Gallery
Copyright exists on all of these photographs.
Downloading and electronic reproduction of any image is illegal without the express permission of the copyright owner.
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Messiaen, Yvonne Loriod and John Carewe in rehearsal at the Royal Academy of Music London March 1987
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Salle d'Olivier Messiaen in Grenoble
On October 2, 1981, the Marcel Reymond amphitheater, rue du Vieux Temple, was renamed "Salle Olivier Messiaen". On January 20, 1984, Olivier Messiaen was made an honorary citizen of the city of Grenoble.
© Messiaen in USA 1978
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Eglise de la Sainte Trinité. Paris ©M.Ball
The tombe of Messiaen in the Eglise Saint Théoffrey, Petichet, France.
© Malcolm Ball
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In 1973, Olivier Messiaen acquired a concession in the Saint-Théoffrey cemetery. His will was to be buried near the lakes, facing the Grand-Serre which he called the "bald mountain". The tomb will be in Carrara marble and will represent a bird. To carry out this last wish, Yvonne Loriod contacted a local craftsman: Albert Luyat. Several drawings were submitted to her in Paris before she validated the dove's project during a visit to the marble factory. The curves of the bird form a flame of memory. An extract from "Harawi" - composed at Petichet in 1945 - "song of Love and Death, for voice and piano" is engraved by hand. "I only made one mistake but it was quickly corrected! remembers the marble worker. Above: "All the birds of the Stars", extract from "Harawi", and text by the hand of Messiaen.
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The headstone with 'Yvonne Messiaen' inscription (2010).
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© John Stead
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© John Stead
Messiaen in the 1930's/40s & 50s)
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(Photo©Lipnitzki)
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(Photo©Lipnitzki)
Messiaen in the 1960's
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©T.Gaby
© MB
© MB
Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod
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Messiaen in 1978
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Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod in the recording studio 1973.
Messiaen in the 1970's
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Messiaen in 1971
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Messiaen in the 1980's
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Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod 1986 in Düsseldorfer Tonhalle.
(photo:© Christine Langensiepen)
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Messiaen at the presentation for the degree of Doctor of Music at the Guildhall London.
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© Laelia Goehr (Musicians in Camera)
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© Laelia Goehr (Musicians in Camera)
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with Pierre Boulez
Karlheinz Stockhausen and Messiaen in 1961
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Stockhausen, Boulez and Messiaen in the 1980's
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Messiaen's house at Petichet. © M.Ball
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The studio 'annexe' at Petichet. © M.Ball
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The "garage" at Messiaen's Petichet house. © M.Ball
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Messiaen's piano at Petichet
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Lac Laffrey (2014)© M.Ball
Messiaen purchased the small house and garage at Petichet in 1936 and he was to spend most summer months here where he composed a good deal of his output.
Petichet was a haven for Messiaen where he was able to listen and note down songs of birds in relative peace. However, as years passed the onset of tourism became a source of irritation for him that resulted in the purchase of a second country home in the Sologne region. Petichet marks the starting point for walks to the Ecrins park and Mont-Blanc, but it is La Meije and the village of La Grave that make the strongest impression on him. Today, a summer festival takes place there to celebrate the life and works of Messiaen.
230 rue Marcadet Paris in the 18th arrondissement.
The Paris residence shared by Messiaen and Loriod from 1961 to the composers death in 1992. Loriod continued to live here until her death in 2010.
Loriod had a small studio apartment in this block and over the years the Messiaens expanded, purchasing other apartments within the block. It overlooks a small park with a band stand bearing a remarkable resemblance to the 'jardin de ville' in Grenoble where, as a young boy Messiaen enjoyed studying musical scores.
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The rue Olivier-Messiaen is a private road located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
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Located in north central France, 'La Sauline' became the Messiaens second country retreat from 1981 to 1995.
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© M.Ball. Used with kind permission of the present owners.
Josef Pyrz
Sculptor Josef Pyrz (1946 - 2016) was born in Gawlowek, Poland but moved to France in 1979. Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod became great friends with the Pyrz family after seeing sculptures by him in churches in Paris and in the Sologne region. Pyrz and his family fell on hard times in the 1980's and Messiaen wanted to help him out by financial support and commissioned a sculpture of St. François d'Assise that was displayed at the Paris Opéra Garnier, during the 1983 performances of the work.
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Eglise Notre Dame des Bruyères in Neuvy-sur-Barangeon where the 'Messiaens' worshipped in the Sologne region.
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© M.Ball
Sculpture of Messiaen by Josef Pyrz outside Eglise Notre Dame des Bruyères in Neuvy-sur-Barangeon
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Monument funéraire des grands-parents, oncles et tantes du compositeur Olivier Messiaen. La statue " L'énergie foudroyée" est une reproduction d'une oeuvre de Léon Messiaen, oncle du compositeur qui fut Premier prix de sculpture des Beaux-Arts de Paris, réalisée en 1915 et exposée en 1919 sur les Champs-Elysées.
Tomb of grandparents, aunts and uncles of Olivier Messiaen. The statue "The energy struck by lightning" is a reproduction of a work of Leon Messiaen, the composer's uncle who was first prize winner for sculpture des Beaux-Arts in Paris, constructed in 1915 and exhibited in 1919 on the Champs-Elysées.
In the churchyard of La Chaise, near Fuligny, graves of the grand parents, uncles and aunts of Olivier Messiaen.
Léon Messiaen
The house at Fuligny in Aube region where Messiaen would visit his aunts in the 1920's and where he wrote the Préludes, Le Banquet eucharistique for orchestra and the organ work derived from part of it, Le Banquet céleste. Les Offrandes oubilees and Le Tombeau replendissant.
This plaque marks the house where Messiaen and his family lived after WW1 from 1918 to 1919. 1 place des Enfants Nantais, Nantes.
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Messiaen spent his early childhood here at 2 cours Berriat, Grenoble.
© Colin Samuels
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© John Stead
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© Malcolm Ball
La Meiji
Copyright exists on all of these photographs.
Downloading and electronic reproduction of any image is illegal without the express permission of the copyright owner.