Olivier Messiaen
In his work, Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) aims, first of all, to overwhelm the listener with sensuality of sound. At the same time, this music, which can have such an intoxicating effect, is based on rationally calculating methods inspired by mathematics. Messiaen derives rhythms and harmonies from the repetition of the smallest structural features. In doing so, he draws on influences of the most diverse kind, ranging from stylised bird calls to Gregorian chant and non-European music.
Messiaen was born in Avignon on 10th December 1908. His affinity for music and his creative talent emerged at an early age and were encouraged by his literary and artistic parents. In 1931, Messiaen began his musical career as organist at Sainte Trinité, one of the great Parisian churches, a position he held until his death – for more than 60 years. Of course, he also composed for his instrument, and in addition to orchestral and piano music, his music for the organ, expressing most clearly the mystical Catholicism to which Messiaen adhered, is one of the mainstays of his oeuvre. His first phase, which culminated in the monumental "Turangalîla Symphony" (1946–48), was still clearly reminiscent of Debussy and Ravel. The compositions from 1949 onwards, such as the era-defining "Quatre Études de rhythme" for piano, then brought a radical creative shift from exuberant opulence to strict constructivism. Messiaen gradually distanced himself from this ascetic style of writing in subsequent orchestral works and thus found his characteristic style. He combines chorale-like melodies, which frequently emerge in extremely calm movement, discordant sound fields of a complexity impossible to comprehend, and other heterogeneous elements into irregular mosaics, which overwhelm the listener above all through their tonal effects. In 1975, Messiaen, by then a world-famous composer, began to work on the opera "Saint François d'Assise", which was premiered in November 1983 and which he considered the masterpiece of his oeuvre. The composer died in Paris on 28th April 1992.
© Photo Rob C. Croes, Nationaal Archiv, Wikimedia Commons
Past Events
Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam
Daniel Harding, conductor
Stravinsky | Messiaen | Debussy
Visiting Orchestras / London III
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor
Works by Hans Abrahamsen and Olivier Messiaen
First Berlin performance of the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle
Pierre-Laurent Aimard I
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Late Night at the Philharmonie
Olivier Messiaen
Catalogue d’Oiseaux for piano
Florent Boffard
Works by Domenico Scarlatti, György Kurtág, Alexander Skrjabin, George Benjamin, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy and Olivier Messiaen
Visiting orchestras / Percussion
Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar de Venezuela
Villa-Lobos / Messiaen
Guest Ensemble
Ensemble intercontemporain / Susanna Mälkki
Tempelhof II
Olivier Messiaen: Des Canyons aux étoiles…
Berlin-based Orchestras
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Marek Janowski
Works by Olivier Messiaen and Maurice Ravel
Berlin-based Orchestras
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester / Ingo Metzmacher
Works by Richard Wagner and Olivier Messiaen
Berlin-based Orchestras
Konzerthausorchester Berlin / Lothar Zagrosek
Works by Gérard Grisey, Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messiaen and Alexander Skrjabin
Berlin-based Orchestras
Berliner Philharmoniker / Sir Simon Rattle
Works by Richard Wagner and Olivier Messiaen
Visiting Orchestras
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg / Sylvain Cambreling
Works by Olivier Messiaen and Anton Bruckner
Visiting Orchestras
Orchestre de Paris / Christoph Eschenbach
Works by Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Ravel and Alexander Zemlinsky
Visiting Orchestras
London Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Harding
Works by Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen and Anton Bruckner
Berlin-based Orchestras
Göteborgs Symfoniker / Alexander Briger
Works by Olivier Messiaen, Peter Eötvös and Alexander Skrjabin
Visiting Orchestras