Short bio Olivier Messiaen
Birthday:
1908 in Avignon, France
Died:
1992 in Clichy-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France
Active:
1930s - 1990s
Genre:
Classical,Avant-Garde
Period:
20th Century, Modern
Full biography Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer who lived from 1908 to 1992. He is known for his innovative approach to music, incorporating elements of Eastern and Western musical traditions, as well as his deep religious beliefs. Messiaen's music is often characterized by its use of striking harmonies, complex rhythms, and colorful orchestration.
Messiaen was born in Avignon, France and showed an early aptitude for music, beginning his studies at the Paris Conservatory at the age of 11. He went on to study under the famous composer Maurice Emmanuel, as well as with André Gédalge and Paul Dukas.
During his studies, Messiaen began to develop his unique musical style, which drew on a range of influences, including the works of Debussy, Stravinsky, and Messiaen's own interest in birdcalls. He also incorporated elements of Indian and Indonesian classical music, especially with his use of complex rhythms and unusual scales.
Despite his innovative approach to music, Messiaen remained deeply committed to his Catholic faith, and much of his work is inspired by religious themes. One of his most famous pieces, the "Quartet for the End of Time," was written while he was a prisoner of war during World War II, and draws inspiration from the Book of Revelation.
Overall, Olivier Messiaen's contributions to the world of classical music have made him one of the most innovative and influential composers of the 20th century.
Compositions featuring Olivier Messiaen
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pièce, for piano & string quartet, I/58 | 3:22 min | Chamber Music | 1991 |
| 2 | Concert à quatre, for flute, cello, piano & orchestra, I/62 | 26:09 min | Concerto | 1990 |
| 3 | Un Sourire, for orchestra, I/57 | 9:53 min | Orchestral | 1989 |
| 4 | Eclairs sur l'au-delá, for orchestra, I/61 | 66:19 min | Orchestral | 1988 |
| 5 | La Ville d'en haut, for 31 winds, piano & percussion, I/56 | 9:07 min | Orchestral | 1987 |
| 6 | Chant (dans le style Mozart), for clarinet & piano | 3:29 min | Chamber Music | 1986 |
| 7 | Un Vitrail et des oiseaux, for piano, 17 winds, trumpet & 8 percussion, I/55 | 9:09 min | Chamber Music | 1986 |
| 8 | Petites esquisses d'oiseaux (6), for piano, I/54 | 14:25 min | Keyboard | 1985 |
| 9 | Livre du Saint-Sacrement, for organ, I/53 | 102:05 min | Keyboard | 1984 |
| 10 | Saint François d'Assise, opera in 3 acts, I/52 | 235:24 min | Opera | 1975 |
| 11 | Des canyons aux étoiles..., for piano, horn, xylorimba, glockenspiel & orchestra, I/51 | 56:08 min | Orchestral | 1971 |
| 12 | La Fauvette des jardins, for piano, I/50 | 27:50 min | Keyboard | 1970 |
| 13 | Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, for organ, I/49 | 74:23 min | Keyboard | 1969 |
| 14 | La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ, for 100 voices, pno, cello, fl, clar, xylorimba, vib, mar & orchestra, I/48 | 96:57 min | Choral | 1965 |
| 15 | Prélude, for piano | 4:06 min | Keyboard | 1964 |
| 16 | Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, for 34 winds & 3 percussion, I/47 | 23:24 min | Orchestral | 1963 |
| 17 | Couleurs de la cité céleste, for piano, 13 winds & 6 percussion, I/46 | 16:56 min | Orchestral | 1963 |
| 18 | Monodie, for organ, I/45a | 3:10 min | Keyboard | 1963 |
| 19 | Sept haïkaï, for piano, 13 winds, 6 percussion & 8 violins, I/45 | 12:19 min | Chamber Music | 1962 |
| 20 | La Fauvette Passerinette, suite for piano (incomplete) | 11:04 min | Keyboard | 1961 |
| 21 | Verset pour la Fête de la Dédicace, for organ, I/44 | 10:35 min | Keyboard | 1960 |
| 22 | Chronochromie, for orchestra, I/43 | 21:52 min | Orchestral | 1959 |
| 23 | Catalogue d'oiseaux (in 7 books), for piano, I/42 | 75:01 min | Keyboard | 1956 |
| 24 | Oiseaux exotiques, for piano, 11 winds & 7 percussion, I/41 | 14:43 min | Chamber Music | 1955 |
| 25 | Réveil des oiseaux, for piano & orchestra, I/40 | 21:33 min | Concerto | 1953 |
| 26 | Le merle noir, for flute & piano, I/37 | 6:00 min | Chamber Music | 1951 |
| 27 | Livre d'orgue, for organ, I/38 | 33:51 min | Keyboard | 1951 |
| 28 | Messe de la Pentecôte, for organ, I/36 | 24:45 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 29 | Études de rhythme (4), for piano solo, I/32-35 | 10:52 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 30 | Cantéyodjayâ, for piano, I/30 | 12:27 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 31 | Cinq rechants, for 12 voices, I/31 | 19:05 min | Vocal Music | 1948 |
| 32 | Turangalîla-symphonie, for piano, ondes martenot & orchestra, I/29 | 75:06 min | Symphony | 1948 |
| 33 | Chant des Déportés, for chorus & orchestra, I/60 | 3:37 min | Choral | 1945 |
| 34 | Tristan et Yseult: Thème d'amour, for organ | 1:40 min | Keyboard | 1945 |
| 35 | Harawi, song cycle for soprano & piano, I/28 | 33:37 min | Vocal Music | 1945 |
| 36 | Regards (20) sur l'Enfant-Jésus, for piano, I/27 | 81:16 min | Keyboard | 1944 |
| 37 | Visions de l'Amen, for 2 pianos, I/25 | 40:26 min | Keyboard | 1943 |
| 38 | Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine, for women's chorus, piano, ondes martenot, percussion & strings, I/26 | 27:44 min | Choral | 1943 |
| 39 | Rondeau, for piano, I/24 | 2:38 min | Keyboard | 1943 |
| 40 | Quatuor pour la fin du temps, for violin, cello, clarinet & piano, I/22 | 43:43 min | Chamber Music | 1940 |
| 41 | Le Corps glorieux, brief visions (7) for organ, I/20 | 39:05 min | Keyboard | 1939 |
| 42 | Chants de terre et de ciel, song cycle for soprano & piano, I/19 | 17:05 min | Vocal Music | 1938 |
| 43 | Fête des belles eaux, for 6 ondes martenot, II/14 | 33:28 min | Electronic/Computer Music | 1937 |
| 44 | O sacrum convivium!, for voices, I/18 | 4:48 min | Choral | 1937 |
| 45 | Oraison, for ondes martenot | 7:54 min | Electronic/Computer Music | 1937 |
| 46 | Poèmes pour Mi, song cycle for soprano & piano (or orchestra), I/17b | 21:16 min | Vocal Music | 1936 |
| 47 | Pièce pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas, for piano, I/16 | 3:14 min | Keyboard | 1935 |
| 48 | Vocalise-étude, for soprano & piano (orchestrated as II mvt. of "Concert à quatre"), I/15 | 4:13 min | Vocal Music | 1935 |
| 49 | La Nativité du Seigneur, meditations (9) for organ, I/14 | 34:52 min | Keyboard | 1935 |
| 50 | Morceau de lecture à vue, for piano | 2:11 min | Keyboard | 1934 |
| 51 | Fantasie, for violin & piano, II/12 | 8:15 min | Chamber Music | 1933 |
| 52 | Fantaisie burlesque, for piano, I/11 | 7:34 min | Keyboard | 1932 |
| 53 | Apparition de l'église éternelle, for organ, I/8 | 8:59 min | Keyboard | 1932 |
| 54 | L'Ascension, for organ, I/12b (arr. from orchestral piece) | 20:27 min | Keyboard | 1932 |
| 55 | Theme and Variations, for violin & piano, I/10 | 9:41 min | Chamber Music | 1932 |
| 56 | L'Ascension, 4 meditations for orchestra, I/12a | 25:32 min | Orchestral | 1932 |
| 57 | Hymne (au Saint Sacrement), for orchestra, I/9 | 14:26 min | Orchestral | 1932 |
| 58 | Le Tombeau resplendissant, for orchestra, I/7 | 16:16 min | Orchestral | 1931 |
| 59 | Offrande au Saint-Sacrement, for organ | 5:00 min | Keyboard | 1930 |
| 60 | Diptyque, for organ, I/3 | 12:11 min | Keyboard | 1930 |
| 61 | Les Offrandes oubliées, méditations symphoniques, for orchestra (also a piano reduction), I/5a,b | 11:23 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 62 | Mélodies (3), for soprano & piano, I/4 | 5:07 min | Vocal Music | 1930 |
| 63 | La Mort du nombre, for soprano, tenor, violin & piano, I/6 | 10:54 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 64 | Preludes (8) for piano, I/2 | 34:51 min | Keyboard | 1928 |
| 65 | Le banquet eucharistique, for orchestra (related to "Le banquet céleste"), II/7 | 7:47 min | Orchestral | 1928 |
| 66 | Le banquet céleste, for organ, I/1 | 7:01 min | Keyboard | 1928 |
| 67 | Fauvettes de l'Hérault - Concert des garrigues, for piano (reconstruction by R. Muraro) | 25:12 min | Concerto | - |
| 68 | Prélude, for organ | 9:18 min | Keyboard | - |
| 69 | Leçons de solfège, exercises for voice | 9:38 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 70 | Feuillets inédits (4), for ondes Martenot | 11:14 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 71 | Work(s) for piano | Keyboard | - |
Leave a Reply