CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS - 521
Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux
Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux
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From Conception to Performance
Roderick Chadwick and Peter Hill give a detailed account of the evolution of Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux for piano solo, from its initial conception in the Black Forest in 1953 to its completion and premiere in the Parisian 'Concerts du Domaine Musical' at the end of the decade. Through close examination of the composer's birdsong cahiers they demonstrate how Messiaen translated nature into music in a way that had a major impact on his later work. They also consider issues of performance, and Messiaen's artistic relationship with his dedicatee and wife-to-be, Yvonne Loriod, including the significance of her two recordings of the cycle. This book illuminates the Catalogue from a variety of angles: its historical significance, as a study of how mimicry of nature can be transformed into music of mesmeric originality, and as a guide that offers a wealth of fresh insights to listeners and performers.
- This first comprehensive study of the origins of this major twentieth-century work reveals important insights into Messiaen's compositional methods
- Includes an account by Peter Hill of his time working with Messiaen before making his acclaimed recording of Catalogue d'oiseaux
- Offers an unparalleled exploration of the composer's birdsong notebooks, enabling readers to join Messiaen on his creative journey and to appreciate how this work stimulated new directions in his own and other music