When Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) completed the vast opera Saint FranAois d'Assise in 1983, he was mentally and physically exhausted, and believed that this monumental work would be his final compositional statement. In fact, he completed seven further works, and these form the focus of the present study. Christopher Dingle suggests that, following the crisis provoked by the opera, Messiaen's music underwent a discernible change in style. He examines these seven works to identify characteristics of the composer's music, in particular an often overlooked aspect of his technique: harmony. Part I of the book begins with a brief historical survey before discussing Saint FranAois d'Assise as the work which defines everything that follows. Part II examines the series of miniatures that came after the opera and their links with A0/00clairs sur l'Au-DelA ..., his final masterpiece. A0/00clairs forms the subject of Part III of the book. Each movement is analysed in turn, before the work is considered as a whole and its hidden structure and motivic cohesion is revealed. Finally, Part IV considers the incomplete Concert A 4 and key stylistic features of the works of Messiaen's final years.
Christopher Dingle is Reader in Music at Birmingham Conservatoire, UK. He is the author of the acclaimed biography The Life of Messiaen (Cambridge University Press), co-editor of Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature (Ashgate) and is editing, with Robert Fallon, two further collections of essays, Messiaen Perspectives 1: Sources and Influences and Messiaen Perspectives 2: Techniques, Influence and Reception (both Ashgate). He is also editing The Cambridge History of Music Criticism (CUP, forthcoming) and is a member of the review panel for BBC Music Magazine.
Title: Messiaen's Final Works
Author: Dingle, Christopher
ISBN: 9780754606338
Binding:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publication Date: 2013-01-03
Number of Pages: 392
Weight: 0.8212 kg
'Christopher Dingle's finely detailed accounts of the music of Messiaen's last years reveal a fascinating creative renewal, marked by a luminous sound world and a fresh rapprochement with the composer's earlier music. Particularly welcome and revealing are the accounts of the undervalued miniatures and A0/00clairs. Dingle's demonstration of Messiaen's structural use of harmony will surely lead to a reappraisal of all Messiaen's music, challenging as it does the orthodox view that his music is static and non-developing. Enriched by biographical detail and unpublished source material, this important book will be essential reading for all those interested in the life and works of one of the great figures of twentieth-century music.' Peter Hill, University of Sheffield, UK 'This is a terrific book... As well as filling out our knowledge and appreciation of what went into Messiaen's late works, this book is also a magnificent resource.' MusicWeb International 'Christopher Dingle expertly interweaves biographical detail with scrupulous analytical insight, and the sheer scope of his investigation will surely cement his position as one of the leading Messiaen scholars of his generation. Christopher Dingle's book has made an excellent and provocative opening into an intriguing area of study. It fully deserves its place on the shelf of any Messiaen scholar.' H-France Review '... ce livre plutAt agreable A lire, genereusement illustre par de nombreux exemples musicaux et assorti d'annexes et appendices fort utiles. Son utilite aupres des specialistes de la musique du vingtieme siecle [...] est assure pour les annees A venir. [... this book [is] rather enjoyable to read, generously illustrated with numerous music examples and accompanied by useful annexes and appendices. Its usefulness among specialists of twentieth-century music [...] is assured for years to come.]' Revue de Musicologie 'L'indubbio valore del notevole lavoro critico e
