Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaenwas a French composer, organist, and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically and melodically it often uses modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations. Messiaen also drew on his Roman Catholic faith for his pieces...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth10 December 1908
CityAvignon, France
CountryFrance
Ascension He has gone away, the Well-Beloved, For our sake! He is risen, the Well-Beloved, For our sake! He has prayed, the Well-Beloved, For our sake! He has spoken, He has sung, The Word was with God.
A true music, that is to say, spiritual, a music which may be an act of faith; a music which may touch upon all subjects without ceasing to touch upon God; an original music, in short, whose language may open a few doors, take down some yet distant stars.
No one should be allowed to make music as if he were made of wood. One must reproduce the musical text exactly, but not play like a stone.