The Messiaen Companion

Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1995. Hardcover. VG-/VG- (Ex-library with stamps and labels on spine, inside front and rear covers, ffep and block. Light shelfwear. Pages are otherwise very clean and clear with tight binding.). Blue cloth boards with white spine lettering; bw illustrated dj with blue title blocks and silver lettering; mylar cover; 581 pp; 8 unnumbered pages of plates; bw illustrations; portraits and music. The first major study since the composer's death, this examines the inspiration which Messiaen derived from his religious faith, and from his lifelong passion for ornithology and the natural world. Contents include: Messiaen's musical language : an introduction / Anthony Pople -- Organ Music I / John Milsom -- Piano Music I / Peter Hill -- Songs and song cycles / Jane Manning -- Instrumental, orchestral and choral works to 1948 / Malcolm Hayes -- Colour / Jonathan W. Bernard -- Mysticism and theology / Wilfrid Mellers -- End of time: a Biblical theme in Messiaen's Quatuor / Iain Matheson -- Birdsong / Robert Sherlaw Johnson -- Messiaen as teacher / Pierre Boulez, George Benjamin and Peter Hill -- Interview with Yvonne Loriod / Peter Hill -- Piano Music II / Peter Hill -- Organ Music II / Gillian Weir -- Orchestral music of the 1950s and 1960s / Malcolm Troup -- La Transfiguration / Wilfrid Mellers -- Des canyons aux etoiles ... / Richard Steinitz -- Saint Francois d'Assise / Paul Griffiths -- Eclairs sur l'au-dela-the last works / Paul Griffiths -- Appendix: The organ at La Sainte Trinité / Jean-Louis Coignet ; Chronology of Messiaen's life and works ; List of works and discography / Christopher Dingle.