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Olivier Messiaen

View all recordings of works by this composer

Apparition de l'eglise eternelle (10)
Canteyodjaya (6)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 1 (4)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 2 (1)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 3 (4)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 4 (2)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 5 (3)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Book 7 (2)
Catalogue d'oiseaux Books 1-7 (complete) (3)
Catalogue d'oiseaux (3)
Chants (6) de terre et de ciel (3)
Chronochromie for large orchestra (6)
Des Canyons aux etoiles... (excerpts) (1)
Des Canyons aux etoiles... (3)
Dieu parmi nous (1)
Diptyque (9)
Eclairs sur l'au-dela (2)
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (2)
Etudes de rythme (4) (9)
Fantaisie burlesque (5)
Fantaisie for violin and piano (3)
Fantaisie (3)
Fauvettes de l'Herault: Concert des garrigues (ed. Muraro) (1)
Fetes des belles eaux (2)
Haikai (7) (1)
Harawi: Chants d'amour et de mort (7)
Hymne au Saint-Sacrement (2)
Institution de l'Eucharist (1)
L'Alouette Lulu (2)
L'Ascension (organ) (16)
L'Ascension: Four symphonic meditations for orchestra (5)
L'echange (1)
La Fauvette Passerinette (3)
La Fauvette des jardins (5)
La Nativite du Seigneur (20)
La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ (1)
La fiancee perdue (1)
La mort du nombre (2)
Le Banquet celeste (14)
Le Courlis cendre (2)
Le Reveil des oiseaux (2)
Le Tombeau resplendissant (2)
Lecons de solfege (5) (1)
Le merle noir (13)
Les Corps glorieux (12)
Les Offrandes oubliees (7)
Le traquet stapazin (1)
Livre d'orgue (9)
Livre du Saint-Sacrament (11)
Meditations (9) sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite (9)
» no.2
» no.3
Melodies (3) (5)
Messe de la Pentecote (14)
» Entree
Monodie (5)
Morceau de lecture a vue (4)
Offrande au Saint Sacrement (6)
Oiseaux exotiques (5)
O sacrum convivium (16)
Petites esquisses d'oiseaux (6) (7)
Petites liturgies de la Presence Divine (3) (3)
Piece pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas (6)
Piece pour piano et quatuor a cordes (2)
Poemes pour Mi (9)
Prelude for piano (1964) (3)
Prelude pour orgue (5)
Preludes (8) for piano (14)
Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) (40)
Rechants (5) (7)
Regard de la Vierge (1)
Rhythmic Studies (4) (2)
Rondeau (4)
Saint Francois d'Assise (3)
Theme and Variations for piano and violin (13)
Tristan et Yseult: Theme d'amour (1)
Turangalila Symphony (11)
» Finale
Un Sourire (3)
Verset pour la fete de la dedicace (8)
Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (32)
» Noel
Visions de l'Amen (13)
Vocalise-Etude for soprano and piano (arr. Anna Lapwood for organ) (1)
Vocalise-Etude for soprano and piano (5)
no.6 Joie et clarte des Corps Glorieux (1)

Olivier Messiaen (December 10, 1908 – April 27, 1992) was 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.

He travelled widely and wrote works inspired by diverse influences such as Japanese music, the landscape of Bryce Canyon in Utah and the life of St. Francis of Assisi. He said he perceived colours when he heard certain musical chords (a phenomenon known as synaesthesia in its literal manifestation); combinations of these colours, he said, were important in his compositional process. For a short period Messiaen experimented with the parametrisation associated with "total serialism", in which field he is often cited as an innovator. His style absorbed many exotic musical influences such as Indonesian gamelan (tuned percussion often features prominently in his orchestral works).

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Recent Messiaen releases

Cherubini Quartett: The Complete Warner Classics Recordings
Cherubini Quartett: The Complete Warner Classics Recordings

£43.65

(Warner)

Fantasy: Schubert, Stravinsky, Schumann, Messiaen
Fantasy: Schubert, Stravinsky, Schumann, Messiaen

£14.49

(Alpha)

Messiaen - Turangalila-Symphonie
Messiaen - Turangalila-Symphonie

£17.05

(Harmonia Mundi)

Yvonne Loriod: The Complete Vega Recordings 1956-1963
Yvonne Loriod: The Complete Vega Recordings 1956-1963

£40.80

(Decca)

Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du temps; Murail - Stalag VIII-A
Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du temps; Murail - Stalag VIII-A

£14.49

(Alpha)

Sarah Aristidou: Enigma
Sarah Aristidou: Enigma

£14.49

(Alpha)

Lars Vogt: The Complete Warner Classics Edition
Lars Vogt: The Complete Warner Classics Edition

£66.45

(Warner)

Sylvain Cambreling Conducts
Sylvain Cambreling Conducts

£44.60

(SWR Classic)

Lorenzo Soules: Images...
Lorenzo Soules: Images...

£14.49

(B Records)

Angelus: French Sacred Song
Angelus: French Sacred Song

£17.05

(Ad Fontes)

Heinz Holliger: Eventail de musique francaise
Heinz Holliger: Eventail de musique francaise

£13.25

(ECM New Series)

Credo: Choral Music
Credo: Choral Music

£14.20

(Hyperion)

Jonas Frolund: Solo Alone and More
Jonas Frolund: Solo Alone and More

£13.25

(OUR Recordings)

Numinosum: Bach-Busoni, Liszt, Franck & Messiaen
Numinosum: Bach-Busoni, Liszt, Franck & Messiaen

£13.25

(Claves)

Jazz: Akhunov, Poulenc, Messiaen
Jazz: Akhunov, Poulenc, Messiaen

£16.63

(Aparte)

Dudok Quartet: What Remains
Dudok Quartet: What Remains

£14.20

(Rubicon)