Product Description
Following the second World War, Olivier Messiaen, previously known primarily for his religious music, composed three works inspired by the medieval love story of Tristan and Iseult: Harawi, Turangalila-symphonie, and Cinq rechants. The three compositions are tied closely together by theme and musical technique. This new study is the only full-length consideration of this most significant work, applying literary techniques of stylistic analysis and source study as well as musical analysis of Messiaen's aesthetics and form. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Flawed, but best study to date of this interesting topic
Audrey Ekdahl Davidson's "Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth" covers Messiaen's so-called "Tristan trilogy": the song-cycle Harawi, the massive Turangalila-Symphonie, and the choral Cinq rechants. In these pieces Messiaen grappled with the myth and symbols surrounding Tristan and Isolde in a complex and very personal way. I can attest that it is possible to enjoy and be moved by these pieces without being aware of the Tristan theme or even understanding the words (in the case of Harawi and the Cinq rechants), but Messiaen's music always rewards further study and this book helps to unravel the complex web of themes and references in his treatment of the Tristan myth.

Davidson is most successful in her discussion of the often surreal imagery that Messiaen works with, and her translation and explication of the poems in Harawi and Cinq rechants is very helpful for an understanding of these difficult texts that combine French, Quechua, Sanskrit, and invented words. In the case of the Cinq rechants, there is almost no syntax whatsoever.

Davidson's musical analysis is comparatively disappointing, however. She often just describes the music sequentially in a way that does not enlighten the reader. Writing about music is very difficult, and I prefer a style that synthesizes what is noteworthy, important, and interesting, often drawing on the author's long experience with a piece or a composer. I had the sense that Davidson was relying on the score of each piece as a crutch. From a musical standpoint, I would recommend Robert Sherlaw Johnson's book on Messiaen (unfortunately out of print), though it, too, leaves something to be desired.

I am glad I read "Olivier Messiaen and the Tristan Myth," and am grateful for the insights it gave me into the fascinating works it covers. Nonetheless, I believe the definitive work on this subject still remains to be written. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of some of the finest piano music by the composer, with representative selections spanning most of his musical career. Includes: Preludes (I. La Colombe; IV. Instants defunts; VII. Plainte calme) * Piece pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas * Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (I. Regard du Pere; II. Regard de l'Etoile; III. L'Echange; IV. Regard de la Vierge; VII. Regard de la Croix; IX. Regard du Temps; XI. Premiere Communion de la Vierge; XIX. Je dors, mais mon coeur veille) * Prelude (1964) ... Read more

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For Oliver Messiaen, music was a way of expressing his faith. He considered it his good fortune to have been born a Catholic and declared that 'the illumination of the theological truths of the Catholic faith is the first aspect of my work, the noblest and no doubt the most useful'. Messiaen is one of the most widely performed and recorded composers of the twentieth-century and his popularity is increasing, but the theological component of his music has so far been neglected and continues to provide a serious impediment for some of his audience. "Messiaen the Theologian" makes a significant contribution by providing cultural and historical context to Messiaen's theology. An array of international Messiaen scholars cover a wide variety of topics including Messiaen's personal spirituality, the context of Catholicism in France in the twentieth century, and comparisons of Messiaen with other artists such as Dante and Maritain. Interdisciplinary methodologies including exegesis, theological studies and semiotics are used to contribute to the understanding of several major works including Eclairs sur l'au-dela...Sept Haikai and Saint Francois d'Assise.By approaching Messiaen from such important and original perspectives, this book will be of interest not only to musicologists, but also to theologians and other readers with an interest in the connections between religion/spirituality and the arts. ... Read more

Product Description
"A very good introduction to anyone beginning to listen to Messiaen's music."--Music and Musicians (on the first edition).This second edition of Roger Nichols's critical study of Olivier Messiaen--considered the most important French composer since Debussy and Ravel--has been brought up to date with new material on the two works composed since the first edition was published.This is a perceptive guide to the composer's development and aims, and a valuable introduction to his compositions. ... Read more

Product Description
These new essays written specifically for this volume explore the various aspects of Olivier Messiaen's spiritually committed musical language, drawing on his own remarks in subheadings and prefaces, his biblical and theological citations, his allusions to works of visual art, and on the language spoken directly by the musical tropes themselves. ... Read more

Product Description
The Miracle of Stalag 8A is a retelling of the fascinating story of Olivier Messiaen's composition of his Quartet for the End of Time. Set in France & Germany from 1939 to 1941, Messiaen served in the French army, was captured at Verdun, and sent to Stalag 8A in Gorlitz, Germany, where he composed the great work, The Quartet for the End of Time. The enigmatic Messiaen, an avant-garde composer and also a devout Catholic, along with Etienne Pasquier, an agnostic cellist, Henri Akoka, a Jewish Trotskyite Clarinetist, and Jean le Boulaire, an atheistic violinist, become the famous quartet of Stalag 8A. These four very different men collaborated to create musical history in the most unlikely of places. Messiaen's Quartet, composed in a Stalag, transforms man's inhumanity to man with hope. Yet to the avant-garde, he was too traditional and too religious; to the traditionalists and religious, he was too avant-garde. As a result he will always stand somewhere outside of Time. The first performance of the Quartet for the End of Time at Stalag 8A in January 1941 has become, in the words of Paul Griffiths, "one of the great stories of twentieth-century music".- From the Publisher ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Miracle of Stalag 8A
Review of: The Miracle of Stalag 8A
By:Dennis Gibbs 09/19/2010

I really liked " The Miracle of Stalag 8A" by John McMullen for several reasons:
- Based on real people, historical facts, and Bible scripture.
- Olivier Messiaen's faith in God, constant prayer under the horrible conditions of WWII and the German POW camp.
- Miracles:
A composer with a clarinet, piano, violin, cello players together in one POW shack.All but one instrument appearing out of nowhere.The music that pleased God.The humanitarian German guards, who helped make living a little easier, the concerts possible, and finally freedom.

Great story - very well told
I really enjoyed this book. John McMullen did a great job of making me feel like I was there - the sadness of leaving his family, the horrible conditions at the camp, the camaraderie of his friends, the compassion the officers showed them, and the triumph of his opening night. Very well done.

Excellent historical and spiritual perspective
I very much enjoyed this book, as a matter of fact, I read it all the way through the day I bought it. I think what I liked best about it was the sense of realism.Everything seemed very authentic and extremely detailed down to the last minutia.The battle/war scenes war created a true sense of how horiffic it must have been to be there.Also I found the dialogue to be very personable and engaging.It gives a real sense of what the personalities of Messiaen and his compatriots must have been like.Obviously the strong spiritual theme of Messiaen's unwavering faith in the face of literaly insurmountable obstacles was also very inspiring.I suppose it is true that God never gives us more then we can handle.His ideas of music and musical theory seemed rather abstract, I'm not sure I would actually enjoy his compositions from the way they are described, it seemed fairly unconventional. The ending was rather sad, it would have been nice to see a "happily ever after scenario" after all the horrors he had been though, but then since it is a retelling of someone's personal story, I understand that the author really didn't have the liberty to alter the facts about that. Anyway, thats just my humble opinion and I look forward to reading more of this author's work soon!

The Miracle of Stala 8A is a must read!
The Miracle of Stalag 8A is an inspiring story of hope, perservance, and faith. Musicians and non-musicians should read this book for its historical significance, its captivating storyline, and John McMullen's brilliant portrayal of a diverse cast of characters.

Fascinating
Well-researched and skillfully written, this book is an important testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Fast-paced; I was at no point bogged down with lengthy blocks of exposition -- the story keeps moving at just the right clip. ... Read more

Product Description
Olivier Messiaen stands as one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century and among the foremost religious artists of any era. When he died in 1992, the prevailing image was of a deeply religious man whose only sources of inspiration were God and Nature, and of a composer whose music progressed along an entirely individual path, impervious to contemporaneous events and the whims both of his fellow artists and the critics. The Life of Messiaen paints a more nuanced picture of the man and the musician, peering behind Messiaen's public persona to examine the private difficulties and creative struggles that were the true backdrop to many of his greatest achievements. Based upon the latest research, including previously overlooked sources, this book provides an excellent introduction to Messiaen's life and work, presenting a fascinating new perspective of a man whose story is more remarkable than the myths surrounding it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Biography
Dingle provides personal information and photos not found in any other published source of this composer.I studied with Messiaen in 1971 and have read almost everything in book form published about Messiaen.I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive English-language study of the works of Olivier Messiaen, one of the most important of living composers, is here revised and updated. Robert Sherlaw Johnson surveys Messiaen's music and musical language, exploring the development of Messiaen's technique, his individual approach to harmony and rhythm, the theological and symbolic aspects of his music, and his use of birdsong. A brief biographical sketch is included, as well as a chronological list of works. ... Read more