Olivier Messiaen

Synopsis

French organist and composer

• 10 Dec 1908, born in Avignon, France
• 1924, Paris, Entered Paris Conservitoire.
• Autumn 1927, Paris, Studied organ with Marcel Dupre.
• 1929-31, Paris, deputy organist at Église de la Sainte-Trinité
• 1931-92, Paris, organist at Église de la Sainte-Trinité
• 1930's, composed several of his multi-movement organ works
• 1984, Livre du Saint Sacrament published
• 27 Apr 1992, died in Paris, France

The bulk of his organ compositions came in the 1930's, with the multi-movement works. To get a sense of his style, here is a video recording of Messiaen improvising.

For details, see the Wikipedia article on Olivier Messiaen.

List of Organ Works

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Opus	French Title	English Translation	Year
Op. ??	Esquisse modale	???	1927 (unpub.)
Op. ??	Le banquet céleste	The heavenly banquet	1928
Op. ??	L'hôte aimable des âmes	???	1928 (unpub.)
Op. ??	Variations écossaises	???	1928 (unpub.)
Op. ??	Offrande au Saint-Sacrament	???	1930-35 (unpub.)
Op. ??	Diptyque	Diptych	1930
Op. ??	Apparition de l'église éternelle	Apparition of the eternal church	1932
Op. ??	L'ascension	The Ascension	1932-33
Op. ??	La Nativité du Seigneur	The Lord's nativity	1935
Op. ??	Les corps glorieux	Glorious bodies	1939
Op. ??	Messe de la Pentecôte	Pentecost mass	1949-50
Op. ??	Livre d'orgue	???	1951-2
Op. ??	Verset pour la Fête de la dédicace	Verse for the festival of dedication	1960
Op. ??	Monodie	???	1963
Op. ??	Méditations sur le mystèrede la Sainte Trinité	Meditations on the mystery of the Holy Trinity	1969
Op. ??	Livre du Saint Sacrament	Book of the Holy Sacrament	1984
Op. ??	Prelude	???	???? (unpub.)

Background and General Perspectives on Performing Messiaen Organ Works

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Registration and Organs

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See the footnote in the "Notes" section at the bottom of the page

Fingering and Pedaling

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Articulation and Phrasing

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Ornamentation

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Tempo and Meter

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Scores and Editions

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Recordings

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Free Online

Messiaen - L'Ascension, for solo organ, performed by Olivier Latry

Olivier Messiaen - improvisation "Puer Natus Est", performed by Olivier Messiaen

Pay to Listen

• Complete Organ Works as recorded by Hans-Ola Ericsson on NAXOS

Other Resources

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Notes

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