’orgue, which he considers as expanding the possibilities of the post-war serial style in striking new ways. What follows in the rest of the article is a movement-by-movement summary of the Livre d’orgue, highlighting the major pitch and rhythmic techniques employed in each piece.

680.

Trawick, Eleanor. “Serialism and Permutation Techniques in Olivier Messiaen’s Livre d’orgue.” Music Research Forum (1991): 15–35. ISSN: 1042–1262. Examines “Les Yeux dans les roues,” the sixth piece from the Livre d’orgue, as a point of departure for an investigation of Messiaen’s approach to serialism. Characterizes the composer’s approach and its relationship to the European serialist tradition as neglected by scholars. Views Messiaen’s serial techniques as innovative primarily because of the composer’s closed (movement from the extremes to the center) and open fan (from the center to the extremes) permutational techniques and their effect on pitch relationships. The first part of the article focuses on a general examination of Messiaen’s permutational techniques, formalizing them mathematically through “F” (closed fan), “R” (retrograde), and “RF” (open fan) operations on a twelve-element series and their combinations into chains. The second part of the article considers serial techniques in “Les Yeux dans les roues” from the standpoint of pitch. Regards the right- and left-hand parts as each containing a “meta-row” of six distinct twelve-tone rows, while the pedal line features a single row that undergoes five different order permutations.

Studies of Particular Works

681.

267

Zacher, Gerd. “Livre d’Orgue—eine Zumutung.” In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 92–107. Analysis of each movement of the Livre d’orgue. Regards the music’s biblical citations as referring to the work’s musical structure and its challenges to the listener rather than to poetical titles or a literary program. In a word, they serve as key elements for building a critical grasp of the music. Concludes that Messiaen’s complex theology is represented successfully by a compact use of symbolism.

Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité 682.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Interpretations of Holiness and Trinity: Echoes of Medieval Theology in the Oratorio, Organ Meditations, and Opera. See item 304.

683.

Fanselau, Rainer. “Die musikalischen Ausdrucksformen des Dreifaltigkeitsmysteriums in Olivier Messiaens ‘Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.’” In Musik und Bildung 20/11 (item 339), 796–805. Examines a varied topography with respect to the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité: musical themes, religious symbolism, depictions of nature, representations of divine love, and organ registrations. Includes a chart (see Example 4) that lists the use of the langage communicable, birdsong, modes, special rhythmic devices, plainchant, and biblical passages within the work, along with the formal design of each movement. Considers Messiaen’s representation of nature in terms of his utilization of birdsong. Views birdsongs as connoting “constructive freedom” in both a theological and musical-syntactical sense. Examines the birdsongs of the second movement according to how they appear in sketchbooks, sonograms, and the movement itself (see Example 7). Finally, argues that the coloristic effects produced by Messiaen’s organ registrations devised at La Trinité are weakened when played on other types of organs (despite the composer’s acceptance of those instruments).

684.

Keeley, Anne Mary. “In the Beginning Was The Word? An Exploration of the Origins of Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 175–93. An essay examining the theological impetus and content of Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. The piece began as a series of improvisations by Messiaen designed to accompany a three-part sermon on the mystery of the Holy Trinity by Monsignor Charles, the celebrated curé of Sacré-Cœur, in honor of the centenary of La Trinité in 1969. The author draws from the text of this sermon to argue that the Méditations conforms more closely to the Trinitarian doctrines of Richard of Saint Victor (ca. 1110–1173)—a theologian who influenced Franciscan spirituality—and diverges significantly from the Trinitarian theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas. This is advocated despite the piece’s inclusion of elements

268

Studies of Particular Works

from Aquinas’s Trinitarian doctrines, and the quotations in the piece from the Dominican friar’s work via the composer’s langage communicable, all of which the author acknowledges. That being said, the essay presents a skewed reading of the Méditations, Aquinas’s writings, and the deep spirituality evoked by both. 685.

Gillock, Jon, trans. “Messiaen . . . Communicable Language.” Music: The AGORCCO Magazine 8/4 (April 1974): 30–32, 42. ISSN: 0027–4208. In this article, Gillock gives an abbreviated English translation of Messiaen’s explanation of the langage communicable from the preface to the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. He also provides analytical notes to each Meditation based on Messiaen’s commentaries, emphasizing the musical design and theological symbolism of each piece.

686.

Leigh, Jeff. “A Hidden Theology: Pitch Association and Symbolism in Olivier Messiaen’s Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.” PhD dissertation, The City University of New York, 2010. xi, 187. An analytical study of pitch structure in the leitmotifs of the Méditations, with the goal of unpacking their theological symbolism. Although the leitmotifs are distinguished from one another in different ways, the author contends that “all musical communication can be summarized by the word ‘leitmotif ’” (p. 9). In consequence, he studies the pitch structure of each leitmotif, developing an analytical framework around the pitch relationships he discovers and their attendant commentaries. As with a Wagnerian leitmotif, the author posits that since the pitches in a Messiaen leitmotif signify a particular idea, pitch similarity likewise symbolizes that idea. Finally, the study approaches its topic in four chapters, using Méditations I, IV, and VIII as case studies.

687.

Meischein, Burkhard. “Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.” In Zur Orgelmusik Olivier Messiaens: Teil II: Von der Messe de la Pentecôte bis zum Livre du Saint Sacrement (item 322), 117–52. A stylistic examination of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, providing background information about the piece followed by a musical analysis. The latter includes a two-page table listing the musical elements of the Méditations and in what movements they occur (pp. 128–29), a discussion of the use of harmony (i.e., the chord on the dominant appoggiatured, chords of contracted resonance, and turning chords) and plainchant, and a consideration of the themes associated with the Trinity.

688.

Michaely, Aloyse. “Messiaens Trinitästraktate.” Studies how the musical materials of the fifth movement of Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité are used to depict the Persons of the Trinity. See item 368.

689.

Möller, Hartmut. “Messiaens ‘langage communicable’ und die Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 123–37.

Studies of Particular Works

269

Detailed discussion of the langage communicable in relation to its use in three of the nine movements of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. As an experiment, the author played a section from the first meditation (“Le Père inengendré”) for his class of students at the University of Rostock, without telling them who composed it, and asked for their reactions. The result showed how unfamiliar they as Germans (who were from the predominantly Protestant and atheistic North) were with this type of music, and that they also seemed to associate it with darkness and being gloomy. He did this again with an excerpt from the fifth meditation (“Le Souffle de l’Esprit”), and his students had similar reactions. Finally, providing knowledge about the composer’s intent in the third meditation (“La relation réelle en Dieu”) proved decisive, however, in their understanding. The author then delves into the langage communicable and Méditations from aesthetic viewpoints, singling out Shenton’s idea of how viewing the langage as analogous to the communication of angels assists one to better understand the piece (Shenton 1998). 690.

Schlee, Thomas Daniel. “Olivier Messiaen: ‘Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité.’” PhD dissertation, University of Vienna, 1984. iii, 475 p. Examines the compositional origins and musical techniques of Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. Analyzes the work in detail from thematic, harmonic, and rhythmic perspectives. Compares the music of Messiaen with that of Dukas and Langlais.

691.

Thissen, Paul. “Zahlensymbolik im Orgelwerk von Olivier Messiaen.” A longer and more developed version of the author’s 1989 article found in item 446. Includes an examination of the number symbolism found in the themes and structure of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. See item 447.

692.

Weissgerber, Lydia. “Messiaens musikalisches Alphabet und das schöpferische Potenzial des Prädeterminierten.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 139–55. A detailed analysis of the langage communicable in relation to the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. The author states that the langage ignores and/ or subordinates the attributes of real language. It represents, in other words, an internal system, fully predetermined and used as an aid to invention for the communication between Messiaen and his God, not to convey specific linguistic messages.

Livre du Saint Sacrement 693.

Bauer, Dorothee. Olivier Messiaens Livre du Saint Sacrement: Mysterium eucharistischer Gegenwart: Dank—Freude—Herrlichkeit. Beiträge zur Geschichte der Kirchenmusik, ed. Hans Joachim Marx and Günther Massenkeil, vol. 20. Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh, 2015. 448 p. ISBN: 9783506782199 (pbk.); 3506782193 (pbk.). ML410.M595 B38 2015. (Princeton University)

270

Studies of Particular Works

This book undertakes a detailed musical and theological analysis of the Livre du Saint Sacrement, viewing the organ cycle as a compositional approach to the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. In addition to considering the Bible and the Eucharistic hymns of Saint Thomas Aquinas, this tome explores other theological sources—such as Thomas à Kempis’s De Imitatione Christi, Dom Columba Marmion’s Le Christ dans ses mystères, and the prayer text “Transfige dulcissime Domine Jesu” attributed to Saint Bonaventure, in order to convey how the cosmic, doxological, and eschatological dimensions of Messiaen’s eucharistic theology drive this composition. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 (pp. 29–54) contextualizes Messiaen’s theology in light of his personal background and the theology and spirituality of his time, that is, the Renouveau catholique, Nouvelle Théologie, and the Second Vatican Council. Part 2—the heart of the book (pp. 55–310)—focuses on analyses of the Livre’s eighteen movements, prefaced by discussions of its theological sources and Messiaen’s musical language. Part 3 (pp. 311–405) ruminates about the music and theology reflected by the Livre du Saint Sacrement, concluding with notes about Messiaen’s musical aesthetics. Highly recommended. 694.

Berryman, Luke. “Messiaen as Explorer in Livre du Saint Sacrement.” In Messiaen the Theologian (item 336), 223–39. Challenges the widely held view that the Livre du Saint Sacrement is Messiaen’s organ summa, especially as argued by Christopher Dingle in Messiaen’s Final Works (item 309). Regards the organ cycle instead as an exploratory and ultimately transitional work, claiming that Messiaen wanted to investigate new modes of expression by reconfiguring certain facets of his compositional practice. Notes how the theological trope of suggesting God’s presence on earth in the “Offrande et Alleluia final” (XVIII) and “Les deux murailles d’eau” (XII) of the Livre is treated differently by the absence of culminating toccatas, when compared with previous, like-minded organ compositions. Also studies how Messiaen treats the theological imagery associated with the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, along with communion in relation to birdsong, in the Livre, comparing them with prior treatments in both organ and non-organ pieces. Lastly, labels an eleven- and twelve-note chord as a “chord of contracted resonance” (pp.  233–34) and a “chord of superior contracted resonance” (p.  236), respectively, without explaining the rationale behind such readings.

695.

Collado, Jordi A. Piqué i. “Livre du Saint Sacrement: Euchariste als Manifestation von Erfahrung und Transzendenz.” In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 104–25. This article uses ideas that Messiaen expressed in the Conférence de Notre-Dame (with respect to how music may be adapted to the sacred) as a springboard to an analysis of the Livre du Saint Sacrement. For the author, the Livre integrates the composer’s musical and theological thought to such a degree that the piece represents the ultimate synthesis of these two domains in his work. In other words,

Studies of Particular Works

271

the Livre conveys a truly theological program, embracing the experience of the mystery of God. The article is divided into two sections. Part 1 contextualizes the work and sets the boundaries of the author’s analysis. Part 2 examines “Puer natus est nobis” and “Offrande et Alléluia final,” the fifth and eighteenth movements of the Livre, respectively. The article concludes with ruminations about the musical-theological language of Messiaen, considering it as a meta-language capable of bridging the here and now with the hereafter through its contemplation of the Eucharist. 696.

Heinemann, Michael. “Summa organistica: Zu Messiaens Livre du Saint Sacrement.” In Religion und Glaube (item 320), 111–22. This essay argues that Messiaen’s organ music is an artistic realization of a personal Catholic faith, not dogma set to music. Mixed with traditional compositional methods and the use of plainchant, Messiaen’s organ works are microcosms of techniques used to amplify religious themes. Most of the article is devoted to an analysis of the Livre du Saint Sacrement. In this piece, Messiaen presents the experience of the beyond, which offers an alternative of either belief or agnosticism, and traces the course of this argument throughout the Livre’s eighteen movements. The article also discusses the significance and meaning of the Eucharist (referring to Saint Thomas Aquinas) upon which its sacramental truths and mysteries Messiaen’s music meditates. All in all, the Livre is a “summa” pointing to a musical life devoted to expressing the beauty of the Catholic faith. It offers, moreover, a wide range of different techniques and means of design, a “summa” of the musical language for Messiaen’s work as an organ composer.

697.

Landale, Susan. “Olivier Messiaen: Livre du Saint Sacrement.” In L’Orgue: Revue trimestrielle 224 (item 332), 24–42. Discusses the background of the Livre du Saint Sacrement with particular reference to Messiaen’s improvisations during the celebration of the Office at La Trinité, Dom Columba Marmion’s “Christ dans ses mystères,” and a historical trip to Jerusalem where Messiaen wanted to notate the birdsongs that Christ supposedly heard. Considers the eighteen movements of the work, remarking briefly on the musical techniques and symbolic elements found in each movement.

698.

Michaely, Aloyse. “Der Gang zum Vater: Die Auferstehungssätze in Messiaens Livre du Saint Sacrement. In Musik des Unsichtbaren (item 321), 156–83. Presents a detailed structural analysis of the use of harmony and motives—and their theological significance—in the resurrection movements of the Livre du Saint Sacrement: “Les ressuscités et la Lumière de Vie” (VII), “La Résurrection du Christ,” (X), and “L’apparition du Christ ressuscité à Marie-Madeleine” (XI).

699.

Rößler, Almut. “Gedanken zu Olivier Messiaens ‘Livre du Saint Sacrement.’” Musica 43/2 (March/April) 1989: 134–37. ISSN: 0027–4518. Reflections on the Livre du Saint Sacrement from one of the world’s leading interpreters of Messiaen’s organ music. Considers the use of color, harmony,

272

Studies of Particular Works

sound-painting, birdsong, and musical symbolism, especially the langage communicable, in the piece. PIANO WORKS Préludes 700.

Derfler, Barbara Joan. “Claude Debussy’s influence on Olivier Messiaen: An Analysis and Comparison of Two Preludes.” MM thesis, University of Alberta, 1999. 82 p. Compares Debussy’s “La Cathédrale engloutie” and Messiaen’s “Cloches d’angoisse et larmes d’adieu” in order to investigate Debussy’s influence on Messiaen. To establish a framework for the study, turns to Harold Bloom’s “Anxiety of Influence” theory as adapted by Kevin Korsyn and Joseph N. Straus. Views Bloom’s theory as one in which one composer strives to surpass a predecessor by misreading or revising his or her work. By examining the compositional techniques used by Debussy and Messiaen in their respective preludes from a formalist perspective, along with applying Straus’s theory of influence, asserts that Debussy’s influence on Messiaen can be shown.

701.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Die ‘Preludes’ für Klavier von Olivier Messiaen.” Musica 4 (July/August 1988): 361–65. ISSN: 0027–4518. Overview of the eight preludes for piano by Messiaen. Identifies Messiaen’s compositional devices; compares his musical techniques with those of other composers, particularly Debussy and Ravel; and considers the role of sound-color relationships in the work, although in a skeptical fashion. For Hirsbrunner, sounds are sounds and colors are colors.

Visions de l’Amen 702.

Balmer, Yves. “Formal Genesis in the Sketches for Visions de l’Amen.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 69–83. (Translated from an essay in French by Christopher Brent Murray.) Examines the sketches of Visions de l’Amen that Messiaen donated to the Bibliothèque nationale de France in 1950 in order to grasp the less obvious aspects of his approach to composition circa the early 1940s. Highlights form as a significant concern of the composer by comparing the piece’s sketches with its published version. The essay could have benefitted greatly, however, from a stronger contextualization of its findings in relation to other pieces in Messiaen’s œuvre.

703.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Contemplations of Covenant and Incarnation: Musical Symbols of Faith in the Two Great Piano Cycles of the 1940s. See item 301.

Studies of Particular Works

704.

273

Logan, Christine and Rodney Smith. “Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen: Issues in Performance Practice Informed by the Composer’s Role as Piano, Organ and Orchestral Colorist.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 158–78. In this chapter focusing on the interpretation of the Visions de l’Amen, the authors view the piece as not only showcasing the orchestral-sounding potential of two pianos but also evoking organ sonorities. They also refer to remarks made by and about other pianists noted for their “orchestral style” of piano playing. The article contains three tables: (1) instruments and sounds as noted in Visions and in Messiaen’s writings, (2) harmonic effects, and (3) coloristic effects and harmonic overtones. The authors evaluate the Messiaen-Loriod recordings of Visions, noting that “Messiaen approached the piano as a colourist” (p. 166). They also make connections between the music of Visions and other contemporaneous pieces, remarking how they highlight Messiaen’s orchestral approach to the piano. They likewise discuss selected organ scores in relation to their registrations on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité. Through all of these considerations, the authors suggest how pianists might find applications for their playing, using the full tonal capabilities inherent in their instrument.

Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus 705.

Carl, Beate. “Rhythmus, Metrum und die Verknüpfung von Tondauer und -höhe in Olivier Messiaens Klavierzyklus ‘Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.’” Die Musikforschung 49/4 (October–December 1996): 383–402. ISSN: 0027–4801. Emphasizes how the smallest durational value is used as the basis for many rhythmic elements of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus. Looks at Messiaen’s use of Indian rhythms, primary numbers, rhythmic canons, nonretrogradable rhythms, and rhythmic characters. Shows how duration and pitch are treated independently of each other, with duration considered as being more important than pitch.

706.

Bruhn, Siglind. Images and Ideas in Modern French Piano Music: The Extra-Musical Subtext in Piano Works by Ravel, Debussy, and Messiaen. Aesthetics in Music, no. 6, ed. Edward Lippman. Stuyvesant, New York: Pendragon Press, 1997. xxxiii, 425 p. ISBN: 0945193955. ML 724.B78 1997. As part of an examination of musical compositions inspired by poems or paintings in which the verbal or visual stimulus is translated into musical form, considers Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus by Messiaen. Argues that Vingt Regards, along with other pieces by Debussy and Ravel, can be understood as “portraying and nuancing, commenting on and interpreting a non-musical stimulus,” namely the religious subheadings of its individual movements. Part 3 (“Spiritual Concepts and Divine Attributes,” pp. 229–375) is devoted to an examination of Vingt Regards. Looks at the relationships between subtext and music, concluding that they can be categorized on a scale ranging from pictorial to interior

274

Studies of Particular Works

meanings. Includes overviews of Messiaen’s musical language and Vingt Regards in Appendixes 2 and 3, respectively. 707.

Bruhn, Siglind. Musikalische Symbolik in Olivier Messiaens Weihnachtsvignetten: Hermeneutisch-analytische Untersuchungen zu den Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Publikationen des Instituts für Musikanalytik Wien, Band 4. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1997. 253 p. ISBN: 3631310978. ML 410.M595 B78 1997. A hermeneutic interpretation of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Provides an introduction that surveys Messiaen’s life and œuvre, theological and artistic influences, and musical language, concluding with an overview of the musical materials of Vingt Regards. Examines the religious symbols of Vingt Regards and how they are developed and expressed in the music.

708.

Bruhn, Siglind. “The Spiritual Layout in Messiaen’s Contemplations of the Manger.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 247–67. In an analysis of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, argues for a structural design based on the piece’s spiritual contents and the musical symbols that represent them. Uncovers a fourfold division within the piano cycle’s twenty pieces, and associates spiritual events with their musical symbols throughout the essay.

709.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Contemplations of Covenant and Incarnation: Musical Symbols of Faith in the Two Great Piano Cycles of the 1940s. See item 301.

710.

Burger, Cole Philip. “Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus: Analytical, Religious, and Literary Considerations.” DMA Treatise, University of Texas at Austin, 2009. ix, 95 p. In addition to summarizing current research on Messiaen and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, explores new readings of these topics. Offers a brief biography and examination of the Technique and the Traité de rythme in order to contextualize the study’s analysis of Vingt Regards. Also discusses how religious, literary, and personal considerations influence the piece’s structuring, singling out Dom Columba Marmion’s Christ dans ses mystères and Maurice Toesca’s Les douze regards in the process. Investigates the connection between Vingt Regards and Cécile Sauvage’s L’Âme en bourgeon. Finally, looks at the “Le Cas Messiaen” affair in an attempt to depict the multi-faceted nature of Messiaen and the historic piece that he composed.

711.

Donelson, Jennifer. “Musical Technique and Symbolism in ‘Noël’ from Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus: A Defense of Messiaen’s Words and Music.” DMA dissertation, University of Nebraska, 2008. x, 100p. Examines Noël, the thirteenth movement of the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Singles out the movement because of its structural placement and due to the fact that Marc Pincherle praised it in his review of the cycle’s premiere, linking the

Studies of Particular Works

275

Noël with Messiaen’s contemporaneous commentary. Analyzes the piece, using as a frame of reference Messiaen’s preface to the score of Vingt Regards, the analysis from the Traité de rythme, volume 2, and the composer’s program notes for Michel Béroff ’s 1970 recording of the work. Claims that the analysis shows how Messiaen’s commentaries can enhance one’s grasp of the work’s compositional style and symbolism. Asserts that every compositional element evinces immense depth and symbolic potential, which is ignored in other, more exhaustive analyses of the Vingt Regards. 712.

Forman, Edward. “’L’Harmonie de l’Univers’: Maurice Toesca and the Genesis of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 13–22. This essay considers Messiaen’s association with Maurice Toesca as it chronicles the background and genesis of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. It also considers similarities and shared influences between Toesca’s La Nativité and Messiaen’s Vingt Regards. (Published in 1957, La Nativité was initially conceived as Les Douze Regards and scheduled to be read on Radio France, with accompanying music by Messiaen—that program did not take place.) The essay concludes that the composer’s acknowledgment of Toesca in the preface of Vingt Regards was a “generous gesture rather than a sincere expression of debt” (p. 20), as Messiaen drew more heavily from the theology of Dom Columba Marmion in his composition of the piece.

713.

Hill, Matthew. “Faith, Silence and Darkness Entwined in Messiaen’s ‘Regard du silence.’” In Silence, Music, Silent Music, edited by Nicky Losseff and Jenny Doctor, 37–52. Aldershot, Hampshire, England; Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. xii, 253 p. ISBN: 9780754655596; 0754655598. ML3800 .S543 2007. Examines Messiaen’s “Regard du silence” (no. XVII from the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus) to assess how the composer contemplates silence from a musical standpoint. In the author’s estimation, the piece not only reflects a paradox through its use of musical sounds to contemplate silence but also presents a “unique triangular relationship between faith, silence, and darkness” (p. 40). Invokes the “dark night of the soul” metaphor in the theology of St. John of the Cross (The Ascent to Mount Carmel), as a means to grasp how this Regard negotiates motion from the “music’s silence [absence or negation of sound] to the audible ‘silences’ from the crib,” which Messiaen characterized as sound-colors evoking the impalpable mysteries of heaven (p. 40). As a result, shows how the contemplation of silence through music is essentially theological in nature. Lastly, details the role of faith as it relates to the piece, from general and specific vantage points (e.g., sound-color relationships, “‘silences’ that contemplate faith,” comparison of Messiaen’s aesthetic with that of St. John of the Cross).

714.

Joos, Maxime. “Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus: Analyse, perception et interprétation.” Analyse musicale 44 (Sept 2002): 67–98. ISSN: 0295–3722.

276

Studies of Particular Works

Considers Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus from three perspectives: (1) a stylistic examination of the piece, considering Messiaen’s own ideas, with author commentary, and including charts outlining the main aspects of each movement (form, pitch space, rhythm, themes, and theological symbolism); (2) that of the listener—how the work is perceived; and (3) that of the performer—in this instance, through an interview with pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, a noted interpreter of Messiaen’s works. Contains a bibliography and discography. 715.

Kayas, Lucie. “From Music for the Radio to a Piano Cycle: Sources for the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 85–100. Kayas traces the genesis of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, from its inception as an accompaniment to Maurice Toesca’s radio play to published work. While acknowledging previous studies by Forman (item 712) and Bruhn (item 301) that cover similar territory, she argues that access to new documents motivated her to describe—in more detail—how Messiaen returned to the topic of the Nativity after composing the organ cycle La Nativité du Seigneur in 1935. Finally, she examines the writings of Dom Columba Marmion and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to conclude her interpretation about the path Vingt Regards took to assume its final form.

716.

Michaely, Aloyse. “Verbum Caro: Die Darstellung des Mysteriums der Inkarnation in Olivier Messiaens ‘Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.’” Hamburger Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft 6 (1983): 225–345. ISSN: 0342–8303. In keeping with the author’s later volume published in 1987 (item 287), an exhaustive study of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus based on the thesis that the theology behind the work determines the entire compositional design, from its smallest details to its overall structure. Modal-tonal and chromatic-atonal pitch elements are linked with specific theological ideas.

717.

Rogosin, David. “Aspects of Structure in Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur L’Enfant- Jésus.” DMA Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1996. xix, 231 p. This thesis investigates the structural use of cyclical themes/motifs, the modes of limited transposition, and form in Vingt Regards sur L’Enfant-Jésus. Part 1 establishes a theoretical framework for the readings that follow in part 2, looking at each structural element individually. In addition to the three themes Messiaen identifies in the preface to Vingt Regards, the document examines eight more themes/motifs and their musical relationships. Respecting the modes, the document regards mode 2 as strongly evoking traditional tonality, modes 1 and 3, whole-tone and polytonal connotations, respectively, and modes 4 through 7, atonality. Finally, it views formal structures in terms of unipartite, repetitive, sectional, or modified traditional designs. Part 2 examines—either partially or completely—movements 2, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 16 in order to demonstrate how the structural aspects laid out in Part 1

Studies of Particular Works

277

interact with each other in the music. The thesis concludes with three appendices that comprise, respectively, general summaries of the structural features found in Vingt Regards, translations of the composition’s French titles and terms, and Messiaen’s program notes to Michel Béroff ’s 1970 recording of the piece. 718.

Seifert, Charles Ernest. “Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus: A Historical and Pedagogical Study.” EdD thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989. vii, 316 p. One of the better performance guides to Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Attempts to help interpreters gain a better understanding of the work through an examination of its interdisciplinary elements, namely, music, theology, philosophy, and visual art. Investigates how the French cultural milieu during the German occupation of Paris from 1940 to 1944 influenced the composition of Vingt Regards. Considers how Messiaen’s family shaped his compositional aesthetics. Examines how musical techniques described in the Technique were utilized in Vingt Regards. Looks at the religious influences of Vingt Regards, compiles a dictionary of symbols associated with the piece, and describes its musical style.

719.

Whitmore, Brooks Blaine. “Rhythmic Techniques in Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.” DMA treatise, University of Texas at Austin, 2000. xiii, 145 p. Surveys the rhythmic techniques used in Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Following a “life-and-works” chapter, examines the elements of Messiaen’s rhythmic language and the roles theology, nature, plainchant, ancient Greek and Hindu rhythms, and composers such as Debussy, Stravinsky, and Bartók played in their formulation. After analyzing the rhythmic techniques used in Vingt Regards, looks at how rhythm is utilized in Messiaen’s later piano works in order to show how his approach to rhythm developed.

Cantéyodjayâ 720.

Healey, Gareth. “Cantéyodjayâ: A ‘Missing’ Link,” The Musical Times 148/1898 (Spring 2007): 59–72. ISSN: 0027–4666. Argues that the lack of scholarly attention paid to Cantéyodjayâ is regrettable, since the piece contains musical materials that harken back to Messiaen’s work earlier in the decade, as well as techniques that look forward to his later music. Accordingly, examines Cantéyodjayâ’s notable features associated with melody, harmony, links to other works, rhythm, total serialism, and large-scale organization, and contextualizes them in relation to Messiaen’s compositional practice. Concludes that Cantéyodjayâ revolves around experimentation and freedom. In short, it represents a pivot in Messiaen’s œuvre, from the music of the 1940s to the “experimental” works of 1949–52 and beyond.

278

Studies of Particular Works

Quatre Études de rythme 721.

Barash, Amari Pepper. “Cadential Gestures in Post-Tonal Music: The Constitution of Cadences in Messiaen’s Île de feu I and Boulez’[s] Première Sonate, First Movement.” DMA dissertation, The City University of New York, 2002. xiv, 123 p. In a study that attempts to define what constitutes a cadence in post-tonal music, looks at Messiaen’s “Île de feu I,” the first piece from the Quatre Études de rythme, in chapter two (pp.  18–48). Provides an overview of the music’s large-scale structure before examining cadences and their indicators, along with non-cadential moments, in the piece. In sum, the study attempts to define what a post-tonal cadence is, as well as offer theoretical ideas regarding musical boundaries and grouping in lieu of clear harmonic norms. It also seeks to supply more information about cadences to performers in order to enhance their interpretative insights. Includes the score of “Île de feu I” in Appendix A (pp. 110–13).

722.

Covington, Kate. “Visual Perception vs. Aural Perception: A Look at Mode de valeurs et d’intensités.” Indiana Theory Review 3/2 (1980): 4–11. ISSN: 0271–8022. Contrasts the visual and aural aspects of “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités” to show how they mutually inform one’s understanding of the piece, with the aural aspects taking precedence. The goal is to hear the work with shape and direction and not as a series of random notes. After providing a conventional explanation of the piece’s structure that elucidates Messiaen’s methodology, the author interprets the music as comprised of six planes of sound or strata, with each plane composed of notes united by similarities in register, dynamics, articulation, and duration. Employs graphs to illustrate various details about the piece’s multilayered structure.

723.

Ghandar, Ann. “The Deforming Prism: Messiaen’s Four Studies in Rhythm.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 110–21. Pianist Ann Ghandar takes a look at Messiaen’s Quatre Études de rythme in order to ascertain how the “deforming prism” of his language informed the many technical innovations of this compositional set. Using the composer’s Technique as an interpretative backdrop, she examines selected aspects of the four movements of the Quatre Études: the use of a composite mode for the quasi-serial Mode de valeurs et d’intensités; the flexible use of durations, ambiguous role of dissonances, and experimentation with resonances in Neumes rythmiques; and the impressionistic effects mixed with serial techniques, percussive clusters, birdsong, and resonance chords in Île de feu I and II. Ghandar concludes that this set of pieces, which manages a balance between the restrictive and experimental, could serve as another treatise, but one of a practical rather than theoretical nature.

724.

Guertin, Marcelle. “Sémiologie et Interprétation: Quelques Aspects d’Île de feu 2 d’Olivier Messiaen.” Montréal, P.Q., Canada: Faculté de musique, Université de Montréal, [1974?]. 184 p. ML 410.M595 G8 1974.

Studies of Particular Works

279

A stylistic examination of “Île de feu 2” focusing on how its main theme is transformed. Views the superior resonance (notes added above a sonority in order to transform its timbre) used above the main theme in mm. 1–7, and the lowerpitched material that accompanies the main theme in its first transformation in mm. 28–34, as counter-themes that participate in the main theme’s structural development. Emphasizes the connection between analysis and performance, stressing that analysis allows a performer to understand a work objectively in all of its details so that he or she may bring forth a better interpretation. Closes with a short chapter on the relationship between sémiologie (i.e., semiotics) and interpretation. 725.

Hill, Peter. “Messiaen Recorded: The Quatre Études de rythme.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 79–90. Considers Quatre Études de rythme from a performer’s perspective, particularly through a critique of commercial recordings. Examines those by Messiaen (1951), Loriod-Messiaen (1968), Yuji Takahashi (1976), Peter Hill (1986), Gloria Cheng (1994), Håkon Austbø (1999), and Roger Muraro (2001), offering insightful performance commentaries. Especially revealing are comments regarding the use of the pedal in “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités.” Notes Messiaen’s surprising overpedaling (which he supposedly loathed) in his recording, seemingly due to the lack of a middle pedal on the instrument upon which he played (p. 89). In her recording, Loriod-Messiaen’s pedaling is similar to that of Messiaen, although she had a middle pedal available. But her overpedaling is countered by a faster tempo, along with sharper and clearer dynamics.

726.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Neumes Rhythmiques’[sic].” In Musik und Bildung 20/11 (item 339), 814–18. An examination of Messiaen’s “Neumes rythmiques.” Considers the piece’s genesis as well as place in Quatre Études de rythme. Questions Messiaen’s characterization of “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités” as a mere exercise, musically worth nothing, by noting the use of similar compositional procedures in “La Chouette Hulotte” from the Catalogue d’oiseaux and “Les Stigmates” from Saint François d’Assise. Accordingly, concludes that technical procedures are a significant part of Messiaen’s theologically oriented music. Looks at the rhythmic elements of Messiaen’s musical language, believing that these and other elements coalesce to form a personal musical style of which “Neumes rythmiques” is a good example. Accordingly, “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités” is not the only path to a music of compositional complexity. The rest of the article is devoted to an analysis of the work. The rhythmic construction at the beginning (Example 1) suggests the tripartite structuring of rhythmic characters. Considers the role of color in the work by looking at the way Messiaen uses superior and inferior resonance to enhance melodic lines (Example 2). Also examines the play of color created by the contrast of extreme registers on the piano (Example 3), which are organized by nonretrogradable rhythms. Discusses aspects of Messiaen’s approach to harmony by noting how two “atonal” chords (Example 4) are based upon the

280

Studies of Particular Works

interval of a tritone and minor second (an “016” trichord from pitch-class perspectives). Relates the structuring of these sonorities to chords at the beginning of Boulez’s Second Sonata. 727.

McNulty, Paul Francis. “Olivier Messiaen: The Reluctant Avant-gardist. A Historical, Contextual and Analytical Study of the Quatre études de rythme and the Livre d’orgue.” PhD dissertation, Durham University, 2014. 326 p. See item 678.

728.

Lee, John Madison. “Harmonic Structures in the “Quatre Études rythmiques” of Olivier Messiaen.” PhD dissertation, Florida State University, 1972. v, 71 p. This short study (fifty-eight pages of text) investigates the intervallic content, spacing, doubling, and spelling of the chords found in Messiaen’s Quatre Études de rythme in order to understand the harmonic language of the Études. The study first uses a computer-based approach to distinguish sonorities by interval-class content, noting each sonority type’s number of occurrences in all four pieces. It then interprets the computer data, classifying Messiaen’s chords according to the frequency with which they are pedaled, producing two categories of sonorities: simple structures (chords consisting of one to seven tones that are usually not pedaled) and aggregate structures (chords consisting of seven or more tones that are normally pedaled). Finally, it considers the spacing, doubling, and spelling of Messiaen’s chords for further insights into his harmonic language.

729.

Schweizer, Klaus. “Olivier Messiaens Klavieretude ‘Mode de valeurs et d’intensités.’” Archiv für Musikwissenschaft 30/2 (1973): 128–46. ISSN: 0003–9292. Valuable study of “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités.” Considers its position within the context of both post-war European serialism and Messiaen’s œuvre. Examines the work’s modal design and how it is realized in the music. Also includes a discussion of Cantéyodjayâ, and Boulez’s opinions on Messiaen’s compositional techniques and “Mode de valeurs.”

Catalogue d’oiseaux 730.

Cheong, Wai-Ling. “Symmetrical Permutation, the Twelve Tones, and Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux.” Perspectives of New Music 45/1 (Winter 2007): 110–37. ISSN: 0031–6016. In this article, Cheong studies the technique of symmetrical permutation as related to the Catalogue d’oiseaux, a work that is said to reflect a retreat from the experimental works Messiaen composed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as well as part of a subsequent embrace of birdsong and nature. As the author observes, the Catalogue d’oiseaux features different twelve-tone series (in various textural manifestations) that evoke diverse environmental images. A specific symmetrical permutation scheme—which is not documented in any source (including

Studies of Particular Works

281

Messiaen’s commentaries)—generates the varied permutations linked with this type of twelve-tone writing. Throughout her discussion, Cheong uncovers the diverse ways in which Messiaen incorporated this scheme in the Catalogue. She explains his technique of symmetrical permutation, presenting four distinctive procedures—schemes A through D—that the composer unveiled in different pieces. With schemes A through C, Messiaen restricts his permutational experiments to the use of twelve durations/pitch classes in his piano music. Respecting scheme D, the most familiar procedure made well known through its application in Chronochromie, Messiaen reshuffled 32 chromatic durations, returning to the original series after 36 permutations. He utilizes scheme C in the Catalogue, along with a singular use of D (employed to evoke “stone music” in movement X, “Le Merle de roche”). All in all, Cheong scrutinizes this usage in a truly informative manner. Highly recommended. 731.

Chiat, Loo Fung. “Olivier Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux: A Performer’ s Perspective.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, University of Sheffield, 2005. vii, 225 p. (vol. 1); iii, 261 p. (vol. 2). Directed by Peter Hill, this dissertation surveys Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux with the goal of formulating ideas about its interpretation. It consists of four chapters, with the first serving as an introduction where the author charts Messiaen’s creative path (since the 1940s) toward the Catalogue, taking time to examine sketches from the birdsong cahiers obtained from Hill in order to explain the creative process from compositional draft to published score. Chapter 2 examines the different types of piano writing in the Catalogue, while also considering technical challenges facing the pianist desiring to perform the work. These chapters serve as a backdrop to the five performance-oriented analyses offered in chapter 3, comprising “La Chouette Hulotte,” “L’Alouette Calandrelle,” “La Rousserolle Effarvatte,” “La Bouscarle,” and “Le Traquet Stapazin.” Chapter 4 concludes the dissertation by evaluating performances of these movements in recordings by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, Anatol Ugorski, Peter Hill, Martin Zehn, Roger Muraro, Carl-Axel Dominique, and Håkon Austbø.

732.

Forte, Allen. “Messiaen’s Mysterious Birds.” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 101–18. In this book chapter, Forte analyzes the title birdsong from each piece of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. Approaching the music from pitch-class set theory perspectives, he provides a musical-technical framework for his readings by compiling eleven source harmonies based on Messiaen’s writings, with five stemming from the modes of limited transposition and the rest from the composer’s non-modal chordal vocabulary. He eschews Messiaen’s colorful chord labels in favor of identifying the source harmonies by their set-class names, to facilitate his analytical narrative. Forte then embarks on thirteen mini-analytical studies, emphasizing the primacy of a source harmony via its subset representation in his interpretations. But in relation to this otherwise insightful article, I have two caveats. First,

282

Studies of Particular Works

Forte states that set-class 7-20 (chord on the dominant appoggiatured/chord of transposed inversions on the same bass note) “has been ignored in the Messiaen literature” (p. 105), which is inaccurate. Second, he ignores Messiaen’s ideas regarding natural resonance in his analytical approach, preferring to view nonmodal source harmonies as integral chordal units, not tertian-based sonorities colored by resonance elements. 733.

Freeman, Robin. “Courtesy Towards the Things of Nature: Interpretations of Messiaen’s ‘Catalogue d’oiseaux.’” Tempo 192 (April 1995): 9–14. ISSN: 0040–2982. An examination of the Catalogue d’oiseaux as seen through reviews of two recordings by Anatole (sic) Ugorski (Deutsche Grammophon 439 214–2) and Peter Hill (Unicorn Kanchana DKPCD 9062, 9075, 9090). Considers the piano cycle’s aesthetic and compositional style before examining the work in relation to the two recordings in question. Quoting Messiaen in an interview with Brigitte Massin (item 208), attempts to establish an artistic connection between his birds and the tapestries of Jean Lurçat. Regards Lurçat’s tapestries as a possible model for the Catalogue, since Messiaen might have viewed Lurçat’s work at the Trocadero in 1958.

734.

Hill, Peter. “The Genesis of Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux.” In Perspectives on the Performance of French Piano Music, ed. Scott McCarrey and Lesley A. Wright, 53–75. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. xxiv, 210 p. ISBN: 9781409400646. ML724 .P47 2014. Drawing upon his archival research involving Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks, along with insights gleaned from his personal association with the composer, Hill traces the origins of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. He meticulously documents the creative path toward the Catalogue via analyses of the birdsong cahiers. The essay contains transcriptions of pertinent avian notations Messiaen made in the 1950s, as well as relevant photographs that contextualize this historic period in his compositional career. Lastly, the essay is a continuation of Hill’s earlier one about Messiaen’s extensive birdsong research in the 1950s, supplying in tandem an excellent vantage point from which to appreciate the role of birdsong in his music in the second half of his career. See “From Réveil des oiseaux to Catalogue d’oiseaux: Messiaen’s Cahiers de notations des chants d’oiseaux, 1952–59,” Messiaen Perspectives 1: Sources and Influences (item 462).

735.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Magic and Enchantment in Olivier Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux.” In Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (item 313.2), 195–212. A descriptive and somewhat rambling essay that breaks little ground. States that Messiaen was inspired to compose because of his Roman Catholic faith, love of nature, and fascination with the “Tristan and Isolde” myth. Music was the vehicle by which he praised God, especially the divine revealed in nature and human love. Describes the contents of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. Though there are no human beings in the work, and God is never mentioned, Messiaen suggests

Studies of Particular Works

283

that God is indeed present in these French birds and their environmental settings. In short, he “reaches beyond, into universality.” 736.

Kim, Paul Sung-Il. “Olivier Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux for Solo Piano: A Phenomenological Analysis and Performance Guide.” PhD dissertation, New York University, 1989. xi, 458 p. Kim analyzes the Catalogue d’oiseaux based on the methods of Jan LaRue and Thomas Clifton. He argues that this “bifurcation of the analytical method” is productive because the style-analytical approach of LaRue, which is concerned with objectively examining a piece’s musical components, reinforces Clifton’s more subjective and philosophical phenomenological approach. After offering a biographical sketch of Messiaen, general introduction to his piano music, survey of his work with birdsong, and overview of the Catalogue, Kim proceeds to the heart of the study in which he analyzes six pieces from the Catalogue in depth using his bifurcated method, concluding each analysis with a “Performance Guide” where interpretative issues are explored.

737.

Philips, John. “The Modal Language of Olivier Messiaen: Practices of Technique de mon langage musical as Reflected in Catalogue d’Oiseaux.” DMA dissertation, Peabody Conservatory, 1977. iv, 440 p. Studies aspects of modality found in the solo piano music of Messiaen with a special emphasis on the Catalogue d’oiseaux. Considers the compositional techniques in the Technique de mon langage musical, in order to lay a foundation for the detailed discussion of Messiaen’s music that is to follow. Looks at the modes of limited transposition, modal elements in piano works that postdate the Technique, which tend toward a total chromatic idiom, and sound-color relationships. Applies these findings to a study of Catalogue d’oiseaux.

738.

Sun, Shu-Wen. “Birdsong and Pitch-Class Sets in Messiaen’s ‘L’Alouette Calandrelle.’” DMA dissertation, University of Oregon, 1995. xiv, 152 p. Attempts to understand ‘L’Alouette Calandrelle’ by comprehending its structural details to perform the piece more artistically. Uses Messiaen’s ideas from the Technique as a backdrop from which to generate three large-scale analytical parameters of time, sonority, and pitch that are used to further a better understanding of the music. Pitch-class set theory not only is employed to analyze pitch and intervalclass content but, more importantly, reveals details of continuity, similarity, and variety on different structural levels that would be difficult to uncover otherwise.

739.

Thurlow, Jeremy. “Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux: A Musical Dumbshow?” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 119–44. Using the work of Carolyn Abbate as a starting point, this study considers Messiaen’s narrative approach in Catalogue d’oiseaux. It uses Italo Calvino’s 1973 novel (first part published in 1969), The Castle of Crossed Destinies, in order to comprehend how disjunctive programmatic elements achieve their meaning in Messiaen’s avian-based narratives. Calvino’s fantasy novel details the story of two

284

Studies of Particular Works

groups of people traveling through a forest, with one group spending the night in a castle, and the other in a tavern (which is not mentioned in this study). These characters suddenly cannot speak, and desirous of recounting the stories of their lives, use images on tarot cards to convey them. A narrator at each locale reconstructs each story by interpreting the images, but these reconstructions are likely to be at odds with the intentions of the mute storytellers. The study points out parallels between Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux and Calvino’s picture-stories, particularly how different successions of images can evoke different meanings, which strongly challenges our expectations of narrative. The study concludes that listening to Messiaen’s avian-inspired sonic portraits in the Catalogue is far more difficult than its prefaces imply, undermined, no doubt, by musical techniques operating on both the surface and at deeper levels of structure. A provocative essay that anyone interested in Messiaen’s music should read. La Fauvette des jardins 740.

Chadwick, Roderick. “La Fauvette des jardins and the ‘Spectral Attitude.’” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 33–49. Relying on the compositional aesthetics of Gérard Grisey as manifested in his article “Tempus ex Machina: A Composer’s Reflection on Musical Time” (1987), Chadwick attempts to single out the “more organic, ‘respirational’ processes” that actually drive this composition’s formal junctures. Using spectralism’s emphasis on “stretching time” and “merging musical parameters” as a starting point, Chadwick interprets how Messiaen suggests the temporality of the Garden Warbler’s day, and how he combines “sinusoidal forms” (Tristan Murail’s term for waves of sound) with an underlying neotonal structure (p. 34). Yet, he could have drawn a better picture of both La Fauvette des jardins and the compositional practice that generated it had he delved more deeply into Messiaen’s notions about musical time and natural resonance and contrasted them with those of his student Grisey. Still, an engaging read.

Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux 741.

Buchler, Michael H. “Relative Saturation of Subsets and Interval Cycles as a Means for Determining Set-Class Similarity.” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, University of Rochester, 1997. xxiii, 204 p. (vol. 1); 130 p. (vol. 2). In a dissertation that investigates the intervallic and cyclic contents of pitch-class sets and the number and types of subsets with which they are saturated, analyzes Le Merle Noir, the second piece from Messiaen’s Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux (1985), in chapter four. Since chords derived from symmetrical collections are common elements of Messiaen’s harmonic language, employs the “cyclic saturation similarity measure” (CSATSIM) defined in chapter two to compare pitch-class sets in Le Merle Noir. To facilitate the comparison of these sets, uses the “cyclic

Studies of Particular Works

285

saturation vector” (CSATV) weighting value of 1.2. Concludes that CSATSIM was “quite useful in interpreting the progression of set types in the A [mm. 1–4, 10–13, 20–23, and 31–36] and C [mm. 7–9, 17–19, 26–30, and 38–40] sections of [the] work [where bird calls were not represented],” but less useful in the B sections (mm. 5–6, 14–16, 24–25, 37) where bird calls were represented. 742.

Kopp, David. “Aspects of Compositional Organization and Stylistic Innovation in Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux.” In Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315), 51–76. In this essay, Kopp analyzes Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux from formal, textural, harmonic, motivic, and gestural perspectives. He focuses on a “descending pearled scale” that “serves as a paradigmatic occurrence of important harmonic materials” in the three Robin pieces (p. 57). The scale’s basic form consists of tritone-related pentatonic sets on G-flat and C. When viewed through the lens of transpositional combination, Kopp argues that this scale is an instance of the seventh mode of limited transposition beginning on D-flat, suggesting that a “significant amount of all of the Robin music . . . can be understood as being in one of the six transpositions of mode 7” (p. 57). Although this essay has undeniable merit when explaining pitch coherence in these pieces, its mode 7 hypothesis exhibits problems in relation to Messiaen’s broader harmonic practice. The composer frequently stated that his modes were not scales but harmonic colors, and his harmonic conception of mode 7 had little to do with tritone-related pentatonic sets.

VOCAL AND CHORAL WORKS Poèmes pour Mi 743.

Lee, Yun. “Symmetry and Symbolic Language in Olivier Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi: A Musical Reflection on Divine and Conjugal Love.” DMA dissertation, Boston University, 2009. xv, 210 p. This study uses symmetry as a means to interpret both the text and music of Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi in order to comprehend the composer’s views on marriage, as well as how the song cycle is organized at different levels of musical structure. The study tackles the text and music in two respective parts. In the first, chapter 1 details the religious and literary background of Poèmes, whereas chapter 2 undertakes a textual analysis of the song cycle, concentrating on how symmetrical perspectives cast light on faith’s relationship to conjugal love. In the second part devoted to the analysis of the music, chapter 3 provides the context for the study’s reading, linking its analytical approach to the Technique. Chapter 4 supplies structural analyses of each song in Poèmes, discussing each piece from both pitch and rhythmic perspectives.

744.

Lyman, Rebecca. “Olivier Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi for Voice and Piano: An Analysis of His Musical Language and Its Relationship to the Text.” DM document, Indiana University, 1995. iv, 93 p.

286

Studies of Particular Works

A performer’s analysis of Poèmes pour Mi. Relies on the Technique to describe the work’s musical language and compositional techniques. Focuses on how the modes of limited transposition are used in the piece, especially in relationship to the text. Also looks at the roles of added value and psalmody in the music. After an introductory chapter that includes an overview of Messiaen’s compositional style as reflected mainly by the Technique, analyzes the nine songs from Poèmes pour Mi individually in each of the following nine chapters. Discusses aspects of coherence and the form of the piece in the conclusion. 745.

Reeves, Janice E. Rogers. “Theological Symbolism in Olivier Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi: An Interpretive and Set[-]Theoretic Analysis.” DMA dissertation, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1997. xii, 140 p. One of the better performer’s discussions of a work by Messiaen. The study is divided into two parts: part 1 (pp. 12–43) is an analysis of the poetry, while part two (pp. 45–119) is a pitch-class set analysis of the music. In part 1, the author delves into the religious and romantic connotations of each poem. She bases her interpretation of Messiaen’s use of theological symbolism in Poèmes pour Mi on biblical passages and writings suggested by the composer’s poetry. In some of her analyses, the author stresses the linguistic development of French words and Messiaen’s symbolic employment of verbs and nouns. In part 2, the analysis of the music is presented in relation to the modes of limited transposition. The modes are examined from set-theoretic perspectives. They are analyzed as pitch-class sets and compared intervallically with similar sets, discussed in connection with their methods of incorporation in Poèmes pour Mi, and considered in relation to their consistency of usage. The author concludes that through its regular use of the modes, along with other pitch-class sets, Poèmes pour Mi resembles a medieval morality play in which the modes participate as hypothetical characters.

O sacrum convivium! 746.

Pack, Tim, “Searching for a Star: Melodic, Harmonic, and Rhythmic Structures in Olivier Messiaen’s ‘O sacrum convivium!’ (1937).” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 232–44. For a composer who put such a high importance on communicating his Catholic faith through his music, Messiaen wrote only one liturgical work, O sacrum convivium! He also considered the work as not exhibiting the qualities of his compositional craft. However, in this chapter, the author presents what he believes is convincing evidence that conventional views (those of Messiaen and others) that this piece is not characteristic of his work should be reconsidered. To achieve this goal, he sets out to prove the predominance of qualities characteristic of Messiaen’s work (e.g., sacred themes/number symbolism, pedal tones, intervallic augmentation, ostinato, metric flexibility, tritones, redirected harmonies, symmetry, modes of limited transposition, rhythmic added values, special chords,

Studies of Particular Works

287

and saving an added-sixth chord for the work’s end). In the final analysis, the author concludes that this piece is truly a microcosm of Messiaen’s musical language. Accordingly, as the author muses, surely it is worthy of at least one star from the composer, a practice found in the Technique where in a list of his works, Messiaen placed a star next to each composition that was characteristic of his musical style. Chants de Terre et de Ciel 747.

Freeland, Sally. “The Divine in Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel: Theological Symbolism and Suggestions for Practice and Performance.” DM document, Indiana University, 2012. vi, 66 p. This document concentrates on Chants de Terre et de Ciel with the idea of developing ideas regarding its performance. The author begins with an overview of Messiaen’s early years up to1938, both personal and musical, mentioning the rigorous nature of his compositional techniques, and that his music’s goal was theological in nature. Next is an overview of his song cycles, touching on the sometimes uncomfortable juxtaposition of his poetry that mixed marital and familial love with divine love, and that they were written with a particular voice in mind—that of Marcelle Bunlet. The most useful part of this study, however, is the detailed, practical look at the Chants de Terre et de Ciel, with comments that may also be applied to his other vocal works. The author provides an overview of each song’s poetry, form, level of diffi culty, and specific matters related to performing the work, for which she offers various practice strategies. The author concludes that, despite the inherent difficulties of Messiaen’s vocal works, they are worthy of study as they challenge voice students, leading to improvement in aural skills, even if they are never performed in concert.

Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine 748.

Gut, Serge. Le Groupe de Jeune France: Yves Baudrier, Daniel[-]Lesur, André Jolivet, Olivier Messiaen (item 831), 109–20. Includes a stylistic analysis of the complete Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine.

749.

Schellhorn, Matthew. “Les Noces and Trois petites Liturgies: An Assessment of Stravinsky’s Influence on Messiaen.” In Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (item 316), 39–61. Argues that Stravinsky’s Les noces strongly influenced the composition of Messiaen’s Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, and that Messiaen did not openly acknowledge this connection. Offers a detailed comparative study of the two works from different musical and extra-musical perspectives, pointing out

288

Studies of Particular Works

many traits the two pieces share. Although it overemphasizes Messiaen’s reluctance to admitting the influence of other composers on his compositional outlook, this engaging essay carves out a path for future stylistic studies, suggesting how we can approach the music of Stravinsky and Messiaen to foster a stronger sense of their work. 750.

Simeone, Nigel. “Messiaen and the Concerts de la Pléiade: ‘A Kind of Clandestine Revenge Against the Occupation.’” Music and Letters (November 2000): 551–69. ISSN: 0027–4224. Examines the genesis, rehearsal, performance, and reception of Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. See item 384.

Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort 751.

Anderson, Christine Lynn. “A Singer’s Examination of Olivier Messiaen’s Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort.” DMA thesis, University of Cincinnati, 1982. iii, 87 p. An examination of Harawi that attempts to make the work more accessible to singers. After providing introductory material about Messiaen’s life, religious views, musical language, as well as information on the music of the Incas and the Quechua language, the study considers the symbolic content, musical structure, and interpretative demands of each individual movement.

752.

Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl. “Messiaen’s Use of Peruvian Sources in His Harawi Song Cycle.” Michigan Academician 12/1 (Summer 1979): 47–59. ISSN: 0026–2005. Investigates Messiaen’s appropriation of Peruvian materials from Raoul and Marguérite d’Harcourt’s La musique des Incas et ses survivances in Harawi, along with their musical transformation by means of his compositional techniques (Raoul and Marguérite d’Harcourt, La musique des Incas et ses survivances, 2 vols. [Paris: Geuthner, 1925]). Explores the symbolism of the song cycle, especially its emphasis on love and death, claiming that the composer’s use of Peruvian sources was pivotal in giving these elements depth and substance.

753.

Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl. Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth. See item 308.

754.

Gut, Serge. Le Groupe de Jeune France: Yves Baudrier, Daniel[-]Lesur, André Jolivet, Olivier Messiaen. Includes a stylistic analysis of the first, fifth, and tenth songs from Harawi. See item 831, 94–102.

755.

Sholl, Robert. “Love, Mad Love and the ‘point sublime’: The Surrealist Poetics of Messiaen’s Harawi?” In Messiaen Studies (item 338), 34–62.

Studies of Particular Works

289

This article attempts to understand the volatile gestural language of Harawi through the poetics of surrealism. It regards this major piece as a paradox in that it is both non-religious in character (in a superficial sense) as well as a creative pinnacle in Messiaen’s compositional development, although it recalls features of many previous works. In formulating its reading of Harawi, the essay appeals to the writings of André Breton, along with those of Paul Éluard and Pierre Reverdy. 756.

von Osten, Sigune. “My Collaboration with Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod on Harawi.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 101–21. In this article, von Osten details her collaboration with the Messiaens in 1987 on the song cycle Harawi via cassette recordings she made—with the permission of the Messiaens—of three rehearsals and a subsequent concert with them that took place on 7 December 1987 in the Philharmonia, Bratislava, with Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen as piano accompanist. The article offers a picture of how Messiaen’s conception of the work had evolved over the years through his insistence that the singer project more colorful and varied vocal sounds to realize the piece’s evocative imagery. As a specialist in contemporary music and traveler to Peru, Mexico, India, and Bali, von Osten could realize this newer conception more effectively than a singer with a more traditional background. In response to a question about what Messiaen had in mind regarding an indication in the score of “Répétition planétaire” about singing in “a loud voice, . . . like a call in the forest,” he encouraged von Osten to mimic the wild jungle calls of Johnny Weissmuller in his cinematic portrayals of Tarzan (pp. 109–10).

Cinq Rechants 757.

Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl. Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth. See item 308.

758.

Edgerton, Robert A. “An Analysis for Performance of Messiaen’s Cinq Rechants.” DM document, Indiana University, 1973. iv, 251 p. A performer’s guide to Cinq Rechants. Places the work within the context of Messiaen’s œuvre. Analyzes the work’s text, form, texture, and structure before considering interpretative issues and rehearsal techniques associated with its performance.

759.

Gottwald, Clytus. “Fragment über Messiaen.” In Musik-Konzepte 28: Olivier Messiaen (item 329), 78–91. A two-part essay. The first part addresses characeristics of Messiaen’s musical style, particularly the style oiseau. Views the style oiseau as an aspect of musical realism that reveals the religious qualities of Messiaen’s music as specific phenomena, rather than as elements subordinate to religion. The second part of the essay deals with the first movement of Cinq Rechants.

290

760.

Studies of Particular Works

Prost, Christine. “Questions de rythme et d’interprétation: Le Printemps de Claude Le Jeune [et] Cinq Rechants d’Olivier Messiaen.” Analyse musicale 9 (October 1987): 33–42. ISSN: 0295–3722. Examines the use of rhythm, along with its concomitant problems of interpretation, in “Pedre le sens” from Le Printemps by Claude Le Jeune and the first, second, and third movements of Cinq Rechants by Messiaen to shed more light on their compositional aesthetics. Although it purports to compare works by Le Jeune and Messiaen, the article is more of a study of Cinq Rechants than anything else. Notes the melodic nature of Cinq Rechants and how it exhibits traces of plainchant, the songs of the troubadours (albas or dawn songs), Peruvian folksongs (Yaraví, songs of love and death), and isorhythmic motets. But these heterogeneous elements, according to the author, are unified by the modal color of the scales employed and an approach to rhythm derived from the free multiplication of a small base value. Considers various melodic-rhythmic figures used by Messiaen in the first movement as neumes. Also looks at that piece’s mode of pitches, durations, and intensities, and counterpoints based on Hindu rhythmic patterns. Concludes the study by comparing the rhythmic approaches of Le Jeune and Messiaen, emphasizing how they are related more by their conceptions of rhythm rather than by their treatments of it.

761.

Schlee, Thomas Daniel. “Die Cinq Rechants von Olivier Messiaen.” In Zum Verhältnis von zeitgenössischer Musik und zeitgenössischer Dichtung, ed. Otto Kolleritsch, 121–35. Studien zur Wertungsforschung, Band 20. Vienna: Universal Edition für Institut für Wertungsforschung, 1988. 208 p. ISBN: 3702401903. ML 55.S92 Bd. 20. This article consists of a general examination of Cinq Rechants followed by analyses of each movement. Regards Cinq Rechants as one of the classic works of contemporary choral literature and as occupying a key place in Messiaen’s œuvre. It features not only novel choral writing but also innovative relationships between text and music. Examines the invented language used in Cinq Rechants, especially how the text is related to rhythm and color. Describes the influence of Claude Le Jeune’s Printemps on the structuring of rhythm and form in Cinq Rechants. In the second part of the article, considers aspects of form, text, and compositional technique in each movement.

762.

Weller, Philip. “Messiaen, the Cinq Rechants and ‘Spiritual Violence.’” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 279–312. On the one hand, this lengthy and unfocused essay traverses a wide swath of territory, with an inadequate treatment of the notion of “spiritual violence” as related to the music of Cinq Rechants. On the other, it offers valuable information regarding the piece’s aesthetics, history, and overall structure and style. The essay contains three appendices, the third of which (“Messiaen’s ‘Appoggiatura Chords’”) is a weak discussion of the chord on the dominant/chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note, with no acknowledgment of the scholarly literature on the subject.

Studies of Particular Works

291

La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ 763.

Bruhn, Siglind. Messiaen’s Interpretations of Holiness and Trinity: Echoes of Medieval Theology in the Oratorio, Organ Meditations, and Opera. See item 304.

764.

Dingle, Christopher Philip. “Olivier Messiaen: La Transfiguration de NotreSeigneur, Jésus-Christ: A Provisional Study.” 2 vols. Master of Philosophy thesis, University of Sheffield, 1994. vi, 131 p. (vol. 1); 133 p. (vol. 2). Considers the musical and theological aspects of La Transfiguration de NotreSeigneur Jésus-Christ to obtain a better grasp of Messiaen’s compositional intentions for the work. Regards La Transfiguration as Messiaen’s preeminent religious work due to the control theological concerns have over musical ones, and a change of musical style, labeled as “Consolidatory Monumentalism.” To set the stage for an analysis of the composition’s fourteen movements, the thesis examines Messiaen’s work before composing La Transfiguration, the theological and musical structure of the piece, and the effect Vatican II reforms had on Messiaen. Theological issues related to “light,” “mystery,” and “transcendence” dominate the study’s discussion.

765.

Dingle, Christopher Philip. “La statue reste sur son piédestal: Messiaen’s La Transfiguration and Vatican II.” Tempo (April 2000): 8–11. ISSN: 0040–2982. Explores the impact the Vatican II reforms of the Roman Catholic Church had on Messiaen’s compositional style. Posits that although Messiaen must have found these reforms difficult to deal with because of his conservative religious beliefs, he reacted to them by composing La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, a musical statement that alludes, according to the author, to preVatican II thought and practice. La Transfiguration initiates, moreover, a process of “monumental consolidation” in which it serves as the first in a line of religious works in which both progressive and traditional elements are frequently juxtaposed.

766.

Mellers, Wilfrid. “La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ.” In The Messiaen Companion (item 323), 448–59. Outlines the musical structure and content of La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Views the work as a blend of Christian Passion music with Gospel narration and a celebratory oratorio. Notes the work’s “mosaic of Latin texts” intended by Messiaen to evoke the mystery of Christ’s Transfiguration, along with its large-scale structure, before proceeding to a movement-by-movement analysis. The article has some interesting things to say about the piece, but unfortunately fails to support its contentions.

767.

Michel, Alain. “La Transfiguration et la Beauté: d’Olivier Messiaen à Urs von Balthasar.” In La Recherche Artistique présente hommage à Olivier Messiaen (item 334), 86–89.

292

Studies of Particular Works

Perceptive study of the text of La Transfiguration and its religious symbolism. Included in the La Recherche Artistique program booklet at Messiaen’s request. Originally published in the Bulletin de l’Association Guillaume Budé (December 1974). 768.

Schweizer Klaus. “Materialdenken und Stilbildung bei Olivier Messiaen: Anmerkungen zu Satz VI des Oratoriums ‘La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ.’” Schweizer Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft/Annales suisses de musicology 8–9 (1988–89): 95–114. Views the movement as a complex whole in which individual strata, such as avian polyphony, harmonic counterpoint, and texted vocal lines, blend. The extraneous materials, such as bird calls, Gregorian chant, Indian rhythmic patterns, and musical citations are not only transformed but also absorbed completely into Messiaen’s musical language, acquiring new meaning as a result.

769.

Simeone, Nigel. “Towards ‘un succès absolument formidable’: The Birth of Messiaen’s La Transfiguration.” The Musical Times 145/1887 (Summer 2004): 5–24. ISSN: 0027–4666. Traces the genesis of Messiaen’s La Transfiguration through the correspondence between Messiaen and Maria Madalena de Azeredo Peridigão (1924–89), Director of the Music Department of the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal. A fascinating read containing materials previously unpublished (besides the correspondence and extracts from Messiaen’s diaries) that reveals the path which led to the final version of one of Messiaen’s most important compositions.

ELECTRONIC WORKS Timbres-durées (unpublished) 770.

Battier, Marc. “Messiaen and His Collaborative Musique Concrète Rhythmic Study.” In Olivier Messiaen: The Centenary Papers (item 314), 1–27. Discusses Messiaen’s Timbres-durées (1951–52) by briefly looking at how it came about, its premiere and later performances, and problems encountered in approaching its realization (questions as to whether a full score existed; determining the exact role of Pierre Henry in regard to it; the fact that musique concrète was in its infancy, etc.). The author, who cast a wide net in looking for primary source materials, then looks at the piece’s structure, including uses of several levels of permutation, personnages rythmiques, and the recording technique of “spatialisation.” Messiaen regarded the piece as just a “very modest rhythmic study” that centered on three (usually neglected) characteristics: timbre, duration, and accent. Pierre Schaeffer, head of the research group that spearheaded the musique concrète genre, felt that the piece was really a misunderstanding of musique concrète, and in reality, abstract music (its opposite). However, by his own definition of it (requiring the operations of taxonomy, sound processing,

Studies of Particular Works

293

and manipulation), the author maintains that it is indeed an example of that genre. 771.

Goléa, Antoine. “Tendances de la musique concrète.” La Revue musicale: Vers une musique expérimentale, no. 236 (1957): 36–44. ISSN: 0768–1593. In this examination of musique concrète in which its short history is interpreted as consisting of four trends (toward direct expression, abstraction, pure music, and the most important works which combine these trends), the author analyzes Messiaen’s composition for tape, Timbres-durées (see pp. 36–37, 39, 41–43). Notes how it is based on four rhythmic characters that are developed by means of twenty-four sequences. Considers the piece as exemplifying the trend toward abstraction in musique concrète. Includes a reproduction of Messiaen’s graphic score for the piece.

772.

Murray, Christopher Brent. “A History of ‘Timbres-durées’: Understanding Olivier Messiaen’s Role in Pierre Schaeffer’s Studio.” Revue de Musicologie T. 96, no. 1 (2010): 117–29. ISSN: 0035–1601. The author traces the history of Timbres-Durées, from its genesis, to performances and critical reception in Paris in May 1952, to further performances in Europe and the United States. Working in various archives, the author uncovers that Messiaen was favorably disposed to the work of Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry beginning in 1950. Although he was interested in working with the new tape technology espoused by Schaeffer, Messiaen chose instead to work with Henry in the musique concrète realm, continuing to develop the manipulation of rhythmic characters begun in the Livre d’orgue.

773.

Murray, Christopher Brent. “Olivier Messiaen’s Timbres-durées.” In Messiaen Perspectives 1 (item 315), 123–41. Considers a work that emerged from Messiaen’s foray into musique concrète in 1952. As part of his investigation, the author consulted a number of sources, such as Pierre Henry’s copies of the manuscript scores, which included Messiaen’s score in traditional notation, along with other materials of Henry related to Timbres-durées. He also refers to other archival materials from the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA), and the Pierre Schaeffer archives at the Institut Mémoires de l’Édition Contemporaine (IMEC). Although exhaustive and detailed, this laudable essay could have benefited from a stronger aesthetic connection to—and exploration of—Messiaen’s theological ideas about time and eternity, which are still relevant in such abstract pieces.

8 Accounts of Messiaen and His Work in Sources Devoted to Other Topics

This chapter includes accounts of Messiaen and his work in sources devoted to other topics, such as articles and essays in collections, books and textbooks, dissertations and other unpublished documents, and dictionary and encyclopedia articles. Some entries in this chapter are listed in abbreviated form, because they are also cross-listed in previous chapters. ARTICLES AND ESSAYS IN COLLECTIONS 774.

Almén, Byron and Robert S. Hatten. “Narrative Engagement with TwentiethCentury Music: Possibilities and Limits.” In Music and Narrative since 1900, ed. Michael L. Klein and Nicholas W. Reyland, 59–85. Musical Meaning & Interpretation, ed. Robert S. Hatten. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2013. xx, 422 p. ISBN: 9780253006448. ML3849 .M933 2012. This article considers the wide variety of approaches to the unfolding of time in the twentieth century. As part of its discussion, the article offers “three capsule analyses illustrating the robustness of a flexible approach to narrative interpretation” (p. 59), one of which involves Messiaen’s “La Résurrection du Christ” from the Livre du Saint Sacrement (pp., 79–80).

775.

Asplund, Christian. “A Body Without Organs: Three Approaches—Cage, Bach, and Messiaen.” Perspectives of New Music 35/2 (Summer 1997): 171–87. ISSN: 0031–6016. Asks the question, “What is the purpose of music?” For Cage, Bach, and Messiaen, it is to effect a spiritual communion between more than one entity. While

294

Accounts of Messiaen

295

Cage attempted to quiet the mind of a listener in order to make it more receptive to divine influence, and Bach strove to move the listener toward humility and penance through an emotional catharsis, Messiaen sought to provide the listener with a sensual glance of what lies beyond time and space. Most of the article focuses on Messiaen’s sense of what the purpose of music is, surveying his ideas on the glorified body, dazzlement, sound-color relationships, the perception of divine mysteries, sacred music, stained-glass windows and light, and joy and glory. 776.

Balmer, Yves and Christopher Murray. “Olivier Messiaen et la reconstruction de son parcours sous l’Occupation: Le vide de l’année 1941.” In La musique à Paris sous l’Occupation, ed. Myriam Chimènes and Yannick Simon, 149–60. Preface by Henry Rousso. Paris: Fayard, 2013. 254 p. ISBN: 9782213677217; 2213677212. ML270.8.P2 M785 2013. This article considers Messiaen’s activities in 1941 during the Occupation, concluding that he redacted his own personal account of events in order to cast himself in a more sympathetic political light (item 343).

777.

Bannister, Peter. “Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992).” In Twentieth-Century Organ Music, ed. Christopher S. Anderson, 171–93. Routledge Studies in Musical Genres, ed. R. Larry Todd. New York and London: Routledge, 2012. xvi, 349 p. ISBN: 9780415875653 (hardback); 9780415875660 (pbk.). ML607 .T84 2012. In this overview of Messiaen’s organ music, the author begins by looking at (1) the composer’s training, (2) the Cavaillé-Coll organ at La Trinité, and (3) his theological beliefs and how they might have influenced not only the composition of his organ music, but also his entire œuvre. The author then charts the development of Messiaen’s organ music, dividing this compositional output into three periods: (1) from Le Banquet céleste to Les Corps glorieux, the establishment of a style; (2) Messe de la Pentecôte and Livre d’orgue, the avant-garde; and (3) from Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace to the Livre du Saint Sacrement, a mature synthesis. As part of this discussion, the author examines the musical style of these works, as related to organ registration, tonality, modes, formal structure, texture, motivic variation, rhythm, and choice of texts, where applicable.

778.

Barraqué, Jean. “Rythme et développement.” Polyphonie IX (1954): 47–73. In an article focusing on contemporary rhythmic techniques, Barraqué considers the contributions of Messiaen by examining Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, Cinq Rechants, Messe de la Pentecôte, the Turangalîla-Symphonie, and Mode de valeurs et d’intensités (pp. 58–63). Referring to Messiaen as “the pure rhythmicist” (le rythmicien pur), Barraqué surveys the composer’s rhythmic techniques, noting his manipulation of rhythmic cells through the multiplication of a small base value, and use of variation procedures such as retrograde movement, nonretrogradable rhythms, added value, and exact and inexact augmentation and

296

Accounts of Messiaen

diminution. Barraqué also touches upon Hindu deçi-tâlas; Greek metric patterns; interversions, which for Barraqué arise from a serial dialectic; rhythmic characters; and the quasi-serialism evinced by Mode de valeurs et d’intensités. In his discussions of Machaut’s Messe de Notre-Dame and Stravinsky’s Danse Sacrale, Barraqué demonstrates his debt to Messiaen by analyzing these works in terms of rhythmic cells. 779.

Benitez, Vincent P. “Narrating Saint Francis’s Spiritual Journey: Referential Pitch Structures and Symbolic Images in Olivier Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise.” In Poznan Studies on Opera. Volume 4, Theories of Opera, ed. Maciej Jablonski, 363–411. Poznan, Poland: Publishing House of the Poznan Society for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences, 2004. 460 p. ISBN 837063401X. ML 1700 .1.T46 2004. An analysis of Saint Francis’s spiritual journey in terms of a tonal-color narrative. See item 573.

780.

Boivin, Jean. “Olivier Messiaen et le Québec: Une présence et une influence déterminante sur la création musicale de l’après-guerre.” Canadian University Music Review/Revue de musique des universités canadiennes 17/1 (1996): 72–97. ISSN: 0710–0353. Describes the influence of Messiaen as both composer and teacher on the thought and avant-garde music of prominent Québécois composers between 1945 and 1960. Many of these musicians attended Messiaen’s famous analysis class at the Paris Conservatoire. Some eventually became prominent teachers in Canada, contributing to the dissemination of Messiaen’s compositional ideas on pitch and rhythm. Among the composers discussed in this article are Françoise Aubut, Jocelyne Binet, Sylvio Lacharité, Serge Garant, Clermont Pépin, Roger Matton, and Gilles Tremblay. Contains a list of Messiaen’s best-known Canadian students.

781.

Boulez, Pierre. Relevés d’apprenti. Textes réunis et présentés par Paule Thévenin. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1966. 385 p. ML 60.B796 R4. This source contains remarks by Boulez on the importance of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques. In “Propositions” (pp. 65–74 [an article originally published in Polyphonie in 1948]), Boulez took issue with René Leibowitz’s criticism of Messiaen that one could not separate rhythm from polyphony. To refute that assertion, he took Messiaen’s teachings on rhythm as a point of departure for the essay. Boulez acknowledges Messiaen’s innovations in the field of rhythm (the separation of rhythm from pitch, added values, rhythmic canons, rhythmic pedals, the symmetrical or asymmetrical augmentation of rhythmic cells, and the distinction between retrogradable and nonretrogradable rhythms), stating that they are established principles that should be enriched. In response to Leibowitz’s contention, he concludes that rhythm must be integrated with polyphony in either a dependent or independent way. One could do that by using rhythmic canons, which could be either dependent or independent of contrapuntal ones.

Accounts of Messiaen

297

In “Stravinsky demeure” (pp. 75–145 [an article originally written in 1951 but first published in Musique russe in 1953]) where he analyzes The Rite of Spring in terms of the development of rhythmic cells, Boulez demonstrates a debt to Messiaen’s analysis of the same work as published in the second volume of the Traité de rythme (see item 119). Later in the book, Boulez reiterates the importance of Messiaen’s contributions to rhythm (pp.  174–75), as well as discusses how the notion of chromaticism is extended to other musical elements in Messiaen’s Mode de valeurs et d’intensités (p. 284). 782.

Boulez, Pierre. Stocktakings from an Apprenticeship. Collected and presented by Paule Thévenin. Translated from the French by Stephen Walsh, with an introduction by Robert Piencikowski. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. xxix, 316 p. ISBN 0193112108. ML 60.B796 R413 1991. The most recent English translation of Relevés d’apprenti. It not only helps the reader with Boulez’s literary allusions, but also identifies the sources of the musical examples that he uses from his works.

783.

Boulez, Pierre. “Pierre Boulez hielt Laudatio zum 70. Geburtstag von Olivier Messiaen.” Österreichische Musikzeitschrift 34/2 (February 1979): 93–96. ISSN: 0029–9316. A German translation of “La toute puissance de l’exemple” (“The Power of Example”) by Boulez, a speech given during a performance of Des canyons aux étoiles..., at the Paris Opéra on 10 December 1978 celebrating Messiaen’s seventieth birthday, as well as a review of other concerts in Paris honoring the composer in late November–early December 1978, by Thomas Daniel Schlee.

784.

Boulez, Pierre. Points de repère. Textes réunis et présentés par Jacques Nattiez. Deuxième edition revue et corrigée (1985). Paris: Christian Bourgois éditeur, 1981, 1985. 587 p. ISBN: 2267002760. ML 60.B796 P6 1985. Several essays on Messiaen (pp. 338–52, 566–71) in a collection of writings by Boulez. They include: “Vision et revolution” (“Vision and Revolution”), “Le temps de l’utopie” (“The Utopian Years”), “Une classe et ses chimères” (“A Class and Its Fantasies”), “Rétrospective” (“Retrospective”), and “La toute puissance de l’exemple” (“The Power of Example”). The texts are drawn from television and radio broadcasts devoted to Messiaen, the publication L’artiste musicien de Paris, and tributes on the occasions of Messiaen’s fiftieth (Domaine musical concert, 15 April 1959) and seventieth birthdays (concert featuring a performance of Des canyons aux étoiles..., Paris Opéra, 10 December 1978). The essays cover Boulez’s thoughts on Messiaen’s work as a teacher and composer, echoing, in the latter case, his previous writings on Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques.

785.

Boulez, Pierre. Orientations: Collected Writings by Pierre Boulez. Edited by JeanJacques Nattiez. Translated from the French by Martin Cooper (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1986). ISBN: 0674643755. ML 60.B796 P613 1986.

298

Accounts of Messiaen

English translation of Points de repère. Based on the second, revised French edition of 1985. The arrangement of the essays on Messiaen is different from that found in Points de repère; Cooper believed it better to group the two collections of essays found in the original into one for the translation. 786.

Demarquez, Suzanne. “Youth and Spirit Take Over in French Music.” Musical Courier (1 October 1948): 7. Survey of French music after Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Dukas, and Roussel that includes a discussion of Messiaen. Although acknowledging the varied nature of Messiaen’s musical language, notes the pivotal role religion plays in his approach to composition. Flowing from this compositional aesthetic are the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Visions de l’Amen, Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, and the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. Concludes by mentioning Messiaen’s influence as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. Interestingly, Yvonne Loriod is described at the end of the article as a gifted young composer whose work cannot be evaluated due to the small number of compositions performed.

787.

Dingle, Christopher. “Messiaen as Pianist: A Romantic in a Modernist World.” In Perspectives on the Performance of French Piano Music, ed. Scott McCarrey and Lesley A. Wright, 29–50. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. xxiv, 210 p. ISBN: 9781409400646. ML724 .P47 2014. See item 503.

788.

Fallon, Robert. “Composing Subjectivity: Maritain’s Poetic Knowledge in Stravinsky and Messiaen.” In Jacques Maritain and the Many Ways of Knowing, ed. Douglas A. Ollivant with an introduction by George Anastapio, 284–302. Washington, D.C.: American Maritain Association, 2002. xii, 330 p. Within a study of Maritain’s poetic knowledge where subjectivity is central to its expression, Fallon looks at Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur to show that “the relationship between poetic knowledge and subjectivity is closer than even Maritain asserted.” Like Stravinsky, Messiaen was influenced by Maritain in his compositional aesthetics. Unlike the Russian composer, Messiaen’s subjectivity was “firmly planted and his notion of truth clear.” In its Thomistic theme of truth, La Nativité du Seigneur is strongly indicative of Maritain’s influence and points to Messiaen’s view of himself as a French Catholic organist composing works that are sincere and genuine.

789.

Fano, Michel. “L’Experience pedagogique.” In Éclats/Boulez, ed. Claude Samuel with the collaboration of Jacqueline Muller, 6–7. Paris: Éditions du Centre Pompidou, 1986. 143 p. ISBN: 2858503427. ML 410.B773 S193. In this collection honoring Pierre Boulez on his sixtieth birthday and IRCAM (L’Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique) on its tenth anniversary, Michel Fano describes his time as a student in Messiaen’s analysis class in 1950 to point out Messiaen’s admiration for Boulez’s music. He recounts the time when Messiaen had Boulez come to his analysis class to analyze his Deuxième

Accounts of Messiaen

299

Sonate for piano (1948). Fano states that it took Boulez several meetings to discuss the work. Moreover, Fano notes how Boulez, in contrast to the deliberate and slow discourse of Messiaen, dissected the piece rapidly while simultaneously speaking and playing at the piano. Every observation and thought, Fano states, was at a high intellectual level. 790.

Goehr, Alexander. “The Messiaen Class.” In Finding the Key: Selected Writings of Alexander Goehr, ed. Derrick Puffett, 42–57. London: Faber and Faber, 1998. xiii, 321 p. ISBN: 0571193102. ML 410.G563 A3 1998 (IUCAT). A valuable source about Messiaen as a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire in the 1950s. See item 558.

791.

Goléa, Antoine. “Tendances de la musique concrète,” La Revue musicale: Vers une musique expérimentale. Includes a discussion of Timbres-durées. See item 771.

792.

Goléa, Antoine. “French Music since 1945.” Translated by Lucile H. Brockway. The Musical Quarterly 51/1 (January 1965): 22–37. ISSN: 0027–4631. A survey of French music since 1945. Regards the music of France as playing a pivotal role in the development of modern music since 1910. Considers Debussy, Messiaen, and Boulez as contributing the most to this revolution in musical language. Views Messiaen as building upon the work of Debussy in the areas of modal scales and rhythm. This prompted Messiaen to regard pitch and rhythm, along with other parameters like timbre, as independent of each other, which points the way to Boulez. Discusses the influence of Messiaen’s teaching at the Paris Conservatoire on a younger generation of composers. Also looks at Mode de valeurs et d’intensités and its impact on the post-war musical scene in Europe. After considering Boulez’s musical style, concludes the essay with an examination of the music of several different composers, including Gilbert Amy, JeanLouis Martinet, and Serge Nigg, all former pupils of Messiaen.

793.

Hill, Peter. “The Genesis of Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux.” In Perspectives on the Performance of French Piano Music, ed. Scott McCarrey and Lesley A. Wright, 53–75. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. xxiv, 210 p. ISBN: 9781409400646. ML724 .P47 2014. In this book chapter, Hill traces the origins of the Catalogue d’oiseaux. See item 734.

794.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Deutsches und französisches Musikdenken am Beispiel von Schönberg und Messiaen.” Archiv für Musikwissenschaft 55/1 (1998): 72–86. ISSN: 0003–9292. Compares and contrasts German and French musical thought by examining the musical aesthetics of Schoenberg and Messiaen. Concludes that rhythm and timbre are more important for Messiaen than Schoenberg, who preferred to emphasize harmony and the development of motives and themes in his serial techniques.

300

795.

Accounts of Messiaen

Hirsbrunner, Theo. “Die Rückkehr zur Magie in der Musik: Zur Konjunktion Varèse—Jolivet—Messiaen.” Dissonanz 79 (February 2003): 4–9. ISSN: 1422–7371. Investigates the influence of Varèse on Jolivet and Messiaen. Although Varèse’s works were not well received in Paris during the 1930s, Jolivet and Messiaen both expressed an interest in his music, with Jolivet even becoming a student of Varèse. Discusses Jolivet’s Mana in relation to Messiaen’s comments on the work. Finally, looks at the founding of La Jeune France.

796.

Hochreither, Karl. “Olivier Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur: Eine Einführung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der in diesem Werk angewandten kompositorischen Methoden.” In Festschrift für Michael Schneider zum 65. Geburtstag, 64–78. 100 p. Berlin: Merseburger, 1974. ISBN: 3875370821. ML 55.S365 1974. An examination of La Nativité du Seigneur. See item 658.

797.

Jolas, Betsy. “Milhaud, Messiaen: Maître et maître.” In Le Conservatoire de Paris: deux cents ans de pédagogie, 1795–1995, ed. Anne Bongrain and Alain Poirier, with the collaboration of Marie-Hélène Coudroy-Saghaï, 371–77. Paris: BuchetChastel, 1999. 444 p. ISBN: 2283017742. MT 3.P2 C35 (IUCAT). In this article, Jolas expresses her appreciation of the work of Milhaud and Messiaen as teachers at the Paris Conservatoire, with both of whom she studied. See item 561.

798.

Joubert, Muriel. “Liszt et Messiaen: Saint François et la parole des oiseaux.” Revue Musicale de Suisse Romande 62/3 (September 2009): 52–70. ISSN: 0035–3744. Compares Liszt’s Saint François d’Assise: La prédication aux oiseaux for solo piano (1863) with Messiaen’s “Le Prêche aux oiseaux” from Saint François d’Assise (1975–83). Looks at their respective literary sources, as well as treatments of birdsong and the musical approaches each composer devised to represent the extraordinary faculty possessed by the friar to preach the sermon to the birds, along with their reaction. Both composers use birdsong during the sermon not to contradict the legend’s story of the birds remaining motionless and silent, but to evoke their presence.

799.

Koozin, Timothy. “Spiritual-Temporal Imagery in Music of Olivier Messiaen and Toru Takemitsu.” Contemporary Music Review 7 (1993): 185–202. ISSN: 0749–4467. Koozin considers the philosophical and technical parallels between Messiaen’s and Toru Takemitsu’s (1930–96) handling of musical time. He notes that the works of both composers are metaphorical in nature and that these metaphors generate similarly functioning musical structures despite their origins in different cultural and spiritual traditions. Works analyzed in this study include Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, and Takemitsu’s Les yeux clos II (1988) and Quatrain II (1977), a piece influenced by Messiaen’s Quatuor both in musical expression and instrumentation.

Accounts of Messiaen

800.

301

Loranquin, Albert. “Messiaen et Claudel.” Le Bulletin des lettres 48/497 (15 June 1990): 209–13. ISSN: 0007–4489. An examination of the aesthetics and theologies of Messiaen and the poet Paul Claudel (1868–1955). Considers their similarities and differences.

801.

Maas, Sander van. “The Reception of Aquinas in the Music of Olivier Messiaen.” In Aquinas as Authority, ed. Paul van Geest, Harm Goris, and Carlo Leget, 317–31. A Collection of Studies Presented at the Second Conference of the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht, December 14–16, 2000. Leuven: Peeters, 2002. xviii, 338 p. ISBN: 9042910747. B 765.T54 T375 2000. A multi-part paper that examines the relationship between Saint Thomas Aquinas and Messiaen. Examines the general position of music in Aquinas’s theology before focusing on parallels between Aquinas and Messiaen as related to theologies of light, form, and concordance. Considers the religious symbolism of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité . Reflects on the questions and problems raised by Messiaen’s theological outlook.

802.

Matheson, Iain G. “The End of Time: A Biblical Theme in Messiaen’s Quatuor.” In Text as Pretext: Essays in Honour of Robert Davidson, ed. Robert P. Carroll, 200–14. Sheffield, England: JSOT Press, 1992. 307 p. ISBN: 1850752958. BS 1192.5.A1 T49 1992 (IUCAT). Asks if music can engage the Bible at a theological level beyond that of a verbal or narrative one. Suspects that such musical engagement may be impossible, and uses Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps as a means to examine that suspicion. While acknowledging Messiaen’s pictorial representation of Revelation 10:1–7, the Quatuor’s scriptural basis, in the titles of each movement, focuses instead on the composer’s view of the biblical text as a starting point for a musical work that considers time from theological perspectives. Examines the Quatuor from the standpoint of rhythm, noting the composer’s use of isorhythm and nonretrogradable rhythms. Concludes that the Quatuor is biblical in a more general way, not because of its textual association with the Book of Revelation, but because it shares the same concerns as the Bible, that is, time, space, eternity, transcendence, and meaning. However, while the Bible attempts to depict the “Word in words,” thus revealing it to be a secondary text, the Quatuor’s music, or, for that matter, any music relating to transcendent truths, can only depict itself, thus revealing it to be its own primary text and reality.

803.

Mawer, Deborah. “‘Dancing on the Edge of the Volcano’: French Music in the 1930s.” In French Music Since Berlioz, ed. Richard Langham Smith and Caroline Potter, 249–80. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2006. xxiii, 363 p. ISBN: 0754602826. ML270.4 .F74 2006.

302

Accounts of Messiaen

Within this survey of French music of the 1930s, discusses Messiaen’s Les Offrandes oubliées and Poèmes pour Mi. 804.

Nonken, Marilyn. “Messiaen to Murail, or, What Sound Becomes.” In Perspectives on the Performance of French Piano Music, ed. Scott McCarrey and Lesley A. Wright, 171–97. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. xxiv, 210 p. ISBN: 9781409400646. ML724 .P47 2014. Examines Comme un œil suspendu et poli par le songe... of Tristan Murail, a piano work he composed in 1967 in partial fulfillment of the requirements he was pursuing for entrance into the Paris Conservatoire, where he wanted to study with Messiaen. Includes a significant discussion about Messiaen as a composer and teacher, detailing his compositional aesthetics focusing on harmony and timbre as color, which suggested that there were musical possibilities out there other than traditional ones involving melody or counterpoint, or even modal, tonal, or atonal compositional techniques. Considers Messiaen’s influence on the young Murail, especially given Messiaen’s preoccupations with harmony, timbre, and natural resonance, and Murail’s interests in timbre and the structure of sound itself. Shows how Messiaen’s style is present in Comme un œil suspendu by noting how the piece references characteristic techniques for developing texture, harmony, and rhythm (pp. 182–86).

805.

Potter, Caroline. “French Music and the Second World War.” In French Music Since Berlioz, ed. Richard Langham Smith and Caroline Potter, 281–301. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2006. xxiii, 363 p. ISBN: 0754602826. ML270.4 .F74 2006. Looks at the state of French music during World War II. Within this narrative, talks about Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen, his appointment as professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire, and—in more depth—the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.

806.

Potter, Caroline. “French Musical Style and the Post-War Generation.” In French Music Since Berlioz, ed. Richard Langham Smith and Caroline Potter, 331–54. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2006. xxiii, 363 p. ISBN: 0754602826. ML270.4 .F74 2006. Considers post-war French composers and their compositions. In this context, examines Messiaen’s compositional style in connection with his use of plainchant, color chords, modality, birdsong, rhythm, and the use of texts.

807.

Schloesser, Stephen. “Fear, Sublimity, Transcendence: Notes for a History of Emotions in Olivier Messiaen.” History of European Ideas 40/6 (2014): 826–56. ISSN: 0191-6599 (print); 1873-541X (online). In this interdisciplinary journal devoted to the history of European ideas since the Renaissance, Stephen Schloesser—a self-professed intellectual historian— examines how the awe-inspiring dread and reverence encapsulated in the

Accounts of Messiaen

303

Judaeo-Christian notion of the “Fear of the Lord” (and evoked in nineteenth- and twentieth-century ideas regarding the sublime and numinous) is found throughout Messiaen’s music. Schloesser looks to the ideas of Catholic author Ernest Hello to comprehend Messiaen’s conception of this overwhelming awe of the divine. He analyses several works from the 1940s through 1970s to discern how the composer incorporates this type of fear into his music. Lastly, Schloesser considers Paul Festa’s film, Apparition of the Eternal Church (item 652), asking rhetorically if listeners can actually experience Messiaen’s “la crainte” (fear of the Lord) when listening to his music, or do they just come away with feeling “la peur” (simple fear). 808.

Schloesser, Stephen. “From Mystique to Théologique: Messiaen’s ‘ordre nouveau,’ 1935–1939.” In God's Mirror: Renewal and Engagement in French Catholic Intellectual Culture in the Mid-Twentieth Century, eds. Katherine Davies and Toby Garfitt, 129–61. New York: Fordham University Press, 2014. vi, 350 p. ISBN: 9780823262373. BX1530 .G53 2015. This collection of essays examines how French Catholicism moved from a closed, intellectually-driven theological approach to matters of faith (typified by neoscholasticism) in the late-nineteenth century to one that was more authentic, experiential, and ultimately holistic in nature. Through a “series of impressions or snapshots” of various creative artists, thinkers, and writers, God’s Mirror considers French Catholic intellectual culture of the 1930s and 1940s that influenced the Catholic renewal of the mid-twentieth century (p. 3). In “From Mystique to Théologique: Messiaen’s ‘ordre nouveau,’ 1935–1939,” Schloesser looks at the shift in Messiaen’s thinking from writing “mystical” to “theological” music, which can be said to have occurred circa 1935, between the completion of the Ascension suite and the beginning of La Nativité du Seigneur (p. 130). He contextualizes this turn within the framework of the nonconformist ordre nouveau, a third-way politics emphasizing spiritual rehabilitation that went beyond the ideologies of the Left and Right. For Schloesser, this move to the theological enabled Messiaen to maintain his “poetics of the marvelous,” linking him to the surrealists (p. 160). It likewise suggests a move from the vagueness of mysticism to the more tangible aspects of Catholic dogma, exemplified by the composer’s emphasis on the resurrection of Christ and its connotations for believers. Finally, Schloesser uses Dom Columba Marmion’s ideas about divine adoption (and to a lesser extent, predestination), and Saint Thomas Aquinas’s arguments about glorified bodies, to interpret the theological symbolism of La Nativité and Les Corps glorieux, respectively.

809.

Simeone, Nigel. “Music Publishing in Paris under the German Occupation.” Brio 38/1 (Spring/Summer 2001): 2–17. ISSN: 0007–0173. Summarizes the publishing output of serious music by fifteen important Parisian firms during the German Occupation of Paris from June 1940 until August 1944. Within that framework, considers the activities of Messiaen’s publishers Durand and Alphonse Leduc. In May 1942, Durand published the Quatuor pour la fin du

304

Accounts of Messiaen

Temps. It is rightly considered as the high point of Durand’s publishing record during the Occupation (see pp. 4–6). From 1942–44, Alphonse Leduc published three of Messiaen’s works (see p. 11), the organ cycle Les Corps glorieux, the Rondeau for solo piano, and both volumes of the Technique de mon langage musical. 810.

Simeone, Nigel. “An Exotic Tristan in Boston: The First Performance of Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie.” In King Arthur in Music. Volume 52, Arthurian Studies, ed. Richard Barber, 105–25. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2002. viii, 190 p. ISBN: 0859917673. ML 3849.K55 2002. Considers Messiaen’s commentaries on the Turangalîla-Symphonie, particularly the inspiration he drew from the Tristan myth, and the critical reception of the first performances of the work in Boston and New York, as well as early performances in Great Britain and France. Examines the connection between the mental health of Messiaen’s first wife Claire Delbos and the composer’s increasing attraction to the Tristan myth beginning in the early 1940s. The survey of generally indifferent responses to the Turangalîla-Symphonie in the American press encapsulates many criticisms of Messiaen’s music that appear throughout the literature.

811.

Simeone, Nigel. “Music at the 1937 Paris Exposition: The Science of Enchantment.” The Musical Times 143/1878 (Spring 2002): 9–17. ISSN: 0027–4666. Looks at the music performed during the 1937 Paris Exposition (“Exposition Internationale des Arts et des Techniques appliqués à la Vie Moderne”), particularly the series of “Fêtes de la lumiére,” which consisted of displays of illuminated fountains and fireworks along the banks of the Seine River, accompanied by newly commissioned musical works by the city of Paris. Includes an examination of Messiaen’s contribution, Fête des belles eaux, for six Ondes Martenot.

812.

Simeone, Nigel. “La Spirale and La Jeune France: Group Identities.” The Musical Times 143/1880 (Autumn 2002): 10–36. ISSN: 0027–4666. Documents the musical activities of La Spirale and La Jeune France, two groups whose memberships overlapped. Messiaen, along with André Jolivet and DanielLesur, was a member of both groups. According to Simeone, the common thread linking La Spirale and La Jeune France was the Schola Cantorum, where most members served as faculty members. Discusses Messiaen’s musical activities in relation to both groups, especially performances of various works, including the premiere of La Nativité du Seigneur.

813.

Simeone, Nigel. “Church and Organ Music.” In French Music Since Berlioz, ed. Richard Langham Smith and Caroline Potter, 161–96. Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2006. xxiii, 363 p. ISBN: 0754602826. ML270.4 .F74 2006. Discusses the celebrated tradition of French organists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and their influential compositions, of which Messiaen’s organ works are considered as the chief and most innovative contributions to

Accounts of Messiaen

305

the literature. Surveys the composer’s works for organ, highlighting important characteristics. 814.

Smalley, Roger. “Debussy and Messiaen.” The Musical Times 109/1500 (February 1968): 128–31. ISSN: 0027–4666. Part of a series of articles that attempts to understand Debussy through his influence on other composers. Begins by looking at the impact of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande on Messiaen, moving on to the older musician’s influence on Messiaen’s approaches to melody and harmony as articulated in the Technique de mon langage musical. Notes similarities between Debussy’s use of scales and Messiaen’s use of the modes of limited transposition. Observes further similarities in their use of formal processes and how extra-musical elements shape their music.

815.

Sprout, Leslie A. “Messiaen, Jolivet, and the Soldier-Composers of Wartime France.” The Musical Quarterly 87/2 (Summer 2004): 259–304. ISSN: 0027–4631. Examines Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time in relation to the music written by French soldier/composers to challenge long-held assumptions associated with the piece, especially the idea that the experience of Messiaen’s wartime captivity cannot be found in the work. Investigates the French public’s perception of the music of its soldier/composers and Messiaen’s Quartet, noting that their compositions, unlike the Quartet, received generally positive reviews by wartime critics. Also takes issue with Denise Tual’s claims, which are echoed by Nigel Simeone in a 2000 article on Messiaen (item 384), that there was a ban on contemporary French music during the German occupation, and that the programming of this music at the Concerts de la Pléiade was indicative of an artistic resistance movement. Includes two appendices, one containing translated excerpts from reviews of the Paris premiere of the Quartet on 24 June 1941 by Marcel Delannoy, Arthur Honegger, and Serge Moreux, and a translation of an account of the Quartet’s world premiere by a fellow prisoner named Marcel Haedrich (item 632). Highly recommended.

816.

Sprout, Leslie A. “The 1945 Stravinsky Debates: Nigg, Messiaen, and the Early Cold War in France.” The Journal of Musicology 26/1 (Winter 2009): 85–131. ISSN: 0277–9269; eISSN: 1533–8347. This article examines the critical role that Serge Nigg (Messiaen’s student) played in the protests against Stravinsky’s neoclassical music in 1945. It does not regard these protests as an embrace of serialism as promoted by René Leibowitz nor does it view the Stravinsky Festival of 1945 as a precursor to the L’Œuvre du XXe siècle festival of May 1952 (where Stravinsky conducted several of his own works) in terms of Cold War politics due to the State Department and CIA indirectly funding that event. Rather, the article claims that the 1945 protests against Stravinsky pointed to a desire on the part of young French composers to forge a new post-war musical path for their country. Nigg was emblematic of this aesthetic orientation, as well as the political hopes of young French people. He, like others his age, joined the French Communist Party (PCF) at the end of

306

Accounts of Messiaen

World  War II. But despite his political ideology, of which he was increasingly fervent, Nigg incorporated a French folk tune into his Piano Concerto of 1954, showing antipathy toward the tenets of social realism. Since he wanted no part of neoclassicism, or the French nationalism linked with the Vichy regime, the article claims that in early Cold War France, Nigg had to make choices between his compositional aesthetics and politics. The article also examines Messiaen’s role as Nigg’s teacher during this time, and in the Stravinsky debates. It also covers controversies that Messiaen encountered in connection with Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus and Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine (“Le Cas Messiaen”), and his relationship to Leibowitz. 817.

Sprout, Leslie A. The Musical Legacy of Wartime France. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2013. xxiii, 280 p. ISBN: 9780520275300 (cloth); 9780520955271 (ebook). ML270.5 .S67 2013. In this examination of French culture, music, and politics during the Nazi occupation of World War II, Sprout delves into the difficult realities of wartime France and the Vichy government’s post-war legacy through case studies involving four composers—Poulenc, Honegger, Messiaen, and Duruflé—and how they were received. She stresses that the reception history of Vichy-era music is not necessarily consonant with its actual history. In other words, postwar stories can create historical legends, and one has to distinguish between them and historical facts. Through the close scrutiny of musical scores, Sprout shows how the historical situations of the Occupation period shaped the music that was composed. Chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the book focus on Poulenc, Honegger, and Duruflé, respectively, whereas chapter 3 centers on Messiaen. In them, Sprout explores how these composers navigated the transition from wartime to post-war France through the choices that they made. Chapter 3 takes a good long look at the postwar narrative about the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, contrasting Messiaen’s piece with Jolivet’s Trois Complaintes du soldat to argue that the Book of Revelation inspired Messiaen to compose the Quatuor, not the ordeals he encountered as a prisoner of war. Finally, chapter 5 of the book visits Messiaen’s role as a teacher to the students (i.e., Boulez and Nigg) who protested against Stravinsky’s neoclassical music performed in Paris in May 1945.

818.

Stuckenschmidt, Hans Heinz. “Contemporary Techniques in Music.” The Musical Quarterly 49/1 (January 1963): 1–16. ISSN: 0027–4631. In a survey of contemporary styles and techniques from approximately 1900 to 1960, Stuckenschmidt examines the work of Messiaen (pp. 7–9, 10, 11, 13–14). He regards Messiaen’s musical techniques as a welcome contrast to the serial techniques of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. He hails Messiaen as the first composer to combine series of chords with series of rhythms in his Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, and views his modes of limited transposition as viable alternatives to twelve-tone rows. In a discussion about the application of serial techniques

Accounts of Messiaen

307

to musique concrète, Stuckenschmidt describes procedures found in Messiaen’s Timbres-durées. 819.

Toop, Richard. “Messiaen/Goeyvaerts, Fano/Stockhausen, Boulez.” Perspectives of New Music (Fall–Winter 1974): 141–69. ISSN: 0031–6016. Considers the development of European integral serialism by examining not only Messiaen’s Mode de valeurs et d’intensités (1949), Stockhausen’s Kreuzspiel (1951), and Boulez’s Structures I (1951–52), but also Sonatas for Two Pianos by Karel Goeyvaerts (1950–51) and Michel Fano (1951), respectively, which link, in the author’s estimation, Messiaen’s piece to those by Stockhausen and Boulez. Provides background information on, as well as a thoughtful analysis of, Mode de valeurs. Notes stylistic similarities that Mode de valeurs shares with the late Ars Antiqua motet (“the simultaneous presentation of three speeds in the three voices”) and the piece’s various permutational techniques, although note order is based ultimately on taste and expediency. For the author, the main achievement of Mode de valeurs is the combination of pointillism with a rhythmic dynamism.

BOOKS 820.

Aprahamian, Felix. Diaries and Selected Writings on Music. Edited by Lewis and Susan Foreman. Woodbridge, Suffolk UK: The Boydell Press, 2015. xviii, 422 p. ISBN: 9781783270132. ML423.A67 A25 2015. This volume of diary entries and other writings not only tells the story of Felix Aprahamian (1914–2005), the noted music critic and promoter, but also French music of his era. As a young organist, he corresponded with many of the leading French organists of that era (e.g., Duruflé, Marchal, Messiaen, and Tournemire), and met other distinguished musicians living in France (Delius and Widor). After World War II, he was a friend to many outstanding musicians, because of his involvement with the Concerts de Musique Française, and as an assistant to Sir Thomas Beecham. These diaries/writings document these events. Lastly, this book also offers various essays by Aprahamian.

821.

Austin, William W. Music in the Twentieth Century: From Debussy through Stravinsky. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1966. xx, 708 p. ML 197.A9. Discussion of Messiaen (pp. 390–95) in which he is viewed as the most important composer between Debussy and Boulez. However, takes him to task for his musical and emotional excesses, particularly with respect to his use of harmony, form, and programmatic elements. Examines the components of Messiaen’s musical language, attending to melody, harmony, rhythm, and birdsong, while tracing the development of the composer’s style.

822.

Blanc-Gatti, Charles. Des sons et des couleurs. Paris: Éd. d’art chromophonique, 1934. 78 p. OCLC: 462153812.

308

Accounts of Messiaen

By 1931, Messiaen had met the Swiss painter Charles Blanc-Gatti (1890–1965), who experienced synopsia, a type of colored-hearing synesthesia that enabled him to actually see colors and shapes when he listened to music. With the painter’s assistance, Messiaen established an early correlation between certain sounds and colors. Published in 1934, this book presents the painter’s poetics of synesthesia and may have actually influenced Messiaen as he was developing his sound-color aesthetic (see Vinay, item 449). 823.

Blanc-Gatti, Charles. Sons et couleurs, 2d ed. With a preface by Ivanhoé Rambosson. Paris: Victor Attinger, 1947. ML 3840.B62 1900Z. Contains a brief mention of Messiaen (p.  69). In Sons et couleurs, Blanc-Gatti notes that when he painted the sounds that he had heard while listening to Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur, the composer recognized and confirmed them as the colors that he had envisioned in his organ work. Most importantly, contains Blanc-Gatti’s ideas on color symbolism, which could have influenced Messiaen. In chapter 1, Résonance psychique des sons et des couleurs (pp. 9–13), he discusses the emotional responses generated by primary and secondary colors.

824.

Brindle, Reginald Smith. The New Music: The Avant-garde since 1945, 2d ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1987. 222 p. ISBN: 0193154714 (hdbk.), 0193154684 (pbk.). ML 197.B77 1987. Comments on Messiaen’s music and style within the context of avant-garde music since 1945. Describes the structural principles of Mode de valeurs et d’intensités and how they were carried further by Boulez in Structures Ia (pp. 23–33). Also looks at Messiaen’s fascination for proportion and number as expressed in the Technique de mon langage musical (pp.  47–48), and how Eastern music influenced him (pp. 134–35, 159).

825.

Bruhn, Siglind. Images and Ideas in Modern French Piano Music: The Extra-Musical Subtext in Piano Works by Ravel, Debussy, and Messiaen. Includes a discussion of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. See item 706.

826.

Cook, Nicholas. Analysing Musical Multimedia. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. xiv, 290 p. ISBN: 0198167377 (paperback). ML 3849.C66 2000 (IUCAT). In a study of the general principles of musical multimedia, Cook examines the colored-hearing synesthesia of Messiaen in relation to the idea that while synesthesia “provides some hints as to what multimedia is . . . , it supplies an illuminating model of what multimedia is not” (chapter 1: “Synaesthesia and Similarity,” pp.  29–33). Cook notes the multi-dimensional aspects of Messiaen’s music as seen through the coloristic descriptions he included in his compositions, and the suggestions he made in his interviews that the only true appreciation of his work arises when both hearing and vision are combined. Accordingly, Cook considers

Accounts of Messiaen

309

color as an essential element of Messiaen’s music. However, since Messiaen experienced only imaginary colors in his synesthesia, Cook concludes that his music cannot serve as a model for multimedia because it does not consist of the “perceived interaction of real sounds and real colours.” In short, synesthesia “may be an enabling condition for multimedia, but it is not a sufficient one.” 827.

Cross, Jonathan. The Stravinsky Legacy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. xii, 282 p. ISBN: 0521563658. ML 410.S932 C87 1998. Considers Stravinsky’s impact on Messiaen as a composer. In chapter 2 (“Block forms,” pp. 46–55), posits that “Stravinsky’s early works up to the Symphonies of Wind Instruments .  .  . influenced Messiaen most directly” with respect to formal procedures (p. 47). Includes discussions of Cantéyodjayâ, Couleurs de la Cité céleste, and Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Considers it likely that the Symphonies of Wind Instruments served as a model for Cantéyodjayâ. Regards Couleurs de la Cité céleste and Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum as Messiaen’s own “symphonies of wind instruments.” In chapter 3 (“Structural rhythms,” pp.  112–19), investigates the influence of Stravinsky’s rhythmic techniques, as exemplified especially in The Rite of Spring, on the composition of Chronochromie and the Turangalîla-Symphonie. Finally, examines Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum in relation to chapter four’s theme of “Ritual theatres” (pp. 149–51).

828.

Cytowic, Richard E. Synesthesia: A Union of the Senses. With a Foreword by Ayub K. Ommaya. Springer Series in Neuropsychology, ed. Harry A. Whitaker. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1989. xiv, 354 p. ISBN: 0387968075. QP 435.C97 1989. Consideration of Messiaen’s synesthetic perceptions (pp.  263–69) from a neurologist specializing in synesthesia. Although he was unable to examine Messiaen personally and therefore develop a medical perspective on the composer’s synesthesia, Cytowic concludes that Messiaen exemplifies the connections between synesthesia, art, and number that he argues for in his book. Most of Cytowic’s discussion of Messiaen’s synesthesia is drawn from the composer’s Technique de mon langage musical, 1967 conversations with Claude Samuel, and liner notes from a 1977 recording of Des canyons aux étoiles... on the Erato label.

829.

Deleuze, Gilles and Félix Guattari. A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. Translation and foreword by Brian Massumi. Minneapolis and London: University of Minneapolis Press, 1987. xix, 610 p. ISBN: 0816614016 (hdbk.); 0816614024 (pbk.). B77 .D413 1987. In their book A Thousand Plateaus, philosopher Gilles Deleuze and psychoanalyst Félix Guattari focus on a metaphysics of continuity, rather than one centering on discontinuity. They emphasize the tendency of an assemblage (i.e., an answer to what is a thing) toward change, generating new concepts as a result. Put another way, they desire to replace our traditional way of thinking that

310

Accounts of Messiaen

emphasizes stabilities arising from the ground of a process, with a non-traditional one that focuses on the product of such a process. Deleuze and Guattari contend that Messiaen’s mimetic representations of birdsong and rhythmic techniques suggest how music can relate to the world. His practice of deterritorializing the territorial vocalizations of birds drastically alters both the birdsong and instruments in question through their combination and the birdsong’s musical structuring. Messiaen’s compositional style can be said to have also changed because of its association with birdsong, characterized by Deleuze and Guattari as “becoming-bird.” The composer’s rhythmic techniques suggest ways of exploring nonlinear time through different durational series evoking the subatomic and sidereal through multiple speeds. When sounding, Messiaen’s chromatic durations coalesce, oscillating between the extremely long and short, evoking the long durations of stars and mountains, and the short durations of atoms and insects, respectively. All of this indicates the presence of the musical in nature. 830.

Griffiths, Paul. Modern Music and After. 3d ed. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. xvii, 456 p. ISBN: 9780199740505 (pbk.), 019974050X (pbk.). ML197 .G76 2010. Looks at the total serialism of Mode de valeurs et d’intensités and its influence on younger European composers, as well as the permutational techniques used in Île de feu II (pp. 34–41). And as part of a discussion dealing with responses to the avant-garde by established composers, examines Réveil des oiseaux, Oiseaux exotiques, Catalogue d’oiseaux, Chronochromie, Sept Haïkaï, and Couleurs de la Cité céleste (pp. 132–39).

831.

Gut, Serge. Le Groupe de Jeune France: Yves Baudrier, Daniel[-]Lesur, André Jolivet, Olivier Messiaen. Paris: Honoré Champion, 1977. 158 p. ISBN: 2852030306. ML 390.G98. Within an examination of La Jeune France, discusses Messiaen and his music (see pp.  75–120). Surveys his life; provides an overview of his works; looks at his compositional techniques; and considers his aesthetics with respect to his ideas on faith, sound-color relationships, rhythm, ornithology, and the magical. Analyzes the first, fifth, and tenth songs of Harawi; the Messe de la Pentecôte; and the Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine. Closes the chapter with some general considerations of Messiaen’s œuvre. Includes a list of works through 1974 (pp. 135–37).

832.

Harrison, Daniel. Pieces of Tradition: An Analysis of Contemporary Tonal Music. Oxford Studies in Music Theory, ed. Richard Cohn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. 198 p. ISBN: 9780190244460, 9780199303465. MT90 .H39 2016. This book argues that tonality did not disappear ca. 1910, but supplemented newer techniques, resulting in its continued presence as a “fresh and artistically

Accounts of Messiaen

311

compelling means of musical organization” (p.  2). Within this contemporary tonal framework, analyzes “Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus” from the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (pp. 63–68). 833.

Hirsbrunner, Theo. Die Musik in Frankreich im 20. Jahrhundert. Laaber: LaaberVerlag, 1995. 287 p. ISBN: 389007197X. ML 270.5.H57 1995. In a book devoted to French music of the twentieth century, Hirsbrunner examines Messiaen’s musical contributions. In chapter 3 (“1929–45,” pp. 147–70), he considers Messiaen’s early life and formative influences, the Préludes for piano, his relationship with Jolivet in the 1930s, and Harawi. In chapter 4 (“1945–65,” pp. 171–220), Hirsbrunner addresses Messiaen’s connection to serialism by discussing the quasi-serial manipulation of different musical parameters in Cantéyodjayâ, Mode de valeurs et d’intensités, and La Chouette Hulotte, where fixed sound-durations are employed freely in musical passages. He compares Messiaen’s modal approach with compositional techniques used by Boulez, especially in Structures Ia. Later in the chapter, Hirsbrunner explores the Messiaen/Boulez relationship in more detail (pp. 193–203).

834.

Hodeir, André. La Musique depuis Debussy. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1961. 222 p. ML 390.H65 (IUCAT). In chapter 6, “Olivier Messiaen” (pp.  81–105), Hodeir surveys Messiaen’s life, works, and musical style through the late 1950s. He examines the composer’s approach to rhythm by considering elements that reflect its ametrical nature, such as rhythms derived from Hindu deçi-tâlas and primary numbers, unconventional approaches to augmentation and diminution, added values, nonretrogradable rhythms, rhythmic pedalpoints and canons, and rhythmic characters. Hodeir also examines Messiaen’s approach to pitch by looking at the modes of limited transposition. Since he believes that form is the most basic component of music, Hodeir is critical of Messiaen’s approach to form, which he believes is his ultimate failure as a composer. Despite his rhythms and modes, Hodeir characterizes Messiaen’s music as resting upon “povertystricken, outmoded structures” that in the end evoke a “sense of monotony and inertia.”

835.

Hodeir, André. Since Debussy: A View of Contemporary Music. Translated by Noel Burch. Da Capo Press Music Reprint Series. New York: Da Capo Press, 1975. 256 p. ISBN: 0306706628. ML 197.H63 1975 (IUCAT). English translation of item 834.

836.

Honegger, Arthur. Incantation aux fossiles. Lausanne: Éditions d’Ouchy, 1948. 220 p. ML 60.H78. In this collection of critical essays there is a discussion of Messiaen’s work from the 1940s (pp. 95–100). Honegger considers Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, compositional aesthetics, and musical language. He also conveys his admiration for Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen.

312

837.

Accounts of Messiaen

Honegger, Arthur. Je suis compositeur. Paris: Éditions du Conquistador, 1951. 188 p. ML 410.H79 A3. In his 1951 autobiography, Honegger mentions Messiaen several times (pp. 58–59, 69–70, 111–12, 168–72). Messiaen’s name especially comes up when Honegger discusses questions of compositional craft. While advocating that composers should strive for a more rational method of notation, free of difficulties that would interfere with the reading of their music, he characterizes Messiaen’s manner of notation as complicated. Moreover, Messiaen has never been able to explain to him the reasons behind his procedures. Honegger also states that the extra-musical aspects Messiaen associates with his work are reflected in his writing. In discussing the present and future of music, Honegger expresses his admiration for Messiaen, who is certainly ahead of his generation. Although he mentions several works of Messiaen from the 1940s that he likes, and talks about the Technique de mon langage musical and aspects of Messiaen’s musical language, he remains skeptical of Messiaen’s rhythmic techniques, which are only important on paper and not perceived by listeners.

838.

Jameux, Dominique. Pierre Boulez. Paris: Fayard Fondation SACEM, 1984. 492 p. ISBN: 2213010773. ML 410.B773 J3 1984. In this biography of Boulez, includes discussions of his relationship with Messiaen as a student (pp.  24–29), the influence of Messiaen’s Mode de valeurs et d’intensités on the writing of Structures 1a (pp.  69–71), Messiaen’s support of and participation in the concerts of the Domaine musical (pp. 86, 90), and the hints of Messiaen’s compositional influence in his Piano Sonatas (pp. 295, 314, 373–76) and Pli selon pli (p. 382).

839.

Jameux, Dominique. Pierre Boulez. Translated by Susan Bradshaw. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1991. xiii, 422 p. ISBN: 0674667409. ML 410. B773 J313 1990. English translation of item 838.

840.

Jaquet-Langlais, Marie-Louise. Jean Langlais (1907–1991): Ombre et Lumière. Paris: Éditions Combre, 1995. Given Messiaen’s close relationship with Langlais ever since the two met as students in Dupré’s organ class at the Paris Conservatoire in 1927, there are extensive references to Messiaen in this volume. Included in this book is Messiaen’s analysis of Langlais’s Messe Solennelle (1949) reproduced in his own handwriting on p. 163 (item 111).

841.

Jolivet, Hilda. Avec André Jolivet. With a preface by Maurice Schumann. Paris: Flammarion, 1978. 302 p. ISBN: 2080640615. ML 410.J69 J6. A biography of André Jolivet by his widow Hilda that includes references to Messiaen. Quotes part of Messiaen’s preface to Mana (pp. 126–29) and notes his admiration for Jolivet’s Danse Incantatoire (p. 137).

Accounts of Messiaen

842.

313

Kramer, Jonathan D. The Time of Music: New Meanings, New Temporalities, New Listening Strategies. New York: Schirmer Books, 1988. xviii, 493 p. ISBN: 0028725905. ML 3850.K72 1988. Presents an overview of moment form in the music of Messiaen in order to show how the composer gradually embraced moment time (pp. 213–17). Believes that Messiaen’s music links early Stravinsky with the Stockhausen circle.

843.

Labounsky, Ann. Jean Langlais: The Man and His Music. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 2000. 392 p. ISBN: 1574670549. ML410.L2487 L33 2000. Discussions of Messiaen in relation to the life and music of his longtime friend, the composer-organist, Jean Langlais.

844.

Lester, Joel. Analytical Approaches to Twentieth-Century Music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1989. x, 303 p. ISBN: 0393957624. MT 6.L365 A5 1989. Uses movements from Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps to illustrate diverse facets of post-tonal theory (chapters 2–16 passim). Includes a discussion of Messiaen’s serial techniques involving non-twelve-tone series and rhythm (pp. 263–66).

845.

Marchal, Béatrice. Les Chants du silence: Olivier Messiaen, fils de Cécile Sauvage ou la musique face à l’impossible parole. Preface by Claude Samuel, afterword by Jean-Michel Bardez. Collection Musique/pédagogie. Sampzon: Delatour, France, 2008. 123 p. ISBN: 9782752100672 (paperback); 2752100671 (paperback). ML410.M58 M32 2008 [Cornell University]. In this tome, literary scholar Béatrice Marchal shows how Cécile Sauvage used her writings to cope with a very unhappy marriage to Pierre Messiaen and an adulterous affair with writer Jean de Gourmont. This affair had extremely detrimental effects on Sauvage’s mental psyche, leading to recurrent episodes of severe depression, rendering her incapacitated, unable to take care of her two sons, Olivier and Alain. Although he may have long suspected, Messiaen discovered the truth about his mother’s affair in 1972 when he inherited—from his aunt Germaine Sauvage after her death—manuscripts in prose and verse in a black binder mentioning the passionate liason (p. 105). Very valuable resource for insights into Messiaen’s life as a child.

846.

Messiaen, Pierre. Images. Paris-Bruges[?]: Desclée, de Brouwer, 1944. 346 p. PQ2625.E536 I5. Autobiographical memoir of Messiaen’s father, Pierre. Valuable from a historical perspective in relation to Messiaen’s life, although he is only mentioned occasionally in the book’s pages. On page 153, Pierre speaks of Olivier’s gift for music, where he seemed to decipher anything that fell under his hands at the piano, and that he sang the parts of entire opera scores. He also recalls taking his two sons, Olivier and Alain, out in order to visit the houses of friends and nearby churches, where the boys exhibited a veritable passion for religious ceremonies and music. Pages 339–41

314

Accounts of Messiaen

offer information about Olivier’s experiences as a prisoner-of-war (as recounted by him) in Silesia, and a description of occupied Paris, shortly after his repatriation back to France in 1941. Images features a chapter on Cécile Sauvage (pp. 115–57), Pierre’s wife and Olivier’s mother, although one must assume that this account is certainly colored by Pierre’s perspective, given that in September 1927, a few weeks after Cécile’s death, he discovered that she had an affair with Jean de Gourmont. 847.

Morgan, Robert P. Twentieth-Century Music: A History of Musical Style in Modern Europe and America. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991. xvii, 554 p. ISBN: 039395272X. ML 197.M675 1990. Examines Messiaen’s musical style in the context of the serial revolution in France (pp. 335–40). Notes Messiaen’s systematic approach to composition, as demonstrated in his separation of musical parameters and rigorous discussion of each in the Technique de mon langage musical. Also discusses Messiaen’s borrowing of preexistent musical materials and his transformation of them, and abstract precompositional designs.

848.

Murray, Michael. Marcel Dupré: The Work of a Master Organist. With a foreword by Jacques Barzun. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1985. xxv, 259 p. ISBN: 0930350650 (hdbk.); 0930350669 (pbk.). ML 416.D83 M9 1985. In his book on Marcel Dupré, Murray includes references to Messiaen, one of Dupré’s most brilliant students. He cites passages from Messiaen’s homage to Dupré written in Le Courrier Musical de France (item 103) shortly after Dupré’s death in 1971 (pp. 4, 222), the influence of Dupré’s Symphonie-Passion for organ on Messiaen’s musical idiom (p. 81), and Dupré’s demonstrated regard for Messiaen and his music (p. 195).

849.

Murray, Michael. French Masters of the Organ: Saint-Saens, Franck, Widor, Vierne, Dupré, Langlais, Messiaen. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. 245 p. ISBN: 0300072910. ML 396.M87 1998. In his essay on Messiaen (pp. 180–205), Murray examines the roles rhythm and time, harmony and color, and registration and timbre play in Messiaen’s organ music. He begins by looking at Messiaen’s early musical influences, such as the poetical intuitions of his mother Cécile Sauvage, the mountainous landscapes of the Dauphiné region in France, the plays of Shakespeare, and musical dramas by Gluck, Mozart, Berlioz, and Debussy. After mentioning the composer’s student years at the Paris Conservatoire, Murray proceeds to the focus of his essay, a consideration of Messiaen’s musical style and its relationship to his organ music, from Le Banquet céleste to Livre du Saint Sacrement. Murray concludes his essay (and the book) by viewing Messiaen as the culmination of the French romantic organ tradition that began “with the young Cavaillé-Coll’s journey to Paris” (p. 203).

850.

Myers, Rollo H. Modern French Music: From Fauré to Boulez. New York: Praeger, 1971. Reprint, New York: Da Capo Press, 1984. 210 p. ISBN: 0306761580. ML 270.5.M9 1984.

Accounts of Messiaen

315

In chapter 9 titled “Messiaen, Boulez and After” (pp. 152–78), Myers places the music of Messiaen and Boulez within the context of post-war music in France, noting their roles as trendsetters during this time. Myers surveys Messiaen’s life and works through La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1965–69). While acknowledging Messiaen’s influence on a generation of musicians as both a pedagogue and composer, as well as noting the uniqueness of Messiaen’s attempts to express his Roman Catholic faith in an age of unbelief, Myers takes issue with what he sees as the incongruity between Messiaen’s complex musical language and banal musical ideas. For Myers, Messiaen’s descriptions about his musical goals not only border on excessive emotion but also hinder an objective evaluation of his music. 851.

Pickstock, Catherine. “Messiaen and Deleuze: The Musico-theological Critique of Modernism and Postmodernism.” Theory, Culture & Society 25/7–8 (2008): 173–99. ISSN: 0263–2764. This article explores an anomaly (in its view) of modern music. Since music is linked with religion more than any other art form or cultural tendency, one must view musical composition and theory as a leading mode of philosophical contemplation, since it includes means that allow it to evaluate today’s central intellectual tendencies. Although not free from the influences of the avantgarde, religion, according to this analysis, transcends the secular. To advance its arguments, this article appropriates the Catholicism and musical legacy of Messiaen, who has most directly shaped philosophical comprehension. In four sections it calls “movements,” the article examines the connection between music and modernity, outlines Messiaen’s musical and religious modernism, critiques Deleuze’s appropriation of the composer’s ideas in A Thousand Plateaus, and assesses Messiaen’s theological critique of musical modernisms. The article views musical modernism as a secular movement, one “seeking to discover an immanent musical cult which will substitute for formal religion” (p. 176). After Wagner, modernism emphasized sacrifice, the primitive essence of religion. And in connection with the immanent mystery of time, it embraced—as a whole—the temporal philosophies of Henri Bergson. Accordingly, in relation to sacrifice and tempo, music is the most fundamental of all modernist art. As for Messiaen, he regarded certain modernist techniques as ideal—after being modified, however—for expressing his theological ideas through music. While other composers strived toward “pure heterogeneity”—stemming from a Stravinskyian aesthetic of rhythm involving non-identical repetition, Messiaen took a different course by mediating this heterogeneity through regular fixed patterns, involving identical repetitions of a sort. The article concludes that although as a composer Messiaen tilts toward a postmodern characterization, it is better to describe him instead as a typical Thomistic modernist, favoring the expression of a “permanent natural order via a reflection of eternity rather . . . [than] history in a narrative idiom” (p. 194).

316

852.

Accounts of Messiaen

Pickstock, Catherine. “Quasi Una Sonata: Modernism, Postmodernism, Religion, and Music.” In Resonant Witness: Conversations between Music and Theology, ed. Jeremy S. Begbie and Steven R. Guthrie, 190–211. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2011. viii, 497 p. ISBN: 9780802862778 (pbk.); 0802862772 (pbk.). ML3921 .R47 (IUCAT). Largely based on the author’s article, “Messiaen and Deleuze: The Musico-theological Critique of Modernism and Postmodernism” (item 851). Omitted in this essay is the section on Deleuze.

853.

Pozzi, Raffaele. “‘Le rythme chez Mozart’: Alcune osservazioni analitiche di Olivier Messiaen sull’accentuazione ritmica in Mozart.” In Bericht über den Internationalen Mozart-Kongreß Salzburg 1991, ed. Rudolph Angermüller, Dietrich Berke, Ulrike Hofmann, and Wolfgang Rehm, 613–24. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1992. ISSN: 0077–1805. An examination of Messiaen’s views on melodic accentuation in the music of Mozart. Compares Messiaen’s readings of passages from Mozart’s works with those by Grosvenor Cooper and Leonard B. Meyer in The Rhythmic Structure of Music (Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1960), Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff in A Generative Theory of Tonal Music (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1983), and Jonathan D. Kramer in The Time of Music (item 842).

854.

Rostand, Claude. La Musique française contemporaine. 4th ed. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1971. 126 p. ML 270.5.R7 1971. Discussion of Messiaen in chapter 4, “Le Groupe de La Jeune France” (pp. 52–72). Mentions “Le Cas Messiaen,” and then critiques his compositional aesthetics and musical language (pp. 56–66). Looks at music through Oiseaux exotiques.

855.

Rostand, Claude. La Musique française contemporaine. Translated as French Music Today by Henry Marx. New York: Merlin Press, 1955. 147 p. ML 270.5.R713. English translation of item 854.

856.

Roy, Jean. Présences contemporaines Musique française. Paris: Nouvelles Éditions Debresse, 1962. 488 p. ML 390.R89. General “life and works” overview of Messiaen through 1960 (pp. 361–84). Also contains a selected bibliography, biographical chronology, listing of works by genre, and a selected discography.

857.

Shuster-Fournier, Carolyn. Un siècle de vie musicale à l’église de la Trinité à Paris: de Théodore Salomé à Olivier Messiaen. Préface de Michel Chapuis. Paris: Harmattan, 2014. 221 p. ISBN: 9782343034850 (pbk.); 2343034850 (pbk.). ML396 .S49 2014. Shuster-Fournier writes about the history of La Trinité, its musical instruments, and the many significant musicians (including Messiaen) associated with the

Accounts of Messiaen

317

church since the mid-1850s. In its appendices, the book features a wealth of valuable information, such as organ stop lists, and indicative repertoire lists of choral, organ, and other instrumental music linked with the Trinité musicians. Particularly interesting is the information provided about Messiaen, such as the lists connected with his liturgical organ repertoire (which includes numerous pieces by Bach), music for organ and violin (played with Claire Delbos), his own works (when they were played [Sundays of the Church year and date]), and texts that inspired his symphonic organ improvisations (pp. 171–76). 858.

Simeone, Nigel. Paris: A Musical Gazetteer. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000. ix, 299 p. ISBN: 0300080530 (hardback), 0300080549 (pbk.). ML 21.F7 S56 2000. Provides valuable information on Messiaen, such as: his residences (65 rue Rambuteau, 77 rue des Plantes, 13 villa du Danube, 230 rue Marcadet, pp. 97–99); institutions where he worked (La Trinité, pp. 170–71, Conservatoire de Musique, pp. 214–17, École Normale de Musique, p. 218, Schola Cantorum, pp. 222–23); and publishers (Durand, pp. 228–29, Leduc, p. 231).

859.

Sims, Bryan R. Music of the Twentieth Century: Style and Structure. New York: Schirmer Books, 1986. xiv, 450 p. ISBN: 0028725808. MT 6.S534 M9 1986. Survey of Messiaen’s life, works, and musical style (pp. 403–9). While acknowledging that the sources of his music are eclectic, maintains that their use is determined by his Catholic faith and ideas about human love and nature. Considers Messiaen’s approaches to rhythm, harmony, and melody. As a work that exemplifies his musical style, looks at Couleurs de la Cité céleste. Also includes separate discussions of the modes of limited transposition in the context of symmetric sets (pp. 37–38), Mode de valeurs et d’intensités in relation to post-war European serialism (pp. 86, 345), and Messiaen’s rhythmic language in relation to twentieth-century approaches to rhythm and meter (pp. 107–8).

860.

Strinz, Werner. Variations sur l’inquiétude rythmique: Untersuchungen zur morphologischen und satztechnischen Funktion des Rhythhmus bei Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez und Jean Barraqué, 2 vols. Europäische Hochschulschriften, Reihe 36, Musikwissenschaft, Band 223. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2003. ISBN: 3631396260. MT 90.S77 (IUCAT). Devotes two chapters to an examination of rhythm in the music of Messiaen. In chapter 2 (pp. 19–66), looks at Messiaen’s ideas about ametrical music (where a small base value is freely multiplied), arsis and thesis, melodic accentuation (derived from Vincent d’Indy), and the expansion of nonharmonic tones and their incorporation into his music. Surveys Messiaen’s rhythmic styles, considering the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps as the key to understanding his conception of rhythm. Investigates Messiaen’s use of rhythmic cells, durational rows, chromatic durations, and rhythm in relation to the complete work. In chapter 6 (pp. 173–96), focuses on Messiaen’s works from 1949–51, analyzing “Mode de valeurs et d’intensités,” the first movement (“Entrée [Les langues de feu]”) from

318

Accounts of Messiaen

the Messe de la Pentecôte, and the second (“Pièce en trio [I]”), fifth (“Pièce en trio [II]”), and seventh movements (“Soixante-Quatre durées”) from the Livre d’orgue. 861.

Taruskin, Richard. The Oxford History of Western Music. 6 vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN: 0195169794. ML 160.T18 2005 v. 1–6. Two discussions of Messiaen in volumes 4 and 5 that cover early- and latetwentieth-century music, respectively. The first one (volume 4, pp.  229–42) examines his musical style as seen through La Nativité du Seigneur, Les Corps glorieux, Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Technique de mon langage musical, and the Turangalîla-Symphonie. States incorrectly that Messiaen used the first and second modes of limited transposition (whole-tone and octatonic scales, respectively) more frequently than any other modes in his music (“the ones most frequently used by far, even by him [Messiaen]”). On the contrary, that honor goes to modes two and three. Since Messiaen believed that Debussy and Dukas used the whole-tone scale so successfully in their works, mode one is seldom used in his music. When it is, it is often placed in a polymodal texture. The second discussion (volume 5, pp. 22–30, 35–37) centers on Mode de valeurs et d’intensités and its influence on Boulez’s writing of Structures Ia. There is no further consideration of Messiaen in volume 5, particularly with respect to his music of the 1960s to 1990s.

862.

Toesca, Maurice. Cinq ans de patience. Paris: Éditions Émile-Paul, 1975. 377 p. PQ 2639.O53 Z513. In a journal kept from 1939 to 1944 describing Parisian life during World War II, Toesca recounts his interactions with Messiaen. They include receiving a note from the composer about La Nativité du Seigneur (p. 197), discussing a proposed radio program featuring the recitation of Toesca’s Les douze regards with musical accompaniment supplied by Messiaen (pp. 298, 348–49), and attending performances of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (pp. 279–81), Visions de l’Amen (pp. 298–302), and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (pp. 348–49). Toesca found Messiaen’s music troubling, primarily because of its mixture of both extreme dissonance and sweet consonance. He was also critical of Messiaen’s practice of supplying verbal commentaries about his works before their performance.

863.

Whittall, Arnold. Musical Composition in the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. vi, 419 p. ISBN: 0198166842 (hardback); 0198166834 (pbk). ML 197.W55 1999. Three essays on Messiaen that survey his music and compositional style, set within a larger stylistic discussion of Michael Tippett, Messiaen, and Elliott Carter. For the author, all three composers approached style and structure in a fundamentally modernist vein. The first essay (Messiaen I, pp. 243–46) examines Messiaen’s early musical style and works through the Turangalîla-Symphonie. It makes some questionable statements regarding how the modes of limited transposition make extended tonality possible, by the strategic placement of relatively

Accounts of Messiaen

319

more consonant (added-sixth chords) and dissonant structures (chords containing a minor second) within a passage of music. The second essay (Messiaen II, pp.  252–57) discusses Messiaen’s compositional style from 1949–69, covering Mode de valeurs et d’intensités through Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. The third essay (Messiaen III, pp. 262–63) looks at Messiaen’s music since the mid-1970s, viewing it as a series of epilogues, at times grand and at other times modest in scope. 864.

Xenakis, Iannis. Arts/Sciences, alliages: Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen, Michel Ragon, Olivier Revault d’Allonnes, Michel Serres, Bernard Teyssèdre. Paris: Casterman, 1979. 151 p. ISBN: 220323170X. ML3800.X38. The text of this book is a transcription made from tape recordings of Iannis Xenakis’s thesis defense for his doctorat d’Etat at the University of Paris, Sorbonne on 18 May 1976. After a statement from Xenakis, each member of the jury took turns questioning him, with other members periodically joining the conversation. Instead of opening with a statement like his colleagues, Messiaen asked Xenakis four questions, one right after the other.

865.

Xenakis, Iannis. Arts/sciences: alloys: The Thesis Defense of Iannis Xenakis before Olivier Messiaen, Michel Ragon, Olivier Revault d’Allonnes, Michel Serres, and Bernard Teyssèdre. Translated by Sharon Kanach. Aesthetics in Music No. 2. New York: Pendragon Press, 2010. x, 133 p. ISBN: 9780918728227; 0918728223. ML 3800.X3813 1985. English translation of item 864.

DISSERTATIONS AND OTHER UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS 866.

Barash, Amari Pepper. “Cadential Gestures in Post-Tonal Music: The Constitution of Cadences in Messiaen’s Île de feu I and Boulez’[s] Première Sonate, First Movement” (item 721). An analysis of the cadential factors at work in “Île de feu I,” the first piece from the Quatre Études de rythme, in chapter 2.

867.

Bronson, Christine Elizabeth. “Making Meaning With Synesthesia: Perception, Aspiration, and Olivier Messiaen’s Reality.” MM thesis, The Florida State University, 2013. viii, 76 p. This thesis investigates synesthesia from scientific, metaphorical, and artistic standpoints. Chapter 1 considers the nature of synesthesia and traces the scientific inquiry into the subject. Chapter 2 looks at the condition from metaphorical perspectives, which consider synesthesia as the “interconnectedness of language, symbol, body, and soul” (p.  24). And lastly, chapter 3 uses Messiaen as a case study, examining his commentaries on the subject as a prelude to an analysis of Saint François d’Assise, in relation to color’s role in connecting humanity to the divine.

320

868.

Accounts of Messiaen

Buchler, Michael H. “Relative Saturation of Subsets and Interval Cycles as a Means for Determining Set-Class Similarity.” An analysis of “Le Merle noir,” the second piece from the Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux (1985), in chapter 4. See item 741.

869.

Conrad, Bridget F. “The Sources of Jolivet’s Musical Language and His Relationships with Varèse and Messiaen,” 2 vols. PhD dissertation, City University of New York, 1994. xxxi, 537 p. (vol. 1); ix, 141 p. (vol. 2). An examination of Jolivet’s musical language in relation to that of Varèse and Messiaen. Considers Jolivet’s relationship to Messiaen in the latter part of the dissertation. In chapter 9 (pp. 394–437), describes Jolivet’s association with Messiaen and the other musicians of La Spirale and La Jeune France during the 1930s. Jolivet and Messiaen exchanged ideas at this time, each to their mutual benefit. In particular, Jolivet introduced the music of Varèse to Messiaen and the other members of La Jeune France. In chapter 10 (pp. 438–65), looks at similarities between the musical-aesthetic outlooks of the two composers. The next chapter (pp. 466–519) includes an examination of various aspects of Messiaen’s musical language in relation to Jolivet’s, in order to highlight how their compositional innovations were related but different. In the conclusion (pp. 526–37), reflects on how Jolivet is part of the same musical tradition shared by Messiaen and Varèse. An added bonus: includes excerpts from interviews of Messiaen conducted in Paris in May–June 1987 where Messiaen discusses Jolivet and his music. Highly recommended.

870.

Derfler, Barbara Joan. “Claude Debussy’s influence on Olivier Messiaen: An Analysis and Comparison of Two Preludes.” MM thesis, University of Alberta, 1999. 82 p. An examination of “Cloches d’angoisse et larmes d’adieu” from the Préludes for piano. See item 700.

871.

Hopkins, Stephen. “A Comparative Analysis of Selected Works of Alexander Scriabin and Olivier Messiaen for Solo Piano.” PhD dissertation, The Florida State University, 1993. ix, 552 p. Using pitch-class set theory, investigates the piano music of Scriabin and Messiaen for their similarities in pitch organization. Views Messiaen’s use of the modes of limited transposition as comparable to the scale collections employed by Scriabin. Considers principles of symmetry and periodicity as fundamental to each composer’s handling of pitch. Works examined are Scriabin’s last five piano sonatas and Five Preludes, op. 74, and Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus and Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux.

872.

Montandon, Susannah Violet. “Olivier Messiaen’s Influence in the Violoncello Works of Tōru Takemitsu.” DMA dissertation, Louisiana State University, 2015. vi, 110 p. By means of a methodology involving music theory, history, and performance practice, this dissertation looks at Messiaen’s influences in sixteen violoncello solo

Accounts of Messiaen

321

and chamber compositions of Tōru Takemitsu. These influences are linked with microtones, stasis, textural layering, rhythm, and pitch, in addition to extramusical influences derived from religion and nature. Added to all of this are “cellistic” techniques, such as innovative fingerings and passages, sustained harmonics, and the use of register. Beginning with a survey of Japanese music history in chapter 1, and short biographies of Takemitsu and Messiaen, along with discussions of their musical styles and aesthetics, in chapter 2, the analysis previously described and its conclusions are presented in chapter 3. The author found that there was no connection between Takemitsu and Messiaen’s correlation of scale collections and color, although some coincidences were found. She then summarizes that although Takemitsu’s earlier works show a stronger debt to the Second Viennese school, there is still evidence of Messiaen’s presence within them. And in his mature compositions, Takemitsu appropriated Messiaen’s influences in a freer way. DICTIONARY AND ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLES 873.

Griffiths, Paul. “Messiaen, Olivier (Eugène Prosper Charles).” Grove Music Online. [www.oxfordmusiconline.com]. Online version of the New Grove’s dictionary article (item 874).

874.

Griffiths, Paul. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie and J. Tyrrell, 2d ed., 16:491–504. 29 vols. London: Macmillan, 2001. ISBN: 1561592390. ML 100.N48 2001. Overview of Messiaen’s life, compositional aesthetics, musical language, and works. Divided into five sections: (1) Life; (2) Theology; (3) Musical Elements; (4) Works to 1950; and (5) Works after 1950. The discussion of Messiaen’s harmonic elements focuses on the modes of limited transposition to the exclusion of his later non-modal chords (e.g., chords of transposed inversions on the same bass note). Includes a list of works and an extensive bibliography.

875.

Griffiths, Paul. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In The New Grove Twentieth-Century French Masters, 221–48. New York: W. W. Norton, 1986. 291 p. ISBN: 0393022846 (hard); 0393303500 (paperback). ML 390.N498 1986. An earlier version of Griffiths’s 2001 article for The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (item 874). Does not include a discussion of Messiaen’s theology, nor does it consider any works after Saint François d’Assise (1975–83).

876.

Griffiths, Paul. “Saint François d’Assise.” Grove Music Online. [www.oxfordmusiconline.com]. Online version of the New Grove’s dictionary article. See item 585.

877.

Griffiths, Paul. “Saint François d’Assise.” In The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. See item 585.

322

878.

Accounts of Messiaen

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw. “Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Boulez.” In Heritage of Music. Volume 4, Music in the Twentieth Century, ed. Michael Raeburn and Alan Kendall, 267–77. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. ISBN: 019520493X (set). ML 160.H527 1989. In the part of the article devoted to Messiaen (pp.  267–72), Johnson not only summarizes the composer’s life and works, but also discusses aspects of his musical style, such as color and mode, serial processes, and birdsong (particularly in relation to the Catalogue d’oiseaux), closing with some remarks on his influence. Because the Heritage of Music is touted as an illustrated history of music, the article includes numerous pictures.

879.

Keym, Stefan. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Die Musik in Geshichte und Gegenwart, ed. Ludwig Finscher, Zweite, neubearbeitete Ausgabe, Personenteil 12:63–81. 26 Bände in zwei Teilen. Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag, 2004. ISBN: 3761811225. This excellent survey of Messiaen’s life and works includes discussions of his musical language, chronological development as a composer, compositional genres, and work as a teacher and theorist. Contains comprehensive discussions of his harmonic and rhythmic elements. Besides a list of works, provides a thorough bibliography that includes sources related to the topic of spirituality in Messiaen’s music. Highly recommended.

880.

Messiaen, Olivier and J. Roy. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Dictionnaire de la musique: Les Hommes et leurs œuvres, ed. Marc Honegger, 2:713. See item 102.

881.

Pople, Anthony. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Contemporary Composers, ed. Brian Morton and Pamela Collins, 649–52. With a preface by Brian Ferneyhough. Chicago and London: St. James Press, 1992. xvi, 1019 p. ISBN: 1558620850. ML 105.C75 1992. Includes a brief biography, a list of works with place and date of first performance as well as selected discographical information, a selected bibliography, and a discussion of Messiaen’s musical style and its place within contemporary music.

882.

Randel, Don Michael, ed. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, 582–83. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1996. x, 1013 p. ISBN: 0674372999. ML 105.H38 1996. Short biography of Messiaen followed by a discussion of his musical style. Not only addresses the significance of the Roman Catholic faith, the Tristan legend, and birdsong in order to understand Messiaen’s music, but also discusses various musical techniques related to rhythm, pitch, and timbre. Contains a list of selected works and a bibliography.

883.

Slonimsky, Nicolas. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Classical Musicians, ed. Laura Kuhn and Dennis McIntire.

Accounts of Messiaen

323

New York: Schirmer Books, 1997. xii, 1595 p. ISBN: 0028712714. ML 105.S612 1997. Compact life and works survey of Messiaen. Contains biographical data and a description of Messiaen’s musical style. Concludes with a list of works and a selected bibliography. 884.

Slonimsky, Nicolas, Laura Kuhn, and Dennis McIntire. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, ed. Nicolas Slonimsky and Laura Kuhn, Centennial ed., 4:2420–21. 6 vols. New York: Schirmer Books, 2001. ISBN: 0028655257. ML 105.B16 2001. Basic biography and style analysis of Messiaen and his music. Includes a list of selected works, writings, and bibliography. Contains some inaccuracies with respect to dating (e.g., Messiaen spent one year in a German prison camp in Görlitz, not two as the entry maintains) and omits keyboard works after 1969 and the Traité de rythme in its list of works and writings.

885.

Tremblay, Gilles. “Messiaen, Olivier.” In Dictionary of Contemporary Music, ed. John Vinton, 474–78. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1974. xiv, 834 p. ISBN 0525091254. ML 100.V55. One of the best dictionary articles on Messiaen by an author who studied with the composer at the Paris Conservatoire in the 1950s. The article covers Messiaen’s life and work, mentioning elements of his compositional aesthetics that are not brought up in similar accounts, such as the role of distant harmonics in altering timbres, or the role of quantitative and qualitative time in the formation of the composer’s rhythmic techniques. Includes a list of principal compositions and writings, along with a selected bibliography.

Appendix List of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen

This list is compiled from the following sources: (1) Olivier Messiaen, Technique de mon langage musical (item 117, 107–9); (2) Robert Sherlaw Johnson, Messiaen (item 279, 209–18); (3) Paul Griffiths, Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time (item 270, 257–68); (4) Nigel Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue (item 6); (5) Peter Hill and Nigel Simeone, Messiaen, trans. Lucie Kayas (item 275, 541–69); and (6) Christopher Dingle and Robert Fallon, eds., “Appendix: A Critical Catalogue of Messiaen’s Musical Works,” in Messiaen Perspectives 2 (item 315, 363–406). For a complete listing of every conceivable piece, as well as a critical evaluation of Messiaen’s musical catalogue, I encourage the reader to consult the volume by Dingle and Fallon. Messiaen’s works are arranged into the following categories: Opera Orchestral Works Chamber and Instrumental (and Unspecified) Organ Piano Vocal and Choral Electronic/Stage Music Each entry includes the following information (where appropriate): Title and subtitle (in the original French) Individual movements or section titles Date and place of composition and orchestration

325

326

Appendix

Date and place of premiere, as well as performers, soloists, performing ensemble, and conductor Publisher Soloists or dramatic characters Scoring, which includes strings of letters denoting voice parts in a chorus, and/or numbers denoting woodwind, brass, and/or string players in an instrumental ensemble or orchestra Except for a few instances, discrepancies between sources are corrected without comment. Finally, unless otherwise indicated, all texts are by Messiaen. I. OPERA A.1.

Saint François d’Assise: Scènes franciscaines Act I: Scene 1: La Croix Scene 2: Les Laudes Scene 3: Le Baiser au Lépreux Act II: Scene 4: L’Ange voyageur Scene 5: L’Ange musicien Scene 6: Le Prêche aux oiseaux Act III: Scene 7: Les Stigmates

Scene 8: La Mort et la nouvelle Vie

Date of composition and orchestration: composed 1975–79, orchestrated 1977–83 Premiere: 28 November 1983, Paris Opéra; Christiane Eda-Pierre (L’Ange), José van Dam (Saint François), Kenneth Riegel (Le Lépreux), Philippe Duminy—Michel Philippe (Frère Léon), Georges Gautier (Frère Massée), Michel Sénéchal (Frère Élie), Jean-Philippe Courtis—Robert Grenier (Frère Bernard); Sandro Sequi, producer; Giuseppe Crisolini-Malatesta, designer; Jean Laforge, chorusmaster; Chorus and Orchestra of the Paris Opéra, Seiji Ozawa, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1983, 1988–92): full score, libretto; Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1983, 2007, 2010–12): piano-vocal score by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen Characters: L’Ange (soprano), Saint François (baritone), Le Lépreux (tenor), Frère Léon (baritone), Frère Massée (tenor), Frère Élie (tenor), Frère Bernard (bass), Frère Sylvestre (bass), Frère Rufin (bass) Scoring: Chorus: s.s.m-s.a.a.t.t.bar.b.b.—15 voices per part Orchestra: 7.4.7.4–6.4.3.3—xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, 3 Ondes Martenot, 5 percussion—16.16.14.12.10 (with 5 strings)

Appendix

327

II. ORCHESTRAL WORKS A.2.

Fugue en ré mineur (unpublished; for the composition class of Paul Dukas) Date and place of composition: 1928, Paris

A.3.

Le Banquet eucharistique (unpublished) (In an interview with Brigitte Massin [Olivier Messiaen: une poétique du merveilleux, item 208, 44–45], Messiaen stated that Le Banquet eucharistique and the organ work Le Banquet céleste were related. As a nineteen-year-old student of Dukas at the Paris Conservatoire, Messiaen composed Le Banquet eucharistique first, and then reworked one part of it for organ to become Le Banquet céleste. According to Hill and Simeone [item 275, 542], during the concert of 29 January 1930 in which this piece was first performed, it was called Le Banquet céleste; only later did Messiaen title it Le Banquet eucharistique.) Date and place of composition: 1928, Fuligny (Aube) Date and place of premiere: 29 January 1930, Paris Conservatoire; student orchestra, Henri Rabaud, conductor

A.4.

Simple Chant d’une âme (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1929–30, Paris

A.5.

Les Offrandes oubliées: Méditation symphonique pour orchestre Date and place of composition: 1930, Fuligny (Aube) Premiere: 19 February 1931, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris; Orchestre Straram, Walter Straram, conductor Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1931): study score, piano reduction Scoring: 3.3.3.3–4.3.3.1; timpani, percussion; strings

A.6.

Le Tombeau resplendissant Date and place of composition: 1931, Fuligny (Aube) Premiere: 12 February 1933, Salle Pleyel, Paris; Orchestre symphonique de Paris, Pierre Monteux, conductor Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1997): study score Scoring: 3.3.3.3–4.3.3.1; timpani, 4 percussion; strings

A.7.

Hymne au Saint-Sacrement Date and place of composition: 1932, Paris Premiere: 23 March 1933, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris; Orchestre Straram, Walter Straram, conductor

328

Appendix

Publisher: Broude Brothers (New York, 1947/1974): study score (The original version of this work was published by Durand, Paris [rental only], and was subsequently lost in 1942. In 1946, Messiaen reconstructed the work [as Hymne] from memory for a performance conducted by Leopold Stokowski in New York. The reconstructed version was published by Broude Brothers in 1947 [rental only], and then in a newly engraved study score [no. 16 of “Contemporary Composers: Study Score Series”] in 1974. For evidence of the original version, see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 30, and for the Hymne’s original preface from 1942, see Dingle, item 476, 20.) Scoring: 3.3.3.3–4.3.3.0; timpani, percussion; strings A.8.

L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orchestre (Messiaen transcribed movements 1, 2, and 4 for organ in 1933–34; see A.40.) 1. 2. 3. 4.

Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père Alléluias sereins d’une âme qui désire le ciel Alléluia sur la trompette, Alléluia sur la cymbale Prière du Christ montant vers son Père

Date and place of composition: May 1932, Paris—July 1932, Neussargues (Cantal); orchestrated May—July 1933, Monaco Premiere: 9 February 1935, Paris; Concerts Siohan, Robert Siohan, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1948): study score Scoring: 3.3.3.3–4.3.3.1—timpani, percussion—16.16. 14.12.10 A.9.

Turangalîla-Symphonie 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Introduction Chant d’amour I Turangalîla I Chant d’amour II Joie du sang des étoiles Jardin du sommeil d’amour Turangalîla II Développement de l’amour Turangalîla III Final

Date of composition: 17 July 1946–29 November 1948 (commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky and the Koussevitzky Foundation for the Boston Symphony Orchestra) Premiere: 2–3 December 1949, Symphony Hall, Boston; Yvonne Loriod, piano; Ginette Martenot, Ondes Martenot; Boston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Appendix

329

Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1953): study score, solo parts for piano and Ondes Martenot; Durand (Paris, 1992): revised version, 1990 Scoring: 3.3.3.3–4.5.3.1—piano solo, Ondes Martenot solo, glockenspiel, celesta, vibraphone, 5 percussion—16.16.14.12.10 A.10. Réveil des oiseaux Date of composition: Completed in 1953 Premiere: 11 October 1953, Donaueschingen; Yvonne Loriod, piano; Südwestfunk Orchestra, Hans Rosbaud, conductor Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1955): study score, solo part for piano; Durand (Paris, 1999): revised version, 1988 Scoring: 4.3.4.3–2.2.0.0—piano solo, celesta, xylophone, glockenspiel, 2 percussion—8.8.8.8.6 A.11. Oiseaux exotiques Date of composition: 5 October 1955–23 January 1956 Premiere: 10 March 1956, Petit Théâtre Marigny, Paris; Yvonne Loriod, piano; Domaine Musical, Rudolf Albert Vega, conductor Publisher: Universal (Vienna, 1959): study score, solo part for piano; Universal (Vienna, 1995): revised version, 1985 Scoring: 2.1.3.1–2.1.0.0—piano solo, glockenspiel, xylophone, 5 percussion A.12. Chronochromie 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Introduction Strophe I Antistrophe I Strophe II Antistrophe II Épôde Coda

Date of composition: 1959–60 Premiere: 16 October 1960, Donaueschingen; Südwestfunk Orchestra, Hans Rosbaud, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1963): study score Scoring: 4.3.4.3–4.4.3.1—glockenspiel, xylophone, marimba, 3 percussion— 16.16.14.12.10 A.13. Sept Haïkaï: Esquisses japonaises 1.

Introduction

330

Appendix

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Le Parc de Nara et les lanternes de pierre Yamanaka-cadenza Gagaku Miyajima et le torii dans le mer Les Oiseaux de Karuizawa Coda

Date of composition: 1962 Premiere: 30 October 1963, Odéon (Théâtre de France), Paris; Yvonne LoriodMessiaen, piano; Orchestre du Domaine musical, Pierre Boulez, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1966): study score, solo part for piano Scoring: 2.3.4.2–0.1.1.0—piano solo, xylophone, marimba, 4 percussion—8.0.0.0.0 A.14. Couleurs de la Cité céleste Date of composition: 1963 Premiere: 17 October 1964, Donaueschingen; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano; Orchestre du Domaine Musical, Pierre Boulez, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1966): study score, solo part for piano Scoring: 0.0.3.0–2.4.4.0—piano solo, xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, 3 percussion A.15. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Des profondeurs de l’abîme, je crie vers toi, Seigneur: Seigneur, écoute ma voix! Le Christ, ressuscité des morts, ne meurt plus; la mort n’a plus sur lui d’empire L’heure vient où les morts entendront la voix du Fils de Dieu... Ils ressusciteront, glorieux, avec un nom nouveau—dans le concert joyeux des étoiles et les acclamations des fils du ciel Et j’entendis la voix d’une foule immense...

Date and place of composition: 1964, Petichet, Isère Premiere: 7 May 1965, Sainte-Chapelle, Paris; Domaine Musical, Serge Baudo, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1966): study score Scoring: 5.4.5.4–6.4.4.2–3 percussion A.16. Des canyons aux étoiles... Première partie 1. 2.

Le désert Les Orioles

Appendix

3. 4. 5.

331

Ce qui est écrit sur les étoiles... Le Cossyphe d’Heuglin Cedar Breaks et le Don de Crainte

Deuxième partie 6. 7.

Appel interstellaire Bryce Canyon et les rochers rouge-orange

Troisième partie 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Les ressucités et le chant de l’étoile Aldébaran Le Moqueur polyglotte La Grive des bois Omao, Leiothrix, Elepaio, Shama Zion Park et la Cité céleste

Date of composition: 1971–74 Premiere: 20 November 1974, Alice Tully Hall, New York; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano; Musica Aeterna Orchestra, Frederic Waldman, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1978): full score, solo part for piano Scoring: 4.3.4.3–3.3.3.0—piano solo, horn, xylorimba, glockenspiel, 5 percussion—6.0.3.3.1 A.17. Un Vitrail et des oiseaux Date of composition: ca. 1987 Premiere: 26 November 1988, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano; Orchestre de l’Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1992): full score Scoring: 4.4.5.3–0.1.0.0—piano solo, xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, 5 percussion A.18. La Ville d’En-Haut Date of composition: 1987 Premiere: 17 November 1989, Salle Pleyel, Paris; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano; BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1994): full score, solo part for piano Scoring: 5.4.5.3–6.4.3.1—piano solo, glockenspiel, xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, 4 percussion A.19. Un Sourire Date of composition: 1989

332

Appendix

Premiere: 5 December 1991, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris; Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, Marek Janowski, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1994): full score Scoring: 4.4.3.3–4.1.0.0—xylophone, xylorimba, 2 percussion—16.16.14.12.0 A.20.1 Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà... 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Apparition du Christ glorieux La constellation du Sagittaire L’Oiseau-Lyre at la Ville-Fianceé Les élus marqués du sceau Demeurer dans l’Amour... Les sept Anges aux sept trompettes Et Dieu essuiera toute larme de leurs yeux... Les étoiles et la Gloire Plusieurs oiseaux des arbres de Vie Le chemin de l’Invisible Le Christ, lumière du Paradis

Date of composition: 1987–91 Premiere: 5 November 1992, New York; New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1998): full score Scoring: 10.4.10.4–6.5.3.3—crotales, glockenspiel, xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, 10 percussion—16.16.14.12.10 A.20.2 Sigle Date of composition: November–December 1982 (written at Rolf Liebermann’s request; incorporated into the seventh movement of Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà....) Scoring: Solo flute A.20.3 Un oiseau des arbres de Vie (“Oiseau tui”)—Orchestrated by Christopher Dingle Date of composition: ca. 1987–91 Premiere: 7 August 2015, Royal Albert Hall, London (part of the BBC Proms); BBC Philharmonic, Nicholas Collon, conductor Scoring: Large orchestra NOTES: “Un oiseau des arbres de Vie (Oiseau tui)” is an orchestral piece planned as the third movement of a projected twelve-movement scheme for Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà.... It is a transcription of the song of the Tui, a bird native to New

Appendix

333

Zealand. The piece existed in a short score—with some ideas about its instrumentation—before Christopher Dingle orchestrated it for the BBC Philharmonic (under the direction of Nicholas Collon) to premiere at the Royal Albert Hall (as part of the BBC Proms) on 7 August 2015. For more information, see [www.bbc. co.uk/programmes/p02z321l], [www.bbc.co.uk/events/ef3zc8], and Classicalmusic.com: The Official Website of BBC Music Magazine [www.classical-music. com/blog/messiaen-world-premiere]. A.21. Concert à quatre (Commissioned by Myung-Whun Chung and Heinz Holliger, the Concert à quatre was completed after Messiaen’s death (27 April 1992) by his widow Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, with assistance from George Benjamin and Heinz Holliger. According to Griffiths (liner notes to Concert à quatre; Deutsche Grammophon 445 947–2), Loriod-Messiaen orchestrated the second part of the first movement and all of the last movement. She inserted a cadenza of bell sounds and birdsongs into the finale, with the birdsongs played in separate tempos by the four soloists.) 1. 2. 3. 4.

Entrée Vocalise (The second movement is a transcription of the earlier Vocaliseétude for soprano and piano; see item A.72.) Cadenza Rondeau

Date of composition: 1990–92 Premiere: 26 September 1994, Opéra-Bastille, Paris; Catherine Cantin, flute; Heinz Holliger, oboe; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano; Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Orchestre de l’Opéra Bastille, Myung-Whun Chung, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 2003): full score Scoring: flute solo, oboe solo, piano solo, cello solo—7.5.7.5–4.5.3.1 xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, glockenspiel, celesta, 7 percussion—16.16.14.12.10 III. CHAMBER AND INSTRUMENTAL (AND UNSPECIFIED) A. 22. Fugue sur un sujet d’Henri Rabaud (Although a student exercise, this four-part fugue was published—along with two others by Pierre Revel and Jean Rivier—by Éditions Heugel, in a collection featuring those Paris Conservatoire students who had won a first prize in the concours de fugue in 1926.) Date of composition: 1926 A.23. Fugue pour le Concours de Rome (sur un sujet de Georges Hüe; unpublished)

334

Appendix

(Messiaen wrote this fugue as part of his first [but unsuccessful] attempt to win the Prix de Rome in 1930. It has a time signature of 2/2 and a tempo marking of “Assez vif.” See Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 189. For a reproduction of the first page of the manuscript, see Alain Périer, Messiaen [item 291], 23.) Date and place of composition: 1930, Paris, for the Prix de Rome Scoring: Four unspecified parts, written in open score using soprano, alto, tenor, and bass clefs A.24. Fugue pour le Concours de Rome (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1931, Paris, for the Prix de Rome A.25. Thème et variations (Messiaen wrote this work for his first wife, the violinist-composer Claire Delbos. In dedicating the work to Delbos, Messiaen did not follow the usual custom of listing her name on the dedicatory page of the publication. Instead, he had the word “pour” followed by an E placed on the fourth space of a treble clef staff. In French solmization, E is assigned the syllable “Mi,” which was Messiaen’s nickname for Delbos. For information on Delbos and her life with Messiaen, see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 34–35.) Date and place of composition: 1932, Paris Premiere: 22 November 1932, Salle Debussy, Cercle Musical de Paris, Paris; Claire Delbos, violin; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1934): score and violin part Scoring: violin and piano A.26. Fantaisie Date and place of composition: 1933, Paris Premiere: 18 March 1935, Schola Cantorum, Paris; Claire Delbos, violin; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 2007): revised and corrected edition by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen Scoring: violin and piano A.27. Quatuor pour la fin du Temps 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Liturgie de cristal Vocalise, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps Abîme des oiseaux Intermède Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus

Appendix

6. 7. 8.

335

Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes Fouillis d’arcs-en-ciel, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps Louange à l’Immortalité de Jésus

Date and place of composition: 1940–41, Stalag VIII A, Görlitz, Silesia (Gorlice, Poland). (Most of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps was composed while Messiaen was a prisoner at Stalag VIII A. Movements III, V, and VIII, however, have different origins: Movement III was written—according to Étienne Pasquier—in a large open field, in Toul, near Nancy, where Messiaen was waiting to be transferred to Stalag VIII A; Movement V is based on a section from the Fête des belles eaux [1937], a work for six Ondes Martenot; and Movement VIII is a reworking of the second section of the Diptyque for organ. See Étienne Pasquier, “Hommage à Olivier Messiaen,” in Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi, 91–92 [item 318]; Rebecca Rischin, For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet [item 643], 12, 16–17; and Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 71–73.) Premiere: 15 January 1941, Stalag VIII A, Görlitz, Silesia; Jean Le Boulaire, violin; Henri Akoka, clarinet; Étienne Pasquier, cello; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1942/2008): score; parts for violin, clarinet, and cello; and study score Scoring: violin, clarinet, cello, and piano A.28. Le Merle noir (This work was written for the competitive examination in flute at the Paris Conservatoire.) Date and place of composition: 1951 [March 1952, according to Hill and Simeone (item 273, 199–200)], Paris Premiere: June 1952, Concours, Paris Conservatoire Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1952): score, part for flute Scoring: flute and piano A.29. Chant donneé [Leçon d’harmonie: Hommage à Jean Gallon] (Messiaen composed Chant donneé as a tribute to his teacher Jean Gallon [1878– 1959], a professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire, whose post he occupied from 1941–47.) Date of composition: Before February 1953 Publisher: (Published in) 64 Leçons d’harmonie offertes en hommage à Jean Gallon . . . par ses élèves; Durand (Paris, 1953)—piece can be found on pp. 87–88. Scoring: Four unspecified parts, written in open score using soprano, alto, tenor, and bass clefs

336

Appendix

A.30. Chant dans le style Mozart (unpublished) (The Chant dans le style Mozart was written for the competitive examination in clarinet at the Paris Conservatoire.) Date and place of composition: 1986, Paris Premiere: 1986, Concours, Paris Conservatoire Scoring: clarinet and piano A.31. Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes (This work was composed for the 90th birthday of Alfred Schlee, and the 90th anniversary of Universal Edition.) Date of composition: 1991 Premiere: 18 November 1991, Vienna; Harald Ossberger, piano; Arditti String Quartet Publisher: Universal (Vienna, 1992) Scoring: piano and string quartet: full score, part for piano (The full score also serves as parts for the string quartet [“Partitur = Stimme”]; the piano part is the same as the full score except that page turns have been rearranged for the convenience of the performer.) IV. ORGAN A.32. Esquisse modale (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1927, Paris A.33. Le Banquet céleste Date and place of composition: 1928, Fuligny (Aube) (Some sources list 1926 as the date of composition for Le Banquet céleste based on information given in the 1960 edition. But in an interview with Brigitte Massin [Olivier Messiaen: Une poétique du merveilleux, item 208, 44–45], Messiaen claimed that he was nineteen years old when he composed Le Banquet céleste, which means that it was probably composed in 1928 [Messiaen was born on 10 December 1908]. See A.3.) Premiere: 28 May 1935, La Trinité, Paris; Marcel Dupré, organ Publisher: First edition: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1934); revised edition: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1960—for the principal differences between the 1934 and 1960 editions, see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 3–4.) A.34. L’Hôte aimable des âmes (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1928, Fuligny (Aube)

Appendix

337

A.35. Variations écossaises (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1928, Paris (most likely variations on “Coming through the Rye” for Marcel Dupré’s organ class [Hill and Simeone, item 275, 542]) A.36. Offrande au Saint-Sacrement Date of composition: ca. 1928–29 Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 2001) A.37. Prélude Date of composition: ca. 1927–29, Paris Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 2002) A.38. Diptyque: Essai sur la vie terrestre et l’éternité bienheureuse (Although various sources provide titles for the two sections of this work [“La vie terrestre, avec ses agitations inutiles,” and “Le Paradis”], they are not found in the first edition [as well as all reprints] of the Diptyque. Instead, the sections are distinguished only by tempo and metronome markings—Modéré [quarter note = 50 and Très lent [eighth note = 58].). Date and place of composition: 1929, Paris Premiere: 20 February 1930, La Trinité, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1930) A.39. Apparition de l’Église éternelle Date and place of composition: 1932, Paris Premiere: ca. 1932, La Trinité, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: First edition: Henry Lemoine (Paris, 1934); second edition: Henry Lemoine (Paris, 1985—in 1985, Lemoine issued a new edition of this work [using the 1934 plates] with revised dynamic markings and registration indications provided by Messiaen. In 1993, Lemoine issued a newly engraved version of the 1985 edition, incorporating minor alterations as well as facsimiles of the autograph title page and part of the manuscript.); third edition: Henry Lemoine (Paris, 1993) A.40. L’Ascension: Quatre Méditations symphoniques pour orgue 1. 2. 3.

Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père Alléluias sereins d’une âme qui désire le ciel Transports de joie d’une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne (Messiaen transcribed movements 1, 2, and 4 of the orchestral version of L’Ascension for organ. Because he considered the orchestral version’s third movement [“Alléluia sur la trompette, Alléluia sur la cymbale”] as less

338

Appendix

4.

amenable to organ transcription, Messiaen composed a new third movement—the first of his large organ toccatas—for the organ work.) Prière du Christ montant vers son Père

Date and place of composition: 1933, Neussargues (Cantal), transcriptions of movements 1, 2, and 4; 1934, Paris, composition of movement 3 Premiere: 29 January 1935, Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1934) A.41. La Nativité du Seigneur: Neuf Meditations pour orgue 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

La Vierge et l’Enfant Les Bergers Desseins éternels Le Verbe Les Enfants de Dieu Les Anges Jésus accepte la souffrance Les Mages Dieu parmi nous

Date and place of composition: 1935, Grenoble Premiere: Individual movements: 1935, La Trinité, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ. Complete performance: 27 February 1936, concert des Amis de l’Orgue, La Trinité, Paris; Daniel-Lesur (movements 1–3), Jean Langlais (movements 4–6), and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald (movements 7–9), organists Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1936) A.42. Les Corps glorieux: Sept Visions brèves de la Vie des Ressuscités pour orgue 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Subtilité des Corps glorieux Les Eaux de la Grâce L’Ange aux parfums Combat de la mort et de la vie Force et Agilité des Corps glorieux Joie et Clarté des Corps glorieux Le Mystère de la Saint Trinité

Date and place of composition: 1939; completed on 25 August 1939 at Petichet (Isère) Premiere: 15 November 1943, La Trinité, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1942)

Appendix

339

A.43. Tristan et Iseult, Musique de Scène (Messiaen improvised part of this incidental music for Lucien Fabre’s Tristan et Iseult on the organ of the Palais de Chaillot on 2 February 1945 [where it was recorded for the auditions at the Théâtre Édouard VII]. One writtenout theme survives, however, among the composer’s papers. Titled Tristan et Iseult: Thème d’Amour, it became the cyclic love theme in Harawi, composed later that year.) Date and place of composition: February 1945 Premiere: 22 February 1945, Théâtre Édouard VII, Paris A.44. Messe de la Pentecôte 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Entrée (Les langues de feu) Offertoire (Les choses visibles et invisbles) Consécration (Le don de Sagesse) Communion (Les oiseaux et les sources) Sortie (Le vent de l’Esprit)

Date and place of composition: 1950–51 (finished 21 January 1951), Paris Premiere: 1951, during the liturgical office of Pentecost, La Trinité, Paris; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1951) A.45. Livre d’orgue 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Reprises par interversion Pièce en trio: Pour le Dimanche de la Sainte-Trinité Les Mains de l’abîme: Pour les Temps de Pénitence Chants d’oiseaux: Pour le Temps Pascal Pièce en trio: Pour le Dimanche de la Sainte-Trinité Les Yeux dans les roues: Pour le Dimanche de la Pentecôte Soixante-Quatre durées

Date and places of composition: 1951–52 (1951–52, movements 1, 2, and 6, Paris; 1951, movement 3, montagnes du Dauphiné, vallée de la Romanche; 1951 (started), movement 4, pré Perrin de Fuligny, forêt de St-Germain-en-Laye; 1952 (finished), movement 4, branderaie de Gardépée, Charente; 1951, movement 5, devant les glaciers du Râteau, de la Meije et du Tabuchet; 1951, movement 7, champs de Petichet.) Premiere: 23 April 1953, Villa Berg, Stuttgart; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1953)

340

Appendix

A.46. Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace (This piece was written for the competitive examination in organ at the Paris Conservatoire that took place on 13 June 1961. First prizes were awarded to Raffi Ourgandjian [unanimous], Christian Manen [unanimous], Yves Devernay, and Francine Guiberteau [see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue (item 6), 135; and Timothy J. Tikker, “The Organs of Olivier Messiaen” (item 500), 13, n. 41].) Date and place of composition: December 1960, Paris Premiere: 13 June 1961, Concours, Paris Conservatoire Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1961) A.47. Monodie (According to liner notes by Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen in Olivier Messiaen: Inédits [Éditions Jade 7432167411–2, p. 4], this piece was written at the request of Jean Bonfils—Messiaen’s assistant at La Trinité—for his organ method book. The Schola Cantorum published the piece as a part of that method book in 1963. In 1998, Alphonse Leduc also published the piece, acknowledging the Schola Cantorum’s permission to reproduce the work on its title page. Simeone [A Bibliographical Catalogue (item 6), 139] posits, based upon a private communication from Christopher Dingle, that Messiaen might have composed Monodie for a sight-reading examination at the Schola Cantorum.) Date of composition: 1963 Premiere: 19 May 1998, Westminster Cathedral, London; Gillian Weir, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1998) A.48. Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité 1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Le Père inengendré (although untitled in the score, the meditations are titled in later sources, such as Catherine Massip, ed., Portrait(s) d’Olivier Messiaen [item 327], 171; and Messiaen’s notes on the work in Olivier Messiaen, homme de foi: Regard sur son œuvre d’orgue [item 318], 49–58. See also Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 150–53.) La Sainteté de Jésus-Christ “La relation réelle en Dieu est réellement identique à l’essence” “Je suis, je suis!” Dieu est immense, éternel, immuable—Le Souffle de l’Esprit—Dieu est Amour Le Fils, Verbe et Lumière “Le Père et le Fils aiment, par le Saint-Esprit, eux-mêmes et nous” Dieu est simple “Je suis Celui qui Suis”

Date of composition: 1969

Appendix

341

Premiere: 20 March 1972, Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C.; Olivier Messiaen, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1973) A.49. Livre du Saint Sacrement 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Adoro te La Source de Vie Le Dieu caché Acte de Foi Puer natus est nobis La manne et le Pain de Vie Les ressuscités et la Lumière de Vie Institution de l’Eucharistie Les ténèbres La Résurrection du Christ L’apparition du Christ ressuscité à Marie-Madeleine La Transsubstantiation Les deux murailles d’eau Prière avant la communion La joie de la grâce Prière après la communion La Présence multipliée Offrande et Alléluia final

Date of composition: 1984 Premiere: 1 July 1986, Metropolitan Methodist Church, Detroit; Almut Rößler, organ Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1989) V. PIANO A.50. La Dame de Shalott (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1917, Grenoble A.51. La Tristesse d’un grand ciel blanc (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1925, Paris A.52. Préludes 1. 2. 3. 4.

La colombe Chant d’extase dans un paysage triste Le nombre léger Instants défunts

342

Appendix

5.

6. 7. 8.

Les sons impalpables du rêve (In A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6, 7], Simeone notes that the “opening of no. V and a nine-bar fragment of no. VI are published in [Nicolas] Obouhow’s experimental notation on pp. 21 and 23 of Collection Nicolas Obouhow: Pièces pour piano transcrites en nouvelle notation simplifiée Nicolas Obouhow [plate number D. & F. 13,261, 1947].”) Cloches d’angoisse et larmes d’adieu Plainte calme Un reflet dans le vent

Date and place of composition: 1928–29, Fuligny (Aube) Premiere: 1 March 1930, Salle Érard, Société nationale, Paris; Henriette Roget, piano (Although Roget gave the first public performance of the Préludes [six of them] on 1 March 1930, Messiaen played them on 28 January 1930 at a private performance of the Concerts Durand in Paris; Bernadette Alexandre-Georges played all of the Préludes at the École normale de Musique, Paris on 15 June 1937; see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 7.) Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1930) A.53. Fantaisie burlesque Date and place of composition: 1932, Paris Premiere: 8 February 1933, École normale de Musique, Société Musicale Indépendante, Paris; Robert Casadesus, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1932) A54.

Morceau de Lecture à vue Morceau de Lecture à vue was one of three test pieces written by Messiaen for the École normale de Musique when he was a faculty member there in the 1930s. It appeared in a musical supplement of Le Monde musical for 31 October 1934. See Hill and Simeone, Messiaen (item 273), 50, for a facsimile reproduction of the piece. Date and place of composition: 1934, Paris Premiere: 1934, École normale de Musique, Paris Publisher: Le Monde musical (supplement, 31 October 1934)

A.55. Pièce pour le Tombeau de Paul Dukas Date and place of composition: Summer 1935, Grenoble (Paul Dukas died on 18 May 1935) Premiere: 25 April 1936, École normale de Musique, Société Nationale, Paris; Joaquín Nin-Culmell, piano Publisher: First published in Le Tombeau de Paul Dukas: Supplément Musical de la Revue musicale (Paris, May–June 1936—Messiaen’s piece can be found on pags 23–24. Tony Aubin, Elsa Barraine, Manuel De Falla, Julien Krein, Gabriel

Appendix

343

Pierné, Joaquín Rodrigo, Guy Ropartz, and Florent Schmitt also submitted pieces for Le Tombeau de Paul Dukas.) After Messiaen’s death, the piece was published separately by Durand in an edition prepared by Loriod-Messiaen (Durand—Paris, 1996). A.56. Rondeau (This piece was written in 1943 for the competitive examination in piano at the Paris Conservatoire. First prizes were awarded to Yvonne Loriod and Jean-Michel Damase [see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue of Messiaen’s Works (item 6), 79].) Date and place of composition: 1943, Paris Premiere: 1943, Concours, Paris Conservatoire Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1943) A.57. Visions de l’Amen 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Amen de la Création Amen des étoiles, de la planète à l’anneau Amen de l’Agonie de Jésus Amen du Désir Amen des Anges, des Saints, du chant des oiseaux Amen du Jugement Amen de la Consommation

Date and place of composition: 1943, Paris Premiere: 10 May 1943, Galerie Charpentier (76 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré), Concerts de la Pléiade, Paris; Yvonne Loriod, Olivier Messiaen, pianos I and II, respectively Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1950) Scoring: Two pianos A.58. Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Regard du Père Regard de l’étoile L’échange Regard de la Vierge Regard du Fils sur le Fils Par Lui tout a été fait Regard de la Croix Regard des hauteurs Regard du Temps Regard de l’Esprit de joie Première communion de la Vierge La parole toute puissante

344

Appendix

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Noël Regard des Anges Le baiser de l’Enfant-Jésus Regard des prophètes, des bergers et des Mages Regard du silence Regard de l’Onction terrible Je dors, mais mon cœur veille Regard de l’Église d’amour

Date and place of composition: 23 March–8 September 1944, Paris Premiere: 26 March 1945, Salle Gaveau, Paris; Yvonne Loriod, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1947) A.59. Cantéyodjayâ Date and place of composition: 15 July–15 August 1948 [1949], Tanglewood, Massachusetts. (According to Hill and Simeone [Messiaen (item 273), 180], Messiaen’s 1948 date for Cantéyodjayâ is wrong because his first visit to Tanglewood actually took place in July–August 1949. They state that “Messiaen was so convinced by his error that he went to the trouble of re-dating several of his Tanglewood photographs.” Griffiths [“Olivier Messiaen,” New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians—item 874] and other sources list the date as 1949.) Premiere: 23 February 1954, Concerts du Domaine musical, Paris; Yvonne Loriod, piano Publisher: Universal (Vienna, 1953) A.60. Quatre Études de rythme (The first editions of these works indicate that Messiaen may not have initially conceived of them as a set. It was only after their separate publication that he gave the four works their collective title of Quatre Études de rythme, stipulating that they should be played in the order given below. See Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 105.) 1. 2. 3. 4.

Île de feu I Mode de valeurs et d’intensités Neumes rythmiques Île de feu II

Dates and places of composition: Île de feu I—1950, Paris; Mode de valeurs et d’intensités—1949, Darmstadt/Paris; Neumes rythmiques—Tanglewood, 1949; Île de feu II—1950, Paris Premiere: 6 November 1950, Tunis; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1950); Durand (Paris, 2008): new edition, with analysis by the composer

Appendix

345

A.61. Catalogue d’oiseaux Premier livre: 1. 2. 3.

Le Chocard des Alpes Le Loriot Le Merle bleu

Deuxième livre: 4.

Le Traquet Stapazin

Troisième livre: 5. 6.

La Chouette Hulotte L’Alouette Lulu

Quatrième livre: 7.

La Rousserolle Effarvatte

Cinquième livre: 8. 9.

L’Alouette Calandrelle La Bouscarle

Sixième livre: 10. Le Merle de roche Septième livre: 11. La Buse variable 12. Le Traquet rieur 13. Le Courlis cendré Date of composition: October 1956–1 September 1958 Premiere: 15 April 1959, Salle Gaveau, Concerts du Domaine musical, Paris; Yvonne Loriod, piano Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1964) A.62. La Fauvette Passerinette (1961)—Reconstructed by Peter Hill Date and place of composition: August 1961, Petichet Premiere: 2 November 2013, Upper Chapel, Sheffield, UK; 28 March 2015 (first performance with the score’s published version), Institut français de RoyaumeUni, London, as part of its festival, It’s All About Piano!, Peter Hill, piano Publisher: Faber Music, 2015 Notes (derived from the score’s preface): In 2012, Peter Hill discovered a manuscript in a birdsong notebook (Ms. 23023) that he was studying, strongly suggesting that it was an unknown composition by Messiaen. The avian sources for

346

Appendix

the music are songs notated by the composer in that notebook, as well as in two others (Ms. 23020 and 23072). Through skillfull research, Hill reconstructed the piece, which was published by Faber Music. For more information, go to www.fabermusic.com/news/la-fauvette-passerinette—a-fascinating-messiaendiscovery25032015–1. A.63. Prélude (1964) Date and place of composition: 1964 Premiere: 8 December 2000, Conservatoire, Paris; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 2000) A.64. La Fauvette des jardins Date and place of composition: 1970, Petichet (Isère) Premiere: 7 November 1972, Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1972) A.65. Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Le Rouge-gorge Le Merle noir Le Rouge-gorge La Grive musicienne Le Rouge-gorge L’Alouette des champs

Date and place of composition: 1985 Premiere: 26 January 1987, Théâtre de la Ville, Paris; Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, piano Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1988) VI. VOCAL AND CHORAL A.66. Deux Ballades de Villon (unpublished—the texts of these unpublished songs are by the French poet François Villon [1431–63]. Debussy’s Trois Ballades de Villon [1910] for voice and piano may have inspired the twelve-year-old Messiaen to compose these songs.) 1. 2.

Épître à ses amis Ballade des pendus

Date and place of composition: 1921, Paris Scoring: Voice and piano

Appendix

347

A.67. La Saint-Bohème (unpublished) Date of composition: 1930, for the Prix de Rome Text: Théodore de Banville Scoring: Mixed chorus and orchestra A.68. Trois Mélodies 1. 2. 3.

Pourquoi? Le Sourire (The text of Le Sourire is by the French poetess Cécile Sauvage, Messiaen’s mother.) La Fiancée perdue

Date and place of composition: 1930, Paris Premiere: 14 February 1931, Société Nationale, Paris; Louise Matha, soprano; Olivier Messiaen, piano. (According to Simeone [A Bibliographical Catalogue (item 6), 11], 1930 is often incorrectly listed in various sources as the date of the first performance.) Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1930) Scoring: Soprano and piano A.69. La Mort du Nombre Date and place of composition: 1930, Paris Premiere: 25 March 1931, École normale de Musique, Société Musicale Indépendante, Paris; Mme Guiberteau, soprano (replacing Georgette Mathieu); Jean Planel, tenor; M. Blareau, violin; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1931) Scoring: Soprano, tenor, violin, and piano A.70. L’Ensorceleuse (unpublished) (As part of his second unsuccessful attempt to win the Prix de Rome, Messiaen composed the cantata L’Ensorceleuse to a text by Paul Arosa [1890–1940] for the competition’s final round in 1931. For more information on Messiaen’s participation in the competition process of the Prix de Rome, see Hill and Simeone, Messiaen [item 273], 28–29, 32–34; and Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 189–91.) Date and place of composition: June 1931, Paris, for the Prix de Rome Premiere: 4 July 1931, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris; Georgette Mathieu, soprano; Louis Arnout, tenor; M. Guénot, bass-baritone; Olivier Messiaen, piano Text: Paul Arosa Scoring: Soprano, tenor, bass-baritone, and piano (or orchestra)

348

Appendix

A.71. La Jeunesse des vieux (unpublished) Date and place of composition: 1931, Paris, for the Prix de Rome Text: Catulle Mendès Scoring: Mixed chorus and orchestra A.72. Messe (unpublished) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Agnus

Date and place of composition: 1933, Neussargues (Cantal) Scoring: 8 sopranos and 4 violins A. 73. Vocalise-étude Date and place of composition: 1935, Paris Premiere: 1935, Concours, Paris Conservatoire Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1935/1937—in 1935, Alphonse Leduc published the Vocalise-étude as no. 151 of the series entitled Répertoire Moderne de Vocalises-Études publiées sous la Direction de A. L. Hettich, Professeur au Conservatoire National de Paris. Two years later, Leduc published the work in an anthology of the same name [Répertoire Moderne de Vocalises-Études publiées sous la Direction de A. L. Hettich, Professeur au Conservatoire National de Paris, nouvelle édition, 3e recueil pour voix élevées]. See Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 49.) Scoring: Soprano and piano A.74. Poèmes pour Mi: Chant et Piano (Poèmes pour Mi was dedicated to Messiaen’s first wife, Claire Delbos, whose familiar name was “Mi.” This is the first work that he wrote in his small house near Lake Laffrey in Petichet.) Premier livre: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Action de grâces Paysage La maison Épouvante

Deuxième livre: 5. 6.

L’Épouse Ta voix

Appendix

7. 8. 9.

349

Les deux guerriers Le collier Prière exaucée

Date and place of composition: 1936, Petichet (Isère) Premiere: 28 April 1937, Salle des Concerts de la Schola Cantorum, La Spirale, Paris; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Olivier Messiaen, piano Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1937) Scoring: Dramatic soprano and piano A.75. Poèmes pour Mi: Grand Soprano dramatique et Orchestre (orchestral version) Premier livre: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Action de grâces Paysage La maison Épouvante

Deuxième livre: 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

L’Épouse Ta voix Les deux guerriers Le collier Prière exaucée

Orchestration: 1937, Paris Premiere: “Action de grâces” only, 4 June 1937, second concert by La Jeune France, Salle Gaveau, Paris; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Roger Désormière, conductor. Complete performance: 20 January 1949, Paris; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Orchestre national de France, Roger Désormière. Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1939): study score Scoring: soprano—3.3.2.3–4.3.3.1–3 percussion—strings (including 6 solo first violins, 6 solo second violins, 6 solo violas, 4 solo cellos) A.76. O sacrum convivium!: Motet au Saint-Sacrement pour chæur à quatre voix mixtes ou quatre solistes (avec accompagnement d’orgue ad libitum) (The work’s Latin text is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas [1225–74].) Date and place of composition: 1937, Paris

350

Appendix

Premiere: 17 February 1938, La Trinité, Paris; version for soprano(s) and organ, Mme Bourdette-Vial and/or Lucile Darlay, soprano(s); Olivier Messiaen, organ Possibly in 1937, at La Trinité, Paris (Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 61) Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1937) Scoring: s.a.t.b. chorus; four soloists and organ; or soprano and organ A.77. Chants de Terre et de Ciel 1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Bail avec Mi (pour ma Femme—“Bail avec Mi” is dedicated to Messiaen’s first wife, Claire Delbos, whereas “Danse du bébé-Pilule” and “Arc-en-ciel d’innocence” are dedicated to Messiaen’s son, Pascal, who was born on 14 July 1937.) Antienne du silence (pour le jour des Anges gardiens) Danse du bébé-Pilule (pour mon petit Pascal) Arc-en-ciel d’innocence (pour mon petit Pascal) Minuit pile et face (pour la Mort) Résurrection (pour le jour de Pâques)

Date and place of composition: 1938, Petichet (Isère) Premiere: 23 January 1939, Triton, Paris; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Olivier Messiaen, piano. (At the work’s premiere, the program and reviewer Michel-Léon Hirsch [“Le Triton (23 janvier),” Le Ménestrel, 3 February 1939, 28] both refer to this song cycle as “Prismes” [see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue (item 6), 63, 221]. The different title may be the reason why there is a discrepancy between the January date listed above and that found in Griffiths’s Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time [(item 270) 262], which gives the work’s first performance as taking place on 6 March 1939 in Paris, with Marcelle Bunlet as soloist and Olivier Messiaen at the piano.) Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1939) Scoring: Soprano and piano A.78. Chæurs pour une Jeanne d’Arc [Portique pour une fille de France] (unpublished— Messiaen gave this title [listed in the Technique] to choruses he wrote as part of the stage music for the spectacle, Portique pour une fille de France by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Barbier) 1. 2.

Te Deum Impropères

Date and place of composition: 1941, Neussargues (Cantal) Premiere: 11 May 1941, Lyon and elsewhere (date on which Portique pour une fille de France was performed in whole or in part in numerous places) Scoring: Large and small s.a.t.b. choirs

Appendix

351

A.79. Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine 1. 2. 3.

Antienne de la conversation intérieure (Dieu présent en nous . . .) Séquence du Verbe, Cantique Divin (Dieu présent en lui-même . . .) Psalmodie de l’Ubiquité par amour (Dieu présent en toutes choses . . .)

Date and place of composition: 15 November 1943–15 March 1944, Paris Premiere: 21 April 1945, Salle de l’Ancien Conservatoire, Concerts de la Pléiades, Paris; Chorale Yvonne Gouverné; Yvonne Loriod, piano; Ginette Martenot, Ondes Martenot; Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Roger Désormière, conductor Publisher: Durand (Paris, 1952): study score, chorus part; Durand (Paris, 1952/1990) Scoring: Chorus: s.m-s.a.—36 female voices Orchestra: piano solo, Ondes Martenot solo, celesta, vibraphone, 3 percussion—8.8.6.6.4 (strings) A.80. Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

La ville qui dormait, toi Bonjour toi, colombe verte Montagnes Doundou tchil L’amour de Piroutcha Répétition planétaire Adieu Syllabes L’escalier redit, gestes du soleil Amour oiseaux d’étoile Katchikatchi les étoiles Dans le noir

Date and place of composition: 15 June—15 September 1945, Petichet (Isère) Premiere: 26 June 1946, 2 rue Duroc (residence of Count Étienne de Beaumont), Paris; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Olivier Messiaen, piano (private performance); 27 June 1946, Brussels; Marcelle Bunlet, soprano; Olivier Messiaen, piano (first public performance) Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1949) Scoring: dramatic soprano and piano A.81. Chant des Déportés Date of composition: 1945

352

Appendix

Premiere: 2 November 1945, Concert de Musique Française à la Mémoire des Déportés morts en Allemagne, Palais de Chaillot, Paris; Pierre Boulez, piano; Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Manuel Rosenthal conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1998) Scoring: Chorus: s.t. (in large numbers) Orchestra: 3.2.3.3.—4.3.3.1.—suspended and chinese cymbals, tam-tam, bass drum, piano, glockenspiel—strings (in large numbers) A.82. Cinq Rechants Date and place of composition: December 1948 (February 1949 according to Hill and Simeone, Messiaen [item 273], 179), Paris Premiere: 15 June 1950, Amphithéâtre Richelieu (17 rue de la Sorbonne), Paris; Chorale Marcel Couraud, Marcel Couraud, conductor Publisher: Éditions Salabert (Paris, 1949) Scoring: s.a.t.b. chorus—3 voices per part A.83. La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ (The Latin text, arranged by Messiaen, is drawn from various sources: the Bible, namely, Genesis, Psalms, Wisdom of Solomon [considered deuterocanonical by Roman Catholics and apocryphal by Protestants], the Gospels according to Saints Matthew and Luke, the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Philippians, and the Epistle to the Hebrews; the Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas; the Office for the Feast of the Transfiguration; and the Roman Catholic Missal.) Premier Septénaire: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Récit Évangélique Configuratum corpori claritatis suae Christus Jesus, splendor Patris Récit Évangélique Quam dilecta tabernacula tua Candor est lucis aeternae Choral de la Sainte Montagne

Deuxième Septénaire: 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Récit Évangélique Perfecte conscius illius perfectae generationis Adoptionem filiorum perfectam Récit Évangélique Terribilis est locus iste

Appendix

353

13. Tota Trinitas apparuit 14. Choral de la Lumière de Gloire Date of composition and orchestration: 28 June 1965–20 February 1969 Premiere: 7 June 1969, Coliseu, Lisbon; Chœur Gulbenkian; Yvonne LoriodMessiaen, piano; Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Michel Debost, flute; Henry Druart, clarinet; Alain Jacquet, xylorimba; Jacques Delécluse, vibraphone; François Dupin, marimba; l’Orchestre de Paris, Serge Baudo, conductor Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 1972): full score Scoring: Chorus: s.s.m-s.a.a.t.t.bar.b.b.—10 voices per part Orchestra: 7 soloists: piano, cello, flute, clarinet, xylorimba, vibraphone, and marimba; 5.4.5.4.—6.4.4.3.—6 percussion—16.16.14.12.10 VII. ELECTRONIC/STAGE MUSIC A.84. Fête des belles eaux (Messiaen reworked part of the Fête des belles eaux for cello and piano for the fifth movement [“Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus”] of the Quatuor pour la fin du Temps [item A.27]. For more information on the genesis, first performance, and structure of the Fête des belles eaux, see Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 192–94.) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Premières fusées L’eau Les fusées L’eau Les fusées L’eau (à son maximum de hauteur) Superposition de l’eau et des fusées

Date and place of composition: 1937, Paris Premiere: 25 July 1937; along the banks of the Seine river; Fêtes du son, de l’eau, et de la lumière; Exposition Internationale des Arts et des Techniques appliqués à la vie moderne; Paris Publisher: Alphonse Leduc (Paris, 2003): full score Scoring: Six Ondes Martenot A.85. Deux Monodies en quarts de ton (unpublished—photocopied score, Fonds Jeanne Loriod, Médiathèque Hector Berlioz, Paris Conservatoire) Date and place of composition: 1938, Paris Scoring: Ondes Martenot

354

Appendix

A.86. Musique de scène pour un Œdipe [Dieu est innocent] (unpublished) Scholars have been unable to identify the production of Oedipus for which this music was composed. Date and place of composition: 1942, Paris Premiere: 1 July 1942, Théâtre des Mathurins, Paris Scoring: Ondes Martenot A.87. Timbres-durées (unpublished) (After hearing the piece’s realization by Pierre Henry, Messiaen withdrew the composition, claiming that it was “very bad.” However, Antoine Goléa provided a different view of the work in a special issue of La Revue musicale devoted to musique concrète (item 771, p. 41). There, Goléa not only cites a less negative assessment of the work by Messiaen, but also describes it as being based on four rhythmic characters developed through 24 durational sequences. See Simeone, A Bibliographical Catalogue [item 6], 196.) Date of composition: March 1952 (realized by Pierre Henry) Premiere: 21 and 25 May 1952, “2 concerts de musique concrète,” Salle de l’Ancien Conservatoire, Paris Publisher: Published in fragments, recording, 2004 Scoring: Tape A.88. Feuillets inédits: Quatre piéces pour onde Martenot et piano Date of composition: Unknown (In her liner notes to Olivier Messiaen: Inédits [p. 4], Loriod-Messiaen states that Messiaen did not date these pieces. But he did leave pedagogical indications that the first piece was for “learning to read music” [“Solfège”] and the remaining pieces for “sight-reading” [“Déchiffrages”]. These indications are not present, however, in the published score.) Publisher: Durand (Paris, 2001): full score Scoring: Ondes Martenot and piano (in the same liner notes to Olivier Messiaen: Inédits, Loriod-Messiaen leaves the reader with the impression that the scoring of the pieces was not specified and that she could not resist the idea of arranging them for Ondes Martenot and piano [“Qui aurait pu résister à l’idée de les arranger pour Onde Martenot et piano, certaines mélodies semblant écrites pour le jeu au Ruban de l’Onde?”].)

Index of Names and Subjects Note: Numbers in bold refer to authors (other than Olivier Messiaen) added values 44, 48, 84, 117, 153, 203, 416, 744, 746, 778, 781, 834 Ahrens, Sieglinde 115, 117, 481, 565 Aimard, Pierre-Laurent 211.2, 243, 714 Akoka, Henri 344, 634–5, 641, 643 Alain, Jehan 204 Albéniz, Isaac 219, 312 Albèra, Philippe 393 Almén, Byron 774 Amblard, Jacques 246 Amy, GIlbert 243, 247, 565, 792 Anderson, Christine Lynn 751 Anderson, Julian 248–9, 340 Angelico, Fra 9.146, 578 Angermann, Klaus 341 Aprahamian, Felix 115, 220, 231, 489, 820 Aristotle 300, 452, 544 Armfelt, Nicholas 342 Arnault, Pascal 250 Arrieu, Claude 20, 114, 385 Asplund, Christian 775 Audel, Stéphane 190 Austin, William W. 821 Bach, Johann Sebastian 49, 55, 63, 66, 80, 199, 482, 488, 490, 521, 523, 534, 775, 857 Bachelard, Gaston 393, 399 Baggech, Melody 120 Balguerie, Suzanne 101 Balmer, Yves 9.139, 251, 284, 343, 394–7, 513–14, 702, 776 von Balthasar, Hans Urs 334, 361, 412, 519, 524, 530, 539, 544, 547, 767 Bannister, Peter 515, 777 de Banville, Théodore 356 Barash, Amari Pepper 721, 866 Barber, Charles Frederick 601 Barbier, Pierre 359 Bardez, Jean-Michel 170, 845 Barraine, Elsa 64, 69

Barraqué, Jean 445, 778 Barraud, Henry 64, 165, 196 Barthel-Calvet, Anne-Sylvie 252 Bartók, Béla 76, 86–7, 310, 312, 581, 719 Bate, Jennifer 233, 499 Battier, Marc 770 Baudo, Serge 236 Baudrier, Yves 62, 85, 348, 352 Baudry, Jeanne 63 Bauer, Amy 616 Bauer, Dorothee 693 de Beaumont, Comte Étienne 38 Beethoven, Ludwig von 81, 215, 241, 421, 562 Belfond, Pierre 219 Bell, Carla Huston 253 Benitez, Vincent P. 7, 50, 237, 263, 398–9, 510, 516, 548, 550, 571–4, 779 Benjamin, George 238, 243, 319, 549 Berg, Alban 9.105, 9.158, 76, 97, 248, 258, 578, 587, 818 Bergson, Henri 300, 393, 399, 422, 441, 452, 645, 851 Berlioz, Hector 9.137, 96, 545, 849 Bernard, Jonathan W. 244, 289, 400–1 Bernard-Delapierre, Guy 110, 344, 402 Bernstein, Leonard 34.1, 96 Béroff, Michel 711, 717 Berryman, Luke 694 Berteaux, M. Eugène 56 Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), Département de la Musique 327, 386, 460, 702 Bigarne, C. 91 Bingham, Seth 666 birdsong 70, 109, 117, 119, 124, 132, 138–42, 144–9, 157, 160, 162–4, 190, 192, 194, 200, 203, 207, 209, 211.1, 214–15, 219, 224–5, 227–8, 237–8, 241, 244, 246–7, 262, 309, 313.2–14, 316, 323, 327, 329, 338, 345, 357, 382, 407, 409, 411, 416–17, 438, 454–75, 355

356 480, 484, 502, 505–6, 512, 515, 532, 534, 542, 574, 577, 592, 595–6, 611–15, 617, 619, 630, 637, 658, 668–70, 674, 683, 694, 697, 699, 723, 730–42, 798, 806, 821, 829, 878, 882 Birkby, Arthur 189 Blanc-Gatti, Charles 9.201, 44, 97, 225, 449, 493, 644, 822–3 Blarr, Oskar Gottlieb 611 Bloom, Harold 520, 700 Böhmig, Reimund 482, 656 Boivin, Jean 190, 237, 263, 548, 550–4, 780 Bongrain, Anne 313.1 Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) 33, 34.1–34.2, 222, 389, 603 Boswell-Kurc, Lilise 89, 254, 344, 353 Boucourechliev, André 97, 262 Boulanger, Nadia 21, 197, 386 Boulez, Pierre 35, 96–8, 110, 116, 121, 139, 141, 145, 211.1–211.2, 243, 255, 276, 293, 360, 364, 369, 391, 395, 410, 455, 486, 555, 565–6, 568, 678–9, 726, 729, 781–5, 789, 792, 817, 819, 821, 824, 833, 838–9, 850, 861 Bradbury, William C. 602 Breton, André 372, 452, 755 Brindle, Reginald Smith 824 Broad, Stephen 45, 48, 256–60, 325 Bronson, Christine Elizabeth 867 Brossard, Abbé Jean 634 Bruhn, Siglind 301–7, 313.2, 345, 517, 575, 682, 703, 706–9, 715, 763, 825 Bruyr, José 191, 386 Buchler, Michael H. 741, 868 Budde, Elmar 337, 346 Bunlet, Marcelle 344, 747 Burger, Cole Philip 710 Burkat, Leonard 603 Burton, Richard D E 261 Busch, Hermann J. 483, 651 Cadieu, Martine 192 Cage, John 364, 678, 775 Calvino, Italo 739 canon 9.49, 119, 203, 416, 508, 705, 781, 834 Cao, Hélène 569 Carl, Beate 623, 705 Carroll, Mark 262 Carter, Elliott 391, 863 Castérède, Jacques 556

Index of Names and Subjects Catholicism 212, 219, 261, 352, 365, 514, 531, 541, 808, 851; liturgy 9.145, 55, 316, 525, 532, 535, 597, 654, 664; mysticism 55, 286, 314, 365, 484, 518, 522, 541, 545, 547, 808; symbolism (Christian/color/number) 5, 9.150, 150, 155, 158, 201, 241, 300, 345, 367, 412, 425, 427, 435, 437, 446–7, 449, 464, 508, 522, 570, 573–4, 578–80, 599, 619, 621, 625, 630, 634, 636–7, 659–62, 664–5, 669, 672–3, 676–7, 681, 683, 685–6, 691, 697, 699, 707–9, 711, 714, 718, 745–6, 751, 767, 779, 801, 808, 823; theology (religion) 9.145, 9.150, 44, 89, 153, 167, 208, 216–17, 223, 261, 266, 286–7, 290, 297, 299, 301, 306, 313.2, 318, 321–3, 327, 336, 345, 349, 351, 361–5, 367, 371, 399, 412–13, 438, 447, 452–3, 458, 477, 484–5, 494, 502, 508, 513–47, 570, 574, 579, 590, 594, 598, 614, 617, 619–20, 630, 636–7, 654, 661–2, 664, 681, 684–6, 693, 695, 713–14, 716, 718–19, 747, 764, 777, 800–1, 808, 874–5 Cavaillé-Coll (organ at La Trinité) 106, 198–200, 209, 332, 483, 487, 491, 499–500, 651, 704, 777 Chadwick, Roderick 740 Chailley, Jacques 22 Chaix-Ruy, Jules 180 de Chardin, Teilhard 227 charm of impossibilities 84, 117, 313.2, 346, 413–14, 453, 529, 541, 576, 620 Cheong, Wai-Ling 403–6, 454–5, 614, 618, 730 Chevreul, Michel-Eugène 9.201 Chiat, Loo Fung 731 Choe-Thomas, Chong-Hui 337, 347 Chopin, Frederic 9.112, 219, 312, 503, 508 Christiaens, Jan 645 Cimabue 578 Čiurlionis, Mikalojus Konstantinas 225 Claudel, Paul 9.145, 261, 452, 541, 800 Cluytens, André 222 Cochran, Timothy Benjamin 407–9 Cocteau, Jean 257, 316, 344 Cœuroy, André 32 Cohalan, Aileen, R. S. C. J. 674 Collado, Jordi A. Piqué i 695 collage 621 color (sound-color relationships, synesthesia) 9.201, 50, 97, 109, 119, 127, 132, 141–2, 144, 146, 163–4, 183, 197, 200, 206, 209,

Index of Names and Subjects 211.1–15, 219, 223–5, 237–8, 243–4, 246, 262, 264, 271, 278, 284–7, 289, 301, 304, 323, 326–7, 333, 341, 346, 371, 376, 382, 391, 400–1, 403, 405–6, 412, 419–20, 426–8, 435, 437–8, 449, 453, 455, 466, 474, 480, 486, 506, 528–9, 534, 548, 563, 573–4, 576, 578, 589–90, 595, 614–15, 617, 619, 634, 636–7, 644, 683, 699, 701, 704, 713, 726, 732, 737, 742, 760–1, 775, 779, 804, 806, 822–3, 826, 828, 831, 867, 878 Conrad, Bridget F. 869 Cook, Nicholas 826 Copland, Aaron 34.1, 389 Corbetta, Silvia 576 Cornell University 613 Couvignou, Lionel 577 Covington, Kate 722 Crispin, Judith Michelle 314, 518 Cross, Jonathan 391, 827 Crouch, Harold and Audrey 9.189 Curtis, Sydney 9.189–9.190, 456, 472 Cuvillier, Armand 422 cyclic themes 504, 717 Cytowic, Richard E. 828 Dallapiccola, Luigi 216 van Dam, José 568 Dandelot, Georges 62, 114 Daniel-Lesur 48, 57, 62, 113, 196, 348, 352, 812 Dante, Alighieri 336, 520 Darbon, Nicolas 250 Darbyshire, Ian 349 Davidson, Audrey Ekdahl 308, 604, 661, 752–3, 757 Debussy, Claude 2, 5, 9.139, 60, 65–6, 69, 70, 74, 80, 91, 94, 96, 98, 119, 177, 216, 219, 223, 235, 237–8, 247, 278, 290, 292, 310, 312, 325, 341, 365, 396, 407–9, 423, 455, 504, 508, 548, 550, 552, 558, 563, 567, 570, 578, 581, 674, 700–1, 706, 719, 786, 792, 814, 821, 825, 849 de Falla, Manuel 96 Delaere, Mark 410 Delamain, Jacques 469–70, 472 Delannoy, Marcel 64, 815 Delaunay, Robert 9.201, 225, 266, 572, 578 Delbos, Claire 9.12, 62, 230, 249, 256, 273, 379, 523, 810, 857 Deleuze, Gilles 467, 616, 829, 851–2

357 Demarquez, Suzanne 786 Demessieux, Jeanne 9.112 Demuth, Norman 457, 484 Derfler, Barbara Joan 700, 870 Désormière, Roger 51, 72, 96, 98 d’Indy, Vincent 66, 263, 393, 560, 567, 860 Dingle, Christopher Philip 263–6, 309, 315–16, 350, 476, 503, 578, 627–8, 694, 764–5, 787 Donelson, Jennifer 711 Drees, Stefan 458 Drew, David 411 Dufourcq, Norbert 332 Dukas, Paul 2, 50, 174, 216, 247, 385, 504, 578, 650, 690, 786, 861 Dunbavand, S. J. 412, 485 Dupré, Marcel 23, 31, 45, 63, 103, 174, 184, 193, 216, 387, 488, 510, 537, 650, 840, 848 Duruflé, Maurice 204, 488, 817, 820 Dutilleux, Henri 292, 316 Éblouissement 361, 438, 534, 589 Edgerton, Michael 459 Edgerton, Robert A. 758 Église de la Trinité 9.179, 40, 48, 58, 77, 90, 92–4, 106, 191, 193, 198–200, 204, 209, 230, 233, 237, 240, 318–19, 323, 332, 344, 370, 386–7, 476, 483, 487, 490–1, 493, 495–6, 499–500, 510, 530, 535–6, 538, 556, 574, 651, 669, 683–4, 697, 704, 777, 857–8 electronic (Electro-acoustic) music 168, 190, 192, 223, 262, 369, 770–3 Elliot, T. S. 298 Eloy, Jean-Claude 97 Éluard, Paul 9.145, 196, 372, 452, 541, 755 Emmanuel, Maurice 91, 185, 247, 325, 387 Ernst, Karin 193, 486 Evans, Adrian C. 2 Fabbi, Roberto 413 Fallon, Robert 267–8, 315, 460–1, 519–20, 579, 612, 613, 669, 788 Fancher, Joseph E. 605 Fano, Michel 110, 237, 243, 548, 550, 557, 789, 819 Fanselau, Rainer 683 Fauquet, Joël-Marie 230 Fauré, Gabriel 177, 786, 850 Feddern, Irene 154 Ferrari, Luc 176

358 Festa, Paul 652, 807 Fischer, Michel 580 Fitz-James, Bérenger de Miramon 81, 332 form: Greek triad 140, 160; mosaic form 576, 588, 591, 624; sectional 717 Forman, Edward 712, 715 Forster, Max 414 Forte, Allen 415, 417, 445, 675, 732 Franck, César 49, 55, 63, 488 Freeland, Sally 747 Freeman, Robin 351, 733 Frémiot, Marcel 416, 565 Fujita, Shigeru 624 Fulcher, Jane F. 352 Gagaku 9.81, 9.158, 212, 317, 614 Gallatin, James A. 417 Gallon, Jean 174 gamelan 406, 602 Gan-Quesada, Germân 269 Gárdonyi, Zsolt 418, 511, 581 de Gaulle, Charles 210, 236 Gavoty (“Clarendon”), Bernard 194–6, 235, 353 Gervais, Françoise 177 Ghandar, Ann 723 de Gibon, Jean 94, 537 Gilles, Joseph 67 Gillock, Jon 39, 234, 487–9, 685 Gilly, Cécile 197 Giotto 9.146, 578 Glandaz, Olivier 198–200, 319, 490 Gluck, Christoph Willibald 219, 545, 849 Goehr, Alexander 558, 565, 790 Goetze, Albrecht 320 Goeyvaerts, Karel 410, 565, 819 Goldbeck, Fred 89 Goléa, Antoine 192, 201–2, 224, 277, 328, 354, 771, 791–2 Gonin, Philipe 631 Gorin, Jean-Pierre 582 Gothic Spirituality 519–20, 597 Gottwald, Clytus 759 de Gourmont, Jean 249, 845–6 Grenier, Robert 583 Griffiths, Paul 123, 244, 270, 300, 355, 362, 419, 584–5, 629, 830, 873–7 Grimaud, Yvette 565 Grisey, Gérard 740 Grunenwald, Jean-Jacques 48, 348

Index of Names and Subjects Grünewald, Matthias 578 Guardini, Romano 524 Guattari, Félix 829 Guertin, Marcelle 724 Guiberteau, Francine 172, 586 Guilmant, Alexandre 58 Gut, Serge 667, 748, 754, 831 Guth, Paul 203 Haedrich, Marcel 632, 815 Haine, Malou 190 Hakim, Naji 243, 491 Halbreich, Harry 271–2, 291, 319, 521, 528, 568–9 Hamer, Laura 356 d’Harcourt, Marguérite and Raoul d’Harcourt 179, 752 harmony: coloration 403, 420, 427; harmonic or inferior resonance 9.157, 117, 238, 248, 312, 341, 412, 420, 429, 559, 723–4, 726, 732, 740, 804; invented chords 117, 132, 405 (chord of resonance 418; chord of transposed inversions on the same bass note 9.81, 9.193, 304, 391, 398, 404–5, 426, 428, 614, 618, 623, 732, 762, 874; chord on the dominant 44, 153, 304, 668, 687, 732, 762; chords of contracted resonance (I and II) 163, 248, 326, 404–5, 426, 618, 668, 687, 694); turning chords 9.81, 248, 404–5, 426, 614, 618, 687 (chord of total chromaticism 163, 404–5, 426) Harris, Joseph E. 420 Harrison, Daniel 832 Hartmann, Karl Amadeus 28 Hassman, Carroll 657 Hastetter, Michaela Christine 321, 522–3 Hatten, Robert S. 774 Hayes, Malcolm 477 Healey, Gareth 421–4, 720 Heinemann, Michael 322, 524, 646, 648–9, 653–4, 656, 663, 696 Heiß, Hellmut 676–7 Heller, Karin 525–6 Hello, Ernest 77, 157, 370, 395, 422, 524, 541, 807 Henry, Pierre 770, 772–3 Heuberger, Stephan 587 Hiekel, Jörn Peter 320 Higginson, Henry Lee – HENRY Digital Archives (BSO) 34.2

Index of Names and Subjects Hill, Camille Crunelle 588–9 Hill, Matthew Richard 713 Hill, Peter 9.3, 9.8, 9.15, 9.23, 9.39, 9.177, 9.200–2, 191, 228, 266, 271, 273–5, 291, 323–4, 357, 385, 462, 504–6, 559, 613, 725, 731, 733, 734, 793 Hirsbrunner, Theo 276, 358, 701, 726, 735, 794–5, 833 Hochreither, Karl 658, 796 Hodeir, André 423, 834–5 Hohlfeld-Ufer, Ingrid 217, 668 Hold, Trevor 463 Holliger, Heinz 149, 243 Holloway, Clyde 277, 655 Honegger, Arthur 9.137, 9.145, 62, 64, 81, 175, 215, 219, 344, 815, 817, 836–7 Hook, Julian 606 Hopkins, Stephen 871 Hsu (Forte), Madeleine 310, 312 Hüe, François 9.61 Hugon, Georges 114 Ibsen, Henrik 366 Ide, le Père Pascal 209, 527–30 IRCAM – Centre Georges Pompidou 110, 789 irrational rhythms/values 428, 502, 668 Irvine, Catherine Anne 626 Jameux, Dominique 838–9 Janz, Tobias 121, 560 Jaquet-Langlais, Marie-Louise 111, 840 Jaubert, Maurice 81 Joan of Arc 210, 359 Johnson, Robert Sherlaw 244, 278–9, 300, 425, 464, 878 Jolas, Betsy 561–2, 797 Jolivet, André 57, 62, 68, 85, 169, 175, 247–8, 325, 348, 352, 390, 795, 812, 815, 817, 833, 841, 869 Jolivet, Hilda 841 Joly, Denis 25, 174 Joos, Maxime 714 Jost, Peter 325 Joubert, Muriel 798 Jourdanet, Charles 633 Kämpfer, Dietrich 337 Kandinsky, Wassily 225, 346 Kant, Immanuel 321

359 Kars, le Père Jean-Rodolphe 9.146, 40, 41, 233, 243, 319, 337, 531–5, 547, 570, 664 Kayas, Lucie 275, 325, 359, 715 Keeley, Anne Mary 684 Kemmelmeyer, Karl-Jürgen 492, 617 Kempis, Thomas à 693 Keym, Stefan 121, 325, 371, 426–7, 576, 590–1, 879 Kim, Paul Sung-Il 736 Klassen, Janina 599 Koch, Ludwig 9.23 Kœchlin, Charles 75, 427 Kohn, le Père Francis 233, 536 Koozin, Timothy 300, 799 Kopp, David 742 Koussevitzky, Serge (Koussevitsky) 33, 34.1, 389 Kraft, David 465 Kramer, Jonathan D. 842, 853 Kuhn, Laura Diane 883, 884 Labounsky, Ann 843 Lacôte, Thomas 9.139, 284, 395–7 Lade, Günter 204–5 La Jeune France 2, 51, 62, 96, 222, 257–9, 348, 352, 370, 795, 812, 831, 854, 869 Lambert, Guy 49, 58 Lambruschini, Carola 592 Landale, Susan 499, 697 Langlais, Jean 48, 73, 111, 348, 488, 690, 840, 843 La Spirale 379, 812, 869 Latry, Olivier 151–2, 243, 493, 537 Lauerwald, Hannelore 634–5, 641, 643 L’Avant-Scène Opéra 272, 568–9 Laycock, Gary Eng Yeow 280 le Boucher, Maurice 46 Le Boulaire, Jean 634–5, 641, 643 “Le Cas Messiaen” 89, 229, 254, 295, 306, 344, 353, 402, 515, 550, 710, 816, 854 Leduc, Gilbert 26 Leduc, Jean 35 Lee, John Madison 507, 728 Lee, Martin 619–20 Lee, Yun 743 Le Forestier, Anne 186, 600 Leibowitz, René 360, 364, 550, 678, 781, 816 Leigh, Jeff 686 le Jeune, Claude 119, 760–1

360 le langage communicable 9.68, 155, 276, 282, 297, 358, 417, 440, 502, 625, 683–5, 689, 692, 699 Lemaresquier, M. Charles 104 Lenze, Christian 321, 636–7 Lester, Joel 567, 844 Lesure, Anik 326 Letestu, Dom Charles 230 Levinson, Gerald 34.1, 35 Library of Congress (LoC) 33 Liebe, Anne 121, 508 Liebermann, Rolf 9.159, 577 Liebestod (Love death) 433 Ligeti, György 9.158, 193 Liszt, Franz 63, 310, 312, 433, 545, 581, 798 Logan, Christine 704 Loranquin, Albert 800 Loriod, Jeanne 34.1, 175, 229 Loriod-Messiaen, Yvonne 35, 41, 238, 265, 273, 455, 469, 583, 786; correspondence 35, 231, 233–4, 643; editor/author 9.1–9.202passim, 10.1, 10.3, 30, 35, 119, 121, 122–3, 137, 148–9, 161, 250, 326, 390, 461, 554, 565; interviews 228–9, 235, 237, 241, 243, 323, 643; performer 1, 33, 34.1, 87, 116, 158, 211.1, 235, 237, 239, 241, 243, 265, 503, 509, 555, 704, 725, 731, 756; teacher 239, 241, 265, 509 Louis-Antoine, le Père 589 Lourié, Arthur 544 Louvier, Alain 173, 186, 243, 428, 466, 563, 600 Luchese, Diane 281–2 Luckow, Heather White 283 Lurçat, Jean 100, 316, 733 Lustiger, Cardinal Jean-Marie 525–6, 535–6, 538 Lyman, Rebecca 744 Lyon, Raymond 206 van Maas, Sander 361–2, 467, 539, 593, 801 Macdonald, Hugh 284 Mâche, François-Bernard 176, 243, 467, 468 Maeterlinck, Maurice 366 Mallarmé, Stéphane 108, 422 Mallié, Loïc 319, 493, 537 Malraux, André 143, 622 Manning, Jane 478 Marchal, Béatrice 249, 845 Marion, Jean-Luc 361, 539 Maritain, Jacques 514, 544, 546, 788

Index of Names and Subjects Marmion, Dom Columba 77, 158, 301, 412, 422, 452, 524, 541, 654, 693, 697, 710, 712, 715, 808 Martenot, Ginette 33 Marti, Jean-Christophe 207, 568 Martinet, Jean-Louis 85, 565, 792 Massenet, Jules 284, 395 Massin, Brigitte 208, 306, 337, 733 Massip, Catherine 327, 363 von Massow, Albrecht 540 Matheson, Iain G. 638, 802 Mawer, Deborah 803 McGinnis, Margaret Elizabeth 286 McMullen, John William 639 McNeill, Rhoderick 607 McNulty, Paul Francis 364, 678, 727 Mehta, Zubin 35 Meischein, Burkhard 494, 650, 687 Mellers, Wilfrid 365, 766 Meltzheim, Irène 209 Messiaen, Alain 121, 366, 514, 845–6 Messiaen, Olivier: analytical and theoretical studies 393–453; articles, essays, reviews 32, 42–113; birdsong 454–75; birdsong notebooks (BnF) 9.1–9.202; Catholicism/ religion 513–47; correspondence 20–8, 32–3, 34.1, 35–6, 38, 221, 386, 389, 472, 769; documentaries/filmed performances 235–45; interviews 189–227; introductions/ prefaces 135–87; lectures and librettos 124–34; pedagogical works 15–16, 114–23; teaching 200, 211.1, 216, 237–9, 243, 316, 323, 347, 378, 381, 385, 389, 410, 428, 441, 548–67, 792 Messiaen, Pascal 9.20 Messiaen, Pierre 169, 296, 514, 845, 846 Metzger, Heinz-Klaus 125, 329 Michael, Roger 92, 188 Michaely, Aloyse 287, 367–8, 594, 688, 698, 716 Michel, Alain 334, 767 de Middeleer, Jean 53 Migot, Georges 71, 73 Milhaud, Darius 57, 59, 62, 64, 72, 76, 215, 219, 235, 258, 561–2, 797 Mille, Olivier 239, 243, 245 Milsom, John 495–6 Mittelstadt, James A. 429 Mocquereau, Dom André 393, 567

Index of Names and Subjects modes of limited transposition 5, 42, 44, 48, 77, 84, 117, 119, 132, 150, 153, 164, 212, 222, 227, 282, 311, 322, 358, 398, 400, 403, 405–6, 414–15, 418, 428, 435, 442, 450–1, 453, 486, 507, 581, 588–9, 599, 626, 644, 656–8, 674, 717, 732, 737, 742, 744–6, 814, 818, 834, 859, 861, 863, 871, 874 Möller, Hans-Dieter 481 Möller, Hartmut 689 Montandon, Susannah Violet 872 Morgan, Robert P. 847 Morris, David 5, 640 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 6, 9.137, 116, 119, 147, 149, 219, 229, 235, 241, 263, 314, 395, 410, 560, 563, 567, 578, 849, 853 Murail, Tristan 175, 289, 391, 740, 804 Muraro, Roger 239, 241, 317, 335, 725, 731 de Murillo, José Sánchez 473 Murray, Christopher Brent 9.139, 284, 343, 356, 359, 395–7, 513, 702, 772–3, 776 Murray, Michael 214, 848–9 Musique concrète 176, 392, 770–3, 791, 818 Mussorgsky, Modest 9.112, 9.137, 578 Myers, Rollo H. 169, 850 Nagano, Kent 207, 229 narrative 610, 619–20, 739, 774, 802, 817 Nattiez, Jean-Jacques 610, 640, 784 Neidhöfer, Christoph 430–1, 442 Nelson, David Lowell 432, 621 New York – James Fuld Music Collection 36 New York – Mary Flagler Cary Music Collection 37 New York – Morgan Collection 38 New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) 35 Nichols, Roger 215, 288, 369 Nicholson, E. M. 9.23 Nigg, Serge 85, 565, 792, 816–17 Nonken, Marilyn 289, 804 de Obaldia, René 370, 530, 568 O’Connell, Kevin 433 Ohana, Maurice 294 Ohia, Chinyerem Maduakolam Nduka 615 Olivier, Philippe 290 Ondes Martenot 33, 34.1, 168, 175, 212, 219, 229, 316, 390, 811 organ registration 9.103, 44, 52, 74, 151, 153, 200, 209, 217, 330, 332, 482–4, 487, 490–1,

361 493, 500, 502, 564, 666, 670, 683, 704, 777, 849 von Osten, Sigune 756 Ozawa, Seiji 34.1, 141 Pack, Tim 746 Palmer, David 497–8, 595–6 Palmér, Sture 9.31 Park, Shi-Ae 670 Pasquier, Étienne 344, 634–5, 641, 643 Penot, Jacques 243, 319, 469–70 Peridigào, Maria Madalena de Azeredo 769 Périer, Alain 291 permutations (includes interversions) 9.95, 9.118, 109, 117, 119, 132, 140, 142, 164, 252, 403, 406, 414, 417, 428, 448, 453, 455, 466, 502, 509, 517, 532, 590, 617, 668, 670, 674–6, 678, 680, 730, 770, 778, 819, 830 Petersen, Birger 371 Peterson, Larry W. 372, 434 Petersen, Nils Holger 597 Petit, Roland 609 Peyron, Gisèle 90 Philips, John 737 Pickstock, Catherine 851–2 Piersig/Piertzig, Dr. 38 Pincherle, Marc 711 Pinzauti, Leonardo 216 plainchant 40, 60, 74, 80, 117, 119, 142, 185, 192, 209, 247, 344, 406, 411, 439, 480, 486, 488, 502, 537, 542, 544, 563, 617, 658, 668, 683, 687, 696, 719, 760, 806 Plato 452, 545 Poe, Edgar Allan 108, 422 Pople, Anthony 435, 642, 881 Potter, Caroline 292, 805–6 Poulenc, Francis 190, 215, 344, 544, 817 Pozzi, Raffaele 293, 311, 436, 853 Prost, Christine 760 Quef, Charles 387 Rae, Caroline 279, 294, 312 Rameau, Jean-Philippe 9.139, 96, 149, 219 Randel, Don Michael 882 Ravel, Maurice 9.7, 59, 69–70, 81, 91, 115, 122–3, 191, 219, 276, 581, 701, 706, 786 Reeves, Janice E. Rogers 745 Reverdy, Michèle 479

362 Reverdy, Pierre 9.145, 196, 422, 541, 755 rhythm: Indian rhythms (deçi-tâlas) 9.49, 9.118, 79, 139, 141, 247, 278, 416, 428, 436, 443–4, 484, 486, 542, 614, 617, 621, 658, 668, 670, 705, 719, 760, 768, 778, 834; irrational values 428, 502, 668; nonretrogradable rhythms 84, 109, 117, 119, 132, 203, 282, 414, 416, 453, 471, 502, 528, 658, 705, 726, 778, 781, 802, 834; rhythmic characters (personnages rythmiques) 9.169, 79, 109, 119, 132, 153, 203, 222, 421, 436, 502, 606, 668, 670, 675, 705, 726, 770–2, 778, 834 Richard of Saint Victor 684 Riehn, Rainer 329 Rilke, Rainer-Maria 180, 314, 422, 518 Rimbaud, Arthur 174 Rischin, Rebecca 643 Roché, Jean-Claude 9.128, 9.189, 335, 472 Rogosin, David 717 Roncalli, Cardinal (Pope John XXIII) 164 Rößlere, Almut 121, 133, 183, 217, 218, 227, 481, 486, 499, 564, 668, 699 Ross, Mark Alan 644 Rostand, Claude 295, 328, 373–4, 854–5 Roubet, Anne 437 Roubinet, Michel 499 Roussel, Albert 62, 66, 191, 786 Roustit, Albert 181–2 Roy, J./Jean 102, 375, 856, 880 Sabatier, François 332–3 Saint Augustine 300, 523, 539, 636 Saint Bonaventure 693 Saint John 519 Saint John of the Cross 473, 522 Saint Thérèse of Lisieux 715 Saint Thomas Aquinas 9.68, 143, 155, 183, 300, 304, 313.2, 336, 365, 422, 452, 516–18, 523, 527, 530, 544, 589, 619, 663, 684, 693, 696, 801, 808 Salonen, Esa-Pekka 582 Samana, Leo 242 Samuel, Claude 9.126, 109, 197, 211.1–2, 212–13, 219–21, 224, 277, 326, 334–5, 337, 376–8, 421, 489, 828 Satie, Erik 325, 365 Sauvage, Cécile 62, 107, 137, 191, 212, 219, 238, 249, 296, 370, 379, 452, 508, 541, 710, 845–6, 849

Index of Names and Subjects Scarlatti, Dominico 149, 219 Schaeffer, Pierre 176, 359, 770, 772–3 Schellhorn, Matthew 749 Schlee, Thomas Daniel 204, 233, 325, 337, 381–2, 690, 761, 783 Schloesser, Stephen 296, 537, 541, 807–8 Schnebel, Dieter 542 Schneider, Frank 383 Schoenberg, Arnold 9.158, 65, 97, 346, 378, 414, 794, 818 Schrader, Thomas 438 Schultz, Rob 471 Schweizer, Klaus 121, 439, 608, 729, 768 Scriabin, Alexander 341, 346, 545, 581, 871 Seidel, Elmar 679 Seifert, Charles Ernest 718 Sellars, Peter 245, 568, 582, 593 Semiotics 297, 440, 620, 640, 724 Sequeri, Pierangelo 543 serialism/serial techniques 97, 132, 178, 252, 262, 264, 293, 314, 347, 358, 360, 364, 369, 399, 410, 414, 428, 466, 492, 502, 505, 542, 588, 674–5, 678–80, 720, 723, 729, 778, 794, 816, 818–19, 830, 833, 844, 847, 859, 878; mode of pitches, durations, and intensities 760; Series—dynamics (intensities) 97, 760; series—rhythm (durations) 9.98, 97, 132, 140, 349, 428, 492, 502, 616, 624, 705, 722–3, 730, 760, 770–1, 829, 833, 860 Shadle, Douglas 514, 544 Shakespeare, William 180, 212, 219, 366, 370, 541, 849 Shenton, Andrew 297–8, 336, 380, 440–1, 620, 689 Sholl, Robert Peter 299, 338, 512, 598, 671, 755 Shuster-Fournier, Carolyn 857 Simeone, Nigel 6, 8, 9.126, 9.177, 82, 113, 191, 209, 266, 271, 273–5, 291, 316, 335, 343, 384–9, 609, 613, 622, 643, 750, 769, 809–13, 815, 858 Sims, Bryan R. 859 Simundza, Mirjana 443–4 Sitsky, Larry 545 Slonimsky, Nicolas 883–4 Smalley, Roger 814 Smith, Rodney 704 Smith, Rollin 647 Souvtchinsky, Pierre 28, 98

Index of Names and Subjects spectralism 289, 740 Sprout, Leslie 643, 815–17 stained-glass windows 412, 534, 585, 775 Steinitz, Richard 625 Stockhausen, Karlheinz 211.1, 293, 347, 410, 486, 565–6, 679, 819, 842 Stravinsky, Igor 2, 59, 65, 69, 76, 79, 81, 85, 96, 119, 164, 191, 203, 255, 258, 278, 316, 391, 410, 421, 435–6, 445, 544, 581, 719, 749, 778, 781, 788, 816–17, 827, 842, 851 Strinz, Werner 121, 445, 860 Strobel, Heinrich 140, 222 Stuckenschmidt, Hans Heinz 818 Sun, Shu-Wen 738 surrealism 2, 196, 261, 338, 355, 372, 541, 755, 808 Szersnovicz, Patrick 223 Takemitsu, Tōru 391, 799, 872 Taruskin, Richard 362, 861 Taylor, Benedict 300 Taylor, Hollis 456, 472 Tchamkerten, Jacques 390 Thissen, Paul 446–7, 546, 659–60, 665, 672–3, 691 Thurner, Martin 473 Tikker, Timothy J. 218, 500 timbre 44, 70, 87, 97, 99, 106, 138, 140, 153, 175, 199, 246, 289, 437, 472, 474, 480, 495, 509, 537, 563, 577, 602, 625, 678, 724, 770, 792, 794, 804, 849, 882, 885 Toesca, Maurice 158, 316, 710, 712, 715, 862 Tölle, Julian Christophe 630 Toop, Richard 819 Tournemire, Charles 49, 52, 55–6, 61, 73–4, 80, 151, 193, 204, 230, 247–8, 299, 325, 333, 387, 431, 488, 510, 541, 645, 820 Trawick, Eleanor 448, 680 Tremblay, Gilles 474, 565, 780, 885 Tristan symbolism: Tristan myth 212, 219, 308, 345, 433, 610, 637, 735, 757, 810, 882; Tristan trilogy 203, 306, 308, 382 Troup, Malcolm 480 Tual, Denise 32, 237, 245, 384, 548, 550, 815

363 Tully, Alice 144, 225 Tüngler, Irene 229 Urwin, Ray 3, 4 Valéry, Paul 88, 422 Varèse, Edgard 68, 175, 365, 640, 795, 869 Vierne, Louis 49, 488, 848 Vinay, Gianfranco 449, 822 Voderholzer, Rudolf 547 Vuillermoz, M. Emile 69 Vyschnedgradsky, Ivan 57 Wagner, Richard 56, 80, 219, 247, 276, 308, 341, 353, 433, 578 Walker, Rosemary 450 Walter, Edith 224 Wangermée, Robert 232 Watts, Harriet 225–6, 267 Waumsley, Stuart 501 Webern, Anton 97, 293, 818 Weir, Gillian 502 Weißgerber, Lydia (Weissgerber) 451, 656, 692 Weller, Philip 379, 762 Whitmore, Brooks Blaine 719 Whittall, Arnold 391, 445, 863 Whorf, Benjamin Lee 440 Widor, Charles-Marie 63, 204, 387, 488, 820 Williams, Graham 452 Wu, Jean Marie 453 Wu, Po-Yi (Nelson) 567 Xenakis, Iannis 9.158, 108, 176, 197, 227, 237, 252, 566, 864–5 Zacher, Gerhard (Gerd) 486, 681 Zahn, Dieter 475 Zatkalik, Miloš 610 Zeller, Hans Rudolf 392 Zilgien, Line 90 Zimmerman, Heinrich 227 Zimmerman, Heinz Werner 661 Zinke-Bianchini, Virginie 1

Index of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen Apparition de l’Église éternelle 651–3, 807 Cantéyodjayâ 448, 505, 720, 728, 827, 833 Catalogue d’oiseaux 9.8, 9.15, 9.23, 9.37, 9.46–9.47, 9.49, 9.139, 10.3, 160, 162, 223, 239, 244, 253, 338, 358, 412, 455, 458–9, 462, 466, 474, 505, 508, 559, 675, 726, 730–9, 793, 830, 878 Chæurs pour une Jeanne d’Arc [Portique pour une fille de France] 359 Chant des Déportés 165 Chants de Terre et de Ciel 78, 241, 243, 306, 344, 385, 478, 644, 747 Chronochromie 119, 140, 202, 239, 243, 249, 295, 338, 365, 404–6, 412, 417, 453, 474, 616, 730, 827, 830 Cinq Rechants 9.201, 37, 166, 203, 261, 306, 308, 311, 329, 365, 372, 417, 477, 757–62, 778 Concert à quatre 9.194, 149, 249, 279, 309, 350, 412 Couleurs de la Cité céleste 142, 339, 406, 419, 428, 437–8, 591, 617, 827, 830, 859 Des canyons aux étoiles 9.77, 9.129, 144, 212, 225, 243, 245, 291, 314, 323, 334, 425, 440, 528, 555, 596, 623–5, 783–4, 828 Diptyque 152, 193, 483, 650 Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà 9.159, 9.178, 12.2, 35, 148, 228, 250, 309, 323, 350, 391, 412, 420, 534, 627–30 Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum 9.100, 143, 219, 236–7, 285, 314, 424, 480, 547, 618–22, 827 Fantaisie burlesque 18, 504 Fête des belles eaux 168, 390, 477, 811 Harawi: Chant d’Amour et de Mort 9.201, 14.2–14.3, 119, 179, 203, 244, 306, 308, 338, 478, 503, 751–6, 831, 833 Hymne au Saint-Sacrement 230, 476–7

La Fauvette des jardins 162, 223, 391, 505, 740 La Fauvette Passerinette 9.200–9.202 La Mort du Nombre 478 La Nativité du Seigneur 18, 36, 44, 48, 77, 153–4, 280, 311, 330, 348, 385, 405, 433, 446–7, 489, 493, 534, 656–1, 712, 715, 788, 796, 808, 812, 823, 861–2 L’Ascension (orchestra) 18, 42, 117, 186, 311, 385, 388, 476–7, 600 L’Ascension (organ) 244, 654–5 La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur JésusChrist 9.129, 34.1, 167, 238, 304, 323, 334, 350, 366, 412, 539, 547, 591, 596, 629, 763–9, 850 La Ville d’En-Haut 146, 279, 309, 629 Le Banquet céleste 118, 151, 154, 311, 322, 330, 334, 411, 451, 481, 484, 489, 492–3, 495, 524, 645–7, 656, 777, 849 L’Ensorceleuse 14.1 Les Corps glorieux 81, 238, 311, 322, 447, 451, 481, 493, 495, 500, 524, 646, 656, 662–5, 777, 808–9, 861 Les Offrandes oubliées 33, 34.1, 136, 214, 230, 388, 476–7, 599, 803 Le Tombeau resplendissant 137, 476–7 Livre d’orgue 71, 73, 119, 154, 201, 329, 411, 481, 484, 489–90, 500, 502, 523, 532, 535, 674–81, 727, 772, 777, 860 Livre du Saint Sacrement 9.177, 9.178, 11, 39, 118, 156, 204, 207, 209, 243–4, 309, 322, 332, 412, 440, 498, 500, 502, 546, 629, 687, 693–9, 774, 777, 849 Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité 9.121, 155, 277, 297, 304, 330–1, 339, 368, 380, 412, 417, 440, 447, 481, 486, 489, 500–2, 596, 682–92, 801, 863 Messe de la Pentecôte 119, 201, 243, 322, 411, 446–7, 481, 502, 523, 535, 546, 556, 666–73, 687, 777–8, 831, 860 Morceau de Lecture à vue 385 365

366 Offrande au Saint-Sacrement 151–2, 648 Oiseaux exotiques 9.22, 9.32, 139, 243, 329, 443, 459–60, 466, 474, 611–13, 830, 854 Petites Esquisses d’oiseaux 163, 239, 309, 350, 505, 629, 741–2, 868, 871 Pièce pour le Tombeau de Paul Dukas 504 Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes 309, 629 Poèmes pour Mi 261, 306, 344, 355, 379, 417, 442, 478, 503, 644, 743–5, 803 Prélude 152, 483, 649 Prélude (1964) 161 Préludes 214, 241, 253, 310, 312, 417, 504, 507–8, 645, 700–1, 833, 870 Quatre Études de rythme 10.2, 119, 159, 314, 316, 358, 411, 448, 505, 507, 678, 721–9, 866 Quatuor pour la fin du Temps 9.201, 34.1, 82, 110, 150, 223, 232, 237–40, 243, 261, 277, 298, 311, 317, 344, 347, 365, 382, 424, 443, 475, 477, 503, 547, 631–44, 650, 786, 799, 802, 805, 809, 817–18, 832, 837, 844, 860–2 Réveil des oiseaux 9.1–9.5, 9.7, 9.9–9.11, 12.1, 138, 454, 457, 462–3, 466, 471, 474, 480, 613, 734, 830 Rondeau 504, 809 Saint François d’Assise 9.105, 9.131, 9.142, 9.145–6, 9.158, 9.180, 13.1–13.2, 34.1, 50, 132, 134, 135, 206–8, 211.1, 212, 217, 224, 228, 239, 241, 243, 245, 270, 272, 276, 288, 298, 304, 309, 316, 319, 323, 327, 336, 338,

Index of Musical Works by Olivier Messiaen 350, 358, 362, 371, 375, 382, 390, 412, 516, 535, 543, 568–98, 726, 779, 798, 867, 875–7 Sept Haïkaï 9.81, 119, 141, 212, 237, 317, 336, 355, 419, 474, 614–15, 830 Thème et variations 18, 230, 255, 477 Timbres-durées 314, 770–3, 791, 818 Trois Mélodies 478 Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine 9.201, 33, 34.1, 96, 98, 164, 194, 207, 229, 237, 239, 306, 344, 369, 372, 384, 390, 417, 477, 516, 748–50, 786, 816, 831 Turangalîla-Symphonie 9.201, 33, 34.1, 96, 98, 119, 203, 211, 222, 231–2, 238, 306, 308, 311, 314, 316, 323, 377, 388, 390, 411, 421, 443, 477, 528, 535, 601–10, 778, 810, 827, 861, 863 Un Sourire 9.189, 147, 309, 626, 629 Un Vitrail et des oiseaux 145, 309, 629 Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace 481, 492, 500, 502, 777 Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus 9.201, 17, 18, 89, 119, 158, 235, 239, 241, 243–4, 246, 301, 303, 310, 312, 345, 411–12, 450, 453, 504, 508, 522, 559, 705–19, 778, 786, 816, 825, 862, 871 Visions de l’Amen 10.1, 19, 119, 157, 232, 237, 251, 296, 301, 303, 312, 314, 343, 384, 395, 411, 438, 503–4, 702–4, 786, 805, 837, 862 Vocalise-étude 478