MESSIAEN, Olivier (1908-1992)
The three most important aspects of Messiaen’s music are:
- His theory of modes of limited transposition; and
- His synaeshtesia.
- His use of bird-song.
(Well-explained in these Wikipedia articles.)
**
Canyons was commissioned by Alice Tully for the 1976 bicentennial. The work is in three parts, written with 12 symmetrically-spaced movements (5/2/5) …
Part 1
1. The Desert.
He who is to be found is vast: one must discard everything in order to take the first steps towards him.”
A slow chant in the solo French Horn begins and ends the movement, with the wind machine, cries from a Sahara bird, with a whistling melody that passes from bowed crotales to piccolo to violin harmoncs.
2. The Orioles.
3. What is written in the stars …
MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN (from Daniel 5 — reading the writing on the wall) …
The message is written in the stars and the clefts of the canyons. The rock-music is followed by the sound of the earth which is represented by a percussion instrument of Messiaen’s own invention — the geophone — then the sound of the Canyon Wren:
The music is palindromic, and reverses.
4. The White-Browed Robin.
Moving from Utah to the universe, an African bird is introduced. Repeated phrases become bird-song, and again, the movement is roughly palindromic.
5. Cedar Breaks and the Gift of Awe.
“a vast amphitheatre, dropping to a deep gorge, whose rocks — orange, yellow, brown, red — rise in curtain walls, columns, towers, turrets and keeps.”
Weird sounds — the trumpet blows into the mouthpiece alone, plays with a wa-wa mute doubled by the glockenspiel and bells. Awe is the American Robin:
Part 2
6. Interstellar Call.
Written earlier (1971) as a memorial to his young pupil Jean-Pierre Guézec.
7. Bryce Canyon and the Red-Orange Rocks.
“a gigantic circle of rocks — red, orange, violet — in fantastic shapes, castles, square towers, round towers, natural windows, bridges, statues, columns, whole cities, with here and there a deep black hole.”
Blue-and-black Steller’s Jay:
(brass and percussion near the start)
The landscape suggests the Celestial City = chorales, bells, allelulas; much repetition
Black holes = tam-tam, low trombones
Dance in octaves; E Major ending …
Part 3
8. The Resurrected and the Song of the Star Aldebaran.
The song of Aldebaran in the strings … harmonic effects (“add their drops of water, their rustlings of silks”).
The resurrected = piccolo, glockenspiel and the highest notes of the piano …
9. The Mockingbird.
Piano solo.
10. The Wood Thrush.
A C Major arpeggio (“the new name promised for each soul” [Revelation 2:17]) = stopped horn and alto flute. The horn repeats G-E-C; the new name is bestowed and accepted.
11. Omao, Leiothrix, Elepaio, Shama.
Hawaiian birds:
Omao
Leiothrix
Elepaio
Shama
12. Zion Park and the Celestial City.
“a vision of Paradise in the pink, white, mauve, red and black walls, the green trees and the clear water of Zion Park.”
Chorale of joy and arrival is interrupted by birdsong choruses until the final A Major (blue, for Messiaen), with horn whoops and chimes, glowing to a tutti fortissimo.
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Author: Lewis Saul
