Messiaen: Transcending Time: Messiaen's Approach to Time in Music

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992), one of the most prolific composers of the 20th Century, was a devout Catholic whose compositions were very often inspired by the ideals of his faith. A theme that recurrs often in his works is music's relationship to time, and the linear nature of the passage of time as human beings comprehend it. It is Messiaen's ideal to write music that aspires to reach a divine level, free from human constraints. The most important of these constraints is time, music being dependant on the linear passage of time. By using a variety of techniques, Messiaen tries to alter the linear nature of time, thus reaching Divinity on a symbolic level. This book discusses the reasons for Messiaen's attitude towards time in music. It also gives a thorough analyses of two major works, the "Visions de l'Amen" and the "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus", as examples of Messiaen's techniques for approaching time in music.