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French composer Olivier Messiaen, his life and works. Includes biography, bibliography, list of works, birdsong, events listing and much more. of the 20th Century music. Loriod, birdsong, education https://www.oliviermessiaen.org/ Olivier Messiaen "My faith is the grand drama of my life. I'm a believer, so I sing words of God to those who have no faith. I give bird songs to those who dwell in cities and have never heard them, make rhythms for those who know only military marches or jazz, and paint colours for those who see none". (Olivier Messiaen) © Copyright protected 1908 - 1992 © Copyright protected Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen 1924 - 2010 Bio READ MORE © Copyright protected © Malcolm Crowthers OLIVIER-EUGENE-PROSPER-CHARLES MESSIAEN (b. Dec. 10, 1908, Avignon, France.d. April 27, 1992, Clichy, near Paris), Olivier Messiaen was the son of Pierre Messiaen, a scholar of English literature, and of the poet Cecile Sauvage. Soon after his birth the family moved to Ambert (the birthplace of Chabrier) where his brother, Alain was born in 1913. Around the time of the outbreak of World War 1, Cecile Sauvage took her two sons to live with her brother in Grenoble where Olivier Messiaen spent his early childhood, began composing at the age of seven, and taught himself to play the piano. On his return from the war, Pierre Messiaen took the family to Nantes and in 1919 they all moved to Paris where Olivier entered the Conservatoire. Bio © Copyright protected The 26th March 2025 was not only the 100th birthday of Pierre Boulez but also the 80th anniversary of the first performance of Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jésus by Yvonne Loriod. YVONNE LORIOD Premiere in Berlin September 2026 The highly expressive music of Yvonne Loriod is brought back to life. La Sainte Face – The Holy Face for soprano and orchestra. This work, handwritten in black ink across 280 pages of score, comprises 15 pieces with very different instrumentations. As a 21-year-old student of Darius Milhaud, Loriod composed for an unusual ensemble: solo soprano, eight flutes, woodwinds and brass, a large percussion section, a few strings, two harps, piano, celesta, and two Ondes Martenot. Loriod's compositional output is still being rediscovered – by figures such as Kent Nagano, who discovered several large-scale orchestral works by his former teacher in the National Library of Paris and is now rescuing them from oblivion with the WDR Symphony Orchestra. See here !NEW BOOK! Papers of the Conference on Olivier Messiaen in Toul by Jerzy Stankiewicz see bibliography Messiaen inspired grand organ to be installed in the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur at Paray-le Monial, France. See news page . !NEW BOOK! Quartet for the End of Time see bibliography Rich Kass interprets the song of the Skylark on the Drum Set. See Media Page My Morning with Messiaen - Les oiseaux et les sources (Messe de la Pentecôte) Recently added video from organist Timothy Hagy. See Media Page Musicologist and Messiaen specialist Jerzy Stankiewicz at the inauguration of the Rue Olivier Messiaen in Toul, France 2022 See video here . More street names dedicated to Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod See Gallery UK Premiere of a work by Yvonne Loriod: Grains de cendre (1946) for Ondes Martenot, Piano and Voice Details of performance here . Turangalîla Symphonie BBC PROMS see review here . Messiaen's Musical Universe DVDs Yvonne Loriod The Complete Véga Recordings 1956 - 1963 Reissued by Warner Classics in January 2024 To commemorate the 100th year of her birth. Works by Mozart, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Albeniz, deFalla, Berg, Webern, Schoenberg, Henze, Boulez, Barraqué, Stravinsky and Messiaen. 13 CDs album. More details here . The Complete Messiaen Organ Works including a previously unpublished and unrecorded transcription 'Vie pour Dieu des Ressuscités', by organist Jon Gillock Read more here . New items in the 'Yvonne Loriod' page New items in the 'In the Press' page Des Canyons aux Étoiles... Performed by the Utah Symphony directed by Thierry Fischer under the stars and in the canyon at Zion Park which was one of the places that most influenced Messiaen at the time of writing. See: In The Press here Mount Messiaen The story and reminiscences ( here) . Rescue of MESSIAEN HOUSE in FULIGNY - Aube - Champagne area. This is the house where Messiaen's aunts lived and where he spent his summer vacations for many years. Here he notated his first bird songs and composed, among others, Preludes for piano, Le Banquet Céleste, Le Banquet Eucharistique, Les Offrandes Oubliées, Le Tombeau Resplendissant... and many more sketches that would find themselves in later works. Messiaen continued to visit his aunts and this house throughout his life. The current owner has decided to sell this house and the couple who wish to buy it intend to demolish it in view of the costs for its restoration. The Association LA QUALITE DE VIE reacted immediately, and is doing everything possible to have this "house of character" become an historical monument. The idea is to have this house bought by those who are interested in the world of BIRDS, in HERITAGE, in CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, in the ORGAN, in Olivier MESSIAEN... A FOUNDATION LE CHANT DES OISEAUX DE FULIGNY will make this place a concentration of Culture : "the grown-ups" and "the school children" will be able to learn to recognise the birds, their song, their life... One can imagine a specialised media library... and in a small auditorium one can listen to all the music and songs of the bird world... And maybe a care centre for injured birds and animals... CALL FOR DONATIONS for the safeguarding of LA MAISON DES MESSIAEN in Fuligny (in Aube, in Champagne). Read and see more here including a video of Messiaen speaking about the work of Michel Gueritte . "LA QUALITE DE VIE, an association governed by the law of July 1, 1901, registered with the Troyes Prefecture on February 9, 2007, whose head office is located at 8 route de Soulaines - 10200 VILLE-SUR-TERRE, represented by its current president, M. Michel GUERITTE, has decided to set up an endowment fund, governed by law no. 2008-776 of August 4, 2008 on the modernization of the economy (JO of August 5, 2008), by decree no. 2009-158 of February 11, 2009, and by the present articles of association, in order to safeguard and acquire La Maison des Messiaen, 18 rue du moulin in Fuligny in connection with the association's purpose. Michel GUERITTE is the founder of this fund. Michel Gueritte, who himself has family connections with the Messiaen's, is spearheading this project so if you wish to partake and help, please email Michel at: michel.gueritte@gmail.com Read more here . New publications see NEWS page HERE The Cleveland Museum of Art invited Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod to perform a two-piano concert on October 13, 1978, in the Gartner Auditorium. The Museum has recently unearthed the recording made of the occasion. See news page . A prayer composed by Olivier Messiaen A rare document submitted by P. Jean-Rodolphe Kars HERE Matthew Schellhorn's special film for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2021 HERE 15th January 1941 QUATUOR POUR LA FIN DU TEMPS at Stalag VIIIA Gorlitz by Messiaen and fellow musician prisoners Henri Akoka, Étienne Pasquier and Jean Le Boulaire. See review of concert 15th January 2025 HERE The memorial and visitor centre at the site of Stalag VIIIA Rodrigo De la Prida introduces Messiaen's Modes for Electric Guitar See Media page Tom's Messiaen vlog - Episode 1 Organist Tom Bell is keeping a video diary as he prepares Messiaen's Livre du Saint-Sacrement for a performance scheduled for November 2020. In his weekly vlog he will be exploring the learning process, the music itself, and the questions around how you perform it. Messiaen commissioned sculptor Josef Pyrz to create a work on St. François d'Assise see Gallery page St. François and a passing bluebird. A rare and happy flash by Jim Frazier. This sculpture was made by FRANK C. GAYLORD and is located in the city of CHICAGO-ILINOIS/USA. Special Offer! This Limited Edition publication explores the 20 year history of the Festival Messiaen au pays de la Meije. The book pays tribute to the commitment of its founder and artistic director, Gaëtan Puaud and editor/author Raphaëlle Blin highlights the artistic, social and political experiences that maintained and supported creative music making and activities in the landscape that was so dear to Olivier Messiaen. The 160 stunning photographs by Colin Samuels and the testimonies of the performers, composers, musicologists, volunteers and members of the public reveal all the uniqueness of this adventure. 1998-2018: born of the utopian idea of playing the work Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum for orchestra by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) according to his wish, at the foot of the glacier in front of which he liked to compose, the Messiaen festival in the land of Meije has become an essential place of contemporary musical life, bringing together the greatest performers and composers. A book of more than 300 pages with magnificent photos and images by Colin Samuels , retracing the 20 years of the festival with many testimonies of artists and of festival-goers. With Swiss binding and soft cloth cover : a signed copy to the UK or anywhere in Europe for £31 or €35 including shipping. Any other country including USA and Japan: £36 or €40 includes shipping. Orders can be made directly from Colin Samuels via Paypal at: paypal.me/ColinSamuels Multiple copies or questions, please email Colin at: colinsamuels@yahoo.com Check out the 'writings and articles ' page that includes contributions from Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars ~ Thomas Lacôte ~ Nicholas Armfelt ~ Jeffery Wilson and more. In The Press In the Press READ MORE Reviews of events, concerts, books & CDs. Any contributions to this page would be welcome. So if you would like to submit a review of any Messiaen related feature please get in touch. Contact Us Thanks for submitting! Submit Contact Events etc. READ MORE © Copyright Events Concert Calendar ~ CD/DVD New Releases and more!!

Messiaen concert listings and CD releases Events, CD & DVD Releases Contact Us First Name Last Name Email Write a message Submit Thanks for submitting! Calendar Calendar 2025 Go to 2026 3 January 2025 1pm Charles Wooler, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Emmanuel Church, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, UK. 4 January 2025 7pm Jeffrey Markinson, organ La Nativite du Seigneur, Lincoln Cathedral, UK. 5 January 2025 5pm Christof Pulsch, organ La Nativite du Seigneur. Zionskirche Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany. 5 January 2025 6pm Students from Prof Henry Fair's organ class, La Nativite du Seigneur. Pauluskirche Zehlendorf, Berlin, Germany. 6 January 2025 7.30pm Martyn Rales. organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Lichfield Cathedral, UK. 6 January 2025 7pm Tobias Wittmann, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Fidelis, Stuttgart, Germany. 8 January 2025 8.15pm Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 8 January 2025 6.30pm Martin Ford, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. The Guard's Chapel, London, UK 10 January 2025 time tba. William Campbell, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Leeds International Organ Festival, Leeds Cathedral, UK. 12 January 2025 11am and 13 January 8pm Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg/Kent Nagano Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Couleurs de la cite celeste. Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany. 12 January 2025 5pm Radio Filharmonisch Orkest/Karina Canellakis, Les Offrandes oubliees . Konzerthaus Dortmund, Germany. 12 January 2025 6pm Students of the Ogan class of Prof Hetmut Deutsch, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Gebbard, Konstanz, Germany. 13 January 2025 1pm David Pipe, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Huddersfield Town Hall, Huddersfield, UK. 14 January 2025 4.30pm Simon Hogan, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Southwark Cathedral, London, UK. 15 January 2025 5.30pm Alexandra Grochowski will give a guided tour of Stalag VIII A. Then at 7.30pm Quartet for the End of Time will be performed on the anniversary and site of its premiere at the Stalag VIII A Görlitz memorial. Federico Kasik, violin, Nicolas Defranoux, cello, Robert Oberaigner, clarinet, Michał Francuz, piano. European Centre for Remembrance, Education, Culture – Stalag VIII A Memorial Görlitz, Germany. The festival with many stimulating events will then take place from April 25 to 27, 2025 in Görlitz and Zgorzelec. See here for more details. 15 - 16 January 2025 7pm Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Nicholas Collon Steven Osborne, piano, Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie . Helsinki Music Centre, Concert Hall, Helsinki, Finland. 16 January 2025 (8.15pm) & 19 January (2.15pm), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Simone Young, L'Ascension . Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 18 January 2025 8pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de Terre et de Ciel. Cite de la Musique, Paris, France. 18 January 2025 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. FOURTH EUROPEAN MUSICAL SEASON OF THE BNF AND RADIO FRANCE. Concert - Yvonne Loriod. Florent Boffard and Roger Muraro , pianos, Three Pieces for two prepared pianos by Yvonne Loriod and extracts from Visions de l'Amen for two pianos by Olivier Messiaen . Francois Mitterrand Large auditorium. François-Mitterrand Library, Quai François Mauriac 75706 Paris Cedex 13, France. 19 January 2025 5pm Claudia Grinnell, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK. 19 January 2025 12.15pm Colin Andrews, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . First Presbyterian Church, Franklin, IN. USA. 21 January 2025 7.30pm Gryphon Trio with James Campbell, clarinet. Quartet for the End of Time. Stude Concert Hall, Brockman Music and Performing Center, Houston, Texas, USA. 22 January 2025 5.30pm Elli Choi, violin, Esther Chae, cello, Isaac Parlin, piano, Juliyan Martinez, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Julliard School, New York, USA. 26 January 2025 11am Hamburg Symphony Orchestra/Gergely Madras Magdalena Kozena, soprano. Poemes pour Mi . Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany. 26 January 2025 11am Jacob Herling, violin, Madeline Echternacht, clarinet, Zack Ward, cello, Vearle Winkelmolen, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, Kansas, USA. 26 January 2025 4pm Matthew Odell, piano, Noel, Le baiser de l'Enfant-Jesus, Regard de l'Esprit de joie from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus . Eglise St. Merry, Paris, France. 27 January 2025 8.45pm Klimt Quartet, Calogero Palermo, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Teatro Communale di Vicenza, sala del ridotto, Italy. 30 January 2025 7pm William Grynszpan.violin, Armand Witold Fessard, clarinet, Benjamin Grynszpan, cello, Sylwia Orzechowska, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Concert Reading: Olivier Messiaen and Primo Levi. Jewish Museum of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium. 31 January 2025 7.30pm CKW Trio, Ricardo Morales, clarinet, Quartet for the End of Time . Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, USA. 31 January 2025 8.15pm Brussels Philharmonic, Vlaams Radiokoor/Ilan Volkov, O sacrum convivium; Les Offrandes oubliees . Flagey, Studio 4, Brussels, Belgium. 31 January 2025 , 9pm, February 1st, 2025 , 5.30pm Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana/Jonathan Webb, Les Offrandes oubliees. Teatro Politeama, Palermo, Italy. 1 February 2025 9pm Peter Dyke, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . Hereford Cathedral, UK. 1 February 2025 8pm Flemish Radio Choir Brussels Philharmonie/Ilan Volkov, O sacrum convivium; Les Offrandes oubliees . De Bijloke Muziekcentram, Ghent, Belgium. 2 February 2025 11.00 Raphaëlle Moreau Violin, Raphaël Sévère Clarinet, Edgar Moreau Cello, David Kadouch Piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Théâtre des Champs-Élysées15 avenue Montaigne, Paris, Île-de-France, 75008, France. 2 February 2025 3pm Robert Chen, violin, John Sharp, cello, Stephen Williamson, clarinet, Umi Garrett, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Mandel Hall at University of Chicago, USA. 2 February 2025 4.30pm Students of the Organ class of Prof Dr Martin Sander, La Nativite du Seigneur . Maria Schutz, Munich, Germany. 2 February 2025 6.45pm Christopher Stokes, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Manchester Cathedral, UK. 3 February 2025 7pm Rebecca Hardwick and The Hampstead Collective, Harawi. Hampstead Parish Church, London, UK. 7 February 2025 8pm Belgian National Orchestra/Fabien Gabel, Les Offrandes oubliees . Henry Le Boeuf Hall, Brussels, Belgium. 7 February 2025 7pm Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Hannu Lintu Paavali Jumpanen, piano, Oiseaux exotiques . Helsinki Music Centre, Concert Hall, Finland. 8 February 2025 7pm Belgian National Orchestra/Fabien Gabel, Les Offrandes oubliees. Namur Concert Hall, Namur, Belgium. 8 February 2025 6.30pm Gabriella Jones, violin, Matthew Wilsher, clarinet, Samuel Ng, cello, Bertie Baigent, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. St Marylebone Festival, St Marylebone Church, London, UK. 8 February 2025 6.30pm Jacob Herling, violin, Madeline Echternacht, clarinet, Zach Ward, cello, Veerle Winkelmolen, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Tonganoxie Terrace, Tonganoxie, Kansas, USA. 23 February 2025 3pm Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence, KS 24 February 2025 9.30am Bell Cultural Events Center, Olathe, KS 14 March 2025 7.30pm Swarthout Recital Hall, Lawrence, KS 26 March 2025 6.30pm Pane e Vino, Lawrence, KS 13 February 15 and 18 2025 7.30pm New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Karina Canellakis, Les Offrandes oubliees. David Geffen Hall, New York, USA. 13 February 2025 1.05pm Xiaowen Shhang, piano, La Fauvette Passerinette. Smith Square Hall, London, UK. 13 February 2025 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m Colloque: "Time, duration, music: meetings between Henri Bergson and Olivier Messiaen". t he Fondation de France the Olivier Messiaen Foundation and the Society of Friends of Bergson organize a colloquium bringing together prominent specialists, philosophers and musicologists, researchers and artists to try to clarify the importance of notions of time and duration, in the light of thought and works respectively Henri Bergson and Olivier Messiaen. The colloquium, organized in partnership with the La Grange-Fleuret musical Library and with the Conservatoire de Paris Cnsmdp contest, will be followed by a concert at 6:45 p.m. Information and registration: https://bergson.hypotheses.org/3750 . Music library La Grange-Fleuret, 11 bis rue de Vézelay, 75008 Paris, France. 15 February 2025 5pm Ueli Wiget, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus . House of Dea, Attic Room, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 20 February 2025 7.30pm Vernon Regehr, Nancy Dahan, Christine Carter, Patrick Cashin. Quartet for the End of Time. D.F.Cook Recital Hall, Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada. 20 February 2025 3pm Parlando/ Ian Niederhoffer Sophiko Simsive, piano, Suzanne Farrin, ondes Martenot. Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine . Kaufman Music Center, Merkin Hall, New York, USA. 23 February 2025 3pm Parlando: Mystic Chords, Parlando/Ian Niederhoffer Sophiko Simsive, piano, Suzanne Farrin, ondes Martenot. Merkin Hall, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine . Kaufman Music Center, New York USA. 23 February 2025 11am Masterclass with Michael Collins, clarinet, Paddington Trio and Robert Sholl. Quartet for the End of Time . Kings Place, Hall One, London UK. 23 February 2025 20.00 Drama on 3 Messiaen and the Birds. Poet Michael Symmons Roberts goes on a creative pilgrimage to get to the heart of Olivier Messiaen's obsession with birdsong, creating an imaginative sonic journey through drama, poetry and Messiaen's music. BBC Radio 3 - BBC Sounds. 24 February 2025 7.30pm Alexander Finlayson-Brown, piano, Raphael Herberg, cello, Eleanor Mackey, violin, William Rodgers, clarinet, Quartet for the End of Time . Clare College Chapel, Cambridge, UK 26 February 2025 7pm Finger Lake Trio (pre-concert talk at 6.30pm), Quartet for the End of Time . Suny Oswego Sheldon Hall, Ballroom, Oswego, NY, USA. 27 February 2025 19.30 Dominic Desautels, clarinet, Mark Lee, violin, Cameron Crozman, cello, Louise Bessette, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Eglise saint-Viateur D'Outremont, Montreal, Canada. 1 March 2025 3pm Matthew Odell, piano. Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus: Noel and Regard de l'Esprit de joie . Steinway Showroom, San Francisco, California, USA. 5 March 2025 8.30pm Ex Novo Ensemble - Davide Teodoro, clarinet, Carlo Lazari, violin, Carlo Teodoro, cello, Aldo Orvieto. piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmelo (Carmini), Venice, Italy. 6 March 2025 7.30pm BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Daniel Cohen, Les Offrandes oubliees. BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, Wales, UK. 6 March 2025 7.30pm Sharon Kam, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Christian Ihle Hadland, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Kaiserslautern, Fruchthalle, Kaiserslautern, Germany. 7 March 2025 6pm Sharon Kam, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Christian Ihle Hadland, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Remagen Arp Museum/Barnhof Rolandseck, Germany. 7 March 2025 7.30pm The Seattle Serles: Efe Battacigil, Noah Geller, Jose-Franch-Ballester, Benjamin Hochman, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Women,s University Club - Grand Ballroom, Seattle, USA. 8 March 2025 7pm Sharon Kam, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Christian Ihle Hadland, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Mainz Villa Musica, Germany. 9 March 2025 5pm Sharon Kam, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Christian Ihle Hadland, piano, Quartet for the End of Time .Neuwied-Engers, Schloss Engers, Germany. 9 March 2025 5.30pm and March 30th , 3pm Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, violin, Walter Hanan, cello, Graeme Steele Johnson, clarinet, Debra Ayers, piano, Vocalise (arranged by Graeme Steele Johnson for clarinet, violin, cello and piano); Quartet for the End of Time. Harwood Museum of Art, Taos, NM, USA. 13 March 2025 7pm Trio Zimbalist and Dionysis Grammenos, clarinet, Quartet for the End of Time. St Martin in the Fields, London, UK. 13 March 2025 1pm Boulez in Context: Challenging the Status-Quo - Tamara Stefanovich, curator/piano. Theme and Variations , Matteo Hager, violin, Bridget Yee, piano. Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus No 13 & 15 , Tomas Boyles, piano. David Josefowitz Recital Hall. Royal Academy of Music, London 14 March 6.30pm Cherry Ge, piano, Courlis Cendre, Book 7, No 13 from Catalogue d'oiseaux , Katherine Gregory, soprano, Tomas Boyles, piano, Harawi. Angela Burgess Recital Hall, Royal Academy of Music, London, UK. 13 March 2025 7.30pm Ensemble Mirage, Quartet for the End of Time. Grimsby Town Hall, Grimsby, UK. 16 March 2025 4pm Matthew Odell, piano, Noel, Regard de l'Esprit de joie from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus. Parish Center for the Arts, Westford, MA, USA. 20 March 2025 2pm New Japan Philharmonic/Joe Hisaishi Hayato Sumino, piano, Takashi Harada.ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo, Japan. 20 March 2025 7.30pm Jan Lisiecki, piano, Preludes. Herbst Theatre, San Francisco and March 21st, 2025 7.30pm The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, USA. 20 March 2025 8.30pm Symphony Orchestra (CSO)/Juan Garcia Rodriguez, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum . Cathedral of Seville, Spain. 22 March 2025 2pm New Japan Philharmonic/Joe Hisaishi Hayato Sumino, piano, Takashi Harada.ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Japan. 22 March 2025 7pm Jerzy Semkow Polish Sinfonia Inventus Orchestra/Alexandr Iradyan, Les Offrandes oubliees . Witold Lutoslawski Polish Radio Concert Studio, Warsaw, Poland. 23 March 2025 7.30pm David Griffiths, clarinet, Dimitry Hall, violin, Julian Smiles, cello, Andrea Lim, piano. Quartet for the End of Time. UNSW Kensington NSW, Australia 23 March 2025 7pm Jerzy Semkow Polish Sinfonia laventas Orchestra/Alexandr Iradyan, Les Offrandes oubliees. Witold Lutoslawski Concert Studio of Polish Radio, Warsaw, Poland. 23 March 2025 4pm Poppy Beddoe, clarinet, Henry Chandler, violin, Tim Lowe, cello, Jeremy Thurlow, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Robinson College Chapel, Cambridge, UK. 26 March 2025 7pm Brussels Philharmonic/Patrick Hahn, Les Offrandes oubliees . KlaraFestival Brussels, Flagey, Brussels, Belgium. 27 March 2025 8pm Sharon Kan, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Enrico Pace, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Mendelssohn Hall, Dusseldorf, Germany. 27 March 2025 7pm March 29th 1pm OSIPN Symphony Orchestra of the National Polytechnic Institute/Vladimir Sagaydo, L'Ascension . Auditorium Eng. Alego Peratta, Jamie Torres Bodet Cultural Center, Mexico City, Mexico. 28 March 2025 8pm Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia/Jose Trigueros, Les Offrandes oubliees . Palacio de la Opera de A Coruna, Coruna, Spain. 29 March 2025 7.30pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich, pianos, Visions de l'Amen. Mendelssohn-Saal, Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany. 29 March 2025 7pm Bristol Ensemble, Quartet for the End of Time. Bristol 1904 Arts Club, Bristol, UK. 29 March 2025 7pm The Fews Ensemble - Francesco Paulo Scola, clarinet, Joanne Quigley McParland, violin, Jonathan Aasgaard, cello, David Quigley, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Harty Room, Queen's University Belfast, N Ireland. 30 March 2025 3pm Thomas Ospital, organ, L'Ascension . Cathedrale Notre-Dame-Immaculee, Monte-Carlo, Monaco. 5 April 2025 15.00 Janine Jansen Violin, Denis Kozhukhin Piano, Theme et Variations pour violin et piano, Konserthuset Stockholm: Stora SalenHötorget 8, Stockholm, 10387, Sweden. 5 April 2025 3pm Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Joel Sandelson Kathrin Lorenzen, soprano, Poemes pour Mi . Gothenburg Concert Hall, Gothenburg, Sweden. 5 April 2025 8pm Redwood Symphony Orchestra/Eric Kujawsky Lisa DiTiberis, flute, Peter Stahl. oboe, Ellis Verosub, cello, Delphean Quan, piano, Concert a quatre. Canada College Main Theater, Redwood City, CA, USA. 5 April 2025 7.30pm Chameleon Arts Ensemble, Piece pour piano et quatuor a cordes . First Church in Boston, Boston, USA. 6 April 2025 6pm Ben Aldren, clarinet, Ivana Jasova, violin, Marcus Michelin, cello, Ida Mo Schanche, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Fartein Valen, Stavanger Concert Hall, Stavanger, Norway. 6 April 2025 7pm Alina Ibragimova, violin, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, cello, Matthew Hunt, clarinet, Cedric Tiberghien, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK. 7 April 2025 20.00 Janine Jansen Violin, Denis Kozhukhin Piano, Theme et Variations pour violin et piano, Philharmonie de Paris: Grande salle Pierre Boulez221 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Paris, Île-de-France, 75019, France. 8 April 2025 8pm Lecture Concert by Gerhard Loffler (organ), Messiaen: Chants d'oiseaux . Main Church of St Jacobi Hamburg, Germany. 13 April 2025 2.45pm Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra/Joanna MacGregor, Joseph Havlat, piano, Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Concert Hall, Brighton, UK. 13 April 2025 3pm Bristol Ensemble, Quartet for the End of Time. Christchurch L.E.P., Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, UK. 16 April 2025 5pm Het Collectief - Julien Herve, clarinet, Wilbert Aerts, violin, Martijn Vink, cello, Thomas Dieltjens, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Espacio Torner, Castile - La Mancha, Spain. 17 April 2025 7.30pm Loya Symphony Orchestra/Guerassim Voronkov, L'Ascension . Benjamin Carrion Mora Theatre, Loja, Spain. 20 April 2025 8.15pm Alice Sara Ott, piano, Tomas Reif, violin, Sebastian Klinger, cello, Sebastian Manz, clarinet, Andrew Staples, visuals, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Grote Zaal, Tivoli Vredenburg, Netherlands. 20 April 2025 11am Andrew Haveron, violin, Mihai Marica, cello, Dean Newcomb, clarinet, Andrea Lam, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Four Winds, Windsong Pavilion, Barraga Bay, South Coast, NSW, Australia. 21April 2025 5pm Christof Pulsch, organ, Les corps glorieux. Zionskirche Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany. 24 April 2025 6.30pm Lotte Betts-Dean, soprano Joseph Havlat, piano, Harawi. St Jude's, Balham, London, UK. MessTag The MESSIAEN-TAGE festival with many stimulating events will then take place from April 25 to 27, 2025 in Görlitz and Zgorzelec. See here for more details. 27 April 2025 5pm Pierpaolo Turetta, organ, Silvia Urbani, presentation, L'Ascension . Duomo dei Militari S. Prosdocimo, Padua, Italy. 28 April 2025 7.30pm Vincent Sucheana, Magdalena Morys, Lea Reutlinger, Christian Brandenburger, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. VENTANA, Cologne, Germany. 30 April 2025 7.30pm, Britten Sinfonia & Sinfonia Smith Square/Nicholas Daniel. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. St George's Cathedral, Southwark, London, UK. 30 April 2025 7.30pm Daniel Kagerer, violin, Gabriel Wernly, cello, Gabriel Walter, piano,LanetFlores,Otero, clarinet, Quatour pour la fin du temps. Kirche Fraumunster, Zurich, Switzerland. 30 April 2025 8pm Dominik Susteck, organ, Apparition de l'eglise eternelle; L'Ascension . Kolner Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany. 1 May 2025 7.30pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovic, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Kirche Fraumunster, Zurich, Switzerland. 1 May 2025 7.30pm Luanah Lefebvre, violin, Gemma Andrews, clarinet, Nicholas Trgstad, cello, Alex Wyatt, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . The Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham, UK. Cancelled . This concert has been re-scheduled to the 17th June 1.05pm. 2 May 2025 6.30pm Pierre Laurent-Aimard, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus. Kirche Fraumunster, Zurich, Switzerland. 2 May 2025 6.30pm Isobel Archer, piano, Gabriela Corneau Gort, Ellena Hicks, Katrina Mackenzie, Tessa Tang, sopranos, Selections from Harawi. Royal Northern College of Music, Carole Nash Recital Room, Manchester, UK. 3 May 2025 8.15pm Sharon Kam, clarinet and Sitkovetsky Trio, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Concertgebouw: Recital Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 4 May 2025 3pm Principal musicians of Pacific Symphony, Quartet for the End of Time. Samueli Theater, Segerstram Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA, USA. 4 May 2025 5pm and May 7th 6pm G-sharp Duo - Emilie-Anne Gendron, violin, Yelena Grinberg, piano, Fantaisie . Grinberg Classical Salon Series, Upper West Side, New York, USA. 5 May 2025 5pm Vladyslav Petryk, clarinet, Julija Hartig, violin, Maja Bogdanovic, cello, Antonii Baryshevskys, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Uilenburgersjoel, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 6 May 2025 8.30pm Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, MaitriseNotre-Dame de Paris/Catherine Larsen-Maguire Roger Muraro, piano, Nathalie Forget, ondes Martenot, Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine . Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France. 7 May 2025 7pm Ham Simon Gutierrez Nunez,.violin, Nicola Vital, clarinet, Maria Iaiza, piano, Federico Pellaschiar, cello. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Theater im Palais, Graz, Austria. 8 May 2025 8pm Orquesta de Extremadura/Sylvain Gasancon, Les Offrandes oubliees . Palacio de Congresos de Badajoz Manuel Royas, Spain. 9 May 2025 8pm Palacio de Congresos de Merida, Badajoz. 9 May 2025 7pm Les Essences, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Mayor's House, Essen, Germany. 10 May 2025 10pm Jens Thoben, clarinet, Elisabeth Weber, violin, Troels Svane, cello, Florian Uhlig, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Lubeck University of Music Great Hall, Germany. 14 - 15 May 2025 19:30 Suisse Romande Orchestra, Bertrand de Billy conductor, Kit Armstrong, piano, Cécile Lartigau, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland. 14 May 2025 8,15pm Marieka Blankestijn, violin, Emanuele Silvestri, cello, Julien Herve, clarinet, Hannes Minnaar, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Laurenskerk, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 16 May 2025 8pm Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Sir George Benjamin, Chronochromie; Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Philharmonie, Paris, France. Cancelled For health reasons, George Benjamin regrets to announce that he has to cancel this concert. We will keep you informed when this concert is rescheduled. 16 May 2025 7.30pm The NEC Piano Studio of Meng-Chieh Liu, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus . Williams Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, USA. 16 May 2025 6pm Orchestra National Capitole Toulouse/Tarmo Peltokoski, Le Tombeau resplendissant. Halle aux Grains, Toulouse, France. 16 May 2025 8.15pm Orchestra de la Suisse Romande/Bertrand de Billy Kit Armstrong, piano, Cecile Lartigau, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Rosey Concert Hall, Rolle, Switzerland. 17 May 2025 8pm Gregorio Benitez, piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux (7 excerpts) . Palau de la Musica, Petit Palau, Barcelona, Spain. 18 May 2025 5pm Lotte Betts-Dean, soprano, Joseph Havlat, piano, Harawi .Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Octagon Chapel, Norwich, UK. 23 May 2025 7pm Gabby Diaz, violin, Sophie Shao, cello, Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano, Sergie Vassiliev, clarinet, Quartet for the End of Time .Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs, CO, USA. 24 May 2025 6pm Orchestra National du Capitole du Touloiuse/Tarmo Peltokoski, Le Tombeau resplendissant . Halle aux grains, Toulouse, France. 24 May 2025 12 noon Willibald Guggenmoss, organ, L'Ascension . St George's Church, Nordlingen, Germany. 27 May 2025 20.15 Members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Julie Moulin, Flute. Le Merle Noir. Concertgebouw: Recital HallAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands. 29 May 2025 6.30pm organist tba, L'Ascension. Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge, UK. 29 May 2025 11am Bjorn Steinar Solbergsson, organ, L'Ascension . Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland. 29 May 2025 6pm Anthony Hammond, organ, L'Ascension. St Peter's Episcopal Church, Morristown, NJ, USA. 29 May 2025 5pm Thomas Ospital, organ, L'Ascension . Saint-Eustache, Paris, France. 29 May 2025 12.10pm Joseph Ripka, organ. L'Ascension . Saint Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, Oklahoma City, USA. 30 May 2025 12.30pm Donald Hunt, organ, L'Ascension . Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, Canada 30 May 2025 7.30pm Ensemble Kinari - Giacomo Del Papa, violin, Gianluca Pirisi, cello, Flavia Salemme, piano, Gabriele Mirabassi, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Trame Sonore Festival, Palazzo Vescovi, Salone degli Arazzi, Mantova, Lombardy, Italy. 1 June 2025 (11am) & 2nd (8pm) Wuppertal Sinfonieorchester/Patrick Hahn Joonas Ahonen, piano, Thomas Bloch, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Stadthalle, Wuppertal, Germany. 1 June 2025 4.30pm Simon Hogan, organ, L'Ascension. Southwark Cathedral, London, UK. 2 June 2025 7pm Joshua Ryan, organ, Messe de la Pentecote. St Johm-at-Hampstead, London UK. 2 June 2025 8pm Jose Luis Estelles, clarinet, Aitzol Hurriagagoitia, violin, David Appelaniz, cello, Alberto Rosado, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Centro Botin, Santander, Spain. 5 June 2025 18.30 Ji-Yoon Park Violin, Lilian Harismendy Clarinet, Éric Levionnois Cello, Catherine Cournot, Piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Bibliothèque nationale de FranceQuai François Mauriac, 75706 Paris, Paris, Île-de-France, France. 5 June 2025 8pm Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias/Nuno Coelho, Les Offrandes oubliees . Teatro Jovellanos, Gijon, Spain. 6 June 2025 8pm Auditorio Principe Felipe, Asturias, Spain. 6 June 2025 1pm Precise artists not specified, Quartet for the End of Time. Romsey Chamber Music Festival 2025 Romsey United Reformed Church, UK. 6 June 2025 7pm Isobel Archer, piano, Gabriela Corneau Gort, Elleria Hicks, Katarina Mackenzie, Tessa Tang, sopranos, Harawi. International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, UK. 7 June 2025 20.00 Jan Lisiecki Piano, Prélude no. 1: La colombe, Prélude no. 2: Chant d'extase dans un paysage triste, Prélude no. 3: Le nombre léger . Théâtre des Champs-Élysées15 avenue Montaigne, Paris, Île-de-France, 75008, France. 8 June 2025 10.15pm Chamber Music Festival Eibergen: Pour la fin du temps. Tim Brackman, violin,Pieter de Koe, cello.Rik Kuppen, piano, Jelmer de Moed, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Chamber Music Festival Eibergen, Netherlands. 9 June 2025 5pm Christof Pulsch, organ, Messe de la Pentecote . Zionskirche Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany. 13 June 2025 19.30 Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, L'Ascension. National Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan. 13 - 14 June 2025 8pm Philharmonisches StaatsOrchester Mainz/ Hermann Baumer, Eclairs sur l'Au-Dela.. .High Cathedral of Mainz, Germany 14 June 2025 7.30pm Tom Bell, organ. Livre du Saint-Sacrement . Salisbury Cathedral, UK. 16 June 2025 6.30pm Rafael Skoka, piano, Yevgeny Yehudin, clarinet, Polina Yehudin, violin, Linor Katz, cello, Theme and Variations; Quartet for the End of Time . Charles BronfmanAuditorium, Tel Aviv, Israel. 17 June 2025 8pm Jean-Francois Heisser, piano, Petites esquisses d'oiseaux . Salle Dumoulin, Riom, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France. 17 June 2025 1.05pm Luanah Lefebvre, violin, Gemma Andrews, clarinet, Nicholas Trgstad, cello, Alex Wyatt, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . The Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham, UK. 18 June 2025 (7.30pm), 19th (7pm), 202th (7.30pm), Tonhalle Orchester Zurich/Jonathan Nott, Hendrik Heilmann, piano, Sept Haikai. Grosse Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland. 19 June 2025 7.30pm Denis Brott, Alexander Fiterstein, Jens Lindeman, Illia Ovcharenko, Amarins Wiedman, are the musicians during the whole concert. Quartet for the End of Time. Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Bourgie Hall, Montreal, Canada. 19 June 2025 7pm Stephanie Gonley, violin, Alice Neary, cello, Robert Plane, clarinet, Viv McLean, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Penarth Chamber Music Festival, Penarth Pier Pavilion, Wales, UK. 22 June 2025 11am Hamburg Symphony Orchestra/Sylvain Cambreling, Les Offrandes oubliees; L'Ascension (excerpts). Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany. 26 June 2025 8pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovic, pianos, Visions de l'Amen. Focus on Messiaen - Ruhr Piano Festival, Geblasehalle, Duisberg, Germany. 26 June 2025 7.30pm American Modern Opera Company - Julia Bullock soprano, Conor Hanick, piano, Harawi. Lincoln Center's Summer for the City, Alice Tully Hall, New York, USA. 26 June 2025 6pm Jonas Olsson, piano, Preludes (5 & 6); Quatre etudes de rythme. Focus on Messiaen - Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Geblasehalle, Landschaftspark, Duisburg Nord, Germany. 27 June 2025 9pm Lorenzo Soules, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus - 5 movements, Focus on Messiaen - Landschaftspark-Nord: Geblasehalle, Duisburg, Germany. 29 June 2025 7pm Symphoniker Hamburg/Sylvain Cambreling, Joonas Ahonen, piano. Des Canyons aux etoiles... .Laeiszhalle, Hamburg,Germany. 29 June 2025 8pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Alena Baeva, violin, Nicolas Altstaed, cello, Mark Simpson, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Focus on Messiaen - Ruhr Piano Festival Geblasehalle, Duisberg, Germany. 3 July 2025 7.30pm Theresa Pilsl, soprano, Eric Schneider, piano, Harawi. GutHolzhausen, Nieheim, Germany. 4 July 2025 10pm Veronika Eberle, violin, Csaba Klenyon, clarinet, Adrian Brendel, cello, Denis Varjan, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Wigmore Hall, London, UK 7 July 2025 Granada Festival. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux. 10am Rodriguez-Acosta Foundation - Le Traquet stapazin; Le Bouscarle; Le Traquet rieur 12.30pm Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra - La Buse variable; L'Alouette Calandrelle; Le Loriot; Le Merle blue 7pm Parador de Granada - Le Chocard des Alpes; Le Merle de roche; Le Courlis cendre 10pm Patio de los Arrayanas - La Chouette Hulotte; L'Alouette Lulu; La Rousserolle Effarvate. Granada, Spain. 9 July 2025 7pm organist tba. Messe de la Pentecote . Spitalfields music, Tower of London - The Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, London, UK. 15 July 2025 9.15pm Alessandro Carbonare, clarinet, Ilya Gringolts, violin, Clive Greensmith, cello, Anton Gerzenberg, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Chiostro dell'Abbazia di Torri, Piazza del Vescovado, Sovicille, Tuscany, Italy. 18 July 2025 12.30pm Gabriel Durilat, piano, Tombeau de Paul Dukas . Le Corum: Salle Pasteur, Montpellier, France. 18 July 2025 7pm Kunitachi College of Music Orchestra/Jun Markl Tomoya Okamoto, piano, Oiseaux exotiques . Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, Kanagawa, Japan. Messiaen Festival 2025: July 19-27 In La Grave, in the Hautes-Alpes and in Isère, the 2025 edition of the festival will honor two composers whose centenary of birth we are celebrating this year: Pierre Boulez and Luciano Berio . Full programme 19 July 2025 - 6:00 p.m. Anne-Cécile Cuniot, flute, Antoine Ouvrard, piano, Acronym , Le Merle noir . Church of Saint-Théoffrey, Petichet, France. 19 July 2025 - 10:00 p.m. Broadcast of the film Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum , Des Canyons aux Etoile... – excerpt: Interstellar Call, recorded at the Messiaen Festival 2021 at the Glacier de la Meije (2400 meters) La Balcon, Students of the Institute of Higher Education in Music – Europe and the Mediterranean of Aix-en-Provence, Maxime Pascal, direction, Julien Ravoux, production and recording. Glacier de la Meije. 20 July 2025 21h00 Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de terre et de ciel. Église de La Grave, La Grave, France 21 July 2025 11h00 Barbara Hannigan, soprano Conférence. Jardin du Lautaret, La Grave, France. 24 July 2025 - 17h00 Conférence: Messiaen / Boulez, une filiation fertile. Par Gaëtan Puaud, fondateur du Festival Messiaen au Pays de la Meije. Jardin du Lautaret, La Grave, France. 24 July 2025 21h00 Orlando Bass, piano, Catalogue d’oiseaux, extrait : La Rousserolle effarvatte . Église de La Grave, La Grave, France. 25 July 2025 17h00 Jean-François Heisser, piano, Jenny Daviet, soprano, Poèmes pour mi . Church of Saint-Théoffrey, Petichet, France. 27 July 2025 21h 00 Marie-Josèphe Jude, piano, Michel Béroff, piano, Visions de l’Amen . Église de La Grave, La Grave, France. 21 July 2025 7pm Noa Vanden Broucke, soprano, Bert Lasseel, piano, Harawi. MIRY Concert Hall, Ghent, Belgium. 24 July 2025 11pm Christoph Poppen, violin, Aurelien Pascal. cello, Horacio Ferreira, clarinet, Silke Avenhaus, piano Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Marvao International Music Festival (Portugal) Igreja de Sso Tiago. 26 July 2025 2-3.30pm An afternoon of Music and Learning - on Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus from music director, Micaela Lum, who will present and perform. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Dana Point, CA, USA. 29 July 2025 9pm Roger Muraro, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus. Abbey Cloister, Thoronet Abbey, France. 30 July 2025 7.30pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Quatre etudes de rythme . Aspen Music Festival and School, Harris Concert Hall, Aspen, USA. 31 July 2025 7pm Prof.Markus Stange, Karlsruhe, and members of the Badische Philharmonie Pforzheim, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Fifth Pforzheim Music Summer 2025 Pforzheim Jewelley Museum in the Reuchlinhaus, Germany. 2 August 2025 4.30pm Orchestra/Timothy Weiss Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Couleurs de la Cite Celeste . Aspen Music Festival and School, Harris Concert Hall, Aspen, USA. 2 August 2025 8pm Antoni Besses, piano, Ines Issel Burzynska, violin, Joan Enric Lluna, clarinet, Mariona Camals, cello. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Festival Arc Classica, MACVAC, Career Diputacio Provincial, 20 Vilafames, Spain. 4 August 2025 12pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux. Aspen Music Festival and School, Meadows Campus, Aspen USA. 5 August 2025 11am Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Edinburgh International Festival, The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. 5 August 2025 7pm Inon Barnata, piano, Alan Gilbert, violin, Nicolas Altstaedt, cello, Ricardo Morales, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . La Jolla Music Society, The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, La Jolla, CA, USA. 8 August 2025 7pm Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra/Ryunsori Hajiri Kitamura Kitamara, piano, Takashi Harada, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie . Festa Summer Musa Kawasaki, Kawasaki Symphony Hall, Kanagawa, Japan. 11 August 2025 2pm Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra/Ken Takaseki Momo Kodama, piano, Takashi Harada, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Japan. 12 August 2025 1pm The Fews Ensemble, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Kilkenny Arts Festival, St John's Priory, Kilkenny, Ireland. 14 August 2025 7:30 p.m. Olivier Latry plays in memory of Christian Öhler A concert of contemplation: Olivier Latry, the titular organist of Notre-Dame dedicates his organ recital to the memory of Parish Priest Christian Öhler – a dedicated contributor to the KirchKlang Festival, whose impact reached far beyond Bad Ischl. In the Parish Church, which was his spiritual home, Latry creates sound spaces that simultaneously convey consolation, grandeur, and stillness. With a sensitively designed program, he unfolds the full expressive diversity of the organ – virtuosic, contemplative, full of inner strength. A special concert for music lovers and companions – sustained by remembrance, gratitude, and the magic of the moment. Program Olivier MESSIAEN: Apparition of the Eternal Church Charles TOURNEMIRE: Short Rhapsody improvised (reconstruction by Maurice Duruflé) Alexandre GUILMANT: I. Sonata - Finale Thierry ESCAICH: Evocation I Jean-Pierre LEGUAY: I. Sonata - Finale Olivier MESSIAEN: Monody Maurice DURUFLÉ: Prelude, Adagio and Varied Chorale on the Veni Creator Olivier LATRY: Improvisation Olivier Latry, Organ. | Bad Ischl Parish Church 19 August 2025 5:00 p.m. Recital Momo Kodama, piano, Le traquet rieur , Piano à Saint-Ursanne, Porrentruy ou Saint-Ursanne, France. 12 August 2025 9.15pm Matteo Cesari, flute, Anton Gerzenberg, piano, Le Merle noir . Chigiana International Festival, Palazzo Chigi, Saracini, Italy. 14 August 2025 7pm Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra/Jukka-Pekka Saraste Momo Kodama, piano Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie . Helsinki Festival Concert Hall, Finland. 14 August 2025 8.30pm Anastasia Schmidlin, clarinet, Dmitry Smirnov, violin, Miguel Garcia Ramon, cello, Milosz Sroczynski, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Kirche St Johann, Davos, Switzerland. 19 August 2025 8.15pm Christoph chonfelder, organ, Les Corps glorieux .Einsiede;ln Organ Summer - Klosterkirche, Switzerland. 20 August 2025 7pm Kromatik Ensemble,Quartet for the End of Time . Edinburgh Fringe, Stockbridge Church - Church Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK 21 August 2025 7.30pm BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Karina Cannellakis, Les Offrandes oubliees. Edinburgh International Festival, Usher Hall, Scotland, UK. 22 August 2025 Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Quatre Etudes de rythme. Salzburg Festival, Stiftung Mozarteum -Grosser Saal, Austria. 22 August 2025 7pm Anna Paulova, clarinet, Andrej Bielow, violin, Johannes Krebs, cello, Gil Garburg, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Neuwerkkirche, Goslar, Germany. 31 August 2025 7pm Netherlands Radio Philhrarmonic Orchestra/Karina Canellakis, Les Offrandes oubliees. Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany. 31 August 2025 7.30pm Max Mauson, clarinet, Sandrine Cantoreggi, violin, Cyprien Keiser, cello, Beatrice Rauchs, piano. Quartet for the End of Time .Konz Musik Festival Weingut Muller, Konz-Kretternach, Germany. 2 September 2025 9pm Irene Duval, violin, Steven Isserlis, cello, Pierre Genisson, clarinet, Maya Oganyan, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Patmos Music Festival 23rd Sacred Music Festival Geniko Gymnasium and Lyceum, Skala, Patmos, Greece) 6 September 2025 7pm Archipelago Collective. Quartet for the End of Time . Festival 2025 Brickworks, Friday Harbour, San Juan Island, WA, USA. 9 September 2025 7pm Julie Hermer, violin, Albani Cordova, clarinet, Aram Amatuni, cello, Stefan Bone, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Evangelical Christuskirche am Rotenbuhl, Saarbrucken. Germany. 12 September 2025 2pm Alexa Stier, piano, Petites Esquisses d'oiseaux. Bosendorfer Recital Room, Jay and Linda Grunnin Center for the Arts, Ocean County College, New Jersey, USA. 12 September 2025 7.30pm Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra/Earl Lee. Les Offrandes oubliee s. Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 14 September 2025 3.30pm Dora Peteri, organ, Livre du Saint Sacrament , Church of St Anthony of Padua, Budapest, Hungary. 16 September 2025 7.30pm Peter Donohoe, piano, La Fauvette des jardins The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK. 18 September 2025 7pm Clara Hugo & Siphamandla Moyake, sopranos and Jan Hugo & Esthea Kruger, pianos, Poemes pour Mi; Chant de Terre et de Ciel. Old Chapel Music Room, Cape Town, South Africa. 19 September 2025 8.15pm Tommaso Lonquich, clarinet, Irene Abrigo, violin, Daniel Blendulf, cello, Roberto Prosseda, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Lucignano Music Festival, Church of San Francesco, Lucignano, Italy 20 September 2025 7pm ANAM Musicians/Steven Schick, Couleurs de la Cite Celeste. Australian National Academy of Music, Abbotsford Convent Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford, VIC, Australia. 20 September 2025 8pm Sijie Chen, violin, Sacha Rattle, clarinet, Sam Haywood, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Roman River Festival 2025 St Mary's Church, Dedham, CO7 6HJ, UK. 20 September 2025 12pm Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . BULLROOM Ballroom Marfa, Texas, USA. 21 September 2025 5pm Zuzana Manera Biscakova, piano, Juraj Tomka, violin, Jozef Elias, clarinet, Andrej Gal, cello. Quatuor pour la fin du temps Regionalne kulturne centrum v Prievidzi, Prievidza, Slovakia. 23 September 2025 8pm Busan Philharmonic Orchestra/Seakwon Hong, L'Ascension . Musikfest Berlin - Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany. 25 September 2025 8pm L'Ascension Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany. 25 September 2025 8pm Busan Philharmonic Orchestra/Seokwon Hong, L'Ascension. Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany. 26 September 2025 8pm Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Min Chung, L'Ascension . Auditorium del Maggio: Sala Zubin Mehta, Florence, Italy. 27 September 2025 8pm Orchestre National Capitole Toulouse/Tarmo Peltokoski Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Cécile Lartigau, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie . Halle aux Grains, Toulouse, France. 28 September 2025 4pm Rachael Wilson, Katia Ledoux, mezzo-sopranos, Virginiie Dejos, piano, Harawi . Main Auditorium, Lille Opera, France. 28 September 2025 5pm Marie-Joseph Jude and Michel Beroff, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Festival de l'Orangerie de Sceaux, Orangery, SMES – BP 52 – 92333 Sceaux Cedex, France. 30 September 2025 7.30pm Vicki Fingalson, soprano, Teresa Vaughan, piano, Harawi. Webb Recital Hall, University of Wisconsin, USA . 3 October 2025 8pm Heinz Holliger Trio, Vocalise-Etude; Morceau de lecture a vue . Markideio Theatre, Paphos, Cyprus. 10 October 2025 7.30pm Staatsphilharmonie Nurnberg/Roland Boer, Les Offrandes oubliees . Meistersingerhalle, Nurnberg, Bavaria. 11 October 2025 7.30pm Concert State Youth Orchestra Saxony/Tobias Engeli, Les Offrandes oubliees, Great Hall, Leipzig Germany. 12 October 2025 3pm Daniel Chong, violin, Jonathan Swensen, cello, Charles Niedlich, clarinet, Roman Rabinovich, piano, Quartet for the End of Time (Pre-concert Discussion, 2.15pm). Concord Chamber Music Society, Meadow Hall, Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA 12 October 2025 9.30pm Jonathan Moyer, organ (October 10th, 2025 12 noon Bibbins Hall, Pre-concert lecture),Livre du Saint Sacrament . Finney Chapel, Oberlin College, OH, USA. 15 October 2025 7.30pm Silke Evers, soprano, Joshua Allen Rupley, piano and moderation. Poemes pour Mi . B Theater Bibrastrasse, Hochschule fur Musik Werzburg, Germany. 15 October 2025 5.30pm Morta Kacion-Stromberg, clarinet, Liv Hilde Klokk-Bryhn, violin, Viktor Rekalo, cello, Julian Germanovicus, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Museum of Angels (Sacred Heart Centre), Vilnius, Lithuania. 17 October 2025 7.30pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano. Chants de Terre et de Ciel. HEMO-Haute Ecolede Musique, Lausanne, Switzerland. 18 October 2025 7.30pm Tom Bell, organ. Livre du Saint Sacrament. Konstantin-Basilika, Trier, Germany. 18 October 2025 8pm Ensemble BiancoNero (Corentin Dellicoufr, cello, Cecile Broche, violin, Emmanuel Suys, cello, Nathalie Alessi, piano). Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Atelier Marcel Hastir, Brussels, Belgium. 18 October 2025 10am Gregorio Benitez, piano. Lecture Concert: "Olivier Messiaen: The Oiseau Universe ". Musikene, University of San Sebastian, Spain. 19 October 2025 8pm Ralph van Raat and Hakon Austbo, pianos. Visions de l'Amen. Pianoduo Festival, De Duif, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 20 October 2025 7.30pm George Fu, piano. Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus . Tew Recital Hall, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, USA. 23 October 2025 8.45pm Sara Mazzarotto, violin, Ducil Guerra Guzman, clarinet, Claudio Pascerl, cello, Maria Iaiza, piano, Sandro Cappelletto, narrator. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Cathedral Co-Cathedral of San Marco Pordenone, Italy. 24 October 2025 7pm Hugh Hinton and Nina Ferrigno, pianos, Visions de l'Amen. Longy School of Music/Bard College, Main Stage, Cambridge, MA, USA. 25 October 2025 8pm Nadia Ratsimandresy, ondes Martenot, Alma Bettencourt, organ, Messe de la Pentecote: Les oiseaux et les sources; Fete des belles eaux: L'eau (adaptation for ondes Martenot and organ). Maison de la Radio et de la Musique - Auditorium, Paris, France. 25 October 2025 7.30pm Michael Reed, piano, Bea Lovejoy Chappell, violin, Ben Chappell, cello, Jacob Perry, clarinet . Quartet for the End of Time. St Paul's Church, Grove Park, London, W4 3DD, UK. 25 October 2025 , 8.15pm, October 26th , 2025. 2.15pm Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra/Pierre Bleuse, L'Ascension (selection) Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 25 October 2025 7pm Anna Paulova, clarinet.Tereasa Morakova, violin, Dorka Hajkova, cello, Matous Zukal, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Piaristicke gymnasium Jozefa Braneckeho, Trencin, Slovakia. 28 October 2025 (time tba) Isabella Faust, violin, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent, Aimard, piano, Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Palacio de Festivales de Canpabria, Santander, Spain. October 30th, 2025 7.30pm Auditorio Nacional de Musica, Sala de Camara, Madrid, Spain. 31 October 2025 6.30pm Klavierduo Arteprism. Visions de l'Amen . AULA Universitat fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst Graz, Graz, Austria. 1 November 2025 4pm MESSIAEN ROUNDTABLE Prof Christopher Dingle & Ensemble 360 exploring Quartet for the End of Time. Crucible Playhouse, Sheffield, UK. 1 November 2025 8pm Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus (excerpts) Konzerthaus, Dortmund, Germany. 1 November 2025 5.30pm November 2nd, 2025 3.30pm Tara Khozein, soprano, Judith Gorden, piano. Chant de terre et de cie l. Harwood Museum of Art, Taos, NM USA 8 November 2025 - 6 pm- 9 - 2pm November 2025 NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, Tokyo Opera Singers/Charles Dutoit Yu Kosuge, piano, Motoko Oya, ondes Martenot, Trois petites liturgies de la presence divine. NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan. 8 November 2025 2pm Tokyo City Philharmonic/Ken Takaseki Momo Kodama, piano, Takashi Harada, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Japan. 7 November 2025 7.305pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de terre et de ciel. Amsterdam, - Great Hall, Musiekgebouw .Netherlands . 10 November 2025 7.30pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de terre et de ciel. Madrid, Spain - Teatro de la Zarzuela. Cancelled 12 November 2025 8pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chant de Terre et de Ciel. Henry Le Boeuf Hall, BOZAR, Brussels, Belgium. 12 November 2025 7.30pm Vernon Regehr, Nancy Dahn, Christine Carter, Patrick Cashin. Quartet for the End of Time . MUN School of Music, D F Cook Recital Hall, St John's.Canada 14 November 2025 7.30pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de Terre et de Ciel. Mozart-Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria. Cancelled 15 November 2025 7pm Marie Vermeulin. piano, Preludes; Petites esquisses d'oisueax; Le Courlis cendre; Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (excerpts) . Auditorium DE Villefranche sur Saone, France. 16 November 2025 7.30pm Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Wigmore Hall, London, UK. 16 November 2025 2pm Momo Kodama, piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux . Hyogo Performing Arts Center, Kobe College Small Hall, Hyogo, Japan. 23 November 2025 7pm Signe Bakke and Knut Christian Jansson, pianos. Visions de l'Amen. Fridalen kirke, Bergen, Norway 28 November 2025 7.30pm Susanne Peters, flute, Anton Kernjak, piano. La Merle noir. Museum Kleines Klingental, Basel, Switzerland. 28 November 2025 7.30pm Christian Weiherer, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur.. St Marten-Dom, Hamburg, Germany. 29 November 2025 2.15pm Radio Philharmonic/Karian Canellakis Cedric Tiberghien, piano, Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, November 30th, 2025 2,15pm, de Doelen, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 29 November 2025 2.15pm Sanne Hunfield, violin, Oliver Petey, clarinet, Honorine Schaeffer, cello, Nadezda Filippova, piano, Daniel Montero Real, Dancer, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Muziekgebouw aan't IJ: Main Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1 December 2025 8pm Ensemble Mi (Anthony Friends, clarinet, Agata Daraskaite, violin.Peteris Sokolovskis, cello, James Cheung, piano). Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Fabric London (opposite Smithfield Meat Market), UK. 2 December 2025 7.30pm Anika Kildegaard, soprano, Daniel Schreiner, piano, Harawi (selection). Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, USA. 2 December 2025 8pm Musiciens de l'Orchestre national de Lyon - Benjamin Zekri, violin, Pierre Cordier, cello, Kevin Galy, clarinet, Pierre Thibout, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Salle Moliere, Auditorio, Lyon, France. 2 December 2025 5.30pm Laurent Brattin, clarinet, Maximilian Haft, violin, Martina Brodbeck, cello, Antoine Francoise, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . International Museum of the Reformation, Geneva, Switzerland. 2 December 2025 7.30pm Members of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. La Nativite du Seigneur . Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis. USA. 3 December 2025 6.30pm Laurent Brattin, clarinet, Maximilian Haft, violin, Martina Brodbeck, cello, Antoine Francoise, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . International Museum of the Reformation, Geneva, Switzerland. 3 December 2025 7pm St Luke's Chamber Ensemble, Quartet for the End of Time. The DiMenna Center for Classical Music - Cary Hall, New York, USA. 4 December 2025 8.15pm HIIIT I Solisti, Oiseaux exotiques . Muziekgebouw aan't IJ: Main Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 5 December 2025 3pm Flemming Dreisig, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . Vestervig Kirke, Vestervig, Denmark. 5 December 2025 6.30pm Anna Paulova, clarinet, Marie Magdalena Fuxova, violin, Stephan Filipek, cello, Martin Kasik, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Gymnazium a Hudebni skola, Prague, Czech REP. 6 December 2025 7.30pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chant de Terre et de Ciel . Wigmore Hall, London, UK. 7 December 2025 8.15pm i Solisti, HIIIT Clarinet Choir/Filip Rathe, Oiseaux exotiques . Nieuw Ketrk, The Hague, Netherlands. 7 December 2025 4pm Jonathan Dimmock, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur .T he Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland, CA.USA 8 December 2025 1pm Jeremiah Stephenson, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . St Michael;s Cornhill, London UK. 9 December 2025 6.30pm Michael Bacon, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Great Malvern Priory, UK. 9 December 2025 8.15pm Berry van Berkum, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Stevenskerk, Nijmegen, NL 9 December 2025 4pm Markku Hietaharju, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Turku Cathedral, Finland. 10 December 2025 7.30pm Jean Marchand and Brigitte Poulin, pianos, Visions de l'Amen . Salle Paul-Desmarais, Montreal, Canada. 10 December 2025 6pm Dresden Philharmonie/Tobias Engeli. Les Offrandes oubliees .Kulturpalast, Konzertsaal, Dresden, Germany. 10 December 2025 5pm Poul S Jabobsen, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Frue Kirkeplads, Aarhus, Denmark 11 December 2025 7.30pm Timothy Parsons, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Wells Cathedral. UK 12 December 2025 5pm Philip Schmidt-Madsen, organ, Maria Fihl, reading, Lars Egagaard Sorensen, lighting design. La Nativite du Seigneur. St Matthew's Church, Copenhagen. Denmark. 12 December 2025 9.15pm Ciro Longobardi, piano, Catalogue d'oiseaux (5 excerpts). Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa, Sala Michele Perriera, Palermo, Italy. 12 December 2025 12.30pm Christopher Rathbone, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Margaret's Church, Ilkley, UK 13 December 2025 9.15pm Ciro Longobardi, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus (8 excerpts). Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa, Sala Michele Perriera, Palermo, Italy. 13 December 2025 1pm Mia Cooper, violin, Aoife Burke, cello, Macdara O'Seireadain, clarinet, Fiachra Garvey, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, Ireland. 13 December 2025 6pm Paul Dean, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Michael's, Highgate, London, UK. 14 December 2025 6.30pm Jonathan Hope, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Gloucester Cathedral, UK. 14 December 2025 5pm Organist tba. La Nativite du Seigneur . St Paul's Cathedral, London.UK. 14 December 2025 1pm The Hugh Lane Sunday Concert Series with Spotlight Chamber music. Quartet for the End of Time. Abbey Presbyterian Church, North Dublin, Ireland. 14 December 2025 4pm Alexander Berry, organ, Ally Barrett, artwork, La Nativite du Seigneur .Great St Mary's, The University Church, Cambridge, UK. 14 December 2025 5.15pm Richard Tanner, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur . Saint Thomas Church, New York, USA. 14 December 2025 3.30pm Simon Nieminski, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur . St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia. 17-18-19 December 2025 7.30pm Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle Magdelena Kozena, soprano, Poemes pour Mi, Book 2 Dvorak Hall, Prague, Czech Rep. 17 December 2025 1.10pm Joshua Ryan, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Michael's, Croydon, UK 18 December 2025 7.30pm Tim Harper, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Ripon Cathedral, UK. 18 December 2025 6.05pm Richard Moore, George Balfour, Michael Chesters, organ.La Nativite du Seigneur. Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. UK 19 December 2025 8.15pm Ralph van Raat, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus. Orgelpark, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 19 December 2025 7.30pm Rashaan Allwood, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St James Cathedral, Toronto, Canada. 19 December 2025 7.30pm Karstein Askeland, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Korskirken, Bergen, Norway. 19 December 2025 4.30pm Soren Christian Vestergaard, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur. Trinity Church, Copenhagen, Denmark. 19 December 2025 7.30pm (audiovisual performance) Leendert Verduijn, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur. St Martin's Church, Zaltbommel. Netherlands. 20 December 2025 8.15pm Leondert Verduijn, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Orgelpark, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 20 December 2025 6pm Organist tba , La Nativite du Seigneur. Blackburn Cathedral, UK. 20 December 2025 5pm Introductory evening to the nine-part organ cycle "La Nativite du Seigneur " Organ: Prof Hans-Ola Ericsson, Sweden, Introduction: Dr Katrin Bibiella, Katharinenkirche, Oppenheim, Germany. 21 December 2025 5pm Prof Hans-Ola Ericsson, Sweden, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Catherine's Church, Oppenheim, Germany. 21 December 2025 5pm Richard Lea.organ, La Nativite du Seigneur (preceded by Festival Carol Service). Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, UK. 21 December 2025 1pm George Fu, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus . The Frick Collection, Stephen A Schwarzman Auditorium, New York,USA. 21 December 2025 6pm Erland Hilden Williorgaan, organ, Elinor Johansson, readings La Nativite du Seigneur. Orgryte new Church, Gothenburg, Sweden. 21 December 2025 7pm Tate Addis, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur. OrgFirst Baptist Church of Asheville, North Carolina, USA. 22 December 2025 5pm Richard Lea, organ, ...interspersed with reflective readings. La Nativite du Seigneur. Coventry Cathedral. UK. 24 December 2025 5pm Andreas J Maurer-Buntjen, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Lutheran parish of Segeberg, Germany. 25 December 2025 3pm Carl-Axel Dominique, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus. Storkyrkan, Stockholm, Sweden. 26 December 2025 6pm Levan Zautashvili, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Andreas Hildesheim, Germany. 26 December 2025 5pm Eckhard Manz, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Martin's Church, Kassel, Germany. 26 December 2025 7pm Dainius Sverdiolas, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Organum Concert Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania. 26 December 2025 6pm James Wood, organ La Nativite du Seigneur. Pauluskirche Berlin-Zehlendort, Germany. 27 December 2025 6pm Brita Sjoberg, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway. 28 December 2025 4pm Martin Blomquist, organ, Carin Odquist, readings. La Nativite du Seigneur . Revelation Church, Hagersten, Sweden. 28 December 2025 4pm Dominik Giesen, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Apostein, Cologne, Germany. 28 December 2025 7 pm Throstur Eiriksson, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Hovik kirke, Hovik, Norway. 28 December 2025 4pm Donald Hunt, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC, Canada 2026 Back to top 2026 2 January 2026 1pm Charles Wooler, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur , Emmanuel, Wylde Gree, Sutton Coldfield, UK. 2 January 2026 1,15pm Philip Berg, organ. a Nativite du Seigneur. St Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness, Scotland UK 3 January 2026 7pm Jeffrey Makinson, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur , Lincoln Cathedral UK. 4 January 2026 4pm Nicholas Freestone, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur , Worcester Cathedral, UK 4 January 2026 4.30pm David Leigh, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur ,Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland 4 January 2026 11am Colin Andrews, Director of Music Ministries, La Nativite du Seigneur , First Presbyterian Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana. USA. 5 January 2026 7pm Martyn Rawles, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur , Lichfield Cathedral. UK 6 January 2026 Elizaveta Suglova, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur , Stadtkirche Bayreuth, Germany. 8 January 2026 6pm Ensemble Chamarre, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Ciurlionio Namai, Vilnius, Lithuania. 10 January 2026 7pm Orquesta de Valencia?Nacho de Paz, Les Offrandes oubliees; L'Ascension . Palau de la Musica: Sala Hurbi, Valencia, Spain. 10 January 2026 5.30pm David Halls, organ La Nativite du Seigneur , Salisbury Cathedral. UK 11 January 2026 4pm Pierre Queval, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . St Peter's Cathedral, Nantes, France. 11 January 2026 8pm Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire/Sasha Goetzel, Les Offrandes oubliees . Le Theatre, Saint Nazare, France. 11 January 2026 7pm Richard Morgan, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . iLoken kirke, Aurskeg-Holland. 11 January 2026 4pm Balthasar Baumgartner, organ. La Nativite du Seigneur . Dom St Peter, Osnabruck, Germany. 11 January 2026 3pm Gail Archer, organ. Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte TrinityMount Angel Abbey, Saint Benedict, OR, USA. 11 January 2026 3pm Tim Patient, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . St Peter & Paul, Eye, Suffolk, UK 11 January 2026 3pm James Thomas, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . Cirencester Parish Church, UK. 11 January 2026 4pm Gereon Krahforst, organ , La Nativite du Seigneur . Maria Laach Abbey Church, Glees, Germany 11 January 2026 4.30pm Simon Hogan, organ La Nativite du Seigneur . Southwark Cathedral. UK 11 January 2026 3.30pm and 7.30pm Milwaukee Musaik, Quartet for the End of Time. T he Wilson Center, Milwaukee, USA. 12 January 2026 7.30pm, The Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, New York, USA. 13 January 2026 7.30pm Carolin Widmann, violin, Alexander Lonquich, piano, Fantaisie. Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, Germany. 14 -15 January 2026 7pm Goteborgs Symfoniker, Damkor ur Goteborgs Symfonikers Vokalensemble/Barbara Hannigan Juan Zarutuza, piano and Cecile Lartigau, ondes Martenot. Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine. Goteborgs Konserthus, Gothenburg, Sweden. 14 January 2026 5.30pm interspersed with readings Daniel Cook, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur .Durham Cathedral. UK. 15 January 2026 7pm Messiaen Days 2026 Cultural Forum, Emanuel Salvador, violin, Jean-Marc Fessard, clarinet, Adam Klocek, cello, Fanny Azzuro, piano. Quartet for the End of Time . Gorlitz Synagogue, Poland. 16 January 2026 7pm Klangforum Wien Orchester/Ingo Metzmacher Christoph Walder, horn, Johannes Purto, piano, Lukas Schiske, percussion, Alex Lipowski, percussion, Des Canyons aux etoiles... Grosser Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria. 16 January 2026 12pm Kevin Kwan, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur . Christ & St Luke's, Norfolk, VA, USA. 16 January 2026 6.30pm Lecture: A Mystic in the Making: Exploring Messiaen's Organ Literature by Gail Archer. Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite played by Gail Archer, organ. Mount Angel Abbey, Portland, OR. USA 18 January 2026 8pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chant de Terre et de Ciel. Goteborgs Konserthua, Gothenburg, Sweden. 23 January 2026 7.30pm 25 2pm Tucson Symphony Orchestra/Jose Luis Gomez, Le tombeau respendissant . Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, Tucson, AZ, USA. 18 January 2026 4pm Elbphilharmonie Publikumorchester/Michael Petermann, Un sourire. Burgerhaus Wilhelmsburg January 24th , 8pm Elbphilharmonie Grosser Saal, Hamburg, Germany. 18 January 2026 5pm Claudia Grimell, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. St Edmundsbury Cathedral Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK. 18 January 2026 5pm Samuel Bristow, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Chelmsford Cathedral, UK. 18th January 2026 · 5:30pm - 8:30pm Bartholomew LaFollette & Friends + Pre-Concert Recital with Max Pemberton, piano. Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus: No.1 Regard du Père, No.4 Regard de la Vierge, No.5 Regard du Fils sur le Fils. CONWAY HALL, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL, UK 18 January 2026 3:00 p.m Richard Elliott, organ, L'Ascension.. The program also includes Caitlyn Valovick-Moore, bass flute, performing "Một người nhìn lại đời mình" by Messiaen's pupil, Nguyễn Thiên Đạo.. Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 19 January 2026 6.30pm La Nativite du Seigneur. Performed by students. Royal Academy of Music, London Duke's Hall, UK 23 January 2026 (6pm), 24( 3pm), 2026 Goteborgs Symfoniker/Barbara Hannigan, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (excerpt); Oiseaux exotiques. Goteborgs Konserthua, Gothenburg, Sweden. 23 January 2026 8pm Klangforum Wien/Ingo Metzmacher (soloists tba) Pre-concert talk 7pm. Des Canyons aux etoiles... Elbphilharmonie Grosser Saal, Hamburg 23 January 2026 (7.30pm), 25th (2pm) Tucson Symphony Orchestra/Jose Luis Gomez, Le tombeau resplendissant . Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, Tucson, AZ, USA. 24 January 2026 5pm Andreas J Maurer-Buntjen, organ, La Nativite du Seigneur. Evangelical Lutheran parish of Segeberg, Germany. 28 January 2026 7.30pm Axelle Fanyo, soprano, Julius Drake, piano, Trois Melodies; Selections from Poemes pour Mi . Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, New York, USA. 29 January 2026 7pm London Symphony Orchestra/Robert Trevino, Hymne . Barbican Hall, London, UK. 29 January 2026 (8.30pm), 30 (8pm) RAI National Symphony Orchestra/Nicolo Umberto Foron, Les Offrandes oubliees . Auditorium RAI Arturo Toscannini, Turin, Italy. 30 January 2026 8pm Julia Bullock, soprano, Conor Hanick, piano,Harawi Cullen Theater, Wortham Theatre Center, Houston, TX USA. 30 January 2026 7.30pm Axelle Fanyo, soprano, Julius Drake, piano. Kimmel Center, Trois Melodies; Poemes pour Mi. Perelman Theater, Philadelphia, USA. 31 January 2026 8pm Ensemble Atmospheres/Ilyich Rivas Jean-Paul Gasparian, piano, Oiseaux exotiques. Salle Cortot, Paris, France. 1 February 2026 5pm Erin Wagner, mezzo-soprano, Shawn Chang, piano, Harawi. Brooklyn Art Song Society, Roulette Intermedium, Brooklyn, NYC, USA. 1 February 2026 5pm Hebrides Ensemble, Quartet for the End of Time. Dumfries House, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ. UK 2 February 2026 7pm Hebrides Ensemble. Quartet for the End of Time. Fruitmarket, Glasgow, UK. February 7th, 2026, 7pm Adelaide Place, Glas g ow 2 February 2026 , time to be confirmed, Roger Muraro Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus, Florianka Concert Hall, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music, Kraków, Poland. 5 February 2026 7.30pm David Byrd-Marrow, horn, Cory Smythe, piano, Chant (dans le style Mozart) for horn and piano (1986). Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Studio at CMS, New York, USA. 6 February 2026 7.30pm Hebrides Ensemble. Quartet for the End of Time. BunSgoil Ghaidhlig Phort Righ, Portree, Skye, UK. 7 February 2026 7pm Hebrides Ensemble. Quartet for the End of Time. Adelaide Place, Glasgow, UK 7 February 2026 7pm members of Junge Deutsche Philharmonie. Quatuor pour la fin de temps. French Reformed Church, Offenbach am Main, Germany. 11-12 February 2026 7.30pm Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra/Robert Trevino, Hymne au Saint-Sacrement . Philharmonie Mercaterhalle, Duisburg, Germany. 11 February 2026 7pm members of London Sinfonietta . La Merle Noir. Portsmouth Cathedral UK. 13, February 2026 7.30pm14 6.00pm Choir and National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra/Ingo Metzmacher / Adam Kośmieja piano / Augustin Viard ondes Martenot, Trois petites liturgies , National Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw, Poland. 19 February 2026 7pm Michael Friedlander, piano, Karl-Heinz Steffans, clarinet, Roi Shiloach, violin, Hillel Zori, cello. Quartet for the End of Time . Jerusalem Music Centre, Jerusalem, Israel. 24 February 2026 7.30pm Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid/Kirill Karabits, L'Ascension . Auditiorio Nacional de Musica, Sala Sinfonica, Madrid, Spain. 28 February 2026 7pm Members of London Sinfonietta, Le Merle Noir, Purcell Room, London, UK. 1 March 2026 11.00 Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus. Salle des Spectacles, Epalinges, Switzerland 1 March 2026 2.30pm Members of the Lake Constance Philharmonic Orchestra. Quartet for the End of Time. Steigenberger Inselhotel (Banquet Hall), Konstanz, Germany. 1 March 2026 3pm Lecture: A Mystic in the Making: Exploring Messiaen's Organ Literature by Gail Archer. Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite played by Gail Archer, organ. Saint Meinrad Archabbey, St Meinrad, IN. USA. 11 March 2026 8pm Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire/Sasha Goetzel, Les Offrandes oubliees . Le Theatre, scene national, Saint-Nazaire, France. 14 March 2026 10am Lecture on the organ works of Olivier Messiaen by Gail Archer. Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA. 15 March 2026 3pm Lecture: A Mystic in the Making: Exploring Messiaen's Organ Literature by Gail Archer. Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite played by Gail Archer, organCathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Denver, CO. USA. 19 March 2026 & 20 , 2026 7pm - March 21 2026 2pm Sydney Symphony Orchestra/Alexander Soddy, Les Offrandes oubliees. Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Australia. 22 March 2026 11.30am Pavel Kolesnikov, piano, Samson Tsoy, piano, Alina Ibragimova, violin, Albaan Gerhardt, cello, Nicolas Baldeyron, clarinet, Theme et Variations, 3pm. Quatuor pour la fin de temps . Muziekgebouw aan;t IJ, Main Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 25 March 2026 6.30pm Sybille Duchesne, violin, Alexandre Fougerous, cello, Veronique Audard, clarinet, Maki Belkin, piano. Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus (extracts); Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Printemps des Arts, Auditorium Rainier III, Monaco. 31 March 2026 7pm Jakob Lorentzen, organ,Livre du Saint Sacrament .Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen, Denmark. 4 April 2026 7.30pm Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo/Kazuki Yamada Jen-Frederic Neuburger, piano, Nathalie Forget, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Printemps des Arts, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco. 7 April 2026 8pm Sharon Kam, clarinet, Liza Ferschtman, violin, Christian Poltera, cello, Enrico Pace, piano, Quartet for the End of Time. Grande Auditorio, Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. 10 - 11 April 2026 8pm Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Simone Young Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano, Cynthia Millar, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie . Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA. 12 April 2026 11am Alexandra Kehrle, clarinet, Avigail Bushakevitz, violin, Taneili Turanen, cello, Florian van Radowitz, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Kleiner Saal, Konzerthaus, Berlin, Germany. 16-17 April 2026 7.30pm Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich/ Kent Nagano Yury Favorin, piano, Nathalie Forget, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie. Grosse Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland. 17 April 2026 8pm Anthony Thompson, clarinet, Amy Hillis, violin, Bryan Holt, cello, Cheryl Duvall, piano, Quartet for the End of Time . Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, ON. USA. 23 April 2026 7.30pm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko, Steven Osborne, piano, Cecile Lartigau,Ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie . Royal Festival Hall, London, UK. Imagine an explosion of love on a cosmic scale. Mix in some 1940s Hollywood glamour, a pounding rhythmic workout and the sounds of a Javanese gamelan, and then wash it all in blissful impressionist colours. Now add a huge orchestra, a world-class pianist and a vintage electronic instrument straight out of science fiction and you’re still not even halfway to imagining Messiaen’s mind-boggling Turangalîla-Symphonie. 77 years after its premiere, it still sounds like nothing on earth. ‘A love song, a hymn to joy, time, movement, rhythm, life and death’ was how Messiaen himself described this vast, vibrant psychedelic masterpiece, and Vasily Petrenko, star pianist Steven Osborne and a super-sized Royal Philharmonic Orchestra turn the volume up to 11. Inspired by the golden age of silent cinema, 1927 Studios – the visionary team behind the Komische Opera Berlin’s 2012 production of The Magic Flute (★★★★ The Guardian) – create an original film to play alongside the cosmic symphony. This is music that contains multitudes: every performance is a special occasion. Don’t miss this one. 23 April 2026 7.30pm Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra of Catalonia/Jonathan Nott Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Thomas Bloch, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie. Auditorio Nacional de Musica: Sala Sinfonica, Madrid, Spain. 24 April 2026 (8pm), 26 (7pm), Barcelona Symphony Orchestra& National;Orchestra of Catalonia (OBC)/Jonathan Nott Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Thomas Bloch.ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Sala 1-Pau Casals, L'Auditori, Barcelona, Spain. 27 April 2026 8pm Orchestre de chambre de Geneve/Raphael Merlin Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Oiseaux exotiques . Batiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva, Switzerland. 29 April 2026 12.30pm Francois Sochard, violin, Daniel Mitaiksky, cello, Davide Bandieri, clarinet, Stephanie Gurga, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Salle Paderewski, Lausanne, Switzerland. 3 May 2026 3pm Simone McIntosh, mezzo-soprano, Nathaniel LaNasa, piano, Harawi. Wigmore Hall, London, UK 3 May 2026 7pm Basel Sinfonietta/Titus Engel. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum . Stadtcasino, Basel, Switzerland. 9 May 2026 7.30pm Francesco Piemontesi, piano, Pierre Genisson, clarinet, Veronika Eberle, violin, Daniel Muller-Schott, cello. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Vevey Spring Classic, Salle del Castillo, Vevey, Switzerland. 10 May 2026 6pm Basel Sinfonietta/Titus Engel, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum . Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany. 14 & 15 May 2026 7.30pm The Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen Bertrand Chamayou, piano Cécile Lartigau, Ondes Martenot . Turangalila Symphonie. Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark. 14 May 2026 , 8.15pm Marieke Blankestijn, violin, Emanuele Silvestri, cello, Julien Herve, clarinet, Hannes Minnaar, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Laurenskerk, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 14 May 2026 7.30pm Concerto Budapest/Andras Keller. Les Offrandes oubliees . Mupa: Bela Bartok National Concert Hall, Budapest, Hungary. 14 May 2026 11am Bjorn Steinar Solbergsson, organ, L'Ascension . Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland. 18 May 2026 time tbc Barbara Hannigan, soprano Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de Terre et de Ciel . Konzerthaus, Blaibach, Germany. May 20th, 2026 time and venue tbc Barbara Hannigan, soprano Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chants de Terre et de Ciel . Prague Spring Festival. 19 May 2026 8pm Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Isabelle Faust, violin, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany. 20 May 2026 7.30pm Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Isabelle Faust, violin, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Philharmonie Luxembourg, Salle de Musique de Chambre, Luxembourg. 20 May 2026 8pm Barbara Hannigan, soprano, Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Chant de terre et de ciel. Prague Spring Festival Rudolfinum-Dvorak Hall. Czech Rep. 21 May 2026 7.30pm Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Isabelle Faust, violin, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Schubert-Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria. 23 May 2026 8.15pm Isabelle Faust, violin, Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Jean-Guhen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Muziekgebouw aan't IJ: Main Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 24 May 2026 7.30pm Isabelle Faust, violin, Jorg Widmann, clarinet, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Elbphilharmonie (Kleiner Saal), Hamburg, Germany. 27 May 2026 (6.45pm), 28 (7.30pm) Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Musicians from Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Cecile Lartigau, ondes Martenot, Turangalila Symphonie. Bergen International Festival, Griegshalen, Bergen, Norway. 28 May 2026 7.30pm Alan Berg Ensemble Wien - Sebastien Gurtler, violin, Florian Berner, cello, Ariane Haering, piano, Alexander Neubauer, cello, Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Schubert-Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria. 31 May 2026 time tba. Tom Bell, organ, Meditations sur le Mystere la Sainte Trinite . Blackburn Cathedral, UK. 3 June 2026 time tba. Tom Bell, organ, Livre du Saint Sacrament. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, UK. 4 June 2026 8.15pm Lisa Willems, soprano, Sophie Raynaud, piano, Poemes pour Mi . Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, Waterloo, Belgium. 6 June 2026 7.30pm Tom Bell, organ, Livre du Saint Sacrament, Buckfast Abbey, Devon, UK. 9 June 2026 5pm Renate Wirth, organ, Claudia Egold, readings, Messe de la Pentecote . St Johanniskirche, Berlin, Germany. 11 June 2026 8pm Geneva Lewis, violin, Anthony McGill, clarinet, Jay Campbell, cello, Conor Hanick, piano. Quartet for the End of Time. Ojai Music Festival Libby Bowl, CA, USA. 20 June 2026 3pm Lecture: A Mystic in the Making: Exploring Messiaen's Organ Literature by Gail Archer. Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite played by Gail Archer, organ.Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland, CA. USA. 21 June 2026 7.30pm Tom Bell, organ, Meditations sur le Mystere la Sainte Trinite . St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK. 22 June 2026 7.30pm Hugo Ticciati, violin, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Theme et Variations. Wigmore Hall, London, UK. 28 June 2026 7pm Thomas Ades and Kirill Gerstein, pianos, Visions de l'Amen. Grosse Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland. 17 July 2026 6.30pm Verbier Festival Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen Lucas Debargue, piano, Cecile Lartgau, ondes Martenot. Turangalila Symphonie Verbier Festival Salle des combins, Switzerland. 30 July 2026 7.30pm Carolin Widmann, violin, Alexander Lonquich, piano. Fantaisie. Wigmore Hall, London, UK. 4 August 2026 5pm, 9 August , 5pm August 12 August 5.30pm, August 15 , 5pm, 19 August 5.30pm, 23 August , 5pm. Saint Francois d'Assise (staged). Lauranne Oliva, L'Ange, Philippe Sly, Saint Francois, Sean Pannikar, Le Lepreux, Russell Brown, Frere Leon, Leo Vermot-Desrouches, Free Massee, Aaron-Casey Gould, Frere Elie, Willard White.Frere Bernard Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Maxime Pascal. Salzburg Summer Festival 2026. Felsenreitschule, Saltzburg, Austria. Late night concerts all in the Mozarteum Foundation - Great Hall unless stated otherwise 2 August 2026 10pm Catalogue d'oiseaux (6 excerpts) Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano 7 August 2026 10pm Franciscan Church Meditations - works and excerpts from works by Messiaen Olivier Latry, organ 11 August 2026 10pm Visions de l'Amen Igor Levit and Markus Hinterhauser, pianos 20 August 2026 10pm Quatuor pour la fin du temps . Renaud Capacon, violin, Pascal Moragues, clarinet, Kian Soltani, cello, Helene Mercier, piano. 5 September 2026 7pm Sarah Aristidou – Soprano, WDR Symphony Orchestra Kent Nagano – Conductor. Yvonne Loriod La Sainte Face (1945) for soprano and orchestra. World premiere. Berlin Phiharmonic Great Hall, Berlin, Germany. CDReleases CD/DVD Releases VISIONS DE L'AMEN Michel Béroff (piano), Marie-Josèphe Jude (piano) La Scala Music SMU021. Released 26th September 2025 The Complete Piano works. Ciro Longobardi. Brilliant Classics 97295 EAN 5063758972956 ReleaseJanuary 2026 A lush, intricate success – meaningful for Messiaen enthusiasts and enjoyable for those new to his work. I highly recommend it.’ This review from Fanfare magazine is one of several in the international press to have recognised the achievement of Ciro Longobardi while in the midst of recording the complete piano music of Olivier Messiaen, in a cycle which is now issued complete for the first time, and at budget price. Harawi - (Chant d'Amour et de Mort) - Live recording László Borbely piano Anna Molnár mezzo-soprano Hunnia Records HRES2427 January 20, 2025 In many ways, Harawi: A Song of Love and Death featuring Mezzo-Soptano Anna Molnár and pianist László Borbély on a Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano, Hamburg, occupies a special place in the oeuvre of Messiaen. On the one hand, it places extreme demands on the two performers, often not in a purely technical sense, but even more in a spiritual, psychological sense. At the same time, to highlight the work’s humanly testing difficulty is to miss the point. The other aspect of the piece’s uniqueness is the composer’s style, which is a mixture of surrealism and sacredness, and which makes his musical language always unique and instantly recognizable. Catalogue d’oiseaux & Petites esquisses d’oiseaux Alfonso Gómez, piano. Messiaen saw birds as his greatest teachers, capturing their songs with passion and precision. His piano works, especially Catalogue d’oiseaux and Petites esquisses d’oiseaux, translate birdsong into rich, colorful music. Messiaen’s fascination with rhythm, color, and nature shaped his compositions, blending ornithology with spirituality. Alfonso Gómez delivers an astonishing interpretation on this recording, adding to his acclaimed discography for this label. As Messiaen himself said: “Nature, birdsong! These are my passions. They are also my refuge.” KAIROS 0022302KAI, 3CDs Released March 2025 Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus, Petites Esquisses d'Oiseaux Ciro Longobardi piano Piano Classics PCL10246 The third volume Ciro Longobardi’s Messiaen, after the universal critical success of Volumes 1 & 2, focusing on the composer’s best-loved piano cycle. With his Piano Classics collection of the Préludes, Quatre Études de rythme, La fauvette des jardins and other shorter works, Ciro Longobardi announced himself as a Messiaen pianist of remarkable imagination and accomplishment. The critics duly took note: ‘Longobardi showcases tremendous technical skill and an exceptional attentiveness Turangalîla Symphonie Yuja Wang · Cécile Lartigau Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons DGG Streaming Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra join forces with pianist Yuja Wang and ondist Cécile Lartigau release their album featuring a stunning interpretation of Turangalîla Symphonie . The recording, recorded at Symphny Hall in Boston in April 2024, celebrates the 75th anniversary of the work's premiere on December 2, 1949. Of particular note is that it was also the Boston Symphony Orchestra that originally performed the work, commissioned by their pioneering music director Serge Koussevitsky Messiaen's Musical Universe Tom Bell performs Messiaen's cycles including La Nativité du Seigneur, Messe de la Pentecôte and the magisterial Livre du Saint Sacrement in its entirety at Blackburn Cathedral UK. In an accompanying documentary Tom explores Messiaen's life and compositions with biographer and scholar Christopher Dingle . There are als contributions from Thomas Lacôte, Carolyn Shuster-Fournier and Loïc Mallié at the organ of La Trinité in Paris where Messiaen spent a good deal of his working life as titular organist. The Seattle Symphony releases Des canyons aux étoiles… (“From the Canyons to the Stars…”) , which takes inspiration from the rock spires, birdsong and night sky of Utah’s national parks. With Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot at the podium and guest artist Steven Osborne on piano, the Symphony presents Messiaen’s starry-eyed journey through nature and the divine. Two concerts of the entire 110-minute-long work were recorded in the stunning acoustics of Benaroya Hall. Catalog Number: SSM1028 In their first release on harmonia mundi, Gustavo Gimeno and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra offer us a dazzling reading of the Turangalîla-Symphonie . Equally attentive to architecture and to detail, they glorify the rich and refined orchestration of the French composer’s vast hymn to love, always on the lookout for unprecedented sonic alchemies. A unique musical and sensory experience! Marc-André Hamelan , piano Nathalie Forget , Ondes Martenot. HMM905336, February 2024 Soprano Barbara Hannigan and pianist Bertrand Chamayou unite to record the two major song cycles from the 1930's. Poèmes pour Mi are inspired by the precious relationship of Messiaen and “Mi” - the nickname of his first wife; violinist and composer Claire Delbos. Chants de terre et de ciel also emerges from Messiaen's marriage to Delbos, written just after the birth of their son, Pascal. Hannigan and Chamayou delve into the composer's complex language to reveal a natural and flowing music, whose roots extend from the earth upwards to a shimmering realm. As a final work on the album, Hannigan and Chamayou included a rarely performed "scena" of Messiaen: La Mort du nombre (1930) is a dialogue between two souls, in which they are joined by the Canadian tenor Charles Sy and the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang . Release Date: 24th May 2024 Catalogue No: ALPHA1033 HeideVingtRe Groundbreaking New Release of Messiaen's Monumental Masterpiece New recording of Olivier Messiaen's monumental masterpiece for piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant- Jésus, was released on the composer's birthday, 10 December 2023, brilliantly interpreted by the Danish-Swedish pianist Morten Heide. The release includes a well-written and beautifully illustrated 64-page booklet with insightful information about Messiaen and a comprehensive listening guide, crafted with both laypeople and musicians in mind, making this release truly unique. The album, includes a detailed booklet , and will be available both as a CD and digital format. Gateway Music is responsible for the physical distribution. Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus Telos , DDD, 2022 Release date: 4.10.2023 La Nativité du Seigneur Mark Steinbach - organ Mark Steinbach (Cavaille-Coll-Orgel Eglise Saint-Francois de Sales, Lyon) Label: Aeolus, DDD, 2022 Bestellnummer: 11605848 Release date 3.11.2023 Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps, Murail, Stalag VIIIa : Het Collectief ALPHA 1048 Release date: 23 Nov 2023 Souvenirs D'Oiseaux Roderick Chadwick - piano Roderick Chadwick has recorded the second volume in a series which presents Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux coupled with works which are linked either in style or subject matter. This follows the well-received issue of the first volume, entitled ‘La Mer Bleue ’which included Book 1 of the Catalogue. This double album is a continuation of Chadwick's journey through Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux , the latest issue featuring Books 2 through 5, including the cycle's great centrepiece 'La rousserolle effarvatte' (The Reed Warbler), which evokes the sights and sounds of the Sologne region across a full day's span. Release Date: 14th Apr 2023. Catalogue No: DDA21240. Label: Divine Art Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus. Kristoffer Hyldig - piano KRISTOFFER HYLDIG is one of Denmark‘s leading pianists, recognized for his musicality and highly personal, sensitive approach. Known for his versatility, he is in demand as a soloist, as well as chamber musician and lied accompanist. He is a founding member of Messiaen Quartet Copenhagen, where his work comprises artistic programming as well as closely working with composers, commissioning, and premiering pieces. Recorded in Vor Frelser’s Church, Copenhagen during one of the most severe periods during the lock down by producer, recording & balance engineer extraordinaire, Preben Iwan. The album is recorded in the immersive DXD format. Our Recordings, 6.220.677-78. Release date: April 2023 Des canyons aux étoiles... Utah Symphony Thierry Fischer Jasin Hardink, piano Stefan Dohr, horn Keith Carrick, xylorimba Eric Hopkins, glockenspiel Hyperion Recording June 2022 Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Release date: April 2023 HARAWI Marie Kobayasi, mezzo-soprano Fuminori Tanada, piano Recorded 09/2022 Maguelone- MAG 358-443 The Complete Organ Works. Recorded at the Cathedral of Toul to celebrate its 800th anniversary. The organist Pascal Vigneron is the mastermind behind a complete disc of Messiaen's organ scores recorded at the Cathedral of Toul. This project is special because it brings together students from music education institutions who have shared the different pieces. Forlane - FOR_816897. New Release of the Complete Messiaen Organ Works including a previously unpublished and unrecorded transcription 'Vie pour Dieu des Ressuscités', by organist Jon Gillock. see more here . RAVEN compact Discs Visions Pierre-Laurent Aimard , Tamara Stefanovich Olivier Messiaen , George Enescu , Oliver Knussen , Harrison Birtwistle Release Date: 23-09-2022 PTC: 5186957 Details here . See Review Oiseaux exotiques . Francesco Piemontesi (piano), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Jonathan Nott Pentatone - PTC 5186949. Details here. O sacrum convivium Hildegard von Bingen , Sean Shibe , Chick Corea , Daniel Kidane , Moondog , Oliver Leith , Meredith Monk , Bill Evans , Olivier Messiaen , Shiva Feshareki , Julius Eastman Release Date: 26-08-2022 PTC: 5186988 Details here. Harawi Chant d’amour et de mort The Song Company , Amy Moore (soprano) , Antony Pitts (piano) Hyperion Records 1EMCDA Details here . Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus . Alfonso Gómez (piano) Kairos - 0015081KAI. Details here . Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Louange à l'éternité de Jésus) Fabien CHOURAKI (saxophone) Olivier DEKEISTER (organ) Visage- FR-95U Details here. Trois petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine Mädchenkantorei am Freiburg Münster Martina van Lengerich (Director) Motette-Psallite - MOT DCD 15025 The girls' choir at the Freiburg Minster under the direction of Martina van Lengerich present works by JS Bach, O. Messiaen, WA Mozart, F. Mendelssohn, D. Bartolucci and KA Arnesen. Raschèr Saxophone Quartet. Alfonso Goméz (piano) Fabienne Martin (Ondes Martenot) More information here Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus . Pi-Hsien Chen (piano) Aldila - DDD, 2005. Release date: 19th February 2021 Songs for the End of Time Vol.1. An intriguing take on Messiaen's famous Quartet made here into a quintet. Ben Russell (violin, voice) Brandon Ridenour (tumpet, voice) Yoonah Kim (clarinet, voice) Hamilton Berry (cello, voice) Greg Chudzik (bass, voice ) Available from Bandcamp Catalogue d'Oiseaux. László Borbély (Piano) Messiaen often chooses 'impalpable' as a performance direction. It is no accident; in his works we enter the visible and tangible transcendent through the intangibility of the invisible. We are faced here with something which is seemingly incompatible with our existence. MRC2004 Released 05/08/2020 From My Reel Club. see video preview here. Turangalîla Symphonie. Tamara Stefanovich (piano) Thomas Bloch (ondes Martenot) Nationaltheater-Orchester Mannheim, Alexander Soddy (conductor). Oehms : OC472 Release date: 18th September 2020 Poèmes pour Mi plus works by Saariaho, Dutilleux, Debussy and Delbos. Katherine Dain (soprano) and Sam Armstrong (piano) The majority of the program on this disc is written during a period on which the particular composer was facing daring circumstances. Like these two musicians were during the production of Regards sur l’Infini. ‘Views on the eternity’, having an outlook on the relief is an ever-present element on this album. Not able to pinpoint when a certain stressful era will end provoked us. We’ve consequently tried to relieve ourselves with a severe focus on our fascination about creating music. Just what the composers on this album did. And then, when it’s brought so heroic, resonant and immensely prepared and aware this duo does, music gives real freedom to the spirit. 7 Mountain Records 7MNTN-024 (release November '20) Quartet for the end of Time and Toru Takemitsu: Kathlein II. Jose Luis Luis Esteresu (Clarinet) Aizol Ituriaga Goitia (violin) David Apelianis (cello) Albert Rosado (piano). IBS Classical No. IBS72020. Releas date:09 July 2020 La Nativite Du Seigneur : Michael Frith, Organ of Brentwood Cathedral. Herald label HAVPCD414. Release date: 23rd October 2020 Divine Art Recordings is delighted to announce a new album of piano music from English pianist Roderick Chadwick . Alongside the first book from Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux are works by Karol Szymanowski and David Gorton. Olivier Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux for solo piano evokes the sights and sounds of the French landscape, exploring time and memory across its two and a half-hour span. The diversity of Messiaen’s imagination can be heard in the progression from the sharp, solitary cries of the alpine chough to the fanfares of the golden oriole and harmonious, sapphire-blue sea along the Roussillon coast, where the headlands (in the composer’s words) ‘stretch into the sea like crocodiles’. Release date October 2020.DDA25209 A rare recording has come to light by British conductor Reginald Goodall performing L'Ascension with the Royal Opera House Orchestra Covent Garden in 1961. Full details can be found on the Pristine Classical web site here . Preludes, La Fauvette Des Jardins, La Dame De Shalott: Haruka Miyazaki (Piano) Release date 10 November 2019 299Music HMV Japan here Harawi . Sarah Maria Sun (soprano), Stefka Perifanova (piano)Label: Mode Cat No: MODLP310 Format: LP Number of Discs: 2 Expected Release Date: 10th January 2020Includes 12-page book with complete lyrics plus extensive text on Harawi by Siglind Brun, including copious illustrations and musical examples. NB: there is no CD format release. THE COMPLETE VÉGA RECORDINGS 1956-1963 BY Yvonne Loriod Works by Mozart, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Aleniz, deFalla Berg, Webern, Schoenberg, Henze, Boulez, Barraqué, Stravinsky and Messiaen. 13 CDs album. Decca UPC 00028948170692 Charles Chaynes - Piano Concerto (1967 World Premier) Yvonne Loriod with the ORTF Chamber Orchestra Radio broadcast, France. Kipepeo Publishing. ASIN: B06Y286DZ7 First recording of Les Fauvettes de l'Hérault - Concert des garrigues (reconstructed by Roger Muraro - see below) Harmonia Mundi - HMM905304 together with Debussy's Études as part of the Debussy Centenary Edition. Renowned French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard kicks off his exclusive engagement to PENTATONE with a recording of Olivier Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux (1956-1958). The pianist had intimate ties to the composer himself and his wife, Yvonne Loriod, for whom Messiaen wrote the Catalogue. This is a truly pioneering and groundbreaking recording of Messiaen's masterpiece. Pierre-Laurent brings extraordinary naturalism to the music and his sonic painting takes the playing to another level of virtuosity. An incredible achievement. The luxurious CD box set contains an accompanying bonus DVD, on which Aimard shares his vast knowledge of and love for Messiaen’s work from behind the piano. PENTATONE PTC 5186 670 Jean-Rodolphe Kars performsVingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus. Recorded live by Dutch radio at a concert in the Kleine Zaal of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw on 30 April 1976 There have been many Messiaen pianists of note to perform and record his music during the last half-century, not least thanks to the composer’s generosity as a teacher of both the technical and spiritual aspects of his music, which go hand in hand as they do for very few others. Save for Messiaen’s second wife Yvonne Loriod, however, none of those pianists can claim so direct and profound an understanding of the composer and his music as Jean-Rodolphe Kars. This makes the present issue of a hitherto unreleased recording of the Vingt Regards all the more significant:. Olivier Messiaen Organ Works Willem Tanke One can not be grateful enough for the way one of the greatest composers of the 20th century contributed to the organ tradition. This playlist is a work in progress, i.e. it will include Messiaen's complete organ works in due time, also for educational purposes. Visit Willem's Official site for more interesting projects on Messiaen's organ works including 'Olivier Messiaen and the Cave of Forgotten Sounds' This project presents movements of Livre du Saint Sacrement interspersed wth responses and improvisations by Willem one of which is a tribute to Claire Delbos: In Memoriam Claire Delbos. Back to top

Messiaen House in Fuligny © Malcolm Ball This is the 18th century house where Messiaen's aunts (Agnès and Marthe) lived and where he spent his summer vacations for many years from 1922 onward. Here he notated his first bird songs (later saying in his view the Aube region was the best location in France for larks) and composed, among others, Preludes for piano, Le Banquet Céleste , Le Banquet Eucharistique , Les Offrandes Oubliées , Le Tombeau Resplendissant and possibly Diptyque and Trois Mélodies as well as many more sketches that would find themselves in later works. Messiaen continued to visit his aunts in this house throughout his life. The current owner has decided to sell this house and the couple who wish to buy it intend to demolish it in view of the costs for its restoration. The Association LA QUALITE DE VIE reacted immediately, and is doing everything possible to have this "house of character" become an historical monument. The idea is to have this house bought by those who are interested in the world of BIRDS, in HERITAGE, in CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, in the ORGAN, in Olivier MESSIAEN... A FOUNDATION LE CHANT DES OISEAUX DE FULIGNY will make this place a concentration of Culture : "the grown-ups" and "the school children" will be able to learn and recognise the birds, their song, their life... One can imagine a specialised media library... and in a small auditorium one can listen to all the music and songs of the bird world... And maybe a care centre for injured birds and animals... © Thomas Bloch © Malcolm Ball Olivier's father, Pierre Messiaen (1883-1957) was born in Flanders - *one of Charles and Marie Messiaen's seven children (three brothers: Pierre, Léon and Paul; and four sisters: Marthe, Madeleine, Marie and Agnès). In 1900, the Messiaen family moved to Fuligny, in the Aube region, east of Troyes. Among the Messiaen children, one of the most artistically gifted was Léon, born 1884, a graduate of the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts; he was at the start of a promising career as a sculpture when killed in action in 1918. The Messiaen family tomb, in the churchyard of La Chaise near Fuligny, is surmounted by a striking sculpture after Léon Messiaen entitled L'Énergie fauchée ('Energy spent')*. Léon reworked the sculpture a copy of which can be seen close to the cathedral in Troyes that commemorates the one hundredth anniversary of the 1914-18 war. *Peter Hill & Nigel Simeone - MESSIAEN pp. 7-8 © Malcolm Ball © Malcolm Ball © Malcolm Ball Léon Messiaen Madeleine was the longest-lived of the seven children (b.1890) and married Paul Guéritte in 1912 and died in 1987. CALL FOR DONATIONS for the safeguarding of LA MAISON DES MESSIAEN in Fuligny (in Aube, in Champagne). Please make a payment to the LA QUALITE DE VIE Association. To make the treasurer's task easier: please choose bank transfer or Paypal. To make a transfer click on this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1m9Pkc3PEOClwaQxpk1xBtYk6eCx6UQIFCwQgCUSpQtE/edit Its Board of Directors will be responsible for making it a concentration of Culture: "adults" and "school children" will be able to learn to recognize birds, their song, their life... (visits organized by the Establishments schools and Associations for the elderly are more and more numerous: Heritage and Culture) - This place will fit perfectly into the North-East Aube circuit: From Gaulle to Colombey-les-deux-Eglises, Napoléon to Brienne, Bachelard in Bar-sur-Aube, Voltaire in Cirey-sur-Blaise, without forgetting the Champagne Route. Regularly, those responsible for tourism in the North-East Aubois complain about the lack of attractiveness of this territory where France's radioactive waste storage centers are located. The current residence will be restored and protected. An Aube company specializing in the renovation of old buildings is in the process of providing a quote. Furthermore, we imagine the construction of three small wooden buildings, using the A-shaped house technique: see this example: https://www.boisdesalpes.net/batiment.php?noIDB=11 - a small library, - a specialized media library, - a small auditorium with around sixty seats (the capacity of a school bus) with a large bay window facing the meadow, where you can listen to all the music and songs from the world of birds, with juke-box type equipment , - a care center for injured birds and animals, - etc. All the details are in the draft Statutes which can be consulted by clicking on this link: https://www.villesurterre.eu/images/2021/Fonds-de-dotation-231117-Statuts-LA-MAISON-DES-MESSIAEN-FULIGNY-V13.pdf See also https://www.villesurterre.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=684&Itemid=214 For organ lovers, there is another way to make a donation of 25 euros! On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Olivier Messiaen, the Forlane label, in co-production with the quantum label, and under the artistic direction of Pascal Vigneron, Director of the Toul Bach Festival, and producer of the box set, has released the complete organ works of Olivier MESSIAEN. This 8-CD box set was recorded with teachers and students from major organ classes at the largest European conservatories (more than 40 participants). In order to safeguard the Maison des MESSIAEN in Fuligny, where he composed many of his masterpieces, the LA QUALITE DE VIE Association invites you to purchase this box set. Part of this purchase will be donated to the preservation of this historic residence. We therefore suggest that you acquire this box as follows: You make a donation to the QUALITY OF LIFE Association. You send 50 euros. In this way you will help us to preserve the Residence of the MESSIAEN. And you will be able to deduct 60% of this amount in your tax return. It’s a great deal: the complete organ works of Olivier MESSIAEN, i.e. 8 CDs for 30 euros. And to thank you, the LA QUALITE DE VIE Association will send you the Box. If you are allergic to all these computer constraints send a cheque to: LA QUALITE DE VIE Association 8 route de Soulaines 10200 VILLE-SUR-TERRE FRANCE by providing your email address on the back of the cheque. Thank you for your generosity. Here are the Articles of Association of the Endowment Fund (English ) (French ) Here are the Rules and regulations of the Endowment Fund (English ) (French ) Here are Messiaen's own recollections of the house: 'My memories [of nature] go back to the age of fourteen or fifteen, chiefly to a period when I went and stayed in the Aube with aunts who owned a rather odd farm, with sculptures by one of my uncles [Léon], a flower bed, an orchard, some cows and hens. [...] To 'restore' my health, my brave aunts would send me out to tend a little herd of cows; it was really a very small herd ( there were only two or three cows) but even so I looked after them very badly, and one day they managed to escape and wrought havoc in a field of beetroot which they munched through in a few hours. I was told off by everyone in the village. The Aube countryside is very beautiful and very simple: the plain, its big fields surrounded by trees, magnificent dawns and sunsets, and a great many birds. It was there that I first began noting down birdsong'. Samuel 1967 pp.24-5; Samuel 1986, pp34-5. Peter Hill & Nigel Simeone - MESSIAEN pp.8 © Thomas Bloch © Thomas Bloch © Thomas Bloch © Thomas Bloch Watch video of the house and listen to the birds! Here

Mount Messiaen Mount Messiaen – Facts and reminiscences. © Malcolm Ball This short account sets out some basic facts surrounding the naming and dedication of Mount Messiaen and my own reminiscences after a visit to the site in June 2022. There is a brilliant and comprehensive in-depth article on the subject entitled b by Robert Fallon and reproduced in the publication ‘Messiaen Perspectives 2: Techniques, Influence and Reception’ see bibliography The idea of naming a mountain after Messiaen was the brainchild of Julie Whitaker, a dancer and English teacher who lived in Paris for two years where she first made contact with Messiaen’s music. In the mid 1970’s when Julie heard of Messiaen’s ‘canyon symphony’, and his description of Southern Utah as ‘the most mystical landscape he had ever encountered’, she asked the composer if he would agree to the naming of something in his honour. Messiaen responded with delight saying that ‘anything in his name would be a great honour, even a side street or a nature path for bird watchers’. After finding a site approximately eight miles from the town of Parowan, Julie set about the task of naming the site and also organising performances of some of Messiaen’s works at the location. It took three years of organising and political wrangling before the naming was finalised but in 1978 a plaque was eventually cast by Julie’s brother Lyman, a sculptor of kinetic art, and the site was officially named. © Malcolm Ball The bronze plaque cast by Julie's brother Lyman © Malcolm Ball When I first heard about Robert Fallon’s visit to Mount Messiaen in 2008 and seeing his wonderful photo gallery (here ), I immediately added it to my bucket list of Messiaen related places to visit. This list was shrinking and places were ticked off with some sense of regularity as most of the Messiaen ‘sites’ and certainly dwellings were in France and relatively easy for me to arrange visits (pre Brexit). However, the Mount is situated 4,933 miles from where I live and a trip would require much preparation and funds. The opportunity eventually arose when I was lucky enough to attend a performance of Des Canyons aux Étoiles… given by the Utah Symphony in O.C. Tanner amphitheatre, Zion in June this year. (see review). I had given myself time to visit all the areas that so influenced Messiaen when writing the work (Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon and Zion Park) but I also put time aside to visit the Mount. On the appointed day, I set off in my hire car to Parowan and followed Robert Fallon’s detailed directions. The road out of Parowan is narrow and winding but luckily not busy in terms of traffic as this is rural Utah so my speed was necessarily slow, and sure enough, after eight or so miles I caught site of those (to some) famous peaks on my left. I immediately pulled off the road and parked up. I was not on the logging trail that Robert explained in his directions but on the opposite side of the road. It was a sunny day but at an elevation of some 9,000 feet, not too hot. I began taking some shots of the peaks from where I had parked which had good uninterrupted views and virtually no traffic to concern me. It was very peaceful. After a few minutes a small white car approached and stopped on the other side of the road at the entrance to the track leading up to the Mount. A slight air of disappointment ran through me as I was hoping for an uninterrupted visit at this special and revered site. A couple got out of the car and the lady walked determinedly up the track and disappeared around the bend. At this point I felt duty bound to cross the road and introduce myself to the gentleman who by this time had extracted a large pair of long handled secateurs from the back of the car. I approached with some trepidation as the secateurs wielding gentleman walked slightly towards me, but he greeted me with a welcoming smile and asked, “was I hear for the Mount Messiaen?” I said indeed I was and explained my connection with Messiaen and the website after which he said “Ah! That’s my wife walking up there – Julie Whitaker, you must come and meet her”. I paused for a few seconds and thought - Hang on a minute, I’ve travelled nearly 5,000 miles, chosen a random time and day to visit this site and at almost the exact same time so did the person who initiated the site back in 1978. This was the most incredibly fortuitous encounter I could imagine. © Malcolm Ball © Malcolm Ball Julie and her husband Michael Burke were there to tidy up and clear the bronze plaque of obtrusive weeds etc. They, like me were also there to attend the concert in Zion two days later. Julie and I chatted rather excitedly while Michael attacked the weeds and she was so generous with her information and reminiscences of her time spent organising the naming of the site as well as the performances that took place at the final ceremony. Her vision was to dedicate the mountain followed by a ‘Messiaen Festival’ in September 1976 which would include a screening of Denise Tual’s film Olivier Messiaen et les Oiseaux, lectures by Messiaen at the University of Utah and a performance of Des Canyons aux Étoiles… Julie corresponded with Messiaen who was very keen and accepted the initial invitation but as time passed, dates began to conflict on both sides and after many months of negotiations, Julie wrote to Messiaen to inform him that the festival was cancelled due to lack of funding and lack of cooperation from certain parties. The dedication ceremony did take place at 6.00pm on 5th August 1978 and was televised by the local TV channel. They unveiled the bronze plaque, and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony. At 8.00pm the ceremony continued with readings, a prayer, a speech by Julie about Messiaen and a performance of Chants de terre et de ciel by Naomi and Lowell Farr, musicians on the faculty of the University of Utah. The trailhead leading up to the pinnacles. © Malcolm Ball View opposite from the Mount © Malcolm Ball After some time at the Mount (and a nice tidy plaque thanks to Michael and his secateurs) the couple made their departure and we all looked forward to meeting up again at the concert. I spent more time alone at the site taking photos and walking around the base of the Mount reflecting on such an amazing coincidental meeting and also what Messiaen would have felt had he seen these understated peaks in person. When asked how he felt about having his own mountain in Utah he replied: “Ah, it’s just incredible and very touching. When I told my agent about it, he was amazed. When I told my publisher M Leduc in Paris about it, he was astounded too. He couldn’t imagine that there would be a mountain anywhere with my name; at first he laughed, but then he almost cried. And we plan to go back there soon. It’s a great excuse to see Utah again, and, in any case, it seems to me that I now have the obligation to present myself before those three cliffs. They’re there waiting for me”. Sadly he never got to see the Mount in situ due to commitments and ill health. As planned, Julie and I met up after the concert in Zion together with Michael, Julie’s brother Lyman and other family members. It was an enormous privilege to have met such an inspired and driven person who back in the 1970’s dedicated so much energy in honouring a composer who was inspired by her childhood homeland. My photos provide an interesting comparison to those taken by Robert Fallon in 2008. Three years ago, that part of Parowan canyon suffered a serious dry mountain fire that decimated the trees in front of the Mount hence the different pictorial dynamic between our images. Malcolm Ball. Sources: Placing Mount Messiaen by Robert Fallon and reproduced in the publication ‘Messiaen Perspectives 2: Techniques, Influence and Reception ’ Canyons, Colours and Birds : An Interview with Oliver(sic) Messiaen by Harriett Watts. Tempo magazine 128. Julie Whitaker © Malcolm Ball Julie Whitaker and Michael Burke © Malcolm Ball My grateful and heartfelt thanks go to Julie and Michael for their time and for sharing their memories of this most amazing achievement to mark Olivier Messiaen's time in Utah that resulted in one of his finest works: Des Canyons aux Étoiles... © Malcolm Ball

St François in Geneva All photos © Carole Parodi St.François in Stuttgart 2023 ©Martin Sigmund ©Martin Sigmund ©Martin Sigmund ©Martin Sigmund ©Martin Sigmund ©Malcolm Ball ©Martin Sigmund

Messiaen related articles, archive material and contributions from visitors. Writings, Articles and Archive Material WritingsTop Jean-Rodolphe Kars ~ Wartime Letter ~ Nicholas Armfelt ~ Ruth Cole ~ Miriam Carpinetti ~ Jeffery Wilson ~ Thomas Lacôte ~ Lerie Dellosa ~ Cardinal Lustiger ~ Jennifer Bate ~ Robert Grenier ©Robert Grenier personal collection Robert Grenier (bass) rehearses with Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod Robert Grenier was understudy for the part of Frère Bernard in St.François d'Assise premier run in 1983. He made two appearances in place of Jean-Philippe Courtis on the 3rd and 18th December 1983 at the Palais Garnier. All the vocal soloists were coached by Messiaen himself and Robert recorded his session on cassette tape. He had all but forgotten about the 40 odd year old cassette until recently and was surprised that it still played for 16 mins before the sound disintegrates. Robert has very kindly shared this precious document with us. The quality is rather Lo-Fi but it gives us great insight into how Messiaen (and Loriod) worked with the soloists in preparation for performance. RGrenier/Messiaen 00:00 / 16:15 © Robert Grenier. Reproduction of audio is strictly forbidden without permission of the owner. Later in 2002 Robert produced an essay for Opera Quarterly entitled: Recollections on Singing Messiaen's Saint François d'Assise. Download the pdf below. RecollectionsStFranRG2002.pdf ©2002 Oxford University Press RGrenier Concert Programme of Trois Tala performed in Spain 22 February 1949 Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars maintained a close relationship with Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod and shares these documents from his personal archive. A Prayer composed by Olivier Messiaen Père Kars wrote the following about this rare and personal document: ''Some words of this prayer announce the poem of the third “petite liturgie”, and are very much influenced by some writings of St Thomas of Aquinas. This prayer is remarkable, with a real mystical ending which announce very precisely the last prayer of St Francis in the opera. It’s a testimony of how much Messiaen kept things in his memory and would use them in due time, sometimes decades later, after having matured them''. Prière inédite rédigée par Olivier Messiaen en septembre 1943, alors qu’il s’apprêtait à composer ses « Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine » (1943-1944). On reconnaît, sous une forme différente, beaucoup d’éléments du poème de la troisième « petite liturgie » (poème dont il est aussi l’auteur). Unpublished prayer written by Olivier Messiaen in September 1943, when he was preparing to compose his " Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine " (1943-1944). We recognize, in a different form, many elements of the poem of the third "little liturgy" (poem of which he is also the author). English translation here. OMPrayer.pdf Jean-Rodolphe Kars These are two extracts of Messiaen’s diary, which Yvonne sent to me many years ago. On the right part, dated 29-11-86, Messiaen mentions the event of my priestly ordination on that very day (see on the top). Of course he was not present (he was in Paris and the ordination took place in the little French town of Paray-le-Monial), but he did assure me that he would very much pray for me (“ de tout mon coeur”) on that occasion. And so he noted that in his diary. The left part dated 21-12-86, concerns the very first mass I celebrated in the église de la Sainte Trinité, three weeks after my ordination. Messiaen was at the organ. I did publicly pay homage to him, thanking him for the immense impact his works had on my spiritual journey. On the left part in the middle, one can read that I shall celebrate the 11h45 mass. And on the right part of the same date, nearly above, he did note that I “publicly thanked him”. You find that just under the indication “51e sem. 355:10”. And on the same side, but below, there is a mention of Jennifer Bate, probably in relation with the project of her playing the first Paris performance at the Trinité of the “Livre du Saint Sacrement” in May or June 1987. P. Jean-Rodolphe Kars Here is Père Kars description: These two letters were written to me by Messiaen in 1986, after I informed him about my conversion (which he didn’t know about up to that time) and about my future ordination, first as deacon (February 1986), then as priest (November 1986). In the first letter (January 1986), one can read his joy to hear about that; he also writes that “being priest is the most “great” thing on this earth”; and also a recommendation for me to care in my future ministry about the quality of the liturgy, giving preference to Gregorian Plain-Song (in fact, I never had any influence later in those matters). The second letter (August 1986) was written to me between the two ordinations. After interesting details about his activities during those months, (and also his expression of thanksgiving for the spiritual impact of his works in my life and in my vocation), the subject is primarily about a theological comment (very personal comment) I wrote about the Trinitarian dimension I discovered in the second half of his magnificent “Combat de la mort et de la vie” (Corps Glorieux IV). In this article I also wrote a paragraph about the theological dimensions of the sound of the organ. So Messiaen writes first about all this matter, and then he comes back to my priestly ordination, a few months later. A letter of thanks from Messiaen to Harry Halbreich for his book 'Messiaen' that remains one of the seminal and revealing tomes in print. Père Kars points out that interestingly the date on the letter is the same day and month as Messiaen's death 12 years later. A Wartime Letter An important wartime autograph letter signed by Olivier Messiaen ("Messiaen"), February 15, 1940, to his friend and musical supporter Virginie Schildge-Bianchini, thanking her for a care package, advising her on her musical pursuits, and shedding light on his own devotion to music even in the midst of a war. Translated from the French, in part: "Thank you for your very kind letter and magnificent package. It will all be appreciated: from the good jam to the Lu Petit-Beurres, by way of the cheese, wafers, gingerbread, [.] honey (my passion!), the good salted butter, the chocolate and the cognac. Many, many thanks again. I am very touched! It's a very good idea to learn Bach by heart. It is also very good to take harmony and counterpoint lessons with J. P. Hennebains: you won't find a wiser and more devoted teacher. and that will allow you to resume composition again more fruitfully and easily. I am so happy to see you cultivating music with such zeal. My wife and my little son are freezing in glacial Auvergne. For my part, I must forget our physical ailments and return gradually to my rainbow of modes, of rhythms, and of resonance, living two lives simultaneously: that of 'my brother the body' and 'that of the spirit." Written just four months before the composer's capture by German forces, and his two-year stay in a prisoner of war camp where he composed his Quartet for the End of Time, the letter demonstrates Messiaen's strength of purpose -- sustained, no doubt, by his strong religious faith -- in the worst of circumstances. Virginie Schildge-Bianchini (later Zinke-Bianchini) had been a regular supporter of Messiaen's work since the 1930's. After his return from the war, she took lessons from him in Paris and also hosted several concerts of his music at her house. Wartime Letter A postcard to boulez Nicholas Armfelt A letter of thanks Nicholas Armfelt kindly contributed this letter that he received from Olivier Messiaen thanking him for sending recordings of birdsongs indigenous to New Zealand. Nicholas met sound recordist Kenneth Bigwood while teaching in New Zealand in 1963 where they recorded the songs of the Bellbird, Grey Warbler and others, but most importantly the Tui that made a great impression on Messiaen who subsequently included its song in Couleurs de la Cité Céleste . More recentlty the Tui is featured in Un oiseau des arbres de Vie famously orchestrated by Christopher Dingle and premiered at the BBC Proms in 2015. Nicholas Armfelt 'Three Little Parcels'. Since his introduction to the music of Olivier Messiaen in the 1940s, Nicholas Armfelt has remained an ardent enthusiast of his music and through this has become a keen ornithologist in his own right. Over a period of time Nicholas made several recordings of birds native to New Zealand and sent three little parcels of such recordings to Messiaen to which the composer responded in the following three letters kindly submitted by Nicholas. Nicholas sent the first parcel to Messiaen in early 1963 and Messiaen's reply was as follows: 17 juin 1963 Cher Monsieur, J'ai bien reçu votre disque d'oiseaux de Nouvelle-Zélande. C'est merveilleux! J'ai apprécié particulièrement les chants extraordinaires de l'oiseau-Tui, de l'oiseau-cloche (bellbird), du Riroriro (grey warbler), du Kiwi, du Kéa, de l'ocydrome Weka, du Takahé (notornis) -etc, etc.. Ce cadeau me fait un immense plaisir. Merci de tout mon coeur! Avec une très grande reconnaissance. Olivier Messiaen. 17th June 1963 Dear sir, I have safely received the recording of the "Birds of New Zealand". It is marvellous! I particularly appreciated the exraordinary songs of the Tui, the Bellbird, the Riroriro (grey warbler), the Kiwi, the Kea, the wood-rail Weka, the Takahe (notornis) etc. etc. This present gives me immense pleasure. Thank you with all my heart! With very great gratitude. Olivier Messiaen Nicholas sent the second parcel in late 1976 and was delighted to receive the following reply: le 6 février 1977 Cher Monsieur, Je suis couvert de confusion à la pensée que vous avez attendu si longtemps ma réponse. J'etais absent pour tournées de concerts, et à mon retour, j'ai trouvé plusieurs centaines de lettres, et je n'ai pas encore pu répondre à tout. Un immense merci pour cette bande magnétique extraordinaire! Quelle variété, quelle beauté! J'ai déjà commencé une première notation de ce que vous m'avez envoyé. Effectivement c'est l'enregistrement (C) qui est le plus extaordinaire. L'Oiseau-Tui surtout est prodigieux, comme rythme, comme ligne mélodique, et comme variété de timbres. J'ai été absolument renversé par le KOKAKO (Blue-wattled Crow, Callaeas cinerea). Je ne connais pas cet oiseau. Est-il de la meme famille que les corbeaux fluteurs (Gymnorhina)? En tout cas, cet oiseau prodigieux fait ce que les flutistes et les clarinettistes ont découvert depuis peu, c'est-à-dire des double-sons! Si vous pouviez m'en donner une description, cela me rendrait grand service. Je connaissais déjà l'Oiseau-Tui, l'Oiseau-Cloche, et le Mohoua à tete jaune. Mais beacoup d'autres oiseaux que vous m'avez envoyés sont pour moi une révélation. Spécualement l'Oiseau-Tui que je connaissais mal, et le Kokako que je ne connaissais pas du tout. Avec encore tous mes remerciements, je vous prie de croire, cher Monsieur, à ma profonde reconnaissance. Olivier Messiaen. 6th February 1977 Dear sir, I am embarrassed by the thought that you have had to wait so long for my reply. I was away on concert tours, and on my return I found several hundred letters, and I haven't been able yet to reply to them all. A huge thank-you for this amazing tape! What variety! What beauty! I have already begun my first notations of what you have sent me. indeed it is section C of the tape which is the most extraordinary. The Tui especially is prodigious - for rhythm, melodic line, and variety of timbres. I was absolutely bowled over by the KOKAKO (Blue-wattled Crow). I don't this bird. Is it in the same family as the Australian bell-magpies? At any rate, this prodigious bird does what flautists and clarinetists have discovered only recently, namely double-sounds! If you could give me a description of it that would be of great service to me. I was already acquainted with the Tui, the Bellbird, and the Yellowhead; but many of the other birds you have sent are for me a revelation. Specially the Tui, which I didn't know well, and the Kokako, which I didn't know at all. With all my thanks. I beg you to believe, dear Sir, in my profound gratitude. Olivier Messiaen. Nicholas says of the third letter that 'it moved me the most, for the composer was very old and frail - and his hand writing is a delight!' 18 mars 1991 Cher Nicholas Armfelt, Merci de tout coeur pour votre cassette de chants d'oiseaux de Nouvelle-Zélande. Je l'ai déjà écoutée plusieurs fois, avec joie. Le Kokako est très original, avec ses sons lourés descendants, et la note grave enflée crescendo vers un suraigu grinçant. J'aime le glissando tremblé en cascade descendante, le bruit d'eau du Kea. L'Oiseau-Tui a des sons tantot flutés, tantot grinçants, absolument extraordinaires. J'ame encore l'Oiseau-cloche, le Notornis, le Riroriro, les sons étranges et primitifs du Kiwi du Nord a tete jaune, la trompe grave du Kakapo. Les cris des oiseaux de mer sont aussi tres interessants. Merci encore pour ce troisiéme envoi, qui m'a fait un immense plaisir. Croyez, je vous prie, a tous mes sentiments bien amicaux et tres reconnaissants. Olivier Messiaen. 18th March 1991 Dear Nicholas Armfelt Thank you with all my heart for your cassette of New Zealand birdsongs. I have listened to it several times, with joy. The Kokako is very original, with its sliding descending notes, and its deep note that swells in a crescendo up to a high shrill sound. I like the glissando trembling in a cascade, like cascading water, of the Kea. The Tui utters sounds that are sometimes flutelike, at other times grating, absolutely extraordinary. I also like the Bellbird, the Nototnis, the Riroriro, the strange and primitive calls of the North Island Kiwi, the cretic rhythms and cooings of the Yellowhead, the deep boom of the Kakapo. The cries of the seabirds are also very interesting. Thank you again for this third present, which has given me great pleasure. I assure you of my warm and grateful best wishes. Olivier Messiaen. It is thanks to Nicholas that Messiaen went on to transcribe and use these birdsongs in three of his works: Couleurs de la cité céleste (indeed the first few bars are the song of the Tui), Éclairs sur l'au-dela and Concert à quatre . 'Emotion in the Music of Messiaen' Messiaen scholar and enthusiast Nicholas Armfelt wrote this article in 1964 which was subsequently published in The Musical Times in November 1965. Messiaen’s music demands an extraordinary intensity of response; and each piece demands entire acceptance. It has the quality of a statement rather than an argument or question. It is a statement expressed emphatically and intensely. The critical listener is disturbed by this. He wants to question the validity of the statement; he regards music as an argument. But Messiaen’s music seems not to allow this: it demands all or nothing. Indeed it seems to demand all. That is why it has often provoked such violent reactions. Many listeners, while admitting the expression to be forceful, have found it hard to cope with a music so extreme in its emotive demands. One way of coping with the emotive demands is simply to ignore them. At one extreme there are some intellectual up-to-date people for whom Messiaen is significant only as the man behind Boulez and some other younger composers. Above all they admire the piano study, Mode de valeurs et d’intensités (1949) , and judge his other works by the extent to which they anticipate or fall away from that ideal. In it four series are used simultaneously: 36 pitches, 24 durations, 12 attacks, and 7 degrees of loudness and softness. These make a complex mode, the coherence of which is aurally obvious (e.g. The lower notes have the longer duration). This is rightly acknowledged as the first European work of total serialism (in which all elements are used serially). It lasts four minutes, and like all the works of the composer, was completely imagined aurally. But it led on to complex serial works by other composers in which the conjunction of the various elements was too complex to be imagined in detail beforehand. So Messiaen’s piece has historical importance in two related recent developments of music: total serialism and music of chance. But for me its significance is its beauty: the low notes like night, the notes above sparkling like fireworks. At the other extreme are some organists who, perceiving the technical brilliance, effectiveness, and workmanship of Messiaen as an organ composer, cull pieces from L’Ascension (1933) or La Nativité (1935) to show off their virtuosity in a recital. Fair enough I suppose. After all, it does draw attention to the fact that Messiaen is so effective. And it also draws attention to the traditional element in Messiaen’s pieces, their relationship to the great tradition of French organ music, the tradition of Franck, Widor, Dupré. Better to come to his music from the traditional past that from the fashionable future. But the trouble is that these recitals tend to obscure the originality and intense sincerity of the works by referring back to old familiar forms and to old, familiar, comfortable, worn-out emotions. So often one hears the fourth and final piece of L'ascension tripped off at twice its proper speed as if it were some pleasant little pastorale. In fact it is an intense, ecstatic piece, representing with characteristic literalness the prayer of Christ as he ascends to His Father. At a good performance the sympathetic listener will find himself almost entranced. The movement is very slow, the chords ascending with parallel harmonies. Indeed it is so slow that one can forget the ‘melody’ as such and become absorbed in each chord as a separate experience, tensing oneself in readiness for the next chord, the next step upward. The harmonies have a certain hardness to them, which should be brought out in the registration. Some listeners find the harmonies ‘soupy’ or ‘honeyed’. I think this is due to a failure to listen to the actual sounds. It is the tough element in the harmonies that causes the slow upward motion to be almost unbearable, till, at about two-thirds of the way through, the piece achieves its climax. Heaven, one feels is in sight. Thereafter the ascension continues, but with less strain – though even the long final chord is inconclusive, yearning to go higher. It is only when the piece is over that one realises one has experienced the beautifully phrased melody and form of the piece. Both these types of approach, as I have described them, the trendspotting-historical and the extrovert-workaday, fail to take proper account of the emotive demands of the music. The trouble is not so much that these people fail to respond fully to the particular pieces they admire; but more that they fail to admire Messiaen’s boldest pieces. Even the most ardent admirers of Messiaen find their powers of acceptance severely strained by some works. There are the more obvious failures, such as parts of the early Diptyque for organ and the Fête des belles eaux (1937) for six ondes Martenots. (It is fortunate that the beautiful sections of each are preserved as the ‘louange’ movements of Quatour pour la fin du temps (1941) . But then there are parts of other works which seem terrible bathos when the listener is all critical and emotionally below par, but which at other times seem to come off. David Drew , in his absorbing ‘Messiaen – a provisional study’ in The Score (Dec 1954. Sept and Dec 1955) , has cited L’Êchange from Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus (1944) as an example of an obvious failure. On paper it does indeed look mechanical, and the long pause towards the end can seem ridiculous. But personally, when I am in a sympathetic mood, I find the sustained crescendo and the amount of variation sufficient to hold my interest – especially in the context of the whole cycle. More frequent, though, than such dubious cases as L’Êchange are the passages that do come off, but are wrongly accounted failures by unsympathetic listeners – such daring effects as the notes of the chiffchaff at the climax of the Le Loriot and the 18-part birdsong polyphony for solo strings in the Epode section of Chronochromie (1960) . Contrary to some critics’ opinion, Messiaen’s peculiar excellence manifests itself in the form of his works. He uses a closed form, conceived rhythmically as the relationship of the parts to the whole. The material is often disparate and asymmetrical, involving unexpected phrase-lengths and lengthened or shortened note-values. More and more he uses the ‘catalogue principle’, where unrelated material is juxtaposed or superimposed. The success depends on taste and dramatic sense, above all on proportion, with effective contrasts and unexpected correlations. His music is proportioned by a literalness and truth to nature. The piece from L’Ascension was precisely symbolic in form. So are many other of his religious pieces. Take, for example the final movement of Les Corps Glorieux (1939) , where the thrice-three form symbolises the Holy Trinity, the three Persons registered so far apart yet integrated into the whole. Sometimes he uses the palindromic form of the non-retrograde rhythm, with its constant central value, to suggest the Star or the Cross. At other times he paraphrases plainsong for its traditional associations. The love-music is also unusually literal. One cannot naively distinguish it from his religious music, since he views life as a whole. In Amen du désir (Visions de l’Amen 1943) he chooses a mode of limited transposition for the charm of its impossibilities – it works up to a frenzy, but the desire remains as desire since the mode cannot rest on any modulation. True, the frenzy subsides into the harmonies of the more ‘celestial’ theme. But for the real resolution and sense of fulfilment one has to wait for the final piece of the cycle, Amen de la consommation. In the third of the Cinq Rechants (1949) the sexual act is presented with a literalness that equals Lady Chatterley’s Lover. It is all there: the male and female elements, the varying moods, the working up to a climax, the primitive universal shout at the moment of climax. Time seeming to halt at the moment of Love. One is reminded of certain Polynesian action-songs where the women sing in languorous harmony while the men shout and dance with urgent primitive gestures. This Rechant is extraordinarily compressed, its length corresponding to the act it represents. The earlier Turangalila Symphonie (1946-48) presents some of the same emotions in grander, more extended form. The fifth movement, for example, Joie du sang des étoiles, presents what takes only a few instants in the Rechant – frenzied joy, joy of the blood, joy of the blood universalised and linked with Death, joy of the blood of the stars. Messiaen uses big general words such as ‘joy’ to describe emotion. But in the music the emotions are more precise and complex. Each theme, as placed in context, has a precise emotional force. This can be realised in the music based on birdsong, notably Catalogue d’oiseaux (1958) . Each song is associated for Messiaen with a particular place and time, and consequently with a dramatic emotion. He recollects them in tranquillity, moulds them into musical form, always tending to organize and compress, and allows the sequence of events and birdsongs to guide the form of the compositions. The material may or may not be musically related, but dramatically it represents a true sequence of the composer’s emotions. Messiaen says he ‘takes his lessons from nature’. He trusts nature and the coherence of its larger rhythms. As for the more detailed rhythms, the birdsongs have inspired Messiaen to compose for piano a work unsurpassed in meaningful variety of rhythms, melodic contours, and sonorities. The most obvious of the larger rhythms determining the form of his pieces is the combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements in the passage of each day. An illustration of this is La Rousserolle effarvatte where various events of the first half are repeated irregularly in reverse order in the second half. Yet how irregular it is, and how complex and satisfying the form! This basic rhythm is also a clue to the overall form of some of the larger cycles of Messiaen’s middle period – for example, Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus . If in this article I emphasize the serene and joyful emotions in the music, it is because I feel that optimism predominates. I must mention, though, that this optimism would be comparatively meaningless were it not for the strong contrasting presence of disturbing emotions. Messiaen’s life has often been hard. The wonder is that his faith in life and human nature has so triumphantly survived. These disturbing emotions are as deep as anything in his music and are never cancelled out by the optimism: they remain as an integral part of the complex total vision. One thinks of the Abyss music in the third movement of Quatour pour la fin du temps and Livre d’Orgue , and of the frightening presence of death in certain of the Cinq Rechants . One of the most frightening effects is obtained in the mysterious death-cries and night-music of La Chouette Hulotte (The Tawny Owl) in Catalogue d’Oiseaux. One of the most striking features of some of Messiaen’s music is that it makes one conscious that everything in it is within the context of something bigger. There is the sound behind the sound, the longer duration behind the shorter one, the slower rhythm behind the quicker one. And behind all movement there is an awareness of stillness, behind all sound an awareness of silence, and behind all measured time an awareness of eternity. The silence is not mere silence. It is composed of various colours. The composer of Chronochromie (1960) and Couleurs de la Cité Céleste (1963) sees music in terms of colour and visa versa. At the end of the piano piece Je dors mais mon Coeur veille the sounds are progressively converted into silence. One knows exactly what the ‘missing’ sounds are. In Regard du silence special sonorities, some of them quite violent, are used to suggest the potential sounds that are within all silence. Some people dislike the static quality of a music that hearkens to the End of Time. They wish that it could be lighter, more critical, less absolute. It is true that many techniques are used to break down one’s sense of the temporal, among them extremely slow tempos, pedal-rhythms or ostinati, the disruptive effect of irregular note-values, and the combination of modes of limited transposition and non-retrograde rhythms. But to call the music plainly static seems to me altogether too simplified an interpretation. The characteristic effect of Messiaen’s music is to induce in the listener a trance-like state of heightened response to every instant, a state where he experiences simultaneously several different rates of time-flow. This is sometimes achieved, of course, by superimposing several rhythms. More amazingly, it is also often achieved by juxtaposition of contrasting rhythms, where one’s sense of the first rhythm continues to be effective long after it has been succeeded by another. Paradoxically, the result of all this is to make the listener feel outside time, so that all the movement seems but a complex decoration of an eternal stillness behind all things. Messiaen, humble before the vast diversity of Nature, has embraced this diversity in all its rhythms and colours to express his Faith in its Creator. Whether or not we share his Faith, we can welcome the richness and sincerity of its expression. © Nicholas Armfelt A letter of encouragement Ruth Cole This a short letter written by Olivier Messiaen in 1947 to Ruth Ellen Cole, (pictured at the time) kindly contributed by her daughter Sue Ellen (Matthews) Fealko. Ruth Cole Matthews (maiden name, Ruth Ellen Cole) was the first of her family to go to college, graduating from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in 1946. She was then accepted into the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where she majored in music theory. She completed her Master of Arts in 1949, and her thesis was titled "An Analysis of Three Piano Preludes of Olivier Messiaen ." Sibley Music Library at Eastman has a copy of it (under Ruth C. Matthews). Ruth went on to live a life filled with music. For years, she taught piano, organ, and music theory at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. She performed as a pianist in countless concerts and recitals, and she also was a church organist for over fifty years. Her true love really was organ music and she even went on several tours to see famous organs of Europe. Ruth died last October aged 89. Among her things, Sue Ellen's sister was surprised to find this letter from Olivier Messiaen written to her while she was at Eastman. Evidently she wrote to him first with questions concerning her thesis. His reply is just a simple, short letter, but it certainly shows what a kind and considerate man he was that he would take the time to write to a young American music student. My sincere thanks go to Sue Ellen (Matthews) Fealko for sharing this. Miriam Carpinetti Universidade Estadual de Campinas, INSTITUTO DE ARTES, Department Member Advisors:Denise Hortência Lopes Garcia PAPERS - ARTIGOS 15 Considerações sobre materiais compositivos utilizados em Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité de Olivier Messiaen see details and pdf An article for our Norwegian readers! "Olivier Messiaen. – music, time, and eternity ." Thanks to Jon Mostad Miriam Carpinetti From Bloomsbury to Paris British Musician and composer Jeffery Wilson reminisces with Malcolm Ball on his time spent with Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire. My first encounter with Jeffery Wilson was on a hot summer’s day in central London at a rather ‘tired’ meeting of fellow music examiners having to moderate several graded music exams on video for standardisation purposes. It was near the end of the day after discussing a particularly poor performance by a grade 4 violin that the chief examiner asked if we should watch this video again at which point Jeffery commented that he would rather have his eyes pierced with hot needles than to be subjected to a further hearing! I soon discovered that Jeffery’s spontaneous wit and dry humour was well known and a source of often needed light relief at such occasions. Our path’s had crossed briefly at other meetings and events but it wasn’t until the examiner’s conference in 2009 where Jeffery was awarded the much coveted service award when I discovered that he had studied with Olivier Messiaen. Having got to know Jeffery more over time I was particularly keen to meet up and discuss not only his time with Messiaen but also the fact that he was a like minded musician having an apprenticeship in Jazz and going on to more classical study. Not quite as most Messiaen scholars the more traditional musically established Conservatoire and University route. He revealed that, like myself during college days of the 70’s and 80’s, it didn’t seem right to be attracted to the music of Messiaen (and other contemporary ‘serious’ composers) while at the same time enjoy listening (and in our case) performing charts by Charlie Parker, Ellington, Basie etc. As far as I was concerned I never mentioned my ‘altered state’ as a jazz musician (and particularly a drummer) when speaking with Messiaen scholars and aficionados at college. A large broom came in handy to sweep such things under the proverbial carpet! Times have of course changed and views nowadays are not nearly as pedantic or ostentatiously learned as they were back then. It is well known that Messiaen abhorred jazz for a variety of reasons but it is encouraging that this did not deter Jeffery and that other jazz luminary Quincy Jones from making the trip to Paris. Jeffery Wilson studied composition with John Lambert and Herbert Howells, and later with Aladar Majorossy, Gordon Jacob and Olivier Messiaen, and while at the Royal College of Music he also studied clarinet, saxophone, piano and percussion. It was while studying with John Lambert at the Royal College of Music that Jeffery was encouraged to attend a concert at the Bloomsbury theatre, London in 1979 where Messiaen was to be present. John Lambert himself could be thought of as a ‘British Messiaen’. He had studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and held a composition class at the RCM for over 20 years beginning in 1970 where a plethora of British composers as diverse as Javier Alvarez, Simon Bainbridge, Gary Carpenter, David Fanshawe, Oliver Knussen, Jonathan Lloyd, Carlos Miranda, Barrington Pheloung, Mark-Anthony Turnage and of course Jeffery Wilson passed through his class. The diversity of these composers was reflected in those that attended Messiaen’s classes in Paris. Under the auspices of John Lambert Jeffery was introduced to Messiaen at the Bloomsbury and after asking Messiaen twice if he could study with him, twice Messiaen said ‘non’. However, after some persistence on Jeffery’s part, Messiaen finally said yes – he may visit him. Indeed Jeffery was to make two visits to Paris first in 1979/80 and again in1983. The ‘back door’ element for Jeffery was as Saxophonist and after some frantic swatting up of the solfege system, to pass the entrance exam, Jeffery was enrolled as a saxophonist and upon invitation attended the so called harmony and analysis classes of Messiaen. Commenting on the impression that Messiaen made, Jeffery says, “one of the most underestimated elements of Messiaen’s personality is breadth of understanding in a broad sense. For example his knowledge of German music. He often commented on the music of Hindemith and quartal harmony (which – by the way is very much a modern jazz harmonic language) citing and playing examples. But by far the deepest impression that Messiaen made was a religious one”. He says meeting Messiaen was “truly a personal and deep religious experience because he knew so much; understanding Aramaic and Hebrew for example and sharing the narrative of the entry into the Temple – the generous translation of that from the original text: ‘my stomach bile turns over at the very thought of you’ was what Jesus said not ‘woe unto you’ (King James) – that sort of thing matters to me enormously”. Jeffery was often moved by Messiaen’s “incredible textual skill”- “because he is able to look at Greek mythology and say what he says about that and yet paraphrase it in terms of Roman Catholicism – a sort of intellectual inclusivity” Messiaen had a great regard for the music of Roussel and indeed in the 1930’s said that Roussel’s was the finest example of French music at that time. Jeffery goes on to say that “Messiaen analyzed Roussel’s Pan for flute and he spoke of the myth in the same breadth as it were, as the assimilation of colour, light and God…. It was part of his speech”. Perhaps the highlight on his first visit its conclusion - Messiaen’s comments on Jeffery’s composition Three English Songs. The middle song is set to words by Shakespeare and after dismissing some attendants in the church at La Trinité Messiaen proceeded to improvise on the opening theme of the song and as he was doing so, Jeffery “could hear his improvisational devices working and you could hear him ‘smile’ as the improvisation progressed”. Curiously enough or perhaps typically, Messiaen finished the improvisation, locked the organ loft and left by the rear door and Jeffery never saw him again until his second visit in 1983. From 1983 Messiaen was in a state of considerable exhaustion after the composition of Saint-François d’Assise but after Jeffery Wilson’s second visit to Messiaen he came away with that valuable ‘knowledge base’ that students today are able to tap into and access which allows them to engage, research, question and deal with the art-form that is so rich in the oeuvre of Messiaen. Unlike many composers for example, “Scriabin, where once you can play, say, one of the Sonatas you’ve got a hook, so to speak, on to the language -base of the composer and you use this as a tool for understanding much of his music. Although this may be true of Messiaen to some extent where one can perceive a language base, he reveals more. Not in his mathematics so much as his words. So his rhythms that are derived less from symbiotic relationships with mathematics as the deep relationship with Holy texts, and that for me, is the heart and soul of the rhythmical ambient nature of his music. I hear performances (for example in Vingt Regards) that calculate the compositional devices rather than more subtle rhythmic interest. I believe that performers would benefit from this more intimate approach and perhaps gain more of the vision”. Jeffery got to know the church officials at La Trinité much better than he did any musician at the classes - a testimony to the religious impact made from meeting Messiaen. We spoke as two Englishmen often bewildered at the mentality of the French conservatoire hierarchy. For example the way Messiaen was treated on his last day at the establishment where nothing was said or celebrated after such long service at the conservatoire seems unthinkable to us. To all intents and purposes it was just another day. Jeffery Wilson sums it up superbly by saying that; “The light he shone was far greater than the shadows cast by other people”. No amount of thanks is ever enough to Jeffery for sharing his very personal thoughts about his time with Olivier Messiaen. ©Malcolm Ball. May 2009 Jeffery Wilson Reviving Messiaen's improvisations: An encounter with Thomas Lacôte around the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Church of the Trinity,Paris. Rarely recorded, the improvisations of Messiaen constitute the least known part of the creative activity of the French composer and pedagogue, also titular organist at the Church of the Trinity from 1931 to his death. Based on improvisation notes recently deposited at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Thomas Lacôte pays tribute to his illustrious predecessor on the Cavaillé-Coll organ on April 23, in an approach that combines research, experimentation and musical virtuosity. Meeting around the mythical instrument and figure of the French musical heritage. What is the place of improvisation in Messiaen's creative approach? The organist training that Messiaen received was essentially focused on improvisation, and his duties in the Trinity led him to improvise regularly throughout the course of his life, but also, rarely, in concert. Messiaen claimed that several of his organ works were directly related to his improvisations: the Messe de la Pentecote, the Meditations sur le Mystere de la Saint Trinite, for example. However, it seems to me quite likely that his most famous works, such as the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus or the Turangalila-Symphonie, could also have been marked by this practice. The main challenge seems to be to understand how Messiaen was able to have a very organized theory of composition interact with his intimate, intuitive, keyboard and creative relationship "in the moment". His earliest improvisations recorded today and accessible, date from the late 1960s; For the preceding decades, we were reduced to conjectures. That is why I wanted to advance research on these issues. Can you describe the preparatory notes for the improvisation of Messiaen kept at the BnF? What were you able to achieve with a view to a "replenishment"? The personal archives of Olivier Messiaen and his wife, deposited recently at the BnF, constitute an immense mine, one of the most extraordinary testimonies on artistic creation in the last century. During the very first stages of identification and ranking in which I participated, I stopped on a few very old handwritten manuscripts, dating from the years 1940-1950: these were lists of "registrations" for verses (That is to say, brief improvisations between the sung parts) during the Sunday afternoon vespers, about thirty in total. Messiaen notes very precisely the registration (organ sounds) to be used, associated with a very brief reminder corresponding to musical ideas: « chant suraigu », « bouger un doigt puis l’autre à chaque main », « trois cors dans le medium en louré », etc. To truly "speak" this document, the only solution is to "put it into action" on its place of origin, the organ of the Trinity: to pull the stops requested by Messiaen, to be guided by its brief indications, and thus make it possible to hear a buried musical idea that this single instrument allows to "decode", with obviously a very good knowledge of its techniques of composition at that time. It is as much research as creation, reconstruction or invention, because the blanks left are enormous, but it is the only way to make this document anything but a piece of paper ... What are the peculiarities of the Cavaillé-Coll church of the Trinity? How did they influence the technique of writing the Messe de la Pentecote, a work specifically composed from the sounds of this instrument? Before Messiaen, the way of associating organ tones (what is called registration) is more a matter of convention than of invention. He reverses this fact: for him, to compose a play, it is, most often, to invent a registration or several registrations unpublished. Of course, this can only be done during experiments on the instrument itself, again by a special relation to improvisation which my research has enabled me to clarify and which has changed my way of interpreting this work. The incredible quality of each set of this organ of the Trinity leads him to work not in large masses but essentially in "pure colours". A stop, two stops only to create mixtures and crossings unpublished, sometimes even a single note! It is thus that he represents in his Mass the horrible "beast of the Apocalypse": a peculiar pipe, with a terrifying sonority, happily preserved as such up to us. Not one visitor to the organ of the Trinity who does not want to hear this sound become almost mythical! Besides the important musical corpus, what is the legacy of Messiaen in aesthetic terms, of roads of research? Is it still a model for the young generation of composers? It seems to me that for the young composers of today, Messiaen is an ancestor already very distant. But, paradoxically, his very voluminous Treatise in 7 volumes appeared gradually after his death is still a recent work and relatively unread. It is this paradox that, together with my colleagues Yves Balmer and Christopher Brent Murray, we have sought to address, and have been working since 2010 on an in-depth re-examination of his compositional techniques. The results of this research, which will appear in the form of a book at Editions Symétrie in October 2017, seem to me to go beyond a work of history or musical analysis. By showing how Messiaen really collects musical materials in all the music he loves to transform and build his own, I believe that we can bring (thanks to him) some elements of reflection at a time tormented by the conflict between inheritance, system and creation. Like Messiaen, you are organist, composer, improviser but also professor of analysis at the Conservatoire de Paris and musicologist. Do you claim this complementarity in your musical approach as a form of engagement? I must especially say that I do not imagine doing otherwise! From then on, I had to think about what seemed to me to be an obvious fact, and to realize that it was not for everyone. Today, it is important for me to defend these necessary conjunctions, to understand why the gaps have widened between these practices, and to build musical projects impossible to classify! It is not a matter of returning to the former "master of music" but rather of the conviction that to think and create through categories is a permanent necessity for musical invention to remain alive. Nicolas Schotter, 11 April 2017 Thomas Lacôte at the organ of La Trinité. Thomas Lacôte Messiaen's Musical Language: Technique and Theological Symbolism in Les Corps Glorieux, "Combat de la mort et de la vie" Lerie Dellosa would like to contribute a copy of her DMA dissertation (158 pp.) entitled: Messiaen's Musical Language: Technique and Theological Symbolism in Les Corps Glorieux, "Combat de la mort et de la vie." It was her research for her DMA in organ performance degree from the University of North Texas in 2015; it focuses on Messiaen's melodic and harmonic techniques, which are less studied than his rhythms. Download full pdf document here . Lerie Dellosa The remarkable talk of the late Cardinal Lustiger, (former Archbishop of Paris), given in Notre Dame de Paris, for the Paul VI Prize received by Messiaen in 1989 and other texts of Lustiger. LE CARDINAL LUSTIGER ET OLIVIER MESSIAEN (Trois Documents Précieux) I- REMISE DU PRIX PAUL VI A OLIVIER MESSIAEN Allocution du Cardinal Jean-Marie LUSTIGER NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS, MARDI 28 MARS 1989 Maître, En vous décernant son grand prix, l'Institut Paul VI rend hommage à votre œuvre. Elle a ce mérite de toucher une âme religieuse d'aujourd'hui avec peut-être plus de force encore que les œuvres du passé : précisément parce qu'elle est à la fois religieuse et d'aujourd'hui. Plus que religieuse, chrétienne. Ce faisant, elle touche tout homme, chrétien ou non. Comment comprendre ce paradoxe ? Paul VI avait clairement formulé le fondement dans la foi de cette intime corrélation de l'humanisme et du christianisme : « Est-ce la tâche de l'Eglise de travailler à l'extension de la culture ? A cette question continue le Pape, on ne peut répondre qu'affirmativement. II y a là une sorte d'œcuménisme de la culture et l'Eglise en a ouvert les portes toutes grandes... Tout ce qui est humain, tout ce que l'homme divulgue, imprime et diffuse, l'Eglise l'accueille. Cela témoigne combien elle est mère, combien son âme est universelle. Rien ne lui semble étranger, rien ne peut lui être indifférent, ses yeux sont ouverts sur tous les phénomènes humains... Que tout se transforme en hymne, en louange de Dieu - même si cette louange est d'abord confuse et inconsciente -, en reconnaissance au Verbe qui fait pleuvoir sur les choses humaines son intelligence et sa cognoscibilité ». Master, By awarding you its grand prize, the Paul VI Institute pays tribute to your work. It has the merit of touching a religious soul of today with perhaps even more force than the works of the past: precisely because it is both religious and of today. More than religious, Christian. In doing so, it affects every man, Christian or not. How to understand this paradox? Paul VI had clearly formulated the foundation in faith of this intimate correlation between humanism and Christianity: “Is it the task of the Church to work for the extension of culture? To this question the Pope continues, we can only answer in the affirmative. There is here a kind of ecumenism of culture and the Church has opened its doors wide ... Everything that is human, everything that man discloses, prints and disseminates, the Church welcomes. . It testifies how much she is a mother, how universal her soul is. Nothing seems foreign to him, nothing can be indifferent to him, his eyes are open to all human phenomena ... May everything turn into a hymn, into praise of God - even if this praise is at first confused and unconscious -, in gratitude to the Word which makes rain on human things its intelligence and its cognoscibility ”. Et, en 1967, dans Populorum Progressio (§ 42), reprenant l'expression de Maritain d'un « humanisme plénier qu'il faut promouvoir », Paul VI écrivait : « Qu'est-ce à dire sinon le développement intégral de tout l'homme et de tous les hommes ? Un humanisme clos, fermé aux valeurs de l'esprit et à Dieu qui en est la source, pourrait apparemment triompher. Certes, l'homme peut organiser la terre sans Dieu, mais - et le pape Paul VI cite ici le Père de Lubac - ‘sans Dieu il ne peut en fin de compte que l'organiser contre l'homme. L'humanisme exclusif est un humanisme inhumain’ ». II n'est donc d'humanisme vrai qu'ouvert à l'Absolu, dans la reconnaissance d'une vocation, qui donne l'idée vraie de la vie humaine. Loin d'être la norme dernière des valeurs, l'homme ne se réalise lui-même qu'en se dépassant. Selon le mot si juste de Pascal : « L'homme passe infiniment l'homme ». A mon tour, je dois remercier l'Institut Paul VI de vous avoir conféré ce prix international. Jamais, en effet, je n'avais imaginé qu'il me serait accordé de vous dire, en cette cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, ma fervente admiration et ma reconnaissante amitié. Que ces derniers mots ne vous surprennent pas. And, in 1967, in Populorum Progressio (§ 42), taking up Maritain's expression of a “plenary humanism that must be promoted”, Paul VI wrote: “What does that mean if not the integral development of everything? man and all men? A closed humanism, closed to the values of the spirit and to God who is their source, could apparently triumph. Of course, man can organize the earth without God, but - and Pope Paul VI quotes Father de Lubac here - ‘without God he can ultimately only organize it against man. Exclusive humanism is inhuman humanism ". There is therefore no true humanism except open to the Absolute, in the recognition of a vocation, which gives the true idea of human life. Far from being the ultimate standard of values, man only realizes himself by surpassing himself. According to Pascal's apt word: "Man infinitely passes man". In my turn, I must thank the Paul VI Institute for conferring this international prize on you. In fact, I never imagined that I would be allowed to tell you, in this Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, my fervent admiration and my grateful friendship. Don't let these last words surprise you. Dans cette assistance, ce soir, sont présents quelques-uns des musiciens - vos cadets - avec qui j'ai souvent discuté et « célébré »; c'est le mot qu'il faut employer puisque c'est la liturgie qui nous réunissait, eux à leur tribune d'orgues et moi à l'autel. Ils savent quelle joie et quelle communion spirituelle nous étaient données lorsque l'une de vos œuvres retentissait dans la célébration liturgique. In this audience this evening are present some of the musicians - your cadets - with whom I have often discussed and "celebrated"; this is the word that must be used since it is the liturgy that brought us together, them to their organ gallery and me to the altar. They know what joy and what spiritual communion we were given when one of your works resounded in the liturgical celebration. Pourquoi une œuvre musicale comme la vôtre, Maître, aussi originale et novatrice, savante et, pour certains, provocante, est-elle accueillie et aimée d'un si grand nombre de nos contemporains ? Why is a musical work like yours, Master, so original and innovative, scholarly and, for some, provocative, received and loved by so many of our contemporaries? On se figure assez naïvement, du moins dans la jeunesse, que l'expérience esthétique est essentiellement la projection de la subjectivité poussée à son plus haut point, et, finalement, le refus de toute autre contrainte que celle d'obéir au jaillissement obscur du cœur de l'homme. We imagine fairly naively, at least in youth, that the aesthetic experience is essentially the projection of subjectivity pushed to its highest point, and, finally, the refusal of any constraint other than that of obeying the obscure outpouring of the human heart. Depuis au moins un siècle, ce subjectivisme que le romantisme pensait inspiré, a fait porter tout son effort contre l'académisme. Je nomme ainsi les contraintes d'un apprentissage répétitif des formes et des règles dont les fruits, souvent élégants et raffinés, offrent au public la sécurité et la joliesse du déjà connu, au lieu de la grandeur toujours déconcertante du Beau et de son inépuisable nouveauté. Or, ne faisiez-vous pas remarquer que cette œuvre des années 30 que nous venons d'entendre paraissait peut-être aujourd'hui classique ? Et, nous le savons bien, tout au long de ces années de création où vous avez accumulé des œuvres si singulières et novatrices, votre musique, bien que sonnant moderne et déconcertante pour l'académisme de certains est apparue, dès le départ, comme entrant dans le classicisme. Qu'est-ce à dire ? For at least a century, this subjectivism that romanticism thought inspired, has focused all its efforts against academicism. I thus name the constraints of a repetitive learning of forms and rules whose fruits, often elegant and refined, offer the public the security and the prettiness of the already known, instead of the always disconcerting grandeur of Beauty and its inexhaustible novelty. . However, did you not point out that this work of the 1930s that we have just heard perhaps seems classic today? And, we know it well, throughout these years of creation in which you have accumulated such singular and innovative works, your music, although sounding modern and disconcerting for the academicism of some, appeared, from the start, as entering. in classicism. What to say? D'abord, contrairement à ce qu'imagine l'illusion subjective, l'art véritable sait se donner des règles et y obéir. Car l'art est une langue; même lorsque - comme souvent aujourd'hui - chacun doit se créer son vocabulaire et sa grammaire. La vraie question esthétique de notre temps, après les ruptures opérées depuis plus d'un siècle, est d'éprouver si la langue que se crée chaque artiste, n'est qu'un cri solitaire, si elle ne fait qu'exprimer la déconcertante énigme de chacun, enfermé en lui-même, ou bien si elle permet le langage entre les humains, si adaptée, elle est entendue par le peuple qu'elle entraîne au-delà de lui-même. Cette épreuve fait comprendre comment le créateur dans le domaine esthétique rejoint l'expérience du prophète - le vrai et le faux - et la reconnaissance sociale de l'art a pour paradigme le miracle des langues de la Pentecôte. L'écriture musicale exige un travail d'élaboration que certains imaginent vainement inutile et contraire à l'inspiration spontanée et irrépressible. En réalité, le compositeur, comme tout créateur, doit se consacrer à un travail savant, pénible, réfléchi - ô combien ! - qui articule l'indicible pour en faire un discours dont la cohérence est à rechercher non dans sa seule rigueur, mais aussi dans sa beauté et son intuition. First, contrary to what the subjective illusion imagines, real art knows how to give itself rules and obey them. Because art is a language; even when - as is often the case today - everyone has to create their own vocabulary and grammar. The real aesthetic question of our time, after the ruptures operated for more than a century, is to test whether the language that each artist creates for himself is only a solitary cry, if it only expresses the disconcerting enigma of each, locked in himself, or if it allows language between humans, if adapted, it is understood by the people that it leads beyond itself. This test makes us understand how the creator in the aesthetic domain joins the experience of the prophet - the true and the false - and the social recognition of art has as a paradigm the miracle of the tongues of Pentecost. Musical writing requires a work of elaboration that some people vainly imagine useless and contrary to spontaneous and irrepressible inspiration. In reality, the composer, like any creator, must devote himself to scholarly, painful, thoughtful work - oh how much! - which articulates the unspeakable to make of it a discourse whose coherence is to be sought not in its only rigor, but also in its beauty and its intuition. Ensuite, qui dit classicisme dit rapport au réel. Non plus seulement lorsque l'artiste dans son jeu narcissique ne fait que se dire et se contempler soi-même au miroir de son apparence. Mais surtout lorsque l'homme en quête du vrai reçoit le réel et sa diversité comme un autre langage. Le croyant, lui, y reconnaît Celui qui parle dans la création Dieu qui est son auteur. Alors, les balbutiements de l'artiste ne sont qu'une obéissance au langage de Dieu qui se dit dans sa création, même s'il lui faut l'accueillir en recueillant précieusement les chants d'oiseaux ! Ce rapport au réel rend l'artiste le plus novateur et apparemment le plus iconoclaste infiniment respectueux des cultures surgies des cœurs et des mains des hommes. Dès lors, il n'y a plus d'exotisme dans la symphonie des cultures humaines. Les débris des cultures passées, les apports des cultures lointaines sont comme revivifiés par celui qui sait y entendre le Créateur de l'homme chanter par la bouche de l'homme, sa créature. Then, who says classicism says relation to reality. Not only when the artist in his narcissistic game does nothing but talk about and contemplate himself in the mirror of his appearance. But above all when the man in search of truth receives reality and its diversity as another language. The believer recognizes the One who speaks in creation, God who is its author. So, the artist's beginnings are only obedience to the language of God which is said in his creation, even if he must welcome it by carefully collecting the songs of birds! This relationship to reality makes the most innovative artist and apparently the most iconoclastic, infinitely respectful of cultures that emerge from the hearts and hands of men. Consequently, there is no longer any exoticism in the symphony of human cultures. The remains of past cultures, the contributions of distant cultures are as if revived by those who know how to hear the Creator of man singing through the mouth of man, his creature. Enfin, dans la culture contemporaine, dans l'expérience esthétique de notre pays, le vrai danger qui menace les créateurs est d'être coupés du peuple. De s'adonner à un art de « chapelle », un art d'esthète, un art sans public, sinon de mode et d'humeur. Or, vous êtes un musicien d'église. Et vous êtes parmi les seuls musiciens contemporains dont l'œuvre, au gré des organistes et des assemblées, est, de dimanche en dimanche, jouée, donnée, livrée à l'oreille et au cœur de foules non triées de croyants. Et cette œuvre contemporaine - ô combien !- fût-elle parfois surprenante pour certains - est accueillie, acceptée, aimée, reconnue. L'art d'église a cette chance inouïe, qui n'existe en aucun autre domaine de l'art contemporain, de ne pas dépendre des publics choisis par les cooptations fugitives des modes ou des snobismes, des commandes ou de l'argent, mais d'être au service d'un peuple que réunit l'acte du culte, la forme la plus fondamentale et la plus désintéressée de la culture. L'œuvre musicale y est un langage; et l'artiste est appelé à accomplir une fonction médiatrice face à l'invisible réalité de Dieu. II se fait entendre à un peuple à l'écoute de cette Parole divine qui lui est adressée dans chaque célébration. Finally, in contemporary culture, in the aesthetic experience of our country, the real danger that threatens creators is to be cut off from the people. To indulge in an art of "chapel", an art of esthete, an art without public, if not of fashion and humor. Now, you're a church musician. And you are among the only contemporary musicians whose work, according to the organists and the assemblies, is, from Sunday to Sunday, played, given, delivered to the ears and the hearts of unsorted crowds of believers. And this contemporary work - oh so much! - even though it was sometimes surprising to some - is welcomed, accepted, loved, recognized. Church art has this incredible chance, which does not exist in any other field of contemporary art, of not depending on the audiences chosen by the fleeting co-options of fashions or snobbery, commissions or money, but to be at the service of a people united by the act of worship, the most fundamental and disinterested form of culture. The musical work is a language there; and the artist is called to perform a mediating function in the face of the invisible reality of God. It makes itself heard by a people listening to this divine Word which is addressed to it in each celebration. Dès lors, ne nous étonnons pas si l'artiste doit dans son œuvre de création pratiquer toutes les disciplines spirituelles qui sont celles de l'expérience chrétienne à proprement parler. Platon notait déjà à propos de la musique qu'il y a des bons et des mauvais génies; et que, quoi qu'il en soit de la soumission. aux règles et du talent déployé, l'inspiration intérieure compte et qualifie d'une certaine façon l'œuvre. Et l'œuvre juge l'auteur. J'aurais vivement désiré pouvoir ici recueillir votre sentiment au sujet du jugement de Socrate que Platon nous rapporte dans La République. Y a-t-il ainsi des « harmonies » bénéfiques ou maléfiques ? Plus précisément en accord avec la dignité morale et spirituelle de l'homme, ou bien qui lui seraient contraires ? Laissons de côté cette identification objective entre la manifestation du Beau et l'expression du Bien. Therefore, let us not be surprised if the artist must in his work of creation practice all the spiritual disciplines which are those of the Christian experience properly speaking. Plato already noted with regard to music that there are good and bad geniuses; and that, regardless of the submission. with the rules and talent displayed, interior inspiration counts and qualifies in a certain way the work. And the work judges the author. I would have greatly wished to be able here to collect your feelings on the subject of the judgment of Socrates that Plato relates to us in The Republic. Are there thus beneficial or evil "harmonies"? More precisely in accordance with the moral and spiritual dignity of man, or who would be contrary to him? Let us leave aside this objective identification between the manifestation of Beauty and the expression of Good. Nous pouvons dire, en tout cas, qu'il existe une intime connexion, nécessaire mais non suffisante, entre la recherche de Dieu et l'expression du beau. Je dis bien : non suffisante, sans doute. Car hélas ! dans notre monde cassé entre la recherche de la vérité et l'expression de la beauté, écartelé entre la sainteté et l'esthétique, les discordances ne sont pas rares. Mais, il faut travailler à la réconciliation de ces deux expériences. Et, vous le savez mieux que quiconque, la quête obstinée et patiente de l'artiste véritable, son humble obéissance à la recherche de l'insaisissable et de l'indivisible, l'usure indéfinie des forces et l'incertitude du résultat trouvent comme analogie la montée du mystique qui veut obéir à l'obscure lumière que lui donne le Seigneur et Rédempteur de tous. L'obstination de cet artiste-là n'a de comparable que la patience de celui qui prie, contemple et médite. We can say, in any case, that there is an intimate connection, necessary but not sufficient, between the search for God and the expression of the beautiful. I say: not sufficient, no doubt. Because alas! in our world broken between the search for truth and the expression of beauty, torn between holiness and aesthetics, discrepancies are not rare. But, we must work to reconcile these two experiences. And, you know it better than anyone, the stubborn and patient quest for the true artist, his humble obedience in the search for the elusive and the indivisible, the indefinite wear and tear of forces and the uncertainty of the result are found as analogy the rise of the mystic who wants to obey the obscure light given to him by the Lord and Redeemer of all. The stubbornness of this artist can only be compared with the patience of one who prays, contemplates and meditates. C'est pourquoi je me permets de remercier ici, en cette occasion, tous ceux et celles qui ont voulu contribuer à créer un comité dont j'attends beaucoup. Son nom est un programme : Art, Culture et Foi. II voudrait faire se rejoindre les chemins de la recherche de Dieu et ceux du service du beau. De la sorte, puisse la vraie liberté de l'artiste qui grandit à l'école de la purification, puisse le vrai désintéressement d'un peuple qui reconnaît un don de Dieu dans les grâces données aux serviteurs de l'art et du beau, se rencontrer et contribuer à ce que notre terre exprime cette Beauté invisible et secrète que nos yeux, un jour, contempleront et que nos oreilles, un jour, entendront. Déjà, les chants célestes plus beaux que tout autre chant en ce monde, associent à leur union dans l'Eucharistie tous les chants du monde par nos voix : « una voce dicentes... » This is why I take the liberty of thanking here, on this occasion, all those who wanted to help create a committee from which I have great expectations. Its name is a program: Art, Culture and Faith. He would like to bring together the paths of the search for God and those of the service of beauty. In this way, may the true freedom of the artist who grows up in the school of purification, may the true disinterestedness of a people who recognize a gift from God in the graces given to the servants of art and beauty, to meet and contribute to our earth expressing this invisible and secret Beauty that our eyes, one day, will contemplate and that our ears, one day, will hear. Already, the heavenly songs, more beautiful than any other song in this world, associate with their union in the Eucharist all the songs of the world through our voices: "una voce dicentes ..." Que le Seigneur de gloire vous bénisse, Maître, lui qui vous a fait la grâce de le servir et de servir son Peuple par votre art. Paris le 28 mars 1989 May the Lord of glory bless you, Master, he who has given you the grace to serve him and to serve his people through your art. Paris March 28, 1989 Cardinal Jean-Marie LUSTIGER II- MESSE DE REQUIEM POUR OLIVIER MESSIAEN Extrait de l’Homélie du Cardinal Jean-Marie LUSTIGER EGLISE DE LA SAINTE TRINITE, PARIS ; 14 MAI 1992 Olivier Messiaen voyait le passage énigmatique de la mort comme un accès à la gloire divine tant désirée et peut-être anticipée par les mystères de son art. Olivier Messiaen saw the enigmatic passage of death as an access to the divine glory so longed for and perhaps anticipated by the mysteries of his art. Toute vie d'homme est un signe de Dieu. Les unes ne sont déchiffrables que dans le secret ultime évoqué par saint Jean dans l'Apocalypse (chapitre 2, verset 17) : au jour de « révélation », chacun recevra le nom nouveau, connu de lui seul, gravé sur une pierre blanche que le Maître de toutes choses lui donnera. D'autres, au contraire, ont cette grâce d'être en ce monde des révélateurs, des êtres par qui apparaît ce qui est caché. Parfois, cela coïncide avec le génie ou le talent extrême, avec des destins hors du commun. All human life is a sign from God. Some can only be deciphered in the ultimate secret mentioned by Saint John in the Apocalypse (chapter 2, verse 17): on the day of "revelation", each will receive the new name, known only to him, engraved on a white stone that the Master of all things will give him. Others, on the contrary, have this grace of being in this world revelators, beings through whom what is hidden appears. Sometimes it coincides with genius or extreme talent, with extraordinary destinies. La vie d'Olivier est certainement de celles-là. En lui – par ce qu'il a été, et par ce qu'il a fait – apparaît avec une pleine clarté une réalité que nous avons du mal à saisir. L'expérience proprement spirituelle, c'est-à-dire dans l'Esprit Saint, l'expérience de la foi (le Christ Messie, doux et humble de cœur, Seigneur de gloire, Fils éternel et Verbe de Dieu, nous fait entrer par le don de l'Esprit dans le mystère ineffable du Père des cieux), cette expérience de la foi, dis-je, dans son insondable beauté et son déploiement dont l'être humain explore peu à peu les richesses insoupçonnées, coïncide avec un autre type d'expérience, celle de l'esthétique, de la musique, pour prendre les termes les plus familiers. Olivier's life is certainly one of them. In him - by what he was, and by what he did - appears with full clarity a reality that we have difficulty grasping. The properly spiritual experience, that is to say in the Holy Spirit, the experience of faith (Christ the Messiah, meek and humble of heart, Lord of glory, Eternal Son and Word of God, brings us into by the gift of the Spirit in the ineffable mystery of the Father in Heaven), this experience of faith, I say, in its unfathomable beauty and its unfolding, of which the human being gradually explores the unsuspected riches, coincides with a another type of experience, that of aesthetics, of music, to use the most familiar terms. Lorsque nous disons qu'Olivier Messiaen a été un musicien liturgique, un musicien d'Église, un croyant musicien, nous trébuchons sur les mots. Car il ne s'agit pas seulement d'une convergence accidentelle, mais d'une concentration, d'une focalisation sur l'essentiel de la vie et de l'intelligence humaine et divine. En réalité, ces deux chemins s'entremêlent et se recouvrent. Et Olivier Messiaen ne confiait-il pas : « Le drame de ma vie, c'est que j'ai écrit de la musique religieuse pour un public qui n'a pas la foi ». When we say that Olivier Messiaen was a liturgical musician, a church musician, a believing musician, we stumble over words. Because it is not only an accidental convergence, but a concentration, a focus on the essentials of life and human and divine intelligence. In reality, these two paths intertwine and overlap. And Olivier Messiaen did not confide: "The drama of my life is that I wrote religious music for an audience that does not have faith". Olivier Messiaen a été l'un de ces hommes en qui la coïncidence entre l'œuvre musicale et le chemin spirituel s'est exprimée avec une telle sérénité, une telle assurance, que sont dépassées les séparations, les divisions, les hostilités, les incompréhensions parfois mortelles qui ont pu exister entre cette Église que Messiaen aime tant et qu'il nous aide à aimer, et l'art avec ses obscurités et ses lumières, ses allées et venues, ses échecs et ses foudroyantes découvertes. Olivier Messiaen was one of those men in whom the coincidence between the musical work and the spiritual path was expressed with such serenity, such assurance, that separations, divisions, hostilities, misunderstandings are overcome. sometimes deadly that may have existed between this Church that Messiaen loves so much and that he helps us to love, and art with its obscurities and its lights, its comings and goings, its failures and its lightning discoveries. Avec Olivier Messiaen, nous comprenons mieux l'amour mutuel que nous devons nous porter. Nous mesurons la reconnaissance que le peuple des croyants doit à l'artiste capable non pas d'illustrer la foi, mais de faire chanter à des oreilles humaines le plus insondable et le plus inconnaissable langage. With Olivier Messiaen, we better understand the mutual love that we must have for each other. We measure the gratitude that the people of believers owe to the artist capable not of illustrating the faith, but of making human ears sing the most unfathomable and the most unknowable language. L'art est ici comme un vêtement, comme une chair de surcroît à cette chair qu'est la Parole divine, le Verbe incarné. L'art est ici surabondance de la Parole qui nous fait pénétrer dans l'au-delà de la Parole. Art is here like a garment, like a flesh in addition to this flesh which is the divine Word, the Incarnate Word. The art here is an overabundance of the Word which makes us penetrate into the beyond of the Word. Olivier Messiaen nous montre aux uns et aux autres comment avancer dans le chemin qui est le nôtre. Il nous invite et nous encourage à obéir à la Vérité qui est aussi Beauté. Paris le 14 mai 1992, Eglise de la Sainte Trinité Olivier Messiaen shows us both how to move forward on our path. He invites us and encourages us to obey the Truth which is also Beauty. Paris May 14, 1992, Church of the Holy Trinity III- OUVERTURE DU FESTIVAL MESSIAEN, 1995 Intervention du Cardinal Jean-Marie LUSTIGER EGLISE DE LA SAINTE TRINITE, PARIS ; 8 MARS 1995 Extrait de l’intervention du Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, lors de la soirée inaugurale du Festival Messiaen, à l'église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris. Ces paroles traitent essentiellement de l'œuvre d'orgue du maître, qui avait été intégralement donnée au cours de ce festival. Nous conservons le style oral de cette intervention. « Olivier Messiaen n'a pas été un « fabricant de liturgie ». Il n'a rien fait qui soit utilisable dans ce registre. Mais il acréé un nouveau genre, puisque l'œuvre d'orgue est comme une place, qui brusquement est prise dans le culte catholique [par] la musique seule, qui ne se substitue pas à l'acte du culte, mais qui y ajoute comme une nouvelle dimension„Ÿ analogue et comparable à ce que fut la cantate, sans doute, dans le culte luthérien, mais qui se déploie à l'intérieur de l'espace sacramentaire et eucharistique du culte catholique. C’est, me semble-t-il, non seulement un nouveau genre musical mais un nouveau genre liturgique, où l'œuvre d'orgue n'est pas là seulement pour accompagner une action et couvrir les bruits d'une assemblée... n'est pas là comme soutien plus ou moins renforcé d'un chant plus ou moins déficient... n'est pas là comme pour donner voix à un chœur ou à une foule qui cherche sa voix ou ses voix... Il se fait entendre comme la voix, oserais-je dire, d'un concélébrant, « cocélébrant », qui par lui-même ajoute le déploiement de la méditation contemplative, devenue communicable à une foule par la grâce du langage esthétique et de la musique. Extract from the intervention of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, during the inaugural evening of the Messiaen Festival, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Paris. These lyrics mainly deal with the master's organ work, which was given in full during this festival. We keep the oral style of this intervention. “Olivier Messiaen was not a“ maker of the liturgy ”. He did nothing that could be used in this registry. But he created a new genre, since the organ work is like a place, which is suddenly taken in Catholic worship [by] music alone, which does not replace the act of worship, but adds to it. as a new dimension „Ÿ analogous and comparable to what the cantata was, no doubt, in Lutheran worship, but which unfolds within the sacramental and Eucharistic space of Catholic worship. It is, it seems to me, not only a new musical genre but a new liturgical genre, where the organ work is not there only to accompany an action and cover the noises of an assembly. . is not there as a more or less reinforced support for a more or less deficient song ... is not there as if to give voice to a choir or to a crowd which seeks its voice or its voices ... It is heard like the voice, dare I say, of a concelebrant, "co-celebrant", which by itself adds the deployment of contemplative meditation, which has become communicable to a crowd by the grace of aesthetic language and music. Et [le] caractère savant [de cette musique] est une garantie de sa rectitude spirituelle, de sa rigueur spirituelle. Nous ne sommes pas là devant le déploiement abusif du sentiment religieux; nous sommes là devant une œuvre qui, s'appuyant sur la sensibilité et l'esthétique, veut nous mener jusqu'aux rigueurs pures et saintes de la contemplation du mystère ineffable ». Paris le 8 mars 1995, Eglise de la Sainte Trinité Petit supplément : « Il se trouve que j’ai été très touché par la musique de Messiaen. J’y entends ce que la Parole peut inspirer à un musicien et ce qu’un musicien peut exprimer d’une Parole reçue ; j’y ai trouvé, dans la méditation exprimée du musicien, des aspects qui m’ont aidé à comprendre la Parole neuve qu’il commentait… » And [the] learned character [of this music] is a guarantee of its spiritual rectitude, of its spiritual rigor. We are not here in the face of the abusive display of religious sentiment; we are there in front of a work which, based on sensitivity and aesthetics, wants to lead us to the pure and holy rigors of the contemplation of the ineffable mystery ”. Paris March 8, 1995, Church of the Holy Trinity Small supplement: “I happened to be very touched by Messiaen’s music. I hear what the Word can inspire in a musician and what a musician can express from a received Word; I found there, in the expressed meditation of the musician, aspects that helped me to understand the new Word that he was commenting on ... " Cardinal Lustiger, extrait d’interview, Janvier 2005. Le Cardinal Aron Jean-Marie Lustiger a été rappelé à Dieu le dimanche 5 août 2007, dans la soirée, en la vigile de la Transfiguration. Cardinal Lustiger Further writings, papers and readings Interview with Messiaen and Edith Walter. First published in French magazine 'HARMONIE' 1970. The interview focuses on La Transfiguration then only recently composed. Cheong, Wai-Ling. "Symmetrical Permutation, the Twelve Tones, and Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux." Perspectives of New Music 45/1 (Winter 2007): 110-37. Christoph Neidhöfer. "A Theory of Harmony and Voice Leading for the Music of Olivier Messiaen." Music Theory Spectrum, Vol. 27 Issue 1, pp. 1-34. 2005. Gareth Healey: "Messiaen and the concept of 'Personages'. Tempo (October 2004) Nigel Simeone: 'Messiaen and the Concerts de la Pléiade: "A Kind of Clandestine Revenge on the Occupation" ' Music & Letters (November 2000) Nigel Simeone: 'Offrandes oubliées: Messiaen in the 1930s', (Musical Times, Winter 2000) Nigel Simeone: 'Offrandes oubliées 2: Messiaen, Boulanger and José Bruyr', (Musical Times, Spring 2001) Nigel Simeone: ‘Daniel-Lesur’, Musical Times (Winter 2002), pp.6–8 [obituary, including the first publication of a speech by Messiaen about Daniel-Lesur] Nigel Simeone: ‘An Exotic Tristan in Boston: The First Performance of Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie’, King Arthur in Music, ed. R. Barber [Arthurian Studies, vol.52] (Boydell and Brewer, 2002), 106–125 [book chapter]. Nigel Simeone: 'Towards "un succès absolument formidable": the birth of Messiaen's La Transfiguration'. Musical Times (Summer 2004) pp.5-24. N. Simeone: ‘”Chez Messiaen, tout est prière”: Messiaen’s appointment to the Trinité in 1931,’ Musical Times (Winter 2004)pp.36-53 Vincent Benitez: Simultaneous Contrast and Additive Designs in Olivier Messiaen's opera St. François d'Assisie. Music Theory Online 8.2 (August 2002) Vincent Benitez: A Creative Legacy: Messiaen as Teacher of Analysis. College Music Symposium 40. 2000 117-39 Vincent Benitez: 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 no.2 (April-June 2004): 187-226. Jean Barraqué: 'Rythme et dévéloppement', Polyphonie (1954) Jonathan Bernard: 'Messiaen's Synaesthesia: the Correspondence Between Color and Sound Structure in His Music'. Music Perception, IV (1986) Pierre Boulez: 'Olivier Messiaen' Anhaltspunkte (Stuttgart and Zurich, Belser 1975) Leonard Burkat: Turangalila Symphonie, Musical Quarterly, xxxvi (1950) Norman Demuth: 'Messiaen's Early Birds', Musical Times (1960) David Drew: 'Messiaen, a Provisional Study', The Score (1954) Adrian Evans: Olivier Messiaen In The Surrealist Context: A Bibliography Part One Brio Vol 11 No 1 Spring 1974 IAML UK Olivier Messiaen In The Surrealist Context: A Bibliography Part Two Brio Vol 11 No 2 Autumn 1974 IAML UK ‘Messiaen and Surrealism’ see article Bennett Gardiner: 'Dialogues with Messiaen'. Musical Events xxii (1967) Hellmut Heiss: 'Struktur und Symbolik in 'Reprises par interversion" und "Les mains de l'abîme" aus Olivier Messiaen's Livre d'Orgue'. Zeitschrift für Musiktheorie (1970) Trevor Hold: 'Messiaen's Birds'. Music and Letters. (1971) Messiaen issue of Melos xxv/12 (1958) Messiaen issue of Musik-Konzept, 28 (1982) Roger Nichols: 'Boulez on Messiaen'. Organist's Review (August 1986) Roger Nichols: 'Messiaen's "Le Merle noir": the Case of a Blackbird in a Historical Pie'. Claude Samuel: 'Discographie compléte', Diapason-Harmonie (December 1988) Roger Smalley: 'Debussy and Messiaen', Musical Times cix (1968) Harriet Watts: 'Canyons, Colours and Birds: an Interview with Olivier Messiaen', Tempo 128 (1979) Les Editions de Minuit, CONTREPOINTS. No 1, Janvier 1946. Revue de Musique dir. par Fred. Goldbeck. Paris, 1946,128 pages. Contient: OEUVRES DE DARIUS MILHAUD, par Francis Poulenc. FRANCIS POULENC, MUSICIEN FRANCAIS, par A, Schaeffner - LA PROPAGANDE ALLEMANDE ET LA MUSIQUE, par Marc Pincherle - MUSIQUE ET RESISTANCE , par H. Barraud, Olivier Messiaen musicien mystique ?, Eric Satie évoqué a Londres .... War Music. A play by Bryan Davidson Directed by Jessica Kubzansky b ased upon dramatic events in the lives of composers Frank Bridge, Anton Webern, and Olivier Messiaen Vincent Benitez: Narrating Saint Francis's Spiritual Journey: Referential Pitch Structures and Symbolic Images in Messiaen's Saint François d'Assise. (In Poznan Studies on Opera Vol 4, Theories of Opera, ed. Maciej Jablonski, 363-411. Poland; Publishing House of the Poznan Soc. for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences. Section of Music and Fine Arts, Publication of the Committee for Musicology, Vol 16 2004.) Jennifer Bate Jennifer Bate and Olivier Messiaen Jennifer is famous for her interpretation of both modern and romantic music. In particular, she enjoys a unique reputation as the world authority on the French composer Olivier Messiaen, and was his organist of choice. Indeed, she “may claim honors as THE Messiaen player of this generation” . In 1975, when Jennifer was due to broadcast a programme of Messiaen’s music, the BBC invited the composer to hear her preparing it. She played to him and Mme Messiaen at St James’s Church, Muswell Hill. Messiaen immediately made a dedication on the scores she played and also gave her the following written recommendation: “Jennifer Bate is an excellent organist, not only for her virtuosity, but also for her musicianship and sensitivity in choosing her timbres. She is a really accomplished musician who loves what she plays and knows how to make others love it too”. This visit marked the beginning of a close artistic association and friendship with both Olivier Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod. The press reviews of her début recording (the three great works of Liszt) were so outstanding that the Gramophone magazine arranged an interview when her second record (Elgar and Schumann) was released. The Gramophone quoted Messiaen’s opinion of her artistry and John Goldsmith, of Unicorn records, immediately offered to record with her the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen on the instrument of her choice. Having by now played many times in France, she chose the recently-built organ at Beauvais Cathedral. The recording took place between 1980 and 1982, appearing first on LP and cassette in six volumes, and subsequently on CD. Each volume was heard by Messiaen prior to release; he endorsed them all with enormous enthusiasm. All won international acclaim. The success of these recordings led to a number of Messiaen recitals, many attended by the composer. In 1983, Messiaen took her to his Paris agent and asked him to re-allocate to Jennifer all organ recitals scheduled for him. At this stage, he also started annotating all her scores with his personal nuances of interpretation. The high point came when he sent her the manuscript of his last masterpiece for organ, Livre du Saint Sacrement. She gave the British première at Westminster Cathedral in 1986, to a capacity audience with the composer present, receiving a 20-minute standing ovation and unanimous critical acclaim. The concert was filmed and shown on Channel 4 later that year. One week after this performance, she opened the Radio France complete Messiaen cycle, broadcast live in his presence and, while working together, he invited her to make the world première recording of Livre du Saint Sacrement on his own instrument in Paris, arranging his schedule to attend all rehearsals and recording sessions. This recording had exceptional international success, including the award of a Grand Prix du Disque. Jennifer gave 25 performances of Livre du Saint Sacrement round the world before the score was published. Jennifer was the Artistic Advisor to, and performed in, the LWT South Bank Show television programme about Messiaen in 1985. This programme has been shown all over the world. There were three screenings at the Barbican in 1999 as part of Visions – The Music of Olivier Messiaen. Jennifer gave the second London performance of Messiaen’s Livre du Saint Sacrement at the Royal Festival Hall in 1988. A full house, again with the composer present, gave her another prolonged standing ovation and her playing attracted more magnificent press notices. Following the great success of the filming of the première of Livre du Saint Sacrement , Channel 4 commissioned a further programme. La Nativité du Seigneur was filmed in concert at the 1989 Norwich and Norfolk International Festival and shown on Christmas Day. La Nativité du Seigneur is distributed worldwide and is currently being promoted for 2002 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Messiaen’s death. In 1990, Jennifer’s outstanding ability and contribution to music received international recognition with the award of Personnalité de l’Année by the French-based jury. She was the first British woman to win the award and only the third British artist to do so after Sir Georg Solti and Sir Yehudi (later Lord) Menuhin; Sir Simon Rattle has since won it. In 1995, Jennifer opened a special festival at l’Eglise de la Sainte Trinité, Paris where Messiaen’s complete organ works were performed. The cycle was recorded by Jade Records; the boxed set of six CD’s received great acclaim, and Jennifer’s recording was also released as a separate CD winning, among other awards, the Diapason d’Or (France), Prix de Répertoire (France) and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (Germany). In 2001, she opened the new season of concerts at the Royal Festival Hall with a programme that included the UK première of a newly-discovered piece by Messiaen, Offrande au Saint Sacrement . In November, she was invited to Avignon by the Association Orgue hommage à Messiaen to give a recital and participate in the dedication of a plaque at the church where the composer was baptised. This was such a success that she was immediately re-engaged to repeat her programme in the 2002 Acanthes Festival. This is one of her many concerts around the world commemorating both the 10th anniversary of Messiaen’s death and the centenary of Maurice Duruflé’s birth. Regis Records has re-released all Jennifer's Messiaen recordings, made by Unicorn-Kanchana, as a boxed set of six CDs (RRC6001). These are also available as two single and two double CDs. All are at budget price and carry the Penguin CD Guide Top Recommendation, a judgement endorsed by The Gramophone (May 2002). Visit Jennifer's home page Back to top

NEWS Messiaen inspired grand organ to be installed in the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur at Paray-le Monial, France. ©M Ball The basilica at Paray-le-Monial is a popular landmark and one of the most visited religious sites in Europe. The Sacred Heart became a popular worldwide devotion in large part due to the visions of Margaret Mary Alacoque , who lived and died at the monastery next to the basilica. Please support this major project in the name of Messiaen in this truly inspirational building. Download Brochure in French Download Brochure details in English Download Donation coupon ©M Ball Cleveland Museum of Art unearths archive recording of Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod 2 piano concert of 1978 On the occasion of the 70th birthday of Olivier Messiaen, the Cleveland Museum of Art invited the composer to perform a two-piano concert with his wife, Yvonne Loriod, on October 13, 1978, in Gartner Auditorium. This remarkable recording, which captures a rare instance of Messiaen at the piano performing his own music, marks the launch of the CMA Recorded Archive Editions Click here for more background information and the audio files. It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Claude Samuel, who past away on June 14 2020 in Paris, at the age of 88 years old. A true titan of journalism and French music radio, Claude Samuel is also an emblematic figure in the history of Radio France as producer and Music Director of Radio France (1989 to 1996). A graduate in medicine in dental surgery, Claude Samuel also followed musical studies at the Schola Cantorum with Daniel-Lesur. Very early on, he joined the world of journalism and the music press, but also the world of radio, a medium for which he produced nearly 1,000 programs for France Culture and France Musique. Passionate about contemporary music, Claude Samuel was at the inception of numerous competitions and festivals which allowed him to encourage and promote this music to an ever wider audience. In 1967, as part of the Royan International Festival of Contemporary Art (1965-1972), he launched the "Messiaen competition " for the contemporary piano. He continued this role with the Festival des arts de Persépolis (1967-1970) and the International Meetings of Contemporary Art in La Rochelle (1973-1979), then the Rencontres de Musique Contemporain in Metz and the Festival of Traditional Arts in Reindeer. He was also the initiator of several City of Paris competitions, such as the Jean-Pierre Rampal flute competition, the Maurice André trumpet competition, the Martial Solal piano-jazz competition and the Étienne Vatelot violin-making and archery competition. . First appointed adviser for programming and production at Radio France, Claude Samuel occupied the position of Music Director from 1990. In the same year, he launched the first edition of the festival "Présences", a contemporary music festival which brought together a large and varied audience. Claude Samuel was also the confidant of the greatest contemporary composers of his time, notably Olivier Messiaen , of whom he was the author of biographies and collections of interviews, as well as Pierre Boulez and Iannis Xenakis . In the early 1960's he was head of the Vega record label that launched Domain Musical recordings with Boulez and many first edition recordings of Messiaen. Jennifer Bate OBE, BA (Hons), Hon DMus (Bristol), FRCO, ARCM, LRAM, FRSA (1944-2020) Sir Andrew Parmley . Director of the Royal College of Organists With great sadness the College has learned of the death of Jennifer Bate. She was the daughter of H A Bate, organist of St James, Muswell Hill, in London, and studied theory and composition with him from a young age. She became a member of the RCO in July 1966 and within a year had achieved both ARCO and FRCO. She became a favourite at all the world’s great festivals, performing in over 40 countries: last year she celebrated a 50-year career as a full-time professional organist. Her father emphasized the importance of working with living composers, inviting them to come and hear her playing their music and advise her on how to play it better - leading to long-standing friendships with composers including Sir Lennox Berkeley, Peter Dickinson, Flor Peeters and Peter Racine Fricker. Jennifer was recognised as the world authority on the organ works of Olivier Messiaen with whom she worked extensively. She gave the British premiere of his Livre du Saint Sacrament, and her recording of the work won a Grand Prix du Disque. In 2011, President Sarcozy appointed her to the rank of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, with the citation Organiste, Spécialiste de l’oeuvre de Messiaen. The same year, the French government also awarded her the rank of Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her work worldwide to help French organ music capture a wider audience. As well as the works of Messiaen, Jennifer’s discography includes the music of Elgar, Stanford, Whitlock, the Wesleys and their contemporaries, and the complete organ works of Franck and Mendelssohn. Composers including William Mathias and Naji Hakim wrote for her, and her own compositions for organ, written for concert performance rather than liturgical use, were frequently commissioned for particular events or instruments. Jennifer gave the opening celebrity recital at the Royal Festival Hall in 2014 after the refurbishment of the Hall and organ, and acted as organ consultant when the Harrison & Harrison organ at St James Muswell Hill, installed by her father after the war, required restoration, giving the reopening recital in October 2011. Jennifer pioneered programmes to introduce the organ to children. She was a Patron of the Society of Women Organists, formed last year, and her annual Jennifer Bate Organ Academy, now in its 15th year, is a unique course promoting all-round musicianship for young women. Peter Dickinson, The Guardian 30th March 2020 The organist Jennifer Bate, who has died aged 75 from cancer, was a leading exponent of the music of Olivier Messiaen . They met in 1975, when the composer and his wife, Yvonne Loriod , went to hear her play his music at St James’s, Muswell Hill, north London. Afterwards he asked her if she had heard his own recordings. She had not, but it emerged that she played exactly as he did and he was delighted. They kept in touch, and the uncanny rapport between them lasted until his death in 1992. He heard her play many times and wrote that she was “an excellent organist, not only for her virtuosity. She is a really accomplished musician who loves what she plays and knows how to make others love it too.” She supported many other living composers and made a CD of my own complete organ works and played them all over the world. Jennifer’s international career led her into some challenging situations. One organist in France was so angry he had not been asked to perform that he sabotaged her recital by locking doors, turning the power off and making noises during the programme. In Medellín, Colombia, she was not met because her contact failed to realise that she could be a woman. She once had to get to a recital at St Mark’s, Venice, by wading through the square in 2ft of water. Jennifer loved northern Italy, giving some 150 recitals there, and her constant tours outside Europe took her to Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean and South America. In her first two Proms appearances (1974-75) she played major organ works by Liszt. Her first recording, in 1978, featured the same composer, on the same Royal Albert Hall instrument. Her complete Messiaen is a landmark; so is the complete Mendelssohn , for which she supplied endings to some unfinished pieces, and a complete César Franck ; then came a whole series of British works including early music CDs of 18th century composers from John Stanley to Samuel Wesley, on instruments of the period. She was always concerned about the organs she was going to play, matching programmes carefully, and usually expected three days on which to rehearse. In 1986 she gave the British premiere of Messiaen’s two-hour Livre du Saint Sacrement in a sold-out Westminster Cathedral with the composer present. Her subsequent recording gained a Grand Prix du Disque. Born in London, Jennifer said of her mother, Dorothy (nee Hunt) that she was “the daughter of an organist, sister of an organist, married to an organist and eventually had me, yet another organist”. Her father, Horace, was the organist and choirmaster at St James’s Church, Muswell Hill, and a well-known teacher of the instrument. An only child, at the age of four Jennifer went to school able to read words as well as music. Her father was influential throughout his lifetime: he was a stern taskmaster, but his insight was invaluable. In her early teens Bate was a pianist but she realised that her hands were too small. So her father showed her what the organ could do and she was hooked. She gained ARCM (1961) and LRAM (1963) diplomas in organ performance, with record high marks, but her father thought she needed a general education, so from Tollington school she went to Bristol University to study music. There her professor told her she would never make a living playing the organ, so on graduating in 1966 she became a librarian at the London School of Economics. Three years later, student disturbances there gave her three weeks off on full pay, during which she could learn major works at St James’s, and so encouraged her to return to music. In 1968 she had married the somewhat older organist George Thalben-Ball , having “fallen in love with his musicianship the first time she met him”. She looked after him during a serious illness, but they divorced in 1972. When Jennifer embarked on her career as an independent concert artist she had no teaching post to support her, but her tours abroad took off from 1970. For her first recital in Paris she invited the organist of Notre Dame and his assistant as well as the composers Duruflé and Langlais with their wives. They all came. In these years Jennifer started to open new organs and to broadcast for the BBC. She composed some pieces and recorded them, and in the new century ran an annual course for young women organists aged 13 to 21, the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy . She was also a fluent writer. Her many awards included being made chevalier of the Légion d’honneur (2011), and in Britain she received an honorary doctorate from Bristol University (2007) and was appointed OBE (2008). She was a radiant personality who endeared herself to everyone when she played, lectured or taught. Jennifer is survived by her partner, Andrew Roberts. • Jennifer Lucy Bate, organist, born 11 November 1944; died 25 March 2020 See also Messiaen and Jennifer Bate here Jennifer Bate b.1944 d.2020 It is with sadness that we report the passing of Pascal Emmanuel Messiaen (b.1937) the only son of Olivier and Claire Delbos (Messiaen's first wife). Pascal passed away on 31st January 2020 and is survived by his wife Josette who he married in 1958. French punk rock artist nods to Messiaen! Didier Wampas and Bikini Machine Olivier Messiaen here LA FONDATION MESSIAEN ~ MESSIAEN FOUNDATION The Olivier Messiaen Foundation was formed to preserve and cherish the work of Olivier Messiaen, one of the major composers of contemporary music in France in the twentieth century. The Olivier Messiaen Foundation was created in 1995 under the aegis of the Fondation de France by his widow Yvonne Loriod Messiaen 3 years after the death of her husband. The foundation will enable the creation of a museum, concerts, master classes etc. at Petitchet in the Isère region of France and also contribute to the conservation of manuscripts, works annotations and belongings. Much of these documents have already been entrusted to the National Library of France (BNF). The Foundation also supports young composers and pianists, as well as researchers or authors dedicated to the work of Olivier Messiaen. La Fondation Messiaen Maison Messiaen ARCHIVES OF OLIVIER MESSIAEN ASSIGNED TO BNF The Olivier Messiaen Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, told the BNF all manuscripts, archives, scores, records, books, photographs and objects collected by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) and his wife Yvonne Loriod Messiaen (1924-2010), be held at the BNF forthwith. Messiaen himself had already given some documents in the 50's and others had been filed by Yvonne Loriod Messiaen after 1992. Nearly two hundred fifty linear meters of documents (manuscripts of his works, letters, books, photographs, sound recordings, programs) have now joined the departments of Music and Audiovisual in the National Library of France. The material will be gradually made available to researchers, musicians, music lovers worldwide. Fauvettes de L'Hérault - concert des garrigues - (work reconstructed by Roger Muraro) At the turn of the 1960s, Olivier Messiaen left unfinished the composition of a great concerto that he could have titled Les Oiseaux de l'Hérault. The work, for piano, several soloists and orchestra, was to respond to an official commission for the centenary of Claude Debussy, in 1962. The trip to Japan by Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod in the summer of 1962 disrupted the development of this concerto. The fascination that Messiaen had for this country inspires him indeed Sept Haïkaï for piano solo and small ensemble. Undoubtedly pressed by the deadlines, he resumed and adapted some of the themes of the concerto, to Sept Haïkaï. It is by mixing songs of birds of Japan and some of southern France that the composer would pay tribute to Debussy. If the first works found in the concerto propose a too brief orchestration, the score of the piano solo, on the other hand, is magnificent, brilliant and among the most daring of this period. Based on birds' notes taken in 1958 in the Hérault, the work reveals new songs, including the improvisations of a stunning polyglot Hypolaïs and warblers who compete with virtuosity. Taking again the indications of structure left by the author, Fauvettes de l'Hérault - garrigue concert is the title I chose to give to the piece for piano alone, among those evoked by Messiaen in the manuscripts of the concerto. I thank the Fondation Olivier Messiaen and the BnF for their unfailing support of my work. (Roger Muraro) Tokyo naturally imposed itself for the world premiere. Roger Muraro performed Fauvettes de l'Hérault - concert of the garrigues for piano solo, at Toppan Hall, on June 23, 2017, underlining in fact the close links between this new work and Sept Haïkaï. Hérault ***Messiaen world premiere at the BBC Proms 2015 thanks to Birmingham Conservatoire academic*** Christopher Dingle , Professor of Music at Birmingham Conservatoire, has devoted much of his professional career to studying Messiaen. The new piece Un oiseau des arbres de Vie will most likely be the last mature orchestral work to emerge from the catalogue of one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. The composition was previously intended for Messiaen’s final completed orchestral work Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà… (1987-91) and contained his familiar signature ‘Bien’ indicating the movement was complete. The movement lasts about four minutes and the material comes from Messiaen’s transcription of the song of the Tui, a New Zealand bird. A keen ornithologist, all of Messiaen’s music from the 1950s onwards includes birdsong, while much of his music expresses his Catholic faith. Christopher Dingle’s research on the piece was supported by the French Music Research Hub at Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, and he drew on over 20 years’ study of Messiaen’s oeuvre to fully realise the three-stave score. He said: “From everything we know of Messiaen, it is almost certain that he would have used this movement in another work had he lived longer – it is too good a piece to discard. I am hugely excited about hearing the piece, and this is likely to be the last premiere of a complete mature orchestral movement by Messiaen. “Birdsong was a fascination of his throughout his life, but he became more rigorous and scientific in his approach from the 1950s onwards. He filled many manuscript books with birdsong notations, and much of it was done in the field, but he also used recordings, working the birdsong into his compositions. “His use of birdsong is much more sophisticated than any other composer in terms of the species he represented, the interpretation of song, and the notation. He regarded birds as God’s musicians, almost like angels.” Un oiseau des arbres de Vie is a challenging piece. The orchestra is very large, the woodwind section including seven flutes and eight clarinets, while there is also plenty of tuned and unpitched percussion, and multiple changes of tempo. Dingle added: “It’s fast and furious, with the song flying around the instruments and continually punctuated by a punchy gesture for the whole orchestra. I think it will be breath-taking for the audience and leave the conductor and orchestra breathless!” The world premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s Un oiseau des arbres de Vie took place on 7 August at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. It was performed by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Nicholas Collon. Passerinette The eagerly awaited recording of La Fauvette Passerinette by Peter Hill relased by Delphian DCD34141. La Fauvette Passerinette – a Messiaen world premiere, with birds, homages and landscapes (Messiaen, Stockhausen, Ravel, Anderson, Dutilleux, Sculthorpe, Young, Takemitsu,Murail and Benjamin). The Gillian Weir Messiaen Prize will be awarded annually for the next 10 years for the best performance by a student at Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of a work or works by French composer Olivier Messiaen. During her illustrious international career, Dame Gillian has been particularly renowned for her performances of Messiaen’s organ music; she made the first commercial recording of the complete works, gave the UK première from the composer's manuscript of the ‘Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité’, and has written, lectured and broadcast extensively on his music. Concerning the gift, she spoke of her admiration of the work being done in the Conservatoire’s Organ Department and congratulated them on their glowing international reputation. The award was facilitated by Conservatoire organ tutor Henry Fairs, whose own career has also included complete performances of the composer’s music. Daniel Moult, the current Head of Organ Studies, commented: “All of us in the Organ Department are honoured and delighted that Dame Gillian should aid our students in such a generous and palpable way. Many young musicians are in need of every conceivable financial assistance, and this prestigious prize will be much coveted and appreciated for years to come in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.” Part of Birmingham City University, the new Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is a unique contemporary building, incorporating five public performance spaces including a new 500 seat concert hall for orchestral training and performance, a purpose-built organ studio and private rehearsal and practice rooms. Furthermore, as the first purpose built conservatoire in the UK since 1987, the £57 million institution which opened last year is the only one of its kind in the country designed for the demands of the digital age. The Organ Studio at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, for example, houses a Eule Pipe organ with extensive plans for additional new instruments, and features overhead performance lighting and a Dante audio network for flexible location recording purposes. The venue has a distinctive shape and tranquil atmosphere created by natural light flooding onto the pale wood of the interior. It is completely flexible in terms of the set-up and layout of the performance area and audience seating. Meanwhile, organ music plays a vital role in the life of the city of Birmingham, with regular recitals given by City Organist Thomas Trotter and guests on the Town Hall’s historic instrument by William Hill and Symphony Hall’s Klais organ. Birmingham is also home to the libraries of the Royal College of Organists and the British Institute of Organ Studies. The first Gillian Weir Messiaen Prize competition will took place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with the winner awarded £1,000. See Gillian Weir's Homepage

Some examples of Messiaen recordings and performances. MultiMedia AUDIO and VIDEO FILES ALL OF THE BELOW AUDIO/VIDEO FILES ARE © copyright of the holder. NOTE: All audio and video files available on this site are for personal use only. NO REPOSTING OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER. My Morning with Messiaen - Les oiseaux et les sources (Messe de la Pentecôte) Organist Timothy Hagy has made a video recording of Les oiseaux et les sources (Messe de la Pentecôte) with an introduction describing meeting Messiaen on Easter of 1982, that contains several old photos. © Timothy Hagy © Timothy Hagy Messiaen's Pentecost Mass is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. It was premiered at High Mass at L'Église de la SainteTrinité in Paris on Pentecost Sunday 1950. The final movement depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a violent wind descending from heaven. Tornadoes dip down, while a choir of larks chirps above an accompaniment of drones. Timothy Hagy performs The Wind of the Spirit - Le vent de l'esprit (Messe de la Pentecôte) Rich Kass interprets the song of the Skylark on the Drum Set. Rich Kass is a freelance drummer known for his highly individual and original approach to drumming and the drum set. He has developed a melodic sensibility coupled with rhythmic virtuosity and tonal colour creating great subtlety of expression on the drum set. Here is Messiaen : Petites esquisses d'oiseaux : VI L'alouette des champs The Skylark · Yvonne Loriod, piano. There is much rhythmic similarity here especially in the virtuosic two-part writing, and repeated short cells. ‘Skylark’ This piece is my attempt to pay homage to the Eurasian Skylark - a bird whose song has inspired me on many country walks in recent years. For this performance I have transcribed a field recording of a skylark singing and have tried to use my drumset as a kind of sonic mirror - reflecting and refracting some new colours whilst striving to maintain the integrity of the original song. I haven’t edited the skylark song at all, and am attempting to match its phrasing verbatim. I completed the piece in springtime this year(2024), and premiered it at Kings Place, London as part of a concert with Trio HLK and Evelyn Glennie. This is the 6th installment in a series of videos I have made under the name ‘Drum Interpretations’. In each I take musical works composed for or on other instruments, and perform them on the drumset. The complete series can be found here In the coming weeks I will release 3 more videos which relate to Skylark bird song. 1 is a drums-only version of the composition (without the bird accompanying) and there are also 2 improvisations based on the source material. All videos will be published on my YouTube channel : Thank you for reading and listening. Rich Eurasian Skylark RichKass Matthew Schellhorn's special film for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2021 For the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2021 (29 to 31 January), Matthew Schellhorn produced a special film in collaboration with young artists from across the country. Olivier Messiaen (1908–92) wrote numerous pieces inspired by birdsong. “Le Rouge-gorge ” (Robin) comes from a collection written in 1985 called “Petites esquisses d’oiseaux ” (Small Bird Sketches) and apart from the Robin features the Blackbird, the Song Thrush and the Skylark. The work was dedicated to the composer’s wife, Yvonne Loriod , with whom Matthew studied in Paris. Special thanks go to the talented pupils of Myatt Garden Primary School for taking part! ©Michel Gueritte Musicologist Jerzy Stankiewicz speaks at the inauguration of the rue Olivier Messiaen in the town of Toul, France. Rodrigo De la Prida introduces Messiaen's Modes for Electric Guitar Find out more here . There were a few instruments that Messiaen never included in his compositions (saxophone, harp, timpani after the 1930's and guitar are among these) - Rodrigo De la Prida 's work opens up the sound world of Messiaen's modes for guitarists with excellent and engaging examples that range from chord and scale work to improvisation. Rodrigo says: 'With already 4 years of intense work, the 7 volumes of the book series about the scales of Olivier Messiaen and their applications on any musical genre, are now available. Just digital for now. More than 500 pages with 351 licks, guitar studies, arpeggios, atonal chords, triads and tetrads, and examples. This material represents a deep dive into the rich musical universe of the french composer'. 'In this book series for guitar, Rodrigo tackles the exhaustive task of diving into the musical language of Olivier Messiaen, but from an unprejudiced view, where the different types of music coexist. Messiaen Modes for Electric Guitar aims to be a tool to expand the harmonic and melodic universe of the popular musician, but also a means to the study and deepening of modern language in the contemporary-classical music student as well'. M2BT-DEMO Rodrigo De la Prida 00:00 / 01:03 Here is a short demo of a backing track that comes with the book. © Rodrigo De la Prida During the 1973 English Bach Festival in London, Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod gave a recital at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Messiaen began by apologising for the way they were dressed. The taxi had gone off with all their luggage. He read the poetic preface to the piano work written three years earlier. Mme Messiaen then performed "La Fauvette des Jardins " @ 7' 40" Didier Didier Wampas and Bikini Machine Olivier Messiaen Il voyait des couleurs Que l'on ne voit pas Et croyait en un Dieu Auquel on ne croit plus Olivier Messiaen Il faisait des mélodies Que l'on n'entend pas Et chanter des oiseaux Que l'on ne connaît plus Olivier Messiaen Oui mais grâce à lui J'ai découvert des mondes Des regards plein d'amours Des canyons aux étoiles Et un Quatuor Pour la fin des temps Composé au stalag Éclairs sur l'au-delà Saint François d'Assise Un soir à l'opéra Olivier Messiaen Oui mais grâce à lui J'ai découvert des mondes Des regards plein d'amours Des canyons aux étoiles Oui mais grâce à lui J'ai découvert des mondes Des catalogues d'oiseaux Des canyons aux étoiles Oui mais grâce à lui J'ai découvert des mondes Et le Regard du père Des canyons aux étoiles ©Didier Wampas He saw colors That we don't see And believed in a God In which we no longer believe Olivier Messiaen He made melodies That we don't hear And sing of the birds That we no longer know Olivier Messiaen Yes but thanks to him I discovered worlds Gazes full of love Des canyons aux étoiles And a Quatuor Pour la fin des temps Composed in a Stalag Éclairs sur l'au-delà Saint François d’Assisi An evening at the opera Olivier Messiaen Yes but thanks to him I discovered worlds Gazes full of love Des canyons aux étoiles Yes but thanks to him I discovered worlds Catalogue d’oiseaux Des canyons aux étoiles Yes but thanks to him I discovered worlds And the Regard du père Des canyons aux étoiles Historic Recordings of Messiaen by Messiaen . Transfer from original 78rpm records recorded in 1949 of Visions de l'Amen with Yvonne Loriod and recording of OM playing his Quatre Etudes 1951. FMR Records FMRCD 120-L0403. Order via the Contact form . 00:00 / 00:26 00:00 / 00:54 00:00 / 00:54 VINGT REGARDS SUR L'ENFANT JESUS Louise Bessette Atma ACD22219/20 LE COURLIS CENDRE / LE MERLE NOIR / Mozart / Levinas / Gougeon / Mâche Louise Bessette RCI 650 Claude-Samuel Levine would like to share his playing of movements from the Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps : using VSTi Synful Orchestra and VSTi Pianoteq, humanly played in Cubase. Liturgie de Cristal Vocalise pour l'ange qui annonce la fin du temps Abyme des Oiseaux Intermède CD and downloads of the complete Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps now available direct from Claude-Samuel here . 00:00 / 02:38 After a period of two years work, Claude-Samuel Lévine has produced a version of TurangalilaSymphonie created entirely by computer software instruments and MIDI (except for 'live' Ondes Martenot played on the Ondea). This is a detailed interpretation that in no way proposes to 'replace' real musicians, but can provide an insight into Messiaen's microscopic detail in the work. Further commentaries can be found on Claude-Samuel's web site as well as audio and visual clips. The CD and DVD are also available to purchase here . Click here to see and hear Thomas Bloch and Jean-François Zygel perform 4th Feuillet Inedits. Click here to see and hear Willem Tanke perform Messiaen's organ works. ©Willem Tanke Nans Bart Variations sur un thème de Messiaen ((Thème du Final - 10ème Mvt. de la Turangalila-Symphonie)) for Percussion Ensemble here © Copyright protected ©Thomas Bloch

A selection of books relating to Olivier Messiaen. This is not a definitive bibliography but rather a selection of key publications by scholars and authors from around the world. Proceedings of the International Symposium “Olivier Messiaen in Toul, 1940,” Published by the City of Toul, Toul 2025, p. 190, format 17 x 22 cm, edited by Prof. Jerzy Stankiewicz, initiator and organizer of the conference in Toul, from April 30 to May 2, 2022. The conference was attended by over 20 people, including musicologists, composers, and musicians from Poland and France. The volume opens with an Avant-Propos by the mayor of Toul, Mr. Alde Harmand, a great patron of the arts and of this conference, and a farewell to three outstanding personalities who were to participate in it: René de Obaldia (Académie de France), Joanna Bruzdowicz-Titel (a Polish composer who studied with Messiaen), and Claude Samuel (Radio France Musique). After the announcement of the gala concert held in Krakow on the occasion of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a concert (Messiaen's Vingt regards, Polish pianist Dominika Peszko) announcing the conference in Toul, the preambles are presented - introductory statements by Alde Harmand, Senator Christian Cambon, a message from René de Obaldia, and a preamble by Jerzy Stankiewicz. This is followed by the full program of the three-day conference, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions, and a tribute paid by conference participants in Germiny, the place where Olivier Messiaen and his three companions were imprisoned (June 22, 1940). The text section of the book opens with Jerzy Stankiewicz's keynote paper « Olivier Messiaen prisonnier de guerre au camp de Toul, 1940 », a historical analysis of events from Messiaen's imprisonment in Germiny and his detention in two Frontstalag camps, 162 Toul and 161 Champs-le-Boeuf, as well as in Brabois-Villers before his transport to Görlitz (facts that are rarely mentioned in the world literature on Messiaen). In the second fundamental paper, « Sur la guerre et l’occupation allemande à Toul en 1939/1940 », Vincent Lamarque, a historian from the local Michel-Hachet Museum, presents the historical background of the war events in the city and hypotheses about the location of the hitherto undiscovered Frontstalag 162, with rich archival and illustrative material from the Museum in Toul. This part of the conference is complemented by a paper by Marie-Gabrielle Soret (curator of the Messiaen collection at the BnF), « Le Fonds d’Archives Olivier Messiaen – Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen à la Bibliothèque Nationale de France ». In the second part of the program, Polish composers who studied in Olivier Messiaen's class presented their reflections and memories: Marta Ptaszyńska (Chicago), Sławomir Czarnecki (Warsaw), Messiaen's last private student, and French composer Iradj Sahbai (Strasbourg), as well as Jerzy Mazaraki, a former Polish diplomat whose father, Mieczysław Mazaraki , was imprisoned alongside Messiaen in Görlitz. The conference will be complemented by remarks from Pascal Vigneron on recording organ works on the organ of Toul Cathedral (CD Forlane) and Michel Gueritte (Association Olivier Messiaen a Fuligny), a distant cousin of Messiaen, on the need to recover the Messiaen family home in Fuligny, and Jerzy Stankiewicz's Discours dans la Cathédrale Saint -Etienne, « Olivier Messiaen, un véritable artiste croyant », and a slide show ‘diaporama’ of archival photos of Olivier Messiaen's life and international career, including Messiaen's visit to Poland in 1989 ; as well as a note on Joseph Poussot, inventor of the monochord, kept at the Museum in Toul. The volume continues with biographical notes on all conference participants and the works performed: O. Messiaen (Mélodie dans le style de Mozart, Thème et variations, Quatuor pour la fin du Temps - First performance of the masterpiece in Toul), Polish composers: Jakub Polaczyk (Un mémorial dans le vent du Temps (a work commissioned for Toul), Joanna Bruzdowicz-Titel, Sławomir Czarnecki, Iraj Sahbai, Marta Ptaszyńska, and works by O. Messiaen for solo Martenot and with piano (premiere from the manuscript Monodie en ¼ tons pour une Onde Martenot seule) collected and performed by Thomas Bloch and Dimitri Vassilakis. Notes on the films shown: Messiaen et les oiseaux, dir. Denise Tual, 1971; Le Charme des impossibilités, dir. Nicolás Buenaventura Vidal, 2006; For the End of Times, dir. Paul Moon, 2019. Notes on two exhibitions: Olivier Messiaen, Quatuor pour la fin du Temps et la Pologne (curator Prof. Małgorzata Woźna-Stankiewicz ) and Les oiseaux de Messiaen en Mazurie en Pologne, photographs by Polish photographer Boleslaw Słomkowski (Olecko). This richly illustrated volume also includes two previously unpublished portraits of Messiaen after his return from captivity in Görlitz, taken by the renowned photographer IZIS (Manuel Bidermanas). The volume of post-conference proceedings concludes with a reprint of an article from « L'Est républicain » (September 19, 2022) about the inauguration ceremony for a new street in Toul, which will be named after Olivier Messiaen, held as a result of the conference in Toul described in this text. BibTop Olivier Messiaen, man and artist in Stalag VIII A in Görlitz by Jerzy Stankiewicz. [in Polish]. Preface of Claude Samuel. Publishing House Musica Iagellonica, Kraków 2014. ISBN 978-83-7099-201-9. 192 pages, format 130 x 200. And [in Ukrainian]. Two Prefaces of Stefania Pawłyszyn and Claude Samuel . Scientific Society named after Shevchenko in Lviv, Posvit Publishing House, Drohobych 2019. ISBN 978-617-7624-97-3. 216 pages, hard cover format 135 x 210 mm. This book contains a chronicle of life and creativity and provides a detailed and insightful background to all aspects of Messiaen's life and work. Especially important is the chapter on Messiaen's captivity in Stalag VIIIA Görlitz, that contains new facts of historical research unknown in world musicology : two premieres of the Quartet at the End of Time (unfinished in December 1940) and the premiere of the entire piece (January 15, 1941). In addition, recommendations have been added on how to listen to Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps as well as a bibliography of works. The book is addressed to the scientific environment of musicologists, art historians, teachers and students. It is written in an accessible literary language and contains several unpublished photographs (from Messiaen's visit to Poland during the performance of three scenes from Saint Francis of Assisi in 1989). This book, translated into Ukrainian by musicologist Volodymyr Hrabowsky and provided with a second Preface by the outstanding professor of musicology Stephanie Pavlyshyn from Lviv, is the first book about Olivier Messiaen published in Ukraine. Messiaen in Context Edited by Robert Scholl. Cambridge University Press ISBN 1108487912 November 2023 This book provides fresh perspectives on the contexts within which Messiaen the composer worked, the intellectual currents that influenced him, and the influence he himself exerted on twentieth-century music. It enables a holistic understanding of Messiaen in relation to the wider world, including his engagement with and refiguration of theology through music, the performance and reception of his work, the ways in which his aesthetics and conceptual universe have been understood by his students, and how his legacy continues to evolve. Reappraising known facts and adding new interpretations from a variety of inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary viewpoints. OLIVIER MESSIAEN A CRITICAL BIOGRAPHY This groundbreaking biography offers fresh perspectives on the life, ideas and music of French twentieth-century composer, organist and ornithologist Olivier Messiaen. Drawing on previously unexplored sketches and archival material, Robert Sholl seamlessly combines elements of biography, musicology, theology, philosophy, psychoanalysis and aesthetics to present a nuanced perspective on Messiaen’s work. This book examines the profound impact of Messiaen’s devout Catholicism, which found expression through his work as a church organist, his engagement with birdsong, his interaction with Surrealism and his influence on major musical figures of the latter twentieth century. Unlike previous biographies, this book also considers the perspectives of Messiaen’s contemporaries and students, providing a comprehensive understanding of his life and artistic legacy. REAKTION BOOKS 1 May 2024 - 9781789148657 234 mm x 156 mm | 208 pages Hardback | £25 World Rights: Reaktion Quartet for the End of Time -On Music, Grief & Birdsong Michael Symmons Roberts Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jonathan Cape Publication date ‏ : ‎ 17 April 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1787331857 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1787331853 A personal reckoning with grief, doubt, faith and poetry set to one of the most celebrated musical works of the twentieth century, from the award-winning poet and librettist. The story goes like this: on a freezing winter night in 1941, a new piece of chamber music was performed to a crowd of prisoners of war on a three-stringed cello, clarinet, violin and pub piano with sticky keys. It was the premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.Listeners since then have been captivated by the ecstatic music and mythology of Messiaen’s masterpiece. Michael Symmons Roberts’ own lifelong fascination with the Quartet– having chanced upon it in a record shop in his late teens and fallen in love with its title - leads him on a quest to understand its enigmatic power. His fascination – at times frustration – with Messiaen’s vision opens into an exploration of grief, of personal faith and doubt, of the end of time and what may lie beyond it. Interwoven with poetry and wit, this book is an expansive evocation of music, loss, hope and time, seen through the lens of the Quartet's technicolour, apocalyptic vision. As one of only a few pieces not primarily inspired by Messiaen's Catholic faith, but by human love as described in the romance of Tristan and Isolde and elsewhere, the Turangalîla-symphonie is contextualized in Messiaen's oeuvre and as a genre piece. Using previously untranslated information from Messiaen's own description of the work in his Traité, close analysis of the music seeks to demystify some of the complex innovations he made to his musical language, especially in the areas of rhythm and orchestration. This Element pays special attention to the fragmentary and elusive program which is explained with reference to Messiaen's fascination with surrealism at this time. Information is included on the commission and composition of the piece, its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Bernstein, its revision by Messiaen in 1990, and its reception history in both live and recorded performances. Series: Elements in Music since 1945 Online ISBN: 9781009165723 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Print publication: 05 October 2023 Messiaen's Musical Language on the Holy Child Cagdas Soylar provides a detailed analysis of two religiously motivated pieces from his Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (Twenty Gazes upon the Infant Jesus), one of the most remarkable solo piano works of the twentieth-century, to explore how he integrates the Christian theology into his musical language. Je dors, mais mon cœur veille is a dialogue that represents Messiaen’s mystic love of God, whereas Regard des Anges is a celebration symbolizing the angels beholding the birth of Jesus Christ. Soylar explains how the entirely different subjects of the two pieces are articulated in the change of pitch collections and rhythmic structures, as well as how the changes of musical language through the use of the different pitch collections generate the formal structure that is related to the biblical source. WIPF & STOCK ISBN: 978-1-5326-6416-8 ©2018 Gaëtan Puaud is a long-time champion of Messiaen and his music and has held the position of director of the Festival de la Meije dedicated to Olivier Messiaen for 20 years. This first biography for the ' horizons collection ' not only traces Messiaen's life in music and the arts but also reveals how Messiaen's work was received and promoted outside of Europe. In particular the efforts of Russian pianist Gregory Haimovsky who single handedly introduced the music of Messiaen to the Soviet Union, with great courage and in spite of several persecutions. He himself was spiritually transformed by the music of Messiaen and premiered several works in Russia and made a couple of recordings for Melodiya, Russia's national record label. Bleu nuit éditeur EAN : 9782358840989 Horizons N°77 Parution : 01/2021 176 pages Format : 140 x 200 mm Gregory Heimovsky: A Pianist's Odyssey to Freedom University of Rochester Press; Illustrated edition (25 Jun. 2018) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 280 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1580469310 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1580469319 Interlacing material from previously unknown Russian archives, original recordings, photographs, and essays, Gregory Haimovsky: A Pianist's Odyssey to Freedom is the story of an extraordinary Russian concert pianist who, fighting the cultural prohibitions of the USSR, eventually succeeded in performing and recording major works by the prominent French composer Olivier Messiaen. At the lowest point of his life, expelled from Moscow and exiled to a small provincial city, Haimovsky discovered Messiaen's oeuvre uncatalogued and hidden in the library of the Union of Soviet Composers. Haimovsky's intense studies and Soviet premieres of these banned compositions healed and liberated his mind, spirit, and artistic imagination. Messiaen's music also deepened and fueled Haimovsky's fierce personal and musical opposition to Soviet political and cultural doctrines. Told partly in Haimovsky's own words and supplemented by interviews with several performers who worked with him between 1960 and 1972 as well as stories from his correspondence with major Russian artists, writers, and musicians of the time, Marissa Silverman's vivid narrative sheds new light on relationships between twentieth-century Russian music, Soviet politics, and the culture wars that raged during and after Stalin's barbaric rule. Here is a very moving letter from Messiaen to Haimovsky, thanking him with all his heart for having struggled to introduce his music in Russia. (from Gregory Heimovsky's personal archive) Boydell Press ISBN-10: 1783270136 ISBN-13: 978-1783270132 The music critic Felix Aprahamian (1914-2005) was a remarkable self-made man whose enormous influence in musical circles was deeply founded in his practical experience of promoting music in London, notably British and French composers. Early on he became interested in the organ and was soon corresponding with the leading French names of the day - André Marchal, Charles Tournemire, Maurice Duruflé and the young Olivier Messiaen. Et Exspecto... Festival Messiaen au pays de la Meije - 20 ans d'utopie Raphaëlle Blin with the photos of Colin Samuels Gaëtan Puaud , fondateur du Festival Olivier Messiaen au Pays de la Meije Raphaëlle Blin , auteure et élève musicologue du Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris Anne Roubet, responsable des Éditions du Conservatoire See Home page for Special Offer purchase details. Roderick Chadwick and Peter Hill give a detailed account of the evolution of Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux and illuminates the Catalogue from a variety of angles: its historical significance, as a study of how mimicry of nature can be transformed into music of mesmeric originality, and as a guide that offers a wealth of fresh insights to listeners and performers. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781107000315. Messiaen: Texts, Contexts, and Intertexts (1937-1948) t he late French literature scholar Richard Burton examines nine of Messiaen's works in the context of the broader French Catholic intellectual tradition. Burton creates a vivid picture of the previously unexamined spiritual and philosophical inspirations behind Messiaen's pivotal mid-century compositions. Oxford University Press ISBN: 9780190277949. Le Modèle et l'Invention. Olivier Messiaen et la technique de l'emprunt. Yves Balmer, Thomas Lacôte et Christopher Brent Murray - préface deGeorge Benjamin. This book shows that Olivier Messiaen built his unique compositions by transforming the music he loved. Messiaen drew compositional material from eclectic sources ranging from the melodic curves of Mozart and Rameau to the irrational rhythms of Debussy and Jolivet; Publisher : Symétrie ISBN 978-2-36485-045-3 Four Last SongsAging and Creativity in Verdi, Strauss, Messiaen and Britten by Linda Hutcheon and Michael Hutcheon Though it exhausted him physically and emotionally, Messiaen at the age of seventy-five finished his only opera, Saint François d’Assise, which marked the pinnacle of his career. Britten, meanwhile, suffering from heart problems, refused surgery until he had completed his masterpiece, Death in Venice. For all four composers, age, far from sapping their creative power, provided impetus for some of their best accomplishments. University of Chicago Press. ISBN: 9780226420684 Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide, Second Edition, presents researchers with the most significant and helpful resources on Olivier Messiaen, one of the twentieth century's greatest composers. With multiple indices, this annotated bibliography will serve as an excellent tool for librarians, researchers, and scholars sorting through the massive amount of material in the field. The second edition has been fully revised and updated. Routledge ISBN 9781138106505. The Doctoral dissertation “The Sounds of the Rainbow” i s a study on La Nativité du Seigneur for organ by Olivier Messiaen. The work inquires especially: History of La Nativité Analysis of the musical language Relation between the musical language and Messiaen’s theological mind.The dissertation inquires expecially in depth the relationship between Messiaen and the synaesthetic painter Charles Blanc-Gatti, who painted nine pastels on La Nativité. A theology of the organ is also remarked. In Italian by Dario Paolini Quartet for the End of Time by Johanna Skibsrud Windmill Books,Language: English ISBN-10: 0099558629 A mesmerising tale of love, justice and the connections that transcend the passage of time, from the Giller prize-winning author Johanna Skibsrud. Visions of Amen: The Early Life and Music of Olivier Messiaen Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Language: English ISBN-10: 0802807623 ISBN-13: 978-0802807625 This book explores the enormous web of influences in the early part of Messiaens long life. The first section of the book provides an intellectual biography of Messiaens early life in order to make his (difficult) music more accessible to the general listener. The second section offers an analysis of and thematic commentaries on Messiaens pivotal work for two pianos, Visions of Amen, composed in 1943. Schloessers analysis includes timing indications corresponding to a downloadable performance of the work by accomplished pianists Stéphane Lemelin and Hyesook Kim. IL SAINT FRANÇOIS D'ASSISE DI OLIVIER MESSIAEN Book by Carola Lambruschini - 450 pages, 90 musical examples, a wealth of synoptical tables - italian language ABEditore, Milano, 2013. Collana: Saggistica musicale. ISBN-10: 8865511389 ISBN-13: 978-8865511381 Messiaen Perspectives 1: Sources and Influences. Ashgate ISBN: 978-1-4094-2695-0 Edited by Christopher Dingle , Birmingham Conservatoire, UK and Robert Fallon , Carnegie Mellon School of Music, USA Sources and Influences presents many new primary sources, including discussion of Messiaen’s birdsong cahiers, sketch and archival materials for his Prix de Rome entries and war-time Portique, along with performance practice insights and theological inspiration in works as diverse as Visions de l’Amen, Harawi, Timbres-durées and the organ Méditations. The volume places the composer within a broader historical and cultural framework than has previously been attempted, ranging from specific influences to more general contexts. As a centrepiece, the book includes an examination of the impact of one of the greatest influences upon Messiaen, Yvonne Loriod. Messiaen Perspectives 2: Techniques, Influence and Reception Ashgate ISBN: 978-1-4094-2696-7 Techniques, Influence and Reception explores Messiaen’s imprint on recent musical life. The first part scrutinizes his compositional technique in terms of counterpoint, spectralism and later piano music, while the second charts ways in which Messiaen’s influence is manifest in the music and careers of Ohana, Xenakis, Murail and Quebecois composers. The third part includes case studies of Messiaen’s reception in Italy, Spain and the USA. The volume also includes an ornithological catalogue of Messiaen’s birds, collates information on the numerous ‘tombeaux’ pieces he inspired, and concludes with a Critical Catalogue of Messiaen’s Musical Works. Messiaen's Musical Techniques: The Composer's View and Beyond by Gareth Healey. April 2013. Ashgate ISBN: 978-1-4094-4825- 9 Despite Messiaen's position as one of the greatest technical innovators of the twentieth century, his musical language has not been comprehensively defined and investigated. The composer's 1944 theoretical study, The Technique of My Musical Language, expounds only its initial stages, and while his posthumously published Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d'ornithologie contains detailed explanations of selected techniques, in most cases the reader is left to define these more precisely by observing them in the context of Messiaen's analyses of his own works. Gareth Healey charts the development and interconnections, considers their relationship with formal structures, and applies them in refined and extended form to works for which Messiaen himself left no published analysis. The method of analysing Messiaen's harmonies outlined in this book has been implemented in software available for download at garethhealey.com Les Chants du silence Broché – Béatrice MARCHAL Delatour France; Édition : Collection Pensée Musicale dirigée par Jean-Michel Bardez Language : Français-ISBN-10: 2752100671 ISBN-13: 978-2752100672 On a souvent répété, à la suite d'Olivier Messiaen lui-même, que sa mère Cécile Sauvage avait, en écrivant L'Ame en bourgeon, déterminé sa vocation d'artiste et de musicien. Tout n'était pas dit pour autant et la découverte récente de manuscrits longtemps cachés a révélé quel drame intime avait précipité la mélancolie puis la mort de cette femme bien différente de l'image convenue qui nous en est restée. Devant le malheur de sa mère, l'enfant impuissant aurait alors exploité ses dons musicaux hors du commun comme l'opportunité d'instaurer une relation soustraite à l'inavouable, aussi intense que les mots. L'enfermement dans la douleur et le mutisme aurait ainsi trouvé remède dans une musique tissée de silence. Collection Pensée Musicale Birdsong in the music of Olivier Messiaen by David Kraft Arosa Press. ISBN 978-1477517796 In this book, Dr David Kraft surveys and evaluates Messiaen's use of birdsong and formulates a chronological and critical taxonomy of his music, covering the species involved and his evolving methods of manipulation, instrumentation and harmonic incorporation. He also explores issues relating to authenticity and modification with respect to the incorporation of birdsong in Messiaen's music. Further, he develops appropriate graphical and tabular methods in order to help the reader better to understand his music. MESSIAEN'S FINAL WORKS by CHRISTOPHER DINGLE (Ashgate, ISBN 9780754606338) Messiaen's Final Works examines the seven works which Messiaen completed after Saint François and argues that, following the crisis provoked by the opera, his music underwent a discernible change in style. In addition, the book uses the works in question to examine the characteristics of Messiaen's music, with a particular emphasis on an often overlooked aspect of his technique: harmony. In the process, many other questions are addressed, such as the ways in which Messiaen utilizes birdsong within a larger structure. Messiaen's Final Works is in three parts. Part I begins with a brief historical survey before discussing Saint François d'Assise as the work which defines everything that follows. Part II examines the series of miniatures whose significance belies their (relatively) modest proportions. Not only do they provide an indication of Messiaen's artistic self-confidence, but they also contain important links with his final masterpiece, Éclairs sur l'au-delà.. This sublime eleven movement work for large orchestra is the subject of Part III, and is the focus of the book. Each movement is analysed in turn, before the work is considered as an entity and its hidden structure and motivic cohesion is discussed. OLIVIER MESSIAEN-JOURNALIST: by Stephen Broad. Published Ashgate: (ISBN: 978-0-7546-0876-9) Contents: Preface; Introduction; The Journalism: Articles for la revue musicale; Articles for La Sirène (later La Syrinx); Articles for Le monde musical; Articles for La Page musicale; Articles for various other journals; A catalogue of Messiaen's journalism; Selected personalia; Bibliography; Index. RELIGION UND GLAUBE Religion and Faith as Essential Artistic Energies in the Works of Olivier Messiaen and Other Composers Herausgeber: Goetze, Albrecht U. Hiekel, Jörn P.; Goetze, Albrecht; Hiekel, Jörn P. Published by:Wolke Verlagsges. ISBN 10: 3936000263. Olivier Messiaen THE CENTENARY PAPERS Edited by Judith Crispin In 2008 musicians and scholars world-wide celebrated the centenary of Olivier Messiaen's birth. One of the most influential composers in living memory, Messiaen is remembered as a great nature poet - a mystic whose music had a profound effect on the Twentieth-century avant-garde. This volume of essays, marking the occasion of Messiaen's centenary, was authored by musicologists, performers, composers, ornithologists and researchers from Australia, Germany, France, North America, Japan, New Zealand, Serbia and England. The writers, internationally acclaimed experts as well as emerging scholars, span three generations - living testimony to the diverse and lasting sphere of Messiaen's legacy. ISBN: 9781443824989 - Cambridge Scholars Publishing The Miracle of Stalag 8A. Beauty Beyond the Horror by John William McMullen BIRD BRAIN PUBLISHING ASIN: B0040GJI6C - ISBN 978-0-9826255-2-151995 The Miracle of Stalag 8A is a retelling of the fascinating story of Olivier Messiaen's composition of his Quartet for the End of Time. The enigmatic Messiaen, an avant-garde composer and also a devout Catholic, along with Etienne Pasquier, an agnostic cellist, Henri Akoka, a Jewish Trotskyite Clarinetist, and Jean le Boulaire, an atheistic violinist, become the famous quartet of Stalag 8A. These four very different men collaborated to create musical history in the most unlikely of places. Messiaen's Quartet, composed in a Stalag, transforms man's inhumanity to man with hope. Olivier Messiaen - Dai canyons alle stelle by Peter Hill Pub: Il Saggiatore (Italian) EAN9788842814856 A century after his birth, Messiaen's work was missing in Italy. This gap is now filled by this book edited by the English pianist and musicologist Peter Hill, a former pupil of Messiaon and Yvonne Loriod. Here, broken down by gender, the vast production of the French master is addressed by scholars such as Wilfred Mellers, Jane Manning. Richard Steinitz, Paul Griffith and Hill himself. The work is completed by two introductory articles that emphasize the breadth of the cultural life and work of Messiaen: music of the Greeks, that of India and Japan, the song of birds, and structuralism Darmstadtium and more. Messiaen the Theologian. Edited by Andrew Shenton, Boston University, USA Ashgate. ISBN: 978-0-7546-66400 An international array of Messiaen scholars cover a wide variety of topics including Messiaen's personal spirituality, the context of Catholicism in France in the twentieth century, and comparisons between Messiaen and other artists such as Dante and T.S. Eliot. Interdisciplinary methodologies such as exegesis, theological studies and analysis are used to contribute to the understanding of several major works including Éclairs sur l'au-delá..., Sept Haïkaï and Saint François d'Assise. La Maison Dieu Olivier Messiaen, les couleurs del Parole. Publisher: Cerf (2 July 2009) Articles by: Heller - Toury - Guiberteau - Fort - Girault - Sakharov Language: French ASIN: B001VFNXUC Messiaen: Transcending Time (ISBN: 363909574X / 3-639-09574-X ) Mareli Stolp. Publisher: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Olivier Messiaen, one of the most prolific composers of the 20th Century, was a devout Catholic whose compositions were very often inspired by the ideals of his faith. A theme that recurrs often in his works is music's relationship to time, and the linear nature of the passage of time as human beings comprehend it. It is Messiaen's ideal to write music that aspires to reach a divine level, free from human constraints. The most important of these constraints is time, music being dependant on the linear passage of time. By using a variety of techniques, Messiaen tries to alter the linear nature of time, thus reaching Divinity on a symbolic level. This book discusses the reasons for Messiaen's attitude towards time in music. It also gives a thorough analyses of two major works, the Visions de l'Amen and the Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus, as examples of Messiaen's techniques for approaching time in music. Performing Messiaen's Organ Music: 66 Masterclasses by Jon Gillock. Publisher: Indiana University Press English ISBN-10: 0253353734 - ISBN-13: 978-0253353733 Messiaen was the most influential composer for the organ in the 20th century. Shaped by French tradition as well as the innovations of Debussy, Stravinsky, and Bartók, Messiaen developed a unique style that would become his signature. Using Messiaen's own analytical and aesthetic notes as a point of departure, Jon Gillock offers detailed commentary on the performance of Messiaen's 66 organ works. Gillock provides background information on the composition and premiere of each piece, a translation of Messiaen's related writings, and a systematic explanation of performance considerations. Gillock also supplies details about the organ at La Trinité in Paris, the instrument for which most of Messiaen's pieces were imagined. The Reinvention of Religious Music: Olivier Messiaen's Breakthrough Toward the Beyond by Sander van Maas. Fordham University Press ISBN-13: 9780823230587 On the basis of a careful analysis of Olivier Messiaen's work, this book argues for a renewal of our thinking about religious music. Addressing his notion of a “hyper-religious” music of sounds and colors, it aims to show that Messiaen has broken new ground. The work of Olivier Messiaen is well known for its inclusion of religious themes and gestures. These alone, however, do not seem enough to account for the religious status of the work. Arguing for a “breakthrough toward the beyond” on the basis of the synaesthetic experience of music, Messiaen invites a confrontation with contemporary theologians and post-secular thinkers. Starting from an analysis of his 1960s oratorio La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, this book arranges a moderated dialogue between Messiaen and the music theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, the phenomenology of revelation of Jean-Luc Marion, the rethinking of religion and technics in Jacques Derrida and Bernard Stiegler, and the Augustinian ruminations of Søren Kierkegaard and Jean-François Lyotard. Ultimately, this confrontation underscores the challenging yet deeply affirmative nature of Messiaen's music. Italian musician and musicologist Chiara Bertoglio's book, "Per Sorella Musica" deals with the most important musical versions of St. Francis' "Canticle of the Creatures" in 20th century classical music. Sizeable chunks of the book are devoted to Messiaen's St. François d'Assise. ISBN: 8874025157. Publisher: Effatà, Italy. Olivier Messiaen: a bibliographical catalogue of Messiaen's works : first editions and first performances : with illustrations of the title pages, programmes and documents. by Nigel Simeone. Schneider, 1998. ISBN 3795209471, 9783795209476 Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d'Assise. Cammino verso la joie parfaite: With musical examples pp. 146 - cm. 17x24 - Euro 25,00 - www.zecchini.com - ISBN 13: 978-88-87203-76-9 IN ITALIAN LES VISIONS D'OLIVIER MESSIAEN by SIGLIND BRUHN. Publisher: HARMATTAN ISBN: 9782296056657 in French Ce livre examine l'influence profonde de la religion sur le langage musical d'Olivier Messiaen. Dans la première partie, il décrit la relation pratiquement invariable entre certains motifs, accords et autres composants musicaux et leur signification théologique. Dans les seconde et troisième parties, les intuitions développées autour de ce "vocabulaire musico-théologique" sont appliquées à une analyse détaillée et approfondie de deux cycles fondamentaux de ce compositeur, Visions de l'Amen pour deux pianos (1943) et Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus pour piano seul (1944). Messiaen's Contemplations of Covenant and Incarnation: Musical Symbols of Faith in the Two Great Piano Cycles of the 1940s by Siglind Bruhn Pendragon Press ISBN-10: 1576471292 ISBN-13: 978-1576471296 Messiaen characterized himself as a rhythmician, ornithologist, and theologian. All interpreters concur that his life and work are grounded in a profound faith. This book examines the translation of his faith into his musical language. It centers on a hermeutic analysis of two spiritually motiviated instrumental compositions, Visions de l'amen for two pianos (1943) and Vingt Regards sur l enfant-Jésus for piano solo (1944). Part I introduces the main aspects of the composer s religious environment (the catholic literary revival, his father Pierre and his mentor Charles Tournemire) as well as the components of his idiosyncratic musico-symbolic vocabulary. Parts II and III examine the twenty-seven movements comprised in the Visions< and the Regards, whose thematic material, structure, and musical as well as spiritual function within the whole cycle are interpreted in light of the literary source and imagery that inspired Messiaen. Messiaen's Explorations of Love and Death: Musico-poetic Signification in the Tristan Trilogy and Three Related Song Cycles (Dimension and Diversity: Studies in 20th-Century Music) Pendragon Press ISBN-10: 1576471365 - ISBN-13: 978-1576471364 Messiaen's lifelong quest centered on the colors and rhythms of a music that would serve as a vehicle for his thoughts about time, his love of God, and his enthusiasm for birdsong. An additional topic about which he felt deeply is that of passionate, fated human love and its relationship to death on the one hand, the love of God on the other. During the years 1936-1948, he composed five cycles of vocal music to his own texts as well as the Turangalîla Symphony, the monumental centerpiece of his Tristan Trilogy. The focus of this study is the in-depth analysis and interpretation of these six works on love, with particular regard for their unusual wealth of poetic, sonic, and visual colors and imagery. The wonder of rainbows, the magic of exotic sounds, the fantastic attractiveness of surrealist representations, and the majestic inexorability of fate in myths of various times and cultures define Messiaen s lyrics as much as his idiosyncratic, highly symbolic musical language, which never fails to build bridges between this and another world. Messiaen's Interpretations of Holiness and Trinity: Echoes of Medieval Theology in the Oratorio, Organ Meditations, and Opera by Siglind Bruhn ISBN-10: 157647139X - ISBN-13: 978-1576471395 Three of Messiaen's later works, La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Méditations sur le mystére de la Sainte Trinité, and Saint François d Assise, are linked by the fact that the composer refers to and quotes from Thomas Aquinas. The composer s reception of Thomistic texts is one of the principles guiding the interpretations in this study. On the one hand, Messiaen had been pondering Thomas s thoughts on the role of music in the life of a Christian and on music s possible spiritual content all through his professional life; on the other hand, the oratorio, the organ meditations, and the opera are the only works in which Messiaen quotes extensive Thomistic sentences addressing purely theological subject matter. The first aspect, Messiaen s appropriation of or felicitous congruence with the medieval theologian s views on music underlies all analyses as a kind of background fabric. The second aspect, Messiaen s quotations from the Summa theologica and their musical translation, determines segments of a larger discussion that, in the book s three main chapters, attempts to do justice to the compositions as a whole. While Thomas theological aesthetics appears as a thread woven through a texture in a way that brings it only periodically to the foreground, the statements from Thomas s writings provide essential foundations determining the works content and its musical rendering. Olivier Messiaen, Troubadour by Siglind Bruhn 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 EDITION GORZ. ISBN 978-3-938095-07-2 in German Messiaens ‘Summa theologica’ by Siglind Bruhn Musikalische Spurensuche mit Thomas von Aquin in La Transfiguration, Méditations und Saint François d’Assise EDITION GORZ. ISBN 978-3-938095-09-6 in German Messiaen, l'empreinte d'un géant by Catherine Lechner-Reydellet ISBN-10: 2840495112 - ISBN-13: 978-2840495116 Pub. Editions Seguier in French Présentation de l'éditeur Il fut celui par qui tout arriva pour que demeure notre passion, celui pour qui le chant du rossignol en lisière des forêts, de la linotte dans les vignobles de Charente et de la fauvette à lunettes dans les garrigues du Roussillon, redonna le droit d'être musicien Catherine Lechner-Reydellet, écrivain et pianiste, professeur au Conservatoire de Musique et d'Art dramatique de Grenoble, nous présente Olivier Messiaen, revisité par ses anciens élèves, ses illustres interprètes, ses amis, journalistes, chefs d'orchestre et poètes, sous un éclairage inhabituel jamais dévoilé à ce jour. Messiaen ou la lumière by Philippe Olivier Pub.Hermann in French ISBN-10: 2705667253 - ISBN-13: 978-2705667252 THE LIFE OF MESSIAEN by CHRISTOPHER DINGLE (Cambridge University Press, ISBN 052163220X / 0521635470) The Life of Messiaen paints a more nuanced picture of the man and the musician, peering behind Messiaen's public persona to examine the private difficulties and creative struggles that were the true backdrop to many of his greatest achievements. Based upon the latest research, including previously overlooked sources, this book provides an excellent introduction to Messiaen's life and work, presenting a fascinating new perspective of a man whose story is more remarkable than the myths surrounding it. Olivier Messiaen's System of Signs Notes Towards Understanding His Music Andrew Shenton Andrew Shenton's groundbreaking cross-disciplinary approach to Messiaen's music presents a systematic and detailed examination of the compositional techniques of one of the most significant musicians of the twentieth century as they relate to his desire to express profound truths about Catholicism.It is widely accepted that music can have mystical and transformative powers, but because 'pure' music has no programme, Messiaen sought to refine his compositions to speak more clearly about the truths of the Catholic faith by developing a sophisticated semiotic system in which aspects of music become direct signs for words and concepts. Using interdisciplinary methodologies drawing on linguistics, cognition studies, theological studies and semiotics, Shenton traces the development of Messiaen's sign system using examples from many of Messiaen's works and concentrating in particular on the "Meditations sur le mystere de la Sainte Trinite" for organ, a suite which contains the most sophisticated and developed use of a sign system and represents a profound exegesis of Messiaen's understanding of the Catholic triune God.By working on issues of interpretation, Shenton endeavours to bridge the traditional gap between scholars and performers and to help people listen to Messiaen's music with spirit and understanding. Messiaen, a major biography by Peter Hill and Nigel Simeone, published by Yale University Press This book includes extracts from the private diaries and papers of Olivier Messiaen for the first time, along with several hundred photographs. This project has been awarded very significant Research Grant funding by the Arts and Humanities Research Board. see reviews The French edition of the book (Paris, Fayard, 2008) includes "Sigle" - a short little piece for unaccompanied flute which has been published for the first time as an illustration here. There is also a detailed catalogue of works and an additional chapter on Messiaen's musical language that are not in the English version. OLIVIER MESSIAEN- Christopher Dingle & Nigel Simeone (editors) Music, Art and Literature (Ashgate, ISBN 0754606333). When Olivier Messiaen died in 1992, the prevailing image was of a man apart; a deeply religious man whose only sources of inspiration were God and Nature and a composer whose music progressed along an entirely individual path, artistically impervious to contemporaneous events and the whims both of his contemporaries and the critics. Whilst such a view contains a large element of truth, the past ten years has seen an explosion of interest in the composer, and the work of a diverse range of scholars has painted a much richer, more complex picture of Messiaen. This volume presents some of the fruits of this research for the first time, concentrating on three broad, interrelated areas: Messiaen's relationship with fellow artists; key developments in the composer's musical language and technique; and his influences, both sacred and secular. Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jesus: Messiaen's means of conveying extra-musical subtext (Olivier Messiaen, France) by Christopher S. Bowlby ProQuest / UMI (March 22, 2006) ISBN: 0542177072 The purpose of this study is to answer the question: How does Messiaen's approach to musical architecture convey symbolic or programmatic meaning in his mammoth work for solo piano, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus ? Not every movement is described in detail. Each example is only discussed insomuch as is necessary to determine how applicable musical elements or compositional processes underline the intended message. Much of the conclusions identify the ways in which a basic technique, such as a melody and the mode with which it is constructed, implies a meaning, perhaps through Messiaen's own notes or indications in the score or through original or previously published analysis. Furthermore, the examination deals with these basic means and how they are combined and superimposed to produce proportions of interest or how they might serve to exemplify a numerological or theological significance. Olivier Messiaen\'s composition techniques in Reveil des Oiseaux (France) -- Dissertation ProQuest / UMI (December 18, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0542015919ISBN-13: 978-0542015915 In his first major composition in the so-called “le style oiseaux”, Olivier Messiaen uses thirty-eight bird calls as his main musical material. Despite Messiaen's claim that the piece is ‘merely a truthful translation’ of nature, this dissertation focuses on how the composition is organically produced; in terms of its form, its pitch material and its timbral treatment. It was especially exciting to follow his very personal and literal form of ‘com-po-sing’ (in the sense of ‘putting together’ or ‘combining’); a technique in which small units of previously heard music reappear later, meticulously re-shuffled or combined with seemingly different music. It was particularly thrilling to delve into his innovative ways of treating the original bird calls. MESSIAEN STUDIES. Edited by Robert Sholl This collection of scholarly essays offers new cultural, historical, biographical and analytical perspectives on Messiaen's musical oeuvre from 1941 to 1992. The volume includes: a fascinating snapshot of Messiaen's life in occupied France; a study of the Surrealist poetics of Messiaen's song cycle Harawi; a chapter on Messiaen's iconoclastic path to the avant-garde heritage that he bequeathed to his pupils; discussion on Messiaen's place in twentieth-century music; and detailed analysis of specific works, including his opera St François d'Assise. MusArtLit OH MY GOD: Messiaen in the Ear of the Unbeliever is based on Paul Festa's award-winning and critically acclaimed film Apparition of the Eternal Church. The book and movie capture the explosive responses of 31 mostly nonreligious artists to the apocalyptic music of the Christian visionary Olivier Messiaen. Published by Bar Nothing Books OLIVIER MESSIAEN: Oiseaux exotiques Peter Hill and Nigel Simeone Series: Landmarks in Music Since 1950 Ashgate ISBN: 0 7546 5630 6 see review OLIVIER MESSIAEN: Benitez, Vincent P. Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide. New York: Routledge Publishing, 2008. Music for the End of Time by Jen Bryant (Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co)ISBN: 0802852297 This work is Jen Bryant's poetic biography of French composer Olivier Messiaen, coupled with Beth Peck's evocative pastel illustrations, captures both the desolation of a World War II prison camp and the transforming power of music. This book will stir readers of all ages to seek hope in the things that inspire them, and is a great introduction to Messiaen for children from 8 years upward. Saint Francois D'Assise Premieres Loges Avant Scene Opera Arts Et Spectacle Revues 21/10/2004 ISBN:2843852021 French Masters of the Organ Saint-Saëns, Franck, Widor, Vierne, Dupré, Langlais, Messiaen Michael Murray. Yale University Press 2005 For the End of Time The Story of the Messiaen Quartet Rebecca Rischin see reviews After his death Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen compiled all of Messiaens' writings which are now published in 7 volumes entitled 'Traité de Rythme, de Couleur, et d'Ornithologie' (Paris, Leduc) MessCompanion LE GROUPE JEUNE FRANCE by SERGE GUT Yves Baudrier - Daniel Lesur - André Jolivet - Olivier Messiaen Editions Honoré Champion, Collection Musique - Musicologie, 1977 MESSIAEN ON MESSIAEN The composer writes about his works. Text by Messiaen translated by Irene Feddern Frangipani Press. 1986 The 22 Piano Concertos by Mozart. Introduced and analyzed by Messiaen Paris. Librairie Seguier. 1990. in-12° (11,5x18,5 cm). 121 p. The Messiaen Companion: edited by Peter Hill (London, Faber and Faber 1995) Les Oiseaux de Messiaen: Nicole Malinconi, Melanie Berger (Esperluete Eds 2005) ISBN:2930223561 Olivier Messiaen: L'homme et son oeuvre. Pierrette Mari (Paris, Segheres, 1965) Das orgelwerk Messiaens:Sieglinde Ahrens ,Hans-Dieter Möller, and Almut Rössler, (Duisburg, Gilles and Francke, 1976) Olivier Messiaen: Claude Rostand (Ed. Ventadour,1952/57) Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen: Almut Rössler (Gilles & Francke 1986) Recontres avec Olivier Messiaen: Antoine Goléa (Paris, Julliard 1960-reprinted Slatkine Genéve-Paris 1984) Olivier Messiaen: Harry Halbreich (Paris, Fayard/SACEM 1980) Extensively revised in 2008 Olivier Messiaen: Leben und Werk: Theo Hirsbrunner (Laaber-Verlag 1988) Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time: Paul Griffiths (London/Boston, Faber and Faber 1985) Thomas Daniel Schlee / Dietrich Kämper (Hg.): Olivier Messiaen. La Cite celeste - das himmlische Jerusalem. Über das Leben und Werk des französischen Komponisten. Köln Wienand Verlag 1998. Olivier Messiaen: une poetique de merveilleux: Brigitte Massin (Aix-en-Provence, Alinéa, 1989) Messiaen: Robert Sherlaw Johnson (London. Dent 1976. R/1989) Portrait(s) d'Olivier Messiaen: Catherine Massip (Bibliothèque Nationale de France) Messiaen: Roger Nichols (London Oxford University Press 1975 2/1986) Bien Cher Félix..Letters from Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod to Felix Aprahamian (Cambridge, Mirage 1998) Messiaen: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps: Anthony Pople (Cambridge University Press 1998 ISBN 0521585384) Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen: Claude Samuel (Paris, Belfond 1967 Eng. translation 1976) The Organ Music of Olivier Messiaen: Stuart Waumsley (Paris, Leduc 1968) Music and Colour: New Interviews: Claude Samuel (Paris, Belfond 1986) Olivier Messiaen, the Musical Mediator. A study of the influence of Liszt, Debussy and Bartok: Madeleine Hsu (Fairleigh Dickinson UP1996) Technique de non langage musical: Messiaen (Paris, Leduc 1944 Eng. translation 1956) Vingt lecons d'harmonie: Messiaen (Paris, Leduc 1944 Eng. translation 1956) Conférence de Bruxelles: Messiaen (Paris, Leduc 1958) Conférence de Kyoto: (Paris, Leduc 1985) Conférence de Notre Dame: Messiaen (Paris, Leduc 1978) Olivier Messiaen: Heinz-Klaus Metzger and Rainer Riehn. text + kritic (Munich 1982) Messiaens"Saint Francois d'Assise" von Aloyse Michaely, Heinz-Klaus Metzger, Rainer Riehn (2006) ISBN 10: 3878779763-ISBN 13: 9783878779766, Querstand, Musikalische Konzepte Bd.1+2. Stroemfeld - Kartoniert/Broschie Siglind Bruhn, Images and Ideas in Modern French Piano Music: The Extra Musical Subtext in Piano Works by Ravel, Debussy and Messiaen (Stuyvesant, NY: Pendragon, 1997) Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth by Audrey Ekdahl Davidson (Praeger Pub Text; ISBN: 0275973409) Siglind Bruhn (ed.), Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love. Volume 1 in the series “Twentieth-Century Studies in Music” (New York: Garland, 1998). Jean Boivin: La classe de Messiaen. Paris, Christian Bourgois éditeur, collection " Musique/Passé/Présent 1995. Meisterwerke der Musik:Olivier Messiaen Turangalîla Symphonie by Klaus Schweizer (Wilhem Fink Verlag) Messiaen Les sons impalpables du rêve Pascal Arnault, Nicolas Darbon. Editeur : Millenaire III Collection : Compositeurs De Notre Temps ISBN : 2911906055 STEFAN KEYM: Farbe und Zeit - Untersuchungen zur musiktheatralen Struktur und Semantik von Olivier Messiaens Saint Francois d'Assise. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag 2002. - X/557 S. mit zahlreichen Notenbeispielen und Register. ISBN: 3-487-11661-8 Messiaen by Alain Périer (Paris, Seuil 1979) Olivier Messiaen homme de foi (Trinite Media Communication 1995) I have included this VHS SECAM video here (now available on DVD) as I believe it to be an invaluable archive to those of us who were not lucky enough to experience first hand lectures by the Maitre during his lifetime. Olivier Milles' film covers a masterclass/lecture given by Messiaen during the 1987 Festival d'Avignon at the Chartreuse de Villeneuve lés-Avignon. "Les couleurs du temps: Trente ans d'entretiens avec Claude Samuel". INA/Radio France 211848, 2CDs Claude Samuel met Messiaen in the late fifties and from then grew a most fertile professional relationship that produced many landmark interviews and discussion throughout the composer's life. Thirty years of interviews are represented here on 2CDs in French. L'œuvre pour piano d'Olivier Messiaen: Michéle Reverdy (Paris, Leduc 1978) L'œuvre pour orchestre d'Olivier Messiaen: Michéle Reverdy (Paris, Leduc 1988) Rosemary Walker, Modes and Pitch Class Sets In Messiaen. (Music Analysis 8:1/2 Basil Blackwell 1989) David Morris, A Semiotic Investigation of Messiaen's 'Abîme des Oiseaux'. (Music Analysis 8:1/2 Basil Blackwell 1989) Messiaen, Gooeyvaerts, Fano, Stockhausen, Boulez. Perspectives of New Music XIII 1974 pp141-16 An in-depth (29 A5 pages) analysis of the musical ideas of the 1940's and 50's. Many technical terms, graphs, note charts etc make this indispensable for all students of composition and interest in Messiaen. Olivier Messiaen:Eclairs Sur L'Au-Dela: Die Christlich-Eschatologische Dimension Des Opus Ultimum ISBN: 3631348460 Author: Tolle, Julian Christopher Publisher: Lang, Peter Publishing, Incorporated Edition/Year: 1999 Olivier Messiaen's Orchesterwerk: Des Canyons aux Etoile. Studen, zu Struktur und Konnex. Diss Kassel Carl Beate Bärenreiter 1994 Olivier Messiaen a Bibliographical Catalogue: Nigel Simeone (Hans Schneider Verlag) Back to top

The 'really' complete organ works by Messiaen. In 2014, Jon Gillock began releasing his recordings of Messiaen’s Complete Organ Works on the Raven label and the project is now finished with the addition of a recently discovered transcription entitled 'Vie pour Dieu des Ressuscités '. They have been recorded on the new organ by Pascal Quoirin (St. Didier, France) at The Church of the Ascension, NYC. He participated in the design of this French organ, which is ideal for Messiaen’s music. Although the acoustic in the church is excellent and warm, it is not terribly reverberant. This aspect provides an added dimension to this music because one can hear all the detail of the compositions, which are not hidden by an overly reverberant space. This acoustic is similar to that found in concert halls, where orchestras perform Messiaen’s music. These recordings show that this unusual body of music can function in more than one setting. On January 15, 1974, Jon Gillock gave the New York premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité at The Church of the Ascension, NYC. That single performance launched him into a career as a concert artist almost over night, giving premieres of this fabulous work from coast to coast. The following year, he gave the first New York performance of Messiaen’s then Complete Works for Organ — the Livre du Saint Sacrement had not yet been written — in a series of five concerts. Soon afterwards, he met Messiaen who invited Gillock to visit him in Paris. In 1977, Gillock went to Paris to study with his Maître at the Paris Conservatory. In 1986, Messiaen presented Gillock with a copy of his manuscript for the new Livre du Saint Sacrement , authorizing him to give performances of this epic masterpiece before its publication. Again, Gillock gave the New York premiere, which was again followed by a transcontinental tour premiering this piece around the country to wide critical and public acclaim. He has given several other special New York performances of this work — in 1988, to celebrate Messiaen’s 80th birthday; in 1992, as a memorial tribute to Messiaen at the time of his death; and in 1996, for the opening concert of the Convention of the American Guild of Organists that celebrated their 100th anniversary. The work, Vie pour Dieu des Ressuscités was recently discovered (while the Messiaen collection was being catalogued at the Bibliothèque de France) within the manuscript of Les Corps glorieux on the back of the first movement (Subtililté des Corps glorieux ) and seems to have been considered by Messiaen for the second movement of that work. The work itself is a transcription for organ of the fourth movement from Fête des belles Eaux entitled L'Eau, a transcription of which became the fifth movement of Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps (Praise to the Eternity of Jesus ). Because Messiaen gave the organ transcription a characteristic subtitle from the scriptures: "Alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord; charity never faileth." - St. Paul, letter to the Romans 6:11 and I Corinthians 13:8, and its substantial 13min duration, must have been seriously considered at the time. Jon Gillock provides extensive notes in the CD booklet on this and all the works recorded along with photographs and organ details that are sumptuously presented in all six jewel cases (there are six releases three of which are double CDs for the price of one). Nine CDs in all from Raven Compact Discs here . Jon Gollock gave all the New York premieres of every organ piece by Messiaen since 1974: 1974 NY Premiere of Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité 1975 First New York performance of Messiaen’s Complete Works for Organ 1987 NY Premiere of Livre du Saint Sacrement (from the manuscript) 1999 American and NY Premieres of three then-recently discovered pieces: Monodie Offrande au Saint Sacrement (from the manuscript) Prélude (from the manuscript) 2022 World premiere recording of Vie pour Dieu des Ressuscités (from the manuscript, unpublished)

The life of Olivier Messiaen BioTop OLIVIER-EUGENE-PROSPER-CHARLES MESSIAEN (b. Dec. 10, 1908, Avignon, France.d. April 27, 1992, Clichy, near Paris), Olivier Messiaen was the son of Pierre Messiaen, a scholar of English literature, and of the poet Cecile Sauvage . Soon after his birth the family moved to Ambert (the birthplace of Chabrier) where his brother, Alain was born in 1913. Around the time of the outbreak of World War 1, Cecile Sauvage took her two sons to live with her brother in Grenoble where Olivier Messiaen spent his early childhood, began composing at the age of seven, and taught himself to play the piano. On his return from the war, Pierre Messiaen took the family to Nantes and in 1919 they all moved to Paris where Olivier entered the Conservatoire. From very early on it was clear that Messiaen would be a composer who would stand alone in the history of music. Coming not from any particular 'school' or style but forming and creating his own totally individual musical voice. He achieved this by creating his own 'modes of limited transposition', taking rhythmic ideas from India (deci tala), ancient Greece and the orient and most importantly adapting the songs of birds from around the world. He was a man of many interests including painting, literature, and the orient where he took in not only the musical culture but theatre, literature and even the cuisine of foreign countries! The single most important driving force in his musical creations was his devout Catholic faith. My first encounter with the music of Olivier Messiaen was as an impressionable fourteen year old who had just discovered Bach through Jacques Loussier and was listening somewhat idly to a BBC Radio 3 organ recital which concluded with this amazing sound world that was completely new to me and at the same time overwhelming. The piece I was experiencing was Dieu Parmi Nous (God Among Us) from La Nativité du Seigneur. Pierre Messiaen, Cecile Sauvage and Olivier Messiaen MESSIAEN AND SYNAESTHESIA This is what Messiaen had to say regarding his relationship with colours and synaesthesia " When I was 20 years old I met a Swiss painter who became a good friend by the name of Charles Blanc-Gatti , he was synaethesiac which is a disturbance of the optic and auditory nerves so when one hears sounds one also sees corresponding colours in the eye. I unfortunately didn't have this. But intellectually like synaethesiacs I too see colours- if only in my mind - colours corresponding to sound. I try to incorporate this in my work, to pass on to the listener. It's all very mobile. You've got to feel sound moving. Sounds are high, low, fast, slow etc. My colours do the same thing, they move in the same way. Like rainbows shifting from one hue to the next. It's very fleeting and impossible to fix in any absolute way. It's true I see colours, it's true they're there. They're musician’s colours, not to be confused with painter's colours. They're colours that go with music. If you tried to reproduce these colours on canvas it may produce something horrible. They're not made for that, they're musicians colours. What I'm saying is strange but it's true. I believe in natural resonance, as I believe in all natural phenomena. Natural resonance is in exact agreement with the phenomena of complimentary colours. I have a red carpet that I often look at. Where this carpet meets the lighter coloured parquet next to it, I intermittently see marvelous greens that a painter couldn't mix - natural colours created in the eye" Messiaen's particular condition was chromesthesia, a type of synesthesia in which sound involuntarily evokes an experience of colour, shape and movement. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of eleven and stayed until his early twenties learning his 'craft' from eminent teachers including Georges Falkenberg, piano, Jean Gallon, harmony, Noël Gallon counterpoint and fugue, professor Baggers, timpani & percussion, Paul Dukas composition & orchestration, Maurice Emmanuel history of music and Marcel Dupré organ and improvisation, of which Messiaen excelled, becoming organist of La Sainte Trinité in Paris when he was 22 and remained there until his death. It's sometimes easy to forget that Messiaens' contribution to the organ repertoire is probably the greatest since Bach. The term 'craft' is purposeful here as Messiaen developed into a true craftsman in every respect with immensely detailed scores including string bowing, woodwind articulations, fingerings for keyboards and even sticking for percussion. Since the age of eighteen Messiaen had been collecting the songs of thousands of birds throughout France and the world. Early works showed an inkling of birdsong influence but after the war in the late 40s and 50s he began notating their songs in great detail and this became a vital musical source for him. An important event in 1952 was his meeting with ornithologist and author Jacques Delamain of which Messiaen declared: 'It was Delamain who taught me to recognise a bird from its song, without having to see its plumage or the shape of its beak.' Messiaen would begin by selecting a bird, say a warbler where he would notate hundreds of different warblers and then creates a composite of the best elements of all the warblers notated thus ending up with an 'ideal' warbler. The song is usually combined with the birds habitat, surroundings and time of day. 'It's the process of transformation' that Messiaen enjoys and relates this to the paintings of Monet who is not interested in putting say a water lily directly on the water of a picture but representing one variation of the light on the water lilies. His researches were so intense that he became an authoritative ornithologist able to recognize almost any bird that he heard. Several works have been devoted entirely to birdsong namely Catalogue d'Oiseaux, Réveil des oiseaux, Oiseaux Exotique, Le merle noir, Petites esquisses d'oiseaux and almost all other works include substantial references to the songs of birds. At the age of 19 the young Messiaen witnessed the death from consumption of his beloved mother. He moved to his paternal aunts in the countryside of the Aube region of France where, in Yvonne Loriod's words, 'the aunts took their nephew in to revive his taste for life and restore his health with good country air whilst he continued to compose'. Messiaen married his first wife Claire Delbos in June 1932. The daughter of a Sorbonne professor, she was a member of La Spirale, a prominent new music society, an accomplished violinist and composer (works include Primevere 5 Songs for soprano and piano, Deux Pièces for Organ 1935, Parce, Domine {Pardonnez,Seigneur, à votre peuple... } pour le temps du Carême for organ and Marie, toute-puissance suppliante for 4 Ondes Martenots) she sadly became physically and mentally ill and entered a psychiatric hospital (where she eventually died in 1959) leaving Messiaen a single parent bringing up their only son Pascal (born in 1937 a teacher of Russian, died 31st January 2020) throughout the late 30s and 40s. Messiaen and Claire Delbos gave many recitals in and around Paris during the early 1930s featuring the Romantic repetoire for violin and piano and in 1932 he composed Theme and Variations for her and they premiered the piece at a concert held by the Société Nationale. A second work for violin and piano recently came to light entitled Fantaisie composed in 1933. His song cycle Poemes pour Mi is also dedicated to Claire Delbos, Mi being a 'pet' name for her. Both music and words were written by Messiaen and celebrates the joy and sanctity of marriage. Messiaen was to continue to write the texts for most of his choral and vocal works including the Trois Petite liturgies de la Presence Divine which caused some negative if not hostile reactions from many critics at the first performance. He believes that this reaction was due to the fact that the work is full of passion but with a deep religious foundation and this took the critics by surprise and much of the criticisms were not directed at the music. In 1936, with the composers Andre Jolivet, Daniel Lesur, and Yves Baudrier, he founded the group La Jeune France ("Young France") to promote new French music. From 1934 to 1939 he taught piano sight reading at the École Normale de Musique and an organ improvisation course at the Schola Cantorum. Undoubtedly it has been Messiaens' devout Christian faith and Catholicism that has driven his compositional output through the years and there was no greater test of his faith than in June 1940 when he was captured by the Nazis and interned in prisoner of war camp Stalag 8A, Gorlitz , Poland. He recalls that at the time he and everybody in the camp were freezing, starving and miserable. The starvation was such that it heightened his 'coloured' dreams and this coupled with the experience of seeing the 'aurora borealis', coloured waves of clouds, led him to compose what is probably his most performed work: Quatour pour la Fin du Temps (Quartet for the end of Time). He befriended a German officer Carl-Albert Brüll who smuggled him manuscript paper, pencil and eraser which enabled him to retreat to the priests block after morning duties and compose. The instrumentation was governed by the musician friends that were with Messiaen in the camp. These were; violinist Jean Le Boulaire , cellist Etienne Pasquier , clarinetist Henri Akoka and with himself on a rather dilapidated piano premiered the work on January 15th 1941 in front of fellow prisoners who although maybe never understood the new harmonies etc. it took them away from the routine mundane life in the camp. He says that his music 'is not "nice" - it is certain. I am convinced that joy exists, convinced that the invisible exists more than the visible, joy is beyond sorrow, beauty is beyond horror'. Golden Oriole (Loriot) © Malcolm Raines and Chris Knights He returned from captivity in March 1941 and became a teacher and lecturer at the Paris Conservatoire giving his first class on 7th May the same year. He held classes in analysis, theory, aesthetics and rhythm but it wasn't until 1966 that he was officially appointed Professor of Composition (although he had in effect been teaching composition for years). Many famous 'names' passed through these classes including Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Iannis Xenakis, Alexander Goehr and later George Benjamin who Messiaen had a particular fondness and admiration of. Perhaps the one thing that rubbed off on all these composers is Messiaens' avoidance of regular metre citing it as artificial relating to marches and more popular music. Messiaen supports his argument by pointing out that in nature things are not even or regular. For example the branches of a tree and the waves of the sea are not even patterns. However, what is true is 'natural resonance', and this true phenomenon is what his music is based on. This period produced a great outpouring of music including the Trois Petite liturgies de la Presence Divine , the song cycle Harawi, Chant des deportes for choir and orchestra, Turangalila Symphonie , the mammoth piano cycles Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus and Visions de l'Amen for two pianos. These last two works and many more to follow were dedicated to Yvonne Loriod a young and highly gifted pupil who turned up in Messiaens' first class held at the Conservatoire in 1941. She says of that first encounter that 'all the students waited eagerly for this new teacher to arrive and finally he appeared with music case and badly swollen fingers, a result of his stay in the prisoner of war camp. He proceeded to the piano and produced the full score of Debussys' Prelude á l'apres-Midi d'un Faune and began to play all the parts. The whole class was captivated and stunned and everyone immediately fell in love with him'. Messiaen never imparted his own compositional techniques in his classes but rather steered students along their own paths. Messiaen has not always been in the favour of the musical establishment not least by the BBC who broadcast next to nothing on the then Third programme (later Radio 3) right up until the sixties by which time the composer was in his 60s. It was Felix Aprahamian who brought Messiaen to London in the late 30s to play La Nativite and has been a champion and formidable writer on Messiaen ever since. In the forties and fifties Messiaen was shunned on the one hand by the new 'avant-garde' as too sweet and sentimental and on the other hand by the more conventional musical public as too austere and discordant. Boulez in particular could not come to terms with and reacted against works like Turangalila with it's rich mix of tonal and atonal language saying that he prefers the ones that remain true to one style or the other. However, one gem of a composition was to turn 20th century music on its head. This was 'Mode de valeurs et d'intensites' part of four studies in rhythm for piano. It took Schoenberg's theory of serializing pitches a whole leap forward whereby Messiaen effectively serialized all musical parameters i.e. pitches, durations, dynamics and articulations. Thus each note has a character and identity all of its own which is maintained throughout the piece. For example, middle C will always appear as a dotted minim value, forte dynamic and have a tenuto articulation mark. Although this paved the way for the young generation of composers such as Stockhausen, Boulez, Nono etc. to explore previously uncharted territory, Messiaen himself never pursued the idea beyond that study but continued to turn to nature and his faith as the inspiration and starting points for his music continuing to use his own modes, complex rhythmic ideas and the songs of birds. Having said that, there are occasions when for instance he wanted to describe the horror and blackness of the night in the opening of " The Tawny Owl' from Catalogue d'Oiseaux where he uses a 'Mode de valeurs et d'intensites ' in a poetical sense to portray this. Indeed it must be said that Messiaen did more to advance rhythmic forms and ideas than any other composer of the 20th century. From the original programme of the first performance of Turangalîla Symphonie by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1949 Christiane Eda-Pierre in the role of the Angel: Saint Francois d'Assise Photo: Jacques Moetti In 1975 Messiaen embarked on his most ambitious project of his life, the opera Saint François d'Assise , a work that would occupy him for the following eight years. Saint François represents his life work combining all his compositional techniques gathered over fifty or so years. Scored for 22 woodwinds. 16 brass, 68 strings, 3 ondes Martenot and 5 keyboard percussions playing xylophone, xylorimba, marimba, glockenspiel & vibraphone. There are 6 percussionists playing tubular bells, claves, wind machine, snare drum, triangles,temple blocks, wood blocks, cymbals of various kinds, whip, maracas, reco-reco, glass chimes, shell chimes, wood chimes, tambourine, tôle (thunder sheet), gongs, tam tam, crotales tom toms and geophone (sand machine) together with 7 main solo characters and a choir of 150 it is certainly the largest forces Messiaen considered.Among the best essays on this work are Paul Griffiths' account in The Messiaen Companion and Messiaens' own comments in an interview with him. Soon after Messiaen's death I happened to be visiting Paris and felt the need to pay my respects at La Sainte Trinité, the church where Messiaen conceived so many of his great organ works. I was lucky enough to meet Father Yves de Boisrehen who for many years read the lessons etc. and said how he would be amazed when his words would suddenly 'come to life' for the congregation through the improvisations of Messiaen responding at the organ. Some would say 'an impossible act to follow' but in 1993 Naji Hakim entered that revered organ loft at la Trinité as successor to Messiaen. An accomplished composer and improviser, Naji Hakim was the one person Messiaen felt comfortable in the knowledge that the great French tradition of organist - composer and improviser would continue at la Trinité. Naji Hakim's reign came to an end in 2008 the centenary of Messiaen's birth. Thanks to today's mass audio market you won't have to scratch around as I did, finding recordings of the greatest French composer since Debussy. Fragments of Messiaen's music have found their way into several feature films including: Ken Russell's Dante's Inferno (Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum), the BBC documentary The Ascent of Man (also Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum), Oren Moverman's The Dinner (Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps) and Alejandro G. Iñárritu's The Revenant (Oraison-L'eau from Fêtes des Belles Eaux). Messiaen received many honours and prizes globally including: 1959 Nomination as an Officier of the Légion d'honneur 1967 Member of the Institut de France 1969 Calouste Gulbenkian Prize 1971 Erasmus Award 1975 Ernest von Siemens Award 1975 Associate Member of the Royal Academy of Science, Literature and Art of Belgium 1975 Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society 1978 The White Cliffs in Utah were renamed Mount Messiaen 1980 Presentation of the Croix de Commander of the Belgian Order of the Crown 1983 Wolf Foundation of the Arts Prize (Jerusalem) 1985 Inamori Foundation Prize (Kyoto) 1987 He was promoted to the highest rank, Grand-Croix, of the Légion d'honneur 1989 Primio Internazionale Paolo VI 1988 Back to top

Photos and images of Olivier Messiaen and related life events Gallery GalleryTop Copyright exists on all of these photographs. Downloading and electronic reproduction of any image is illegal without the express permission of the copyright owner. Plaque overlooking Lac Laffrey, Petichet. Plaque in homage to Messian, baptized at the Saint Didier church in Avignon on December 25, 1908 1. 2. Messiaen, Yvonne Loriod and John Carewe in rehearsal at the Royal Academy of Music London March 1987 3. 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 4. 5. 7. 6. Eglise de la Sainte Trinité. Paris ©M.Ball The tombe of Messiaen in the Eglise Saint Théoffrey, Petichet, France. © Malcolm Ball 8. 9. 10. 11 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. 13. 12. The headstone with 'Yvonne Messiaen' inscription (2010). 14. © John Stead 15. © John Stead Messiaen in the 1930's/40s & 50s) 16. 17. 18. (Photo©Lipnitzki) 19. 20 (Photo©Lipnitzki) Messiaen in the 1960's 21. 22. 23. ©T.Gaby © MB © MB Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod 23a - 23b 25. Messiaen in 1978 24. Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod in the recording studio 1973. Messiaen in the 1970's 26. Messiaen in 1971 Messiaen receiving the Laureate Erasmus Prize 1971. Presented by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands In the foreground L-R, Queen Juliana, Messiaen, Yvonne Loriod, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. 27. 29. Messiaen in the 1980's 28. Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod 1986 in Düsseldorfer Tonhalle. (photo:© Christine Langensiepen) 30. Messiaen at the presentation for the degree of Doctor of Music at the Guildhall London. 30a. © Laelia Goehr (Musicians in Camera) 30b. © Laelia Goehr (Musicians in Camera) 31. 33. 32 33a. Messiaen with Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps score, possibly at the time of the recording of the work for video with Alain Moglia, Michel Arrignon, Sonia Wieder-Atherton and Jean-Claude Henriot (Le Quatuor Olivier Messiaen ) with Pierre Boulez Karlheinz Stockhausen and Messiaen in 1961 34 Stockhausen, Boulez and Messiaen in the 1980's 35. Messiaen's house at Petichet. © M.Ball 36. The studio 'annexe' at Petichet. © M.Ball 38. The "garage" at Messiaen's Petichet house. © M.Ball 37. Messiaen's piano at Petichet 39. 40. 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. 41. The rue Olivier-Messiaen is a private road located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. 42. 43. Located in north central France, 'La Sauline' became the Messiaens second country retreat from 1981 to 1995. 44. © M.Ball. Used with kind permission of the present owners. Avenue Olivier Messiaen in Petichet. Petichet, in the commune of Saint-Théoffrey (Isère), joins the communes and towns in France, such as Paris, Toul, La Roche-sur-Yon and Chalon-sur-Saon, which have honoured Olivier Messiaen with a street named after him. Mr. Alain Mendez, mayor of the commune of Saint-Théoffrey, said that the local community had already decided in 2017 to honour the memory of the great composer in their town, where he had regularly come from Paris since 1936 to create his music. “Allée Olivier Messiaen ”, was the name given to the main street in Le Clos d’Eybains , a new housing estate under construction located above the first mayoral building on the Route Napoleon. The municipal council still includes the existing "Allée Yvonne Loriod ", and in 2021 and 2022 added the street names "Allée des Oiseaux " and "Allée de la Symphonie " (presumably referring to Turangalîla-symphonie ). In this case, the mountainous terrain from "Allée Olivier Messiaen " offers a magnificent view of the Grand Lac de Laffrey and the Le Grand Serre mountain on the opposite side of the lake. In his historic residence, now called the Olivier Messiaen House , standing on a slope leading to Lac Laffrey, the composer created all his greatest works, starting with Poèmes pour Mi and Les Corps glorieux. It was here that he composed and later rewrote the score of the opera Saint Francis of Assisi . The commune, thanks to the festival "Olivier Messiaen dans le pays de la Meije", lives the memory of the great composer, buried in the village cemetery at the church in Saint-Théoffrey. (Jerzy Stankiewicz) All photos ©Jerzy Stankiewicz 2024 JerzyPhotos Pyrz 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. 45. Eglise Notre Dame des Bruyères in Neuvy-sur-Barangeon where the 'Messiaens' worshipped in the Sologne region. 46. © M.Ball Sculpture of Messiaen by Josef Pyrz outside Eglise Notre Dame des Bruyères in Neuvy-sur-Barangeon 47. 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. 48. 49. Messiaen spent his early childhood here at 2 cours Berriat, Grenoble. © Colin Samuels 50. © John Stead 52. 51. © 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.