Overview

The celebrated composer Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) 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. This book is part of Siglind Bruhn's Messiaen Trilogy.

Full Product Details

Author:   Siglind Bruhn
Publisher:   Pendragon Press
Imprint:   Pendragon Press
Volume:   v. 7
Dimensions:   Width: 6.00cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 9.00cm
Weight:   0.494kg
ISBN:  

9781576471296

ISBN 10:   1576471292
Pages:   296
Publication Date:   17 March 2007
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Inactive
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

Preface Introduction Part I - Messiaen's Religious Resources Catholocism in the Composer's Early Environment Elements of a Musical Language of Faith Part II - The Sevenfold Amen in the Relationship between God and His Creatures The Sources of Messiaen's Concept of Amen Alpha and Omega, Creation and Consummation The Suffering Son of God and the Exultation in the Heights Law and Measure in God's Creation The Centrality of Desire Part III - Contemplations of the Child at Bethlehem (A Multi-dimensional Symphony) The Sources of the Gazes upon the Infant Jesus The Incarnation of Divine Love (Exposition) The Human Response to God's Plan (Development Section Joy, Adoration, and Commitment (Contrasts) Jesus: Fountain and Future (Framing Syntheses Appendix 1: Overview of the Two Cycles and Translation of Titles Appendix 2: Carngadeva's 120 deci-talas Appendix 3: Biographic notes Bibliography List of Illustrations Index About the Author

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Author Information

Siglind Bruhn is a musicologist, concert pianist, and interdisciplinary scholar whose research focuses on compositions of the 20th century. Prior to coming to the United States, she taught for ten years in Germany and at the University of Hong Kong. Since 1993 she has been a full-time researcher at the University of Michigan's Institute for the Humanities (one of six Life Research Associates ); in the fall of 2004, she was appointed chercheur permanent at the Institut d'Esthetique des Arts Contemporains at Universite de Paris 1-La Sorbonne. She has been an elected member of the European Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2001.

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