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Aspects of Structure in Olivier Messiaen's Vtngt Regards Sur L'enfant-Jesus

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Aspects of Structure in Olivier Messiaen's Vtngt Regards Sur L'enfant-Jesus ASPECTS OF STRUCTURE IN OLIVIER MESSIAEN'S VTNGT REGARDS SUR L'ENFANT-JESUS by DAVID ROGOSIN B.Mus., l'Universite de Montreal, 1978 M.Mus., l'Universite de Montreal, 1981 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES School of Music We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA March 1996 © David Rogosin, 1996 AUTHORIZATION In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada Date DE-6 (2/88) ASPECTS OF STRUCTURE IN OLIVIER MESSIAEN'S "VINGT REGARDS SUR L'ENFANT-JESUS" ABSTRACT The paper explores various structural aspects of the 1944 masterwork for piano, Vingt Regards sur I'Enfant-Jesus, by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992). Part One examines elements of the composer's style in isolation, focusing prin• cipally on the use of the modes of limited transposition to generate diverse tonal styles, as well as the use of form and "cyclical" or recurring themes and motifs to both unify and diversify the work. The author divides Messiaen's tonal styles into three broad groups. The first, closest to traditional tonality, is based on mode 2, while the second, with its whole-tone and bitonal associations, relies on modes 1 and 3 respectively. The use of modes 4 through 7 generate essentially atonal harmonic structures. Forms in the Vingt Regards are treated variously as unipartite, simple repetitive forms of two or three ideas, more elaborate sectional forms, or adaptations of traditional forms. Fifteen of the twenty pieces fall into the first two categories, leaving only five whose forms could be described as complex. At the same time, various musical processes frequently enrich and transform the basically simple sectional structures, creating complex and evolving masses of patterned sound. Along with the three principal themes identified by the composer in the preface to the score, eight other themes and motifs are discussed. Musical associations and relationships between these themes are also examined. ii Part Two presents six analyses showing how the elements previously described interact in larger contexts. Pieces numbers 2, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 16 are analyzed in whole or in part. Five synoptic tables of features in the Vingt Regards make up Appendix 1, while Appendix 2 gives English translations of some of the French titles and terms in the score. Appendix 3 reproduces Messiaen's comments—not found in the score or published elsewhere—on each of the twenty pieces. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Table of Contents iv List of Examples viii Acknowledgments xvi Dedication xvii Preface xviii INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE: ASPECTS OF STRUCTURE 6 Chapter 1 Definition of terms 7 1. Asymmetrical expansion 8 2. Black-key/white-key sonorities 9 3. Modes of limited transposition 11 4. Chords in fourths 13 5. Chords of resonance 14 6. Chords on the dominant 15 7. Harmonic litany 16 8. Augmented or diminished rhythms (rhythmic variants) ..17 9. Groups of very short and very long values 20 10. Non-retrogradable rhythms 21 11. Progressively accelerating/progressively slowing series ..21 12. Rhythmic canons 22 13. Rhythmic pedals 22 14. Sharngadeva ("Hindu") rhythms 23 15. Talas 1 and 2 (Johnson) 27 16. Cadential splash of color 30 17. Number symbolism 32 18. Variation and commentary 33 iv Chapter 2 Themes and motifs in the Vingt Regards 34 1. Introduction 34 2. The Theme de Dieu and associated themes 36 Theme de Dieu 36 Theme d'amour 39 Theme du baiser 41 Theme de joie 42 3. The Theme d'Accords and associated themes 45 Theme d'accords 45 Accords de carillon 50 "Motif #270" 55 4. The Theme de I'Etoile et de la Croix 57 5. Other motifs 61 Style oiseau 61 Boris motif 63 "Noel motif 65 Chapter 3 Tonality in the Vingt Regards 69 1. Introduction 69 2. Modes of limited transposition 70 Mode 1 72 Mode 2 72 Mode 3 75 Mode 4 78 Mode 5 79 Mode 6 80 Mode 7 82 3. Traditional tonality: mode 2 83 No. 1, Regard du Pere 85 No. 5, Regard du Fils sur le Fils 86 No. 6, Par Lui tout a ete fait 87 No. 10, Regard de TEsprit de joie 87 No. 11, Premiere communion de la Vierge 90 No. 15, Le baiser de VEnfant-Jesus 92 v No. 19, Je dors, mais mon coeur veille 98 No. 20, Regard de VEglise d'amour 101 Summary 102 4. Whole-tone and polytonality: modes 1&3 103 Mode 1 103 Mode 3 106 5. Atonality: modes 4, 5, 6 & 7 112 Mode 4 113 Mode 5 119 Mode 6 121 Mode 7 127 6. Patterns of tonal organization 129 Chapter 4 Form in the Vingt Regards 131 1. Introduction 131 2. Unipartite forms 134 3. Simple repetitive forms based on 2 or 3 ideas 135 4. More elaborate sectional forms 139 5. Adaptations of traditional forms 140 PART TWO: ANALYSES 146 Foreword 147 1. Regard de I'etoile (No. 2) 148 2. Regard du temps (No. 9) 158 3. Premiere communion de la Vierge (No. 11) 165 4. Noel (No. 13) 170 5. he baiser de VEnfant- Jesus (No. 15) 175 6. Regard desprophetes, des bergers et des Mages (No. 16). 180 SUMMARY 187 Bibliography 191 vi Appendix 1 Synoptic Tables of Features in the Vingt Regards 196 Key to Tables 197 Table 1: Synoptic Table of Features in the Vingt Regards .. 199 Table 2: Synoptic Table of Forms in the Vingt Regards 200 Table 3: Themes in the Vingt Regards 201 Table 4: Techniques in the Vingt Regards 202 Table 5: Forms in the Vingt Regards 203 Appendix 2 English Translations of French Titles and Terms Used in the Vingt Regards 204 Appendix 3 Olivier Messiaen's Program Notes to Michel Beroff s 1970 Recording of the Vingt Regards sur VEnfant-Jesus 209 Preface 210 Text 212 Appendix 4 Recital Programs Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance 225 Solo Recital, 24 April 1988 227 Chamber Recital, 22 April 1989 228 Lecture Recital, 30 May 1995 229 Thesis Recital, 14 August 1995 230 Afterword 231 vii LIST OF EXAMPLES Example Page (Chapter 1) 1 Asymmetrical expansion. From Regard de VEsprit de joie (No. 10), {62-1-2}1 8 2 Black-key/white-key sonorities. (a.) Regard des hauteurs (No. 8), {49-1-1} 10 (b.) Regard du silence (No. 17), {130-4-1} 10 (c.) Regard de Vetoile (No. 2), {7-4-1} 10 3 The seven modes of limited transposition. 12 4 Chords in fourths. (a.) Technique, vol. 2, ex. #213 14 (b.) Regard de Vetoile (No. 2), {7-3-1} 14 5 Chords of resonance. (a.) Technique, vol. 2, ex. #208 14 (b.) Technique, vol. 2, ex. #212 15 (c.) he baiser de VEnfant-Jesus (No. 15), {114-5-2} 15 6 Chords on the dominant. (a.) Technique, vol. 2, ex. #203 16 (b.) Technique, vol. 2, ex. #204 16 (c.) Premiere communion de la Vierge (No. 11), {81-5-1} 16 7 Harmonic litanies. (a.) Premiere communion de la Vierge (No. 11), {81-2-1} 17 (b.) Regard du silence (No. 17), {129-4-1} 17 8 Table of augmentations and diminutions. From the preface to the Quartet for the End of Time (a.) Exact 18 (b.) Inexact 18 9 Groups of very short and very long values. (a.) Par Lui tout a ete fait (No. 6), {30-1-1} 19 (b.) Par Lui tout a ete fait (No. 6), {44-4-2} 20 For an explanation of the bar-number reference system see the preface, page xviii. Note that only the first bar of each example is specified in this list. viii Example Page 10 Non-retrogradable rhythm. From Regard de I'Eglise d'amour (No. 20), {158-3-1} 21 11 Eight Sharngadeva rhythms used in the Vingt Regards. (a.) Rhythms of primary importance 24 (b.) Component rhythms of the tala 1 pattern 24 (c.) Rhythms used independently 24 12 Derivation of tala 1 from Sharngadeva rhythms #93. 105 and 88. 26 13 Tala 1 as a series of rhythmic variants. From Technique, vol. 2, ex. #28 29 14 Tala 2. From the preface to the Quartet for the End of Time 30 15 Cadential splashes of color. (a.) L'echange (No. 3), last 4 bars, p. 11 31 (b.) Noel (No. 13), last 3 bars, p. 90 31 (Chapter 2) 16 The Theme de Dieu. From the preface to the Vingt Regards 36 17 The Theme de Dieu. expanded form. From Le baiser de I'Enfant-Jesus (No. 15), {108-1-1} 38 18 The theme d'amour. long and short forms. (a.) Long form, from Je dors, mais mon cceur veille (No. 19), {153-4-1} 39 (b.) Short form, from Par Lui tout a ete fait (No. 6), {39-5-1} 39 19 Conflation of the Theme de Dieu and the theme d'amour. From Par Lui tout a ete fait (No. 6), {38-5-1: 4 bars; and 39-5-1} 40 20 The theme du baiser.
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