SONGS OF FAITH AND LOVE: A STUDY OF OLIVIER MESSIAEN’S POÈMES POUR MI

By
Emily M. Bennett

Submitted to the graduate degree program in Music and the Graduate Faculty of the University
of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts.

________________________________
Chairperson Dr. Julia Broxholm

________________________________
Co-Chairperson University Distinguished Professor Joyce Castle

________________________________
Dr. Paul Laird

________________________________
Dr. John Stephens

________________________________
Dr. Michelle Hayes

Date Defended: April 1, 2016

 The Dissertation Committee for Emily M. Bennett
certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation:

SONGS OF FAITH AND LOVE: A STUDY OF OLIVIER MESSIAEN’S POÈMES POUR MI

________________________________
Chairperson Dr. Julia Broxholm

________________________________
Co-Chairperson University Distinguished Professor Joyce Castle

Date approved: April 1, 2016

ii
ABSTRACT

It is my determination that Oliver Messiaen’s first song cycle, Poèmes pour Mi

(1936), exhibits nearly all of the representative musical and literary devices of the

composer’s arsenal: musical and poetic symbols and symmetry, asymmetric and exotic

rhythms, color and harmony, and is inspired by his Catholic faith, and must therefore be

regarded as among the composer’s most significant early vocal works. After outlining a

brief biography and an overview of the work and its premiere, the subsequent analysis

covers the compositional techniques and thematic devices are presented, including specific

discussion of spirituality, numerical symbols, modal vocabulary, musical colors, and the

“Boris motif.” A description of the cycle follows, highlighting important aspects of each

piece as they relate to Messiaen’s style. Musical examples appear where relevant

iii
BIOGRAPHY

Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen, born 10 December 1908 in Avignon,

France, was pre-destined to be a creative force in the world. His father, Pierre, was an

English teacher and scholar best known for translating William Shakespeare’s complete

works. His mother, poetess Cécile Sauvage, penned a book during her pregnancy, entitled

L’âme en bourgeon (“The Flowering Soul”), which she dedicated to her son. These poems

incorporated three important thematic ideas that would later influence the composer’s

works: nature (birdsong), music, and the exoticism of the Orient. It was clear to Sauvage

that she was to give birth to a special boy, writing, “…I carry within me the love of

mysterious and marvelous things.”1

Messiaen grew up in the city of Grenoble, a town resting at the foot of the French

Alps in the southeastern part of France. It was there that the self-described loner

entertained himself with nature’s beauty, his mother’s stories, Shakespeare reenactments,

fairytales and the mystery of the supernatural, and a growing love of music.2 Messiaen

taught himself how to play the piano as a child, composing the piano work, La Dame de

Shalotte, based on the Tennyson poem.3 As predicted by his mother, Messiaen realized his

artistic fate at the age of ten when his first harmony instructor, Jehan de Gibson Nantes,

gave him a copy of Claude Debussy’s opera Pelléas et Mélisande. Messiaen would later

1 Carla Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen (Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1984), 1-2.

2 Olivier Messiaen, “Olivier Messiaen: The Music of Faith” (Films On Demand, 1984),

accessed 13 January 2016,

fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=104680&xtid=10323.
3 Claude Samuel, Conversations with Olivier Messiaen (London: Stainer & Bell, 1976),

1.

1
confess it was “love at first sight”4 and “…probably the most decisive influence in [my]

life.”5

The following year, he was sent to study at the Paris Conservatoire, where he

studied music history with Maurice Emmanuel, organ with Marcel Dupré, and composition

and orchestration under Paul Dukas. Between 1926-1930 Messiaen won five Premier Prix

awards in categories ranging from counterpoint and fugue to organ and improvisation, and

in 1931 he became the organist for the Église de la Sainte-Trinité in Paris, a position he

would hold for more than sixty years.

The year 1936 provided Messiaen with both professional and personal successes.

He joined the faculty at the Schola Cantorum and the École Normale de Musique, where he

taught harmony. In addition he helped found the group La Jeune France (1936-1945) along

with composers André Jolivet (1905-1974), Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur (1908-2002), and Yves

Baudrier (1906-1988).6 Bound by their spiritual aspirations, the men aimed to rebuild and

encourage an interest in the passions and sensuality that could result from music—

specifically, what they called living music. It was in part, a reaction to the anti-Romantic

movement started by the composer-musician group Les Six, who believed their music

should seek higher levels of refinement.7 In his personal life, it marked the year his son,

4 Ibid.

5 Roger Nichols, Messiaen (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1986), 7.

6 The New Grove lists La Jeune France as beginning in 1936 with record of at least

one performance as late as 1945. The Vichy regime was recognized as the official
government of France until August of 1945, which could explain the dissolution of the
musical group. The name La Jeune France is also associated with a political organization
that was established in 1940 in Vichy, France.
7 Paul Griffiths, "Les Six," Oxford Music Online, accessed 6 January 2016,

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/subscriber/article/opr/t114/e6228

2
Pascal, was born with his wife of four years, violinist and composer, Claire Delbos (1906-

1959).

The 1940s and 1950s proved to be full of challenges and successes. Messiaen was

obliged to leave his positions and join the army during the Second World War, where he

served as a hospital attendant and was taken as a prisoner of war by the Germans and held

at Görlitz, in the former Province of Silesia.8 He was released two years later in 1942 and

returned to his work at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité and accepted a new position at the

Paris Conservatoire, where he taught harmony for thirty-six years. It was at the

Conservatoire that Messiaen taught his most famous students, including Yvonne Loriod

(1924-2010), Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007), and William

Bolcom (b. 1938).9 At this time he also began work on his Traité de rythme, de couleur, et

d’ornithologie (1949-1992), which would be a work in progress over his more than forty

years of teaching. The seven-volume work includes music analysis of some of his own

works and those of other composers (Mozart, Debussy), in addition to his thoughts on

composition, ancient and modern rhythms, birdsong, color, modes, and theology.

Additionally, Messiaen’s Technique de mon langage musical (1944) was published. In this

treatise, Messiaen explored and cited examples of rhythmic varieties, including Hindu

rhythms, added notes rhythms, augmented and diminished rhythms, retrograde and non-

retrogradable rhythms, and polyrhythms.

8 During his imprisonment, Messiaen composed one of his best-known works:

Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1940-41).

9 Yvonne Loriod was known for her strong technical skills at the piano and

impressive memory. Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen were important

contributors to serial and other avant-garde music. In addition, Boulez is known for
conducting the works of many twentieth-century composers, including Messiaen. William
Bolcom is an American composer and pianist whose compositional style spans the
influence of cabaret, ragtime, popular dance music, and old popular songs.

3
 As things began to return to normal in his professional life after World War II, his

personal life was suffering. Claire had become ill and was sent to a sanatorium, where her

health continued to decline until her death in 1959. Two years later, Messiaen married his

former pupil, pianist Yvonne Loriod. Many of his later works were dedicated to Yvonne,

who was his advocate well into the later half of the twentieth-century. In addition, she is

responsible for revising his Traité de rythme, de couleur, et d’ornithologie.10

OVERVIEW AND PREMIERE

The song cycle, Poèmes pour Mi (1936) was a gift for Messiaen’s first wife Claire

Delbos, whom he married in 1932. “Mi” was his nickname for her. The cycle is made up of

two books with poetry written by Messiaen. This song cycle, along with Chants de terre et

de ciel (1938) and Harawi (1945) were written specifically for French dramatic soprano,

Marcelle Bunlet (1900-1991).11 Messiaen wrote for Bunlet because of her “very flexible

voice and [a] very extended tessitura.”12 The original version, which called for dramatic

soprano and piano, was first performed on 28 April 1937 for the Concerts de la Spirale in

Paris with Bunlet and Messiaen performing.13 In 1937, Messiaen composed an orchestral

version, which premiered that same year in Brussels with Bunlet and the Belgian National

10 Peter Hill, “Interview with Yvonne Loriod.” The Messiaen Companion (Portland:

Amadeus Press, 1995), 284-285.

11 Messiaen and Bunlet performed Poèmes pour Mi at a concert in Vichy in 1954.

This is the only known recording with the two of them.

12 Claude Samuel, Conversations with Olivier Messiaen (London: Stainer & Bell, 1976),

82.
13 Olivier Messiaen. Poèmes pour Mi, with Olivier Messiaen (piano) and Lise

Arseguest (soprano), recorded by Everest Records. SDBR 3269, S-39050, 1968, LP.

4
Radio Orchestra under the direction of Franz André.14 The orchestral version did not

receive a premiere in France until ten years later at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, again

with Bunlet singing, and Roger Désormière conducting the Orchestre National.

The first book, which includes four songs, focuses on the preparation for marriage,

as experienced from the male point of view. The second book celebrates the fulfillment of

marriage and the life thereafter. Within the poetry, one finds a balance of romantic love

and God’s love and references to God’s creations. While Messiaen divided the cycle into

two books, one could argue that the fifth song, “L’épouse,” is the centerpiece that divides

the first and last sections of equal length.

COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUES AND THEMATIC DEVICES

Spirituality

Throughout Messiaen’s life and career, one thing remained constant: his devotion to

God. He was raised in a home with a Catholic father and his mother was non-religious.

Nevertheless, he felt God’s presence as early as he could remember. In the documentary

Olivier Messiaen: The Music of Faith, Messiaen professes to have been “born with faith” and

trusted that even non-believers experience some level of spirituality. He considered his

music to be a spiritual sacrifice; it was his testimony to the loyalty he had for the secular

world and echoed his feelings about his faith. Through his music, Messiaen desired to find

the “inner union” between himself and God, which tied directly into the goals of the

14 Durand published the original version in 1937, followed by the orchestral in 1939.

5
Catholic Church.15 According to Messiaen, his music consists of three theological

categories: God’s love (as shown through the gift of Jesus), human love, and God’s

creation.16 Messiaen’s “hierarchy of love” divides love in order of importance: divine,

maternal, human, and trivial.17 Many of his works, including Poèmes pour Mi also deal with

the following themes: the Trinity, Ascension, the Apocalypse, Transfiguration, and the

Resurrection (both Christ and Man).18

Numerical Symbols

In addition to the aforementioned themes, Messiaen utilized biblically symbolic

numbers throughout the work. These numbers can be found in the poetry that he sets,

formal structures, rhythmic syntax, and choice of modes. The most prevalent number is

three: the symbol of divinity and the Holy Trinity. Messiaen also incorporates the Hindu

symbol of divinity with the number five—it specifically relates to the Indian god Shiva, who

represents the death of death and is therefore a type of Christ.19 The number seven,

according to Messiaen, is the “perfect number, the Creation of six days sanctified by the

divine Sabbath.”20 The number seven is also the foundation of God’s word and with the

number seven come the seven Catholic rites instituted by Christ (Baptism, Confirmation,

15Andrew Shenton, Olivier Messiaen’s System of Signs (Burlington, VT: Ashgate

Publishing Co., 2008), 17-18.

16 Shenton, 26.

17 Siglind Bruhn, Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (New York and London:

Garland Publishing, Inc., 1998), 74-75.

18 Ibid.

19 Robert Sherlaw Johnson, Messiaen (London: J M Dent & Sons Ltd., 1989), 41-42.

20 ibid.

6
Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Ordination, Matrimony).21 Messiaen also

utilized the number nine, perhaps as a personal symbol of the motherhood of the Holy

Virgin, divine completeness, and the meaning of finality.22

Favorite Pitch Sets

Messiaen frequently incorporated into his compositions the modes of limited

transposition, scales that can be transposed by a semitone fewer than eleven times before

the original set of notes reappears.23 These modes are considered limited due to some

transpositions containing the same notes, even if they happen to appear in a different order

in the scale (see Table 1.1). The transpositions are determined based upon the chromatic

scale, which totals twelve semitones. For example, Mode I in its original transposition

includes C, D, E F#, G#, and B-flat. Knowing that this mode includes half of the semitones in

a twelve-note scale, one can deduce there is only one possible transposition of this mode,

which includes C#, E-flat, F, G, A, and B. These are the notes that make up the whole-tone

scale, which can be found often in the works of Claude Debussy and Messiaen’s teacher,

Dukas.

21 Andrew Shenton, Olivier Messiaen’s System of Signs (Burlington, VT: Ashgate

Publishing Co., 2008), 17-18.

22 Carla Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen (Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1984), 60.

23 Mode of limited transposition, Oxford Music Online, accessed 6 January 2016,

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/50
589.

7
 Table 1.1: Messiaen’s Modes of Limited Transposition

Mode 1 (whole tone):
1 1 C D E F# G# B♭
12 C# E♭ F G A B
Mode 2 (octatonic):
21 C C# E♭ E F# G A B♭
22 C# D E F G G# B♭ B
23 C D E♭ F F# G# A B
Mode 3:
31 C D E♭ E F# G G# B♭ B
32 C C# E♭ E F G G# A B
33 C C# D E F F# G# A B♭
34 C# D E♭ F F# G A B♭ B
Mode 4:
41 C C# D F F# G G# B
42 C C# D E♭ F# G G# A
43 C# D E♭ E G G# A B♭
44 D E♭ E F G# A B♭ B
4 5 C E♭ E F F# A B♭ B
46 C C# E F F# G B♭ B
Mode 5:
51 C C# F F# G B
52 C C# D F# G G#

53 C# D E♭ G G# A
54 D E♭ E G# A B♭
55 E♭ E F A B♭ B
56 C E F F# B♭ B
Mode 6
61 C D E F F# G# B♭ B
62 C C# E♭ F F# G A B
63 C C# D E F# G G# B♭
64 C# D E♭ F G G# A B
65 C D E♭ E F# G# A B♭
66 C# E♭ E F G A B♭ B
Mode 7:
71 C C# D E♭ F F# G G# A B
72 C C# D E♭ E F# G G# A B♭
73 C# D E♭ E F G G# A B♭ B
74 C D E♭ E F F# G# A B♭ B
75 C C# E♭ E F F# G A B♭ B
76 C C# D E F F# G G# B♭ B
Source: Adapted from Siglind Bruhn, “Languages of Devotion, Magic, and Awe” in Messiaen’s
Explorations of Love and Death: Musico-Poetic Signification in the “Tristan Trilogy” and
Three Related Song Cycles (Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2008), 43.

8
Musical Colors

The earliest modes were often associated with a certain emotion, or could be used

to convey a specific mood. By using transpositions of these original modes, Messiaen

provided himself with a palette of musical colors that could give variety to the mood of a

song, create vivid imagery, and avoid the constraints of a strict key signature. Messiaen

primarily incorporated transpositions of Modes II and III throughout Poèmes.

These modes on their own, and in relationship to a specific key created musical

colors, which Messiaen found to be crucial to his works. The combination of F# and mode 2

are used in slow, ecstatic movements, while the pairing of e minor and mode 2 represent

Christ’s suffering upon the cross.24 The key of E major is slow, but implies praise, and G

major represents the desire for the fulfillment of human love.25 It is worth noting that

Messiaen does not always clearly indicate the key of a piece; however, it can be determined

upon closer study of the score.

In addition to conveying specific moods, Messiaen often wanted to create colors

through sound, much like what one may see when looking through a stained-glass window.

He claimed to have seen color when hearing certain sounds, experiencing synesthesia.26 He

frequently used modes 2 and 3 and their transpositions. In a discussion with Claude

Samuel, Messiaen described Mode 21 as “blue-violet rocks, speckled with little gray cubes,

cobalt blue, deep Prussian blue, highlighted by a bit of violet-purple gold, red, ruby, and

stars mauve, black and white. Blue-violet is dominant” while his description of Mode 22

24 Johnson, 43-44.

25 Ibid.

26 Christine Elizabeth Bronson, "Making Meaning with Synesthesia: Perception,

Aspiration, and Olivier Messiaen's Reality." (MM thesis, Florida State University, 2013), 45,
accessed 31 January 2016,
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1411374735?accountid=14556.

9
contains “gold and silver spirals against a background of brown and ruby-red vertical

stripes. Gold and brown are dominant.”27 Mode 23 is described as “light green and prairie-

green foliage, with specks of blue, silver, and reddish orange. Dominant is green.”28 It

quickly becomes clear that Messiaen was consumed with the vivid imagery created through

the transpositions of modes.

“Boris Motif”

In addition to his frequent use of modes, Messiaen borrows a theme from the

Coronation Scene of Modest Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov (1869, rev. 1872) for some

of the songs included in Poèmes (see Musical Example 1). In the opera, the “Boris motif” is

used to musically depict church bells and includes the pitches C#-E-D#-F#-C#. Messiaen

adapts the original, changing the opening interval from a minor third to a tritone, with

usually one other interval in the sequence shortened. Messiaen uses this “motif” in four of

the nine songs in the cycle under consideration here (see Table 1.2). Notice it is used to

enhance important words or outcries, and is occasionally found in the piano part as well.

The “Boris motif” is found in a number of forms: rhythmically augmented, diminished,

repeated several times in a row, and even in vocal and piano doubling. Additionally, the

variations do not always begin with an opening tritone, but may instead move by a third.

In using his adaptations of the “Boris motif,” Messiaen is able to bring attention to

important poetic material while creating unity within the cycle.

27 Siglind Bruhn, Messiaen’s Language of Mystical Love (New York and London:

Garland Publishing, Inc., 1998), 90.

28 Ibid.

10
Musical Example 1: Mussorgsky’s “Boris motif”

Table 1.2: Messiaen’s Use of the “Boris motif” in Poémes pour Mi


“Action de grâces” “Paysage” “Épouvante” “Les deux guerriers”
m. 4 “transforme” m. 5-8 m. 40 m. 16
(“transformed”) Messiaen returns the “motif” to “ha” “ah”
The “motif” is used as a vocalise the right hand of the piano, An augmented variation of the Messiaen’s treatment of the
that depicts the light where it is sounded six times. “motif” is present in the vocal “motif” in this song is similar
transforming. The sixth repetition is line over a rhythmic canon in to “Épouvante.” The
interrupted by the return of the the piano part. By adding a “gémissons” (“groans”)
opening material. The final variation of the “motif,” appear in straight sixteenth-
pitch of the “motif” is extended Messiaen has created another note gestures. Messiaen
rhythmically to describe the layer and extended the elevated the agony with two
“chagrins” (“grief”) and suffering experienced by the repetitions that are doubled
“hesitant” (“hesitation”) the protagonist. in the right hand of the piano.
protagonist is experiencing.

m. 14 m. 13
“unie” The right hand of the piano
(“united”) repeats the “motif” twice,
The “motif” leads to an extension serving as connective material.
of the original vocalise,
describing two waves becoming
one.

m. 28 m. 16-20
“lumière” A rhythmically diminished
(“light”) variation of the “motif” is
The “motif” is repeated twice in sounded, imitating the first
the vocalise, drawing attention to image of the beloved, smiling,
the “light” that refers to the Holy hidden “entre le blé et le soleil”
Spirit. (“between the corn and sun”).
m. 29-30 m. 20-21
Messiaen transfers the “motif” to The right hand of the piano
the right hand of the piano, begins the “motif” an eighth-
where it is repeated three times. note ahead of the voice, creating
This serves as transitional a slight overlap before quickly
material to the new section. returning to unison for
“la main sur les yeux”
(“her hand over her eyes”).

m. 42-43
“étoile”
(“star”)
The “motif” serves as a final
celebration of God’s gifts before
leading into the joyous “Alleluia”
finale.

11
Rhythm

Rhythmic fluidity is found throughout Messiaen’s compositions. When asked about

rhythm in the documentary The Music of Faith, Messiaen explained, “I have always avoided

using a regular beat because an even rhythm is artificial. Equal durations belong to a

military march, which is an artificial thing.”29 He defended his comments by explaining that

things in nature, like the branches of trees and the rolling waves are irregular, therefore

making regularity unnatural, un-human. Messiaen’s rhythms stem from an interest in

Hindu rhythms that are related to the deçi-tâlas (rhythmic formulae) found in ancient

Sanskrit treatises.30 Messiaen’s earliest incorporation of these rhythms into his music

occurred in 1935 with La Nativité du Seigneur.31 From the study of Hindu rhythms,

Messiaen developed four rhythmic concepts for his musical style: augmentation,

diminution, non-retrogradable rhythms, and added values. While these are not unique to

Messiaen, they are characteristic of his personal style, and can be found in Poèmes. When a

rhythm is doubled, it is called an exact augmentation (see Musical Example 2), which can be

found in the opening of “Épouvant” (see Musical Example 3). Non-retrograde rhythms,

according to Messiaen, are “an absolutely closed rhythm [that] works the same forwards

and backwards.”32 These are present throughout Poèmes, but have their greatest impact

29 Olivier Messiaen, “Olivier Messiaen: The Music of Faith” (Films On Demand,

1984), accessed 13 January 2016,

fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=104680&xtid=10323.
30 Paul Griffiths, "Olivier Messiaen." Oxford Music Online, accessed 5 January 2016,

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.www2.lib.ku.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/18
497.
31 Ibid.

32 Stephanie Lynn Aston, "Journeys of Expression: An Examination of Four

Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Vocal Works." (DMA dissertation, University of

California, San Diego, 2011), 18, accessed 31 January 2016,
http://search.proquest.com/docview/875564302?accountid=14556.

12
when paired with an interesting musical idea. Added values are often incorporated for

affect or to accommodate the natural flow of the French language. For example, Messiaen

uses added notes to suspend the listener in time and postpone the next line, either through

extending a note value or adding an unexpected rest. Messiaen refers to “La maison” (“The

House”) in his Technique to demonstrate his use of added notes (see Musical Example 4).

Note that the first two measures include four quarter-notes, while the third measure

includes four dotted quarter-notes. The eighth-note remains constant throughout, making

the transition smooth.

Musical Example 2: Exact augmentation as found in Messiaen’s The Technique of My Musical Language
(1944).

Musical Example 3: Exact augmentation in Measure 1 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Épouvant”

13
Musical Example 4: Added Notes in “La maison” as found in Messiaen’s The Technique of My Musical
Language (1944).

THE CYCLE

“Action de grâces”

The first song of the cycle appropriately serves as a prayer of thanksgiving,

musically as well as poetically. When studying the score, it quickly becomes clear that

Messiaen does not include time signatures. Instead, measures are often varied in the

number of beats in order to suit the poetry and the musical imagery he wanted to create.

Aurally, these rhythmic varieties can be subtle, especially Messiaen’s use of rhythmic

palindrome, or non-retrogradable rhythm. The opening measure, which is repeated twice

more, begins with a palindrome in the piano. When each note is divided into sixteenth

notes, they total 8/4-2-1/2/2/2/2-2-3/8. Upon first glance, these do not appear to be a

mirror image, however when combining the bolded numbers, they become 8/7/2/2/2/7/8

(see Musical Example 5).

14
Musical Example 5: Polymodality, Rhythmic Canon, and Rhythmic Palindrome in Measure 1 of Olivier
Messiaen’s “Action de grâces”

The rhythmic palindrome is set as a canon in the piano, the left hand following one

full beat behind the right. This is also an introduction of two of Messiaen’s favorite modes.

Mode 32 sounds in the right hand while 21 sounds in the left hand, creating a polymodal

texture. This mixture of modes can be interpreted as a musical symbol for the union of

Man and God. In choosing to begin with the canon and these modes, Messiaen has created

a musical vision of God, somewhat distant at first, leading Man. With each new chord the

two grow nearer, leading into a cluster chord set to mode 61. This mode is less frequently

used; however, its color blend creates a brightness and earthiness that seems appropriate

for the following opening vocal line, “Le ciel et l’eau qui suit les variations des nuages…”

(“The sky and the water that follow the variations of the clouds…”). Messiaen wrote the

vocal line using a chant with the tonal center of F#. Incorporating chant strengthens the

religious undertones throughout the cycle.

The completion of the first statement includes a vocal melisma on the “Boris motif.”

The piano follows with a repeat of opening music and an extension on the opening cluster

chord—like the “Boris motif” these too become more elaborate with each restatement.

15
With the first repeat of the opening material, the tonal center of the chant rises to A-flat,

now introducing the beloved, “Et un oeil près de mon oeil…et deux pieds derrière mes

pieds” (“And an eye near to my eye…and two feet behind my feet”), who follows the

protagonist’s lead. When the poetry describes the two as waves united, the “Boris motif”

returns to highlight the text. As the piano repeats its punctuation, it becomes more

complex. The tonal center of the plainchant is again transposed, this time up to C. The line

continues as expected with a “Boris motif” at the end of the phrase to emphasize “lumière”

(“light”). Following close behind, the right hand of the piano includes the “Boris motif” for

the first time, which acts as a transition into the B section.

By this time, the protagonist has listed a number of “Thanksgivings,” including the

beauty of nature and its transformative qualities, the beloved who is a loving companion

and follows the path to God, and the grace and love of God through the resurrection. The B

section is the realization of the greatest gift God has given: himself. Musically, Messiaen

creates this moment of awe and gratitude with a Presque lent (almost slow) and descending

tritones that sound almost static in their descent. The vocal line also includes a tritone on

the words “tout cela” (“all that [God has given to me]”) to emphasize God’s gifts. The tonal

center of this section is D with each line of text gaining more energy from the rising

chromatic, scalar passages. The interweaving of the vocal and piano lines to this point have

been important to the understanding of Messiaen’s message. This is why his choice to use

silence in the piano with the mention of the Eucharist on the words “Pain plus doux”

(“bread more sweet”) is so special. Describing this gift as being sweeter than the freshness

of the stars, Messiaen wrote an ascending scale, which leads into an extension of the “Boris

motif” as a final celebration of God’s sacrifices. The B section, with the exception of the

16
opening tritones, sounds C# dominant throughout. This makes sense, as the musical

introduction of the “Alleluia” celebration is clearly written as F#—this is one of two

occasions where Messiaen has included a key signature. The poem ends with seven

repetitions of this word. Johnson compares this to a jubilus, which is a melismatic

extension of the final “a” of an Alleluia sung between the Epistle and Gospel of the Roman

Mass.33 The number seven is important, as it represents physical and spiritual

completeness and perfection, and is referenced throughout the Bible.34

“Paysage”

“Paysage” (“Landscape”) is a short song that still manages to convey many things.

The opening line compares a lake as a “gros bijou bleu” (“big blue jewel”) and is repeated

three times at the beginning, middle, and end of the song. The voice echoes the tritone

heard in the right hand of the piano. The left hand supports with a second-inversion V7

chord in mode 22. The combination of color and the descending gesture imitate the gentle

splash of jewel-toned, blue water. This vivid imagery is disrupted by the falling chromatic

line in the right hand of the piano, followed by an abrupt and brief moment of silence.

These falling lines are made more substantial in that they are written in first inversion,

creating more weight to the musical “tumble” of chords. They anticipate the

acknowledgement of struggle that results from living in a secular world. In this song

particularly, Messiaen relies heavily on the “Boris motif.” In measure 4 the vocal line

33 Johnson, 56

34 “Meaning of Numbers in the Bible,” The Bible Study Site accessed 31 January

2016. http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-
bible/introduction.html.

17
returns with a recitation centering on A-natural. The “Boris motif” sounds in the right hand

of the piano in measures 5-8 a total of six times, with the final repetition left incomplete,

and instead interrupted by the tritone heard in the opening measure of the song. Attention

is drawn to the word “hésitent” (“hesitate”) in measure 8 with the number of sixteenth-

note beats increasing to 23—this is the longest measure of the song. It creates a musical

interpretation of the protagonist’s “Mes pieds qui hésitent dans la poussière” (“feet that

hesitate in the dust”) on “La route pleine de chagrins et de fondrières” (“road full of grief

and hollows.”) Following the first repetition of the “big blue jewel,” the beloved is formally

introduced, “verte et bleue comme le paysage!” (“green and blue like a landscape”). This is

another example of why the “Boris motif” has such an impact in the song. Until this point,

the piano has been a crucial part of the story. Here, however, the piano lines are sustained,

subtly moving from mode 23 to 32 in measures 14-15 to simply support the chant above.

Messiaen highlighted the text, “Entre le blé et le soleil je vois son visage: Elle sourit”

(“between the sun and corn I see her face: she smiles”) by composing the line to be sung

only on A-natural. In addition, the “Boris motif” or a variation of it sounds in the piano part

20 times out of the 24 measures of the song. Messiaen wrote the “Boris motif” into the

vocal line at the Plus lent with the line “la main sur les yeux” (“her hand over her eyes”).

Even though there is a final repetition of the “big blue lake,” it sounds incomplete, ending

with an unresolved descending scalar passage in the piano line. Perhaps this was

Messiaen’s way of maintaining the mystery of the beloved. It is also worth noting that

“Paysage” is one of a few examples from this cycle that employs surrealism in the poetry.

As an artistic movement that had some impact on music as early as the 1920’s, Bruhn

describes it as “radical imagery or examples of alienated objects.”

18
“La maison”

Messiaen’s closest example of a typical French mélodie comes in the form of “La

maison,” which was inspired by the time he spent at his summer home in Petichet.35 “La

maison” or “The House” serves as a metaphor in this poem. Just as “Cette maison nous

allons la quitter” (“This house we will leave…”) the couple must eventually leave the house,

they will soon also leave “nos corps” (“their bodies”). Messiaen creates musical parallelism

to complement the poetry, placing emphasis on the lines “I see it in your eyes” and “I see

them in your eyes,” referring to the house and their bodies respectively. While the

protagonist shows no hints of sadness, he witnesses the sadness in the eyes of his beloved.

Messiaen incorporates chant into the interlude above sustained chords from mode 33 in the

piano. This contrast from the lyrical opening brings further attention to the message, when

the protagonist comforts the beloved with promises of their resurrection as a result of their

devotion to God: “Toutes ces images de douleur qui s’impriment dans ton oeil…Ton oeil ne

les retrouvera plus: Quand nous contemplerons la Vérité” (“All of these images of pain that

imprint in your eye: Your eye will no more find them when we contemplate the Truth”).

They will leave their secular bodies for transfigured bodies in their eternal resting place.

These images of pain and the gift of eternal resting reference the scripture readings 2

Corinthians 5:2 and 5:4.36 The final six measures of “La maison” offer a number of

interesting elements. First, Messiaen has created rhythmic symmetry that spans from

measures 10-15: 8/12/11/23(11+12)/8. This rhythmic symmetry serves as a visual

reminder of the hopefulness for eternal life. Griffith’s draws attention to measure 11,

35 “Gallery,” Olivier Messiaen. Accessed 12 January 2016,

http://www.oliviermessiaen.org/messiaengall.htm
36 “We groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling” and “For while we

are in the tent, we groan and are burdened.”

19
which includes all of the notes necessary to create mode 21, stressing that this is unusual

for Messiaen.37 That being said, the 12-note aggregate emphasizes the word “Vérité”

(“Truth”), which is clearly one of the most important words of the poem. In addition to

these musical symbols, Messiaen ends the piece with a pentatonic chord that follows a

symmetrical line, perhaps representing eternity (see Musical Example 6).

Musical Example 6: Rhythmic symmetry, Mode 21, and “Eternity” Palindrome in Measures 10-15 of
Olivier Messiaen’s “La maison”

37Paul Griffiths, Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time (London: Faber, 1985), 79.

20
“Épouvante”

The cycle takes a dramatic turn with “Épouvante,” which translates to “terror.” The

poem is written using the conditional tense, which clarifies that this is a warning of what

could come rather than what is inevitable. The song begins with agonizing moans that

descend into the fiery depths of hell via octave chromatic scales a perfect fourth and an

augmented fourth apart, supported by a C major chord and a cluster of notes. The moans

are accompanied by a thicker texture than previous songs and sounds mostly in the bass

clef, symbolizing hell. The singer is placed in a vulnerable part of the range, with a tonal

center on middle C, reciting the warnings of what may come when one focuses their

attention too much in earthly pleasures. The piano includes plummeting, percussive lines

that increase in volume and intensity with each repetition (see Musical Example 7). This

warning is strengthened through the surrealism inserted throughout the poem, including,

“Des lambeaux sanglants te suivraient dans les ténèbres comme une vomissure

triangulaire” (“Bloody shreds that would follow you in the darkness as a triangular

vomit”). While these images may seem unusual, the intent behind them is clear. Messiaen

includes a whole-tone scale in the vocal line, which is doubled—though difficult to hear—in

the piano part. This is a musical culmination of the fear and anguish the protagonist

envisions may result if he does not follow God, and leads to the high B-flat. The tormenting

visions of fire are musically represented by mode 22, which is supposed to represent God’s

love. This insertion cannot be by accident, and is likely Messiaen’s way of reminding the

listener that God is present even in times of struggle. Images of darkness and despair make

way for more troubled moans, which Messiaen transforms into a polymodal “Boris motif”

with mode 22 returning to the vocal line and 34 in the piano. In addition to the

21
polymodality in measures 40-41, Messiaen increased the rhythmic complexity of the

moans, with measures of 16 and 42 sixteenth-note beats respectively. Not only do his

musical choices create an extension of suffering, they add to the challenges for the

performer. The climax is reached two measures later with the protagonist’s descending

outcries at fortississimo, which seem to be in vain. Messiaen wrote two descending tritone

moans for the protagonist, before he is defeated in a final chromatic groan, followed by a

percussive fall in the piano. Although Messiaen never comes out and mentions “hell,” one

could conclude that this poem describes his own personal vision of hell through the

potential loss of his beloved and his relationship with God.

Musical Example 7: Plummeting Lines Paired with Surrealist Poetry in Measures 13-18 of Olivier
Messiaen’s “Épouvante”

22
“L’épouse”

As the heart of the cycle and arguably the most beautiful of the songs, “L’épouse”

(The Wife) offers a hopeful message through poetry and symbolic references to the Holy

Trinity. The focus of the poem lies in the covenant of marriage and the sacrament of

husband and wife to God. “L’épouse” describes both the secular “wife” and the bride of

Christ, specifically the Church. In this text, Messiaen draws from Matthew and Ephesians to

strengthen this message.38 While the other songs have been from the point of view of the

protagonist, one could argue that this poem is told from the view of the Holy Spirit. Bruhn

argues that it is unclear whether or not the protagonist is speaking directly to his beloved,

or if he is directing the words toward himself for assurance.39

38 These scripture readings underline love and obedience shared between Man and

Wife. Through Christ’s sacrifice, these things are made possible. Messiaen and Matthew
draw parallels between the Wife as an extension of the Husband and the Church as an
extension of Christ.

“Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:6,
New Century Version)

“Wives, yield to your husbands, as you do to the Lord, because the husband is the
head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. And he is the Savior of the body, which
is the church. As the church yields to Christ, so you wives should yield to your husbands in
everything. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it to
make it belong to God. Christ used the word to make the church clean by washing it with
water. He died so that he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty. He
died so that the church could be pure and without fault, with no evil or sin or any other
wrong thing in it. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they love their own
bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself. No one ever hates his own body, but
feeds and takes care of it. And that is what Christ does for the church, because we are parts
of his body. The Scripture says, “So a man will leave his father and mother and be united
with his wife, and the two will become one body.” That secret is very important—I am
talking about Christ and the church. But each one of you must love his wife as he loves
himself, and a wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22-33, New Century Version)
39 Bruhn, Messiaen’s Exploration of Love and Death, 85

23
 The evidence of symbolism related to the Holy Trinity is substantial. Messiaen

composed the song in thirteen measures. This number is symbolic throughout the Bible,

with negative and positive connotations. Considering the context of Messiaen’s poetry, his

use of the number thirteen likely makes reference to great blessing and promise, as well as

to new life. The poem includes three people: the husband, the wife, and Christ. The

composer divides the song into three sections with three refrains of “Va où l’Esprit te

mène” (“Go where the spirit leads you”), each growing in dynamic level. Messiaen used all

three transpositions of mode 2 throughout the song, the mode known by this point for its

association with God and his love. The number of sixteenth notes in each measure is

divisible by three, with the exception of the penultimate measure. This measure is a

repetition of the previous measure, however it has two additional beats, totaling 29.

Messiaen elongates the line, “Comme l’Eglise est le prolongement…” (“As the church is the

extension…”) to emphasize from whom the church extends —Christ.

“Ta voix”

“Ta voix” (“Your voice”) depicts an image of heaven and the promise of eternal

happiness. Other than the “Alleluia” vocalise of “Action,” it is the only song that includes a

key signature, which is in F# major (just like the “Alleluia”). The protagonist imagines his

beloved singing praises to the Father, and through these praises, she is made more

beautiful and angelic: an incorporeal angel, a bird of spring. The pianist presents a

polyrhythmic ostinato, though the irregularity in some measures muddies the pattern. This

song follows a clear ABA’ form with the B section reverting to polymodality. Although the

first five measures of each A section can be subdivided into thirteen beats of sixteenth

24
notes, the remainder of the song is rhythmically complex, in that the rhythms do not follow

a clear pattern, making the counting of this song especially challenging. Following the final

statement of the A’ section, the pianist has a one-measure cadenza, totaling ninety-nine

sixteenth-note beats. The rhythms are reminiscent of the “Boris motif” and their

asymmetry imitates the song of a bird. Though Messiaen did not begin his “Bird Song”

period until the 1950’s, his fascination with birds and their tunes was evident beginning in

his mid-teens. Therefore, while this may not be representative of a specific bird, the

asymmetrical writing and the sextuplets doubled at the octave beyond the A above the staff

provide the impression of bird song. The vocal line following this reads, “You would sing,”

which directly corresponds to the “Bird of Spring” mentioned directly before the “bird

song” occurs, making this a likely interpretation.

Like “Épouvante,” the poetry of “Ta voix” makes use of the conditional tense, though

not as a warning. Described by Bruhn as “spiritually complementary,” “Épouvante,” pairs

nicely with “Ta voix,” as they provide drastically different poetic and emotional responses.

The two poems create vivid parallels: images of light and dark, heaven and hell. A new

awakening calms shrieks of fear and suffering. Despair is replaced with hope.40

“Les deux guerriers”

“Les deux guerriers” describes husband and wife as “two warriors” united and

marching their way toward the gates of heaven. The message here is unlike “La maison”

and functions as a warning, suggesting that without action, nothing is granted or given. As

husband and wife, the warriors must fight their way together into the Holy City. Though

40 Bruhn, Messiaen’s Explorations of Love and Death, 83-84.

25
these are Messiaen’s words, again he borrows from a Bible passage, Ephesians 6:10-17.41

Like “Épouvante,” the vocal line of “Les deux guerriers” explores the lower range of the

soprano voice. These sections are unaccompanied, perhaps because Messiaen was aware

that the notes would be difficult to project.

The song is broken into three clear sections, ABA’ and makes use of transpositions

in modes 2, 3, and 4. Similar to the poetic symmetry found in “La maison,” this song has

poetic symmetry worth noting. It begins, “De deux nous voici un…” (“Behold us two in

one…”) referring to Husband and Wife, now united and in search for the Holy Land. In the

measure prior to the return of A’ the poem reads, “Je suis tes deux enfants, mon Dieu! (“I

am your two children, my God…”), making reference again to this unity of the two people

and their connection to him. Musically, the melodic contour of this measure is reminiscent

of the “Va” section of “L’épouse,” which could imply that a transition in the relationship has

occurred—possibly the Husband and Wife have strengthened their bond with one another

and God (see Musical Examples 8a and 8b). Messiaen includes word painting in the piano

part of measure 24 with grace note gestures that imitate the “Lancez vers le ciel les flèches

du dévouement d’aurore” (“arrows launching into the sky…”) before shifting to mode 21

41 “Finally be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God

so that you can fight against the devil’s evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth
but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the
spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. That is why you need to put on God’s armor.
Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the
whole fight, you will still be standing. So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around
your waist and the protection of right living on your chest. On your feet wear the Good
News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can
stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17, New Century
Version)

26
(God’s love) to anticipate the final line, “Vous parviendrez aux portes de la Ville” (“You will

arrive at the gates of the city”).

Musical Example 8a: Measures 17-18 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Les deux guerriers”

Musical Example 8b: Measure 1 of Olivier Messiaen’s “L’épouse”

“Le collier”

In the entire cycle, “Le collier” (“The Necklace”) is the only song that insinuates

romantic intimacy, and like “Paysage,” makes no direct reference to God. Musically, this is

represented with the omission of mode 21. Messiaen composed a pattern of four chords

using mode 31 in the right hand of the piano to imitate the circular pattern of the necklace

(see Musical Example 9). This pattern begins and ends on a C minor triad, giving it a clear

beginning and ending. In addition, the left hand of the piano is in mode 22, resulting in a

polymodal color that seems to represent the colors of the rainbow and the exoticism of the

27
“necklace” itself. The poetry shifts between nature, “Printemps enchaîné…” and “Paysage

courbe…” (“Captive spring” and “Curved landscape”) and the “necklace.” Through

surrealist poetry, he describes this treasured necklace as a “Petit soutien vivant…Collier de

renouveau” (“Tiny living cushion…necklace of renewal”). It becomes clear that the beloved

supports the protagonist, particularly in times of strife. This is one of the only examples in

this poem of Messiaen’s reference to human love. He brings attention to this “necklace”

through the music, specifically in measures 19-23. Here, Messiaen’s setting of “Collier

d’Orient, collier choisi…” (“necklace of the Orient, necklace chosen…”) borrows from the

following modes: Mixolydian, Aeolian, Ionian, and Lydian.42 These modes are sounded

consecutively by means of stacked chords in the left and right hand of the piano. The

pattern is repeated five times. This is the only place Messiaen incorporated these modes,

strengthening the argument that he wanted to bring attention to how special and exotic the

necklace was (see Musical Example 10). In the final statement of A’ there are a few things

worth mentioning. First, Messiaen’s use of silence; after the final “Ah mon collier” (“Ah, my

necklace…”) the music stops, before revealing that the “necklace” is a symbol for “Tes deux

bras autour de mon cou, ce matin” (“Your two arms around my neck this morning”). This

silence heightens the importance of this moment. To imitate the shape of the beloved’s

arms, Messiaen ended the song with a return of the opening circular pattern of “Le collier”

(“the necklace”). Like “Paysage,” this song ends sounding unresolved, which makes the

anticipation of the final song that much stronger.

42 Yun Lee, "Symmetry and Symbolic Language in Olivier Messiaen's "Poèmes pour

Mi": A Musical Reflection on Divine and Conjugal Love" (doctoral dissertation, Boston
University, 2009), 135, accessed 13 January 2016,
http://search.proquest.com/docview/304850662?accountid=14556.

28
Musical Example 9: Circular pattern of “the Necklace” in Measures 1-3 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Le
collier”

Musical Example 10: “Exotic” use of Medieval Modes in Measures 20-23 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Le
collier”

“Prière exaucée”

The final poem, “Prière exaucée” (‘Prayer Answered’) is an appropriate conclusion

to Messiaen’s cycle. The form is AA’B and creates a balance with the return to prayer and

reflection found in the opening song “Action de grâces.” The protagonist is weary and

pleading, asking for God to “Ebranlez la solitaire la vieille montagne de douleur” (“shake

the lonely old mountain of pain”) and for healing of the soul. The vocal line is a chant that

centers on A. The piano begins with a combination of A major, which ties it to “Action,” and

C# major. Here again Messiaen references the Eucharist as it was in the opening song, and

an extended melisma is sung on the word “âme” (“soul”). Begging for God’s grace, the

29
poem transforms as it enters the Très vif at the B section—musically the prayer has been

answered. Messiaen creates onomatopoeic gestures in the vocal line for “Frappe, tape,

choque pour ton roi [Dieu]!” (“strike, beat, ring for your king [God]) (see Musical Example

11). This repetition increases the excitement until it reaches the climax with the “gloire et

de resurrection” (“glory and the resurrection”). Here, the singer has a final celebratory

melisma on the word “joy” with what begin as the same rhythms, but end with the notes

elongated in anticipation of the final realization that “La joie est revenue” (“joy has

returned”).

Musical Example 11: Use of Onomatopoeia in Measure 20 of Olivier Messiaen’s “Prière exaucée”

CONCLUSION

It is clear that Poèmes pour Mi, though early in his musical output, contains many

early illustrations of Messiaen’s most important musical and literary devices: the influence

of spirituality, numerical symbols, modal vocabulary, musical colors, and the “Boris

motif.” On the whole, Poèmes pour Mi, represents a young composer’s efforts to assemble

and develop a distinct compositional language. It deserves to be regarded as a significant

30
and prototypical vocal work of Olivier Messiaen’s complete output and an historically

significant landmark in the composer’s maturation. In studying Poèmes, one can gain a

better understanding of what Messiaen considered important in a composition, and then

determine the most ideal way to perform his works.

31
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 Discography

Messiaen, Olivier. Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi/Sept Haikai/Le Réveil des oiseaux.
Conducted by Pierre Boulez. Recorded with the Cleveland Orchestra, November 11,
1997. Deutsche Grammophon B000VAAB7Q, 1997. CD.

Messiaen, Olivier. Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi. Recorded with Gweneth-Ann Jeffers and
Stephen De Pledge. Champs Hill Records B004YP3U2C, 2011. CD.

Messiaen, Olivier. Messiaen: Harawi/ Poèmes pour Mi (I). Recorded with Jacqueline
Delman and Lucia Negro. BIS B002PRMBYY, 1987. CD.

Messiaen, Olivier. Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi/Chants de terre et de ciel. Recorded with Jane
Manning and David Mason. Unicorn B000001PCD, 1997. CD.

Messiaen, Olivier. Poèmes pour Mi. Recorded with Olivier Messiaen and Lise Arseguest.
Everest Records SDBR 3269, S-39050, 1968. LP.

Nordskog, Liv Elise. Pour Mi: Songs by Olivier Messiaen and Claire Delbos. Recorded with
Signe Bakke. LAWO Classics LWC1051, 2014. CD

Phillips, Susanna. Paysages: Debussy/Fauré/Messiaen. Recorded with Myra Huang.
Bridge Records, Inc. B005OUDYJU, 2011. CD.

Upshaw, Dawn. Voices of Light: Music of Messiaen, Debussy, Golijov and Fauré. Recorded
with Gilbert Kalish.

35