Olivier Messiaen

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Olivier Messiaen (December 10, 1908 – April 27, 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. Messiaen’s music is rhythmically complex (he was interested in rhythms from ancient Greek and from Hindu sources), and is harmonically and melodically based on modes of limited transposition, which were Messiaen’s own innovation. Many of his compositions depict what he termed “the marvellous aspects of the faith”, drawing on his unshakeable Roman Catholicism. He travelled widely, and he wrote works inspired by such diverse influences as Japanese music, the landscape of Bryce Canyon in Utah, and the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Messiaen experienced a mild form of synaesthesia manifested as a perception of colours when he heard certain harmonies. For a short period Messiaen experimented with “total serialism”, in which field he is often cited as an innovator. His style absorbed many exotic musical influences such as Indonesian gamelan (tuned percussion often features prominently in his orchestral works), and he also championed the ondes Martenot.

Messiaen found birdsong fascinating; he believed birds to be the greatest musicians and considered himself as much an ornithologist as a composer. He notated birdsongs worldwide, and he incorporated birdsong transcriptions into a majority of his music. His innovative use of colour, his personal conception of the relationship between time and music, his use of birdsong, and his intent to express profound religious ideas, all combine to make it almost impossible to mistake a composition by Messiaen for the work of any other Western classical composer.

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contemporary classical, classical, avant-garde, experimental, french
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Quartet for the End of Time
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1	Oraison	228
2	Intermede	185
3	Regard des Hauteurs	182
4	Abime des oiseaux	163
5	Louange a l'Eternite de Jesus	140
6	Premire Communion De La Vierge	120
7	Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes	109
8	Regard des Anges	99
9	Amen of the Judgement full track	75
10	La colombe (The Dove) full track	53
11	Louange a l'Immortalite de Jesus	46
12	Liturgie de cristal	43
13	Éclair sur l'Au-Delà ... free download	37
14	Regard de l'Onction terrible	31
15	Regard de la Vierge	27

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tihsymtae wrote:
Tuesday afternoon

I'm afraid I just don't get it. I guess I'm a little conservative in my musical tastes, or maybe I just don't get what he's trying to do. I'm listening to the Quartet for the End of Time right now. I could see how this might be good programmatic music but as a stand alone piece it doesn't do anything for me. (This is my response to much of Philip Glass' work as well).

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Edelce wrote:
Tuesday morning

que buena foto

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C3rp1nTaxt wrote:
21 days ago

His Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte are some of the most beatiful organ pieces i've heard, along with Bach and Mendelssohn ones. Also, someone knows how are made that sounds of air gusts in his Canyons Aux Étoiles? i've heard them too in Jean-Philippe Rameau "Les Boréades" and always were intrigued about it.

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teimuraz13 wrote:
last month

I have my own musician gods in my head: J.S.Bach, G.F.Handel, C.Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and Arvo Part

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TomBarlow wrote:
last month

Turangalila Symphonie = fucking amazing

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wkn wrote:
August 2009

My favorite Messiaen piece would have to be Chronochromie.

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Nisstyre56 wrote:
August 2009

I made this new group for fans of Impressionist music, the other two on Last.fm are a bit...lacking, to say it nicely. http://www.last.fm/group/Impressionist+Music

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robertsona_last wrote:
July 2009

Louange a l'Eternite de Jesus is amazing. AMAZING

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Edelce wrote:
July 2009

Aun no me deja de impresionar lo cerca que su obra estaba de la confusión, pasajes endemoniadamente complicados, que incluso parecían improvisación colectiva (como en Turangalila), cada mínusculo detalle de sus piezas está tna bien pensado que da escalofrios pensar en un hombre con tanto perfeccionismo y genio. Saludos

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zunari wrote:
May 2009

http://www.last.fm/group/NO+MORE+ON+TOUR+JOKES

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Baboushkabibi wrote:
April 2009

ornithology...some tracks are indeed Bird sh@t, but music is, what music does...just like the rambling bradord suggests...music is more than busting a move on the dance floor...It creates an experience...though some pieces screw with my head

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BradfordCross wrote:
March 2009

I'm ok with that. I thought it was a thought worth discussion with more people than him alone.

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NegruVoda wrote:
March 2009

That's well put Bradford, but you put a disproportionate amount of effort into responding to an idiot. In other words, you got trolled, bro.

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BradfordCross wrote:
February 2009

The conventions of music are not predetermined fate, they simply came to be through a series of events. Because of this it makes no logical sense to look down upon something simply becuase it doesn't adhere to the major-minor system we've come to know as music. Any other way of organizing pitches and rhythm, and any other way of composing are equally valid, they're just not what we're used to. They really shouldn't even be viewed as "experimental" simply given the negative connotation that comes along with that word in regards to music. You have every right to like or dislike something, but there is a difference between liking/disliking and appreciating, and far too many people fail to see that. Just because you personally dislike it does not at all negate its importance to music and music's development, and just because you dislike it does not mean that it isn't incredibly important and completely valid, every bit as much as any other form of music.

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BradfordCross wrote:
February 2009

I feel very sorry for you Eftos

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Eftos wrote:
February 2009

pseudo random with strong lack of melodical sense. but there is one good thing: you can trash it all.

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MazaroAnonymous wrote:
January 2009

I'd say if you're new to Messiaen, start with L'Ascension (The Ascension) or the CD with Yvonne Loriod of "Quartet for the End of Time" and "Theme and Variations"... His organ work is also all brilliant. The Gillian Weir "Complete Organ Works" box set is amazing. The Olivier Latry Organ box set is great also.

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MazaroAnonymous wrote:
January 2009

Messiaen initially seems so violent and strange but reveals a lot of sensitivity and diversity of emotion later... His music is achingly, abrasively sincere. Some of my favorite music of all time.

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lungs wrote:
January 2009

yes! he was the composer who simulated bird song! does anyone here know which of his works were ornithological?

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slayerfat wrote:
January 2009

great harmony

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