Olivier Messiaen

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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

Click to sort by opus number, title, or year of composition or publication
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[1]

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

Pay to Listen

Other Resources

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Notes

  1. This footnote was entered in the "Registration and Organs" section

This space is for automatic insertion of footnotes. To enter a footnote from anywhere in the article, start by typing the tag <ref> and then enter the text, and type the tag </ref> to end the footnote. The footnote will then appear in this "Notes" section automatically.