Review
Reviewed Work(s):
Pièce pour Piano et quatuor à cordes (1991)
by Olivier Messiaen: Rain Tree Sketch II-In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen, for Piano by
Toru Takemitsu
Review by: Lilise Boswell
Source: Notes , Sep., 1995, Second Series, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Sep., 1995), pp. 310-311
Published by: Music Library Association
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Notes
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310 NOTES, September 1995
Olivier Messiaen. Piece pour piano et first of the five sections (which is heard last
quatuor a cordes (1991). Vienna: Uni- when the arch descends) does he retain the
versal Edition (European American), original material untouched.
Except in units five and nine, the piano
1992. [Performance score, 12 p. UE
and strings do not play simultaneously; in-
19978. Duration: ca. 5'.]
stead, they are fashioned in the form of a
Toru Takemitsu. Rain Tree Sketch dialogue. Their interchange is free flowing
and energetic owing to uneven phrase
II-In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen,
lengths and dynamic levels, which rarely
for piano. Tokyo: Schott (European dip below a mezzo forte. A climax is reached
American), 1992. [Score, 8 p. ISBN in the middle section, the main body of
4-89066-372-X/SJ 1072. Duration: 5'.] the work, and bears the label "Fauvette des
jardins" after a bird whose song appears
Composed in 1991, Piece for piano and in numerous Messiaen pieces and whose
string quartet is one of the last works Oli- name is the title of his substantial 1970
vier Messiaen wrote before his death on 27 piano composition. As the dialogue be-
April 1992. In this brief and dynamic com- tween the piano and strings builds in this
position, commemorating the ninetieth an- section, the absence of breath becomes ap-
niversary of Alfred Schlee and Universal parent and the music conveys an exited
Edition, one finds a pared-down version ofstate.
Messiaen's musical style that is effective and The harmonies within Piece are typical
enchanting. of Messiaen, and the rhythms, while less
The aptly chosen title, "Piece," has rel- complex than many in his previous works,
evance not only to the length and nature are at times asymmetric owing to the oc-
of the composition but also to its content,casionally added eighth note (a trademark
which largely comprises a string of shortof Messiaen's style). Numerous passages
musical ideas, separated by moments of no- of running thirty-second notes at quick
tated silence. Within this almost fragmen-tempos and rapid alternations between
tary realm, Messiaen exposes different players could prove challenging for the
timbres in each musical section by swiftly performers. Clearly laid out, the perfor-
changing the instrumentation, thematic mance score makes for easy reading. While
material, and articulation. The brevity of meter changes are not marked in the score,
the musical ideas and the sparse textures the musical phrasings are precise and
are more reminiscent of passages found in sufficient. Performance time is under five
Messiaen's orchestral pieces Couleurs de la minutes.
cite cdleste (1963) and Des canyons aux etoiles Piece is a spirited work that encapsulates
(1974) than those in his celebrated chamber Messiaen's musical voice. The composition
work Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1941). begins and ends with the same four-note
While short thematic ideas are indeed char- figure in the strings; however, the music in
acteristic of Messiaen's music, they are between transforms their second realiza-
customarily incorporated into longer mu- tion into a fresh experience, a symbolic
sical passages and formal structures, as isgesture perhaps for Messiaen, who enabled
evident in Quatuor and Messiaen's colos- us through his music to appreciate a new
sal orchestral pieces Chronochromie (1960), world of sound.
Turangalila-Symphonie (1948), and the re- Toru Takemitsu's piano piece Rain Tree
cent Eclairs sur l'au-dela (1991). Sketch II-In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen pre-
Piece contains eleven musical units di- miered in France and Japan in October
vided into an archlike structure of 5 + 1 1992, six months after Messiaen's death.
+ 5. Like so many of Messiaen's works, Alain
theNeneux performed the piece at the
form is seemingly simple, yet, at the Festival
same d'Orleans while Aki Takahasi
time complex and unique owing to itsplayed sub- it in Yokohama.
tle modifications and variants. As each of Takemitsu's homage to the late French
the five units returns to create the arch, composer causes us to reflect upon the mu-
Messiaen continues to alter the music. The sical traits that bind these two composers.
method of development varies with theAt first glance they appear to be worlds
re-
prise of each musical unit, and only in apart:
the Messiaen received a solid musical ed-
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Music Reviews 311
ucation
ucation in
in France,
France,developed
developedoutoutofof
a tra- exist
exist two
a tra- twotitled
titledsections,
sections,"Celestially
"Celestially
light"
light"
ditional
ditional Western
Westernmusical
musicalheritage,
heritage,
andand and
and "Joyful."
re-re- "Joyful."With
Withthese
thesetwo
twodesignations
designations
mained interested in theoretical matters; Takemitsu acknowledges the French com-
Takemitsu, on the other hand, was largely poser's musical practices and spiritual be-
self-taught, never became too attached to liefs. Furthermore, the thematic material
Western or Eastern musical conventions, and its development recalls Messiaen by its
and is more versed in aleatory and impro- inclusion of sequenced ideas, ostinato pat-
visatory music. Each composer, however, terns, and repetitions with and without
borrows elements from the other's culture, variations. Through the use of a recurring
while still managing successfully to retain motive of two superimposed ascending tri-
his own unique musical style. Various fea- ads, Takemitsu links the different musical
tures of the Japanese world, including the sections together. When the first half of
songs of indigenous birds and the timbre "Celestially light" returns toward the end
of traditional court instruments, are found of the piece, this motive, with its two triads,
in Messiaen's music. Takemitsu was indeed now almost fully separated, is resurrected
influenced by Western music, in particular as the final sonority.
by certain harmonic and melodic elements Rain is a central theme in Takemitsu's
characteristic of Claude Debussy's style oeuvre.
and At least seven works feature the
by elements of Messiaen's music (evident word
in in their titles and three of these carry
Takemitsu's early compositions). Yet the the name "Rain Tree"; Rain Tree for three
music of Takemitsu and Messiaen shares a percussion players or three keyboard play-
deeper bond. Both composers emphasize ers was composed in 1962, and Rain Tree
the timbral and spatial quality of sound, Sketch for piano followed thereafter. The
explore the use of silence, and frequently score for this most recent work, Rain Tree
derive inspiration from nature. Sketch II, is quite detailed. With great care,
In Rain Tree Sketch II, Takemitsu accen- Takemitsu has provided thorough indica-
tuates stylistic traits common to both of tions for the articulative and dynamic ex-
their music-fluid harmonies, rising mel- pressions. A beautiful and poignant addi-
odies with echoes, and spatial sonorities un- tion to the solo piano repertory, Rain Tree
dulate throughout the course of the work. Sketch II is also a tribute befitting Messiaen,
He creates an ethereal climate by employ- who, like Takemitsu, expressed his rever-
ing varied rhythms, tempos, and silences ence for nature in music.
coupled with delicate yet somber and dis-
sonant harmonies in chords and arpeggios. LILISE BOSWELL
Within a loosely structured form there New York University
MISCELLANEOUS
A Charlie Parker Study Album. Ed- struments. Cat. No. 11 0226/ISBN
ited with transcriptions and biograph- 085360-150-X.]
ical and analytical notes by Lionel
A Thelonious Monk Study Album.
Grigson. London and Sevenoaks: No-
vello (Shawnee), 1989. [Text in Eng., Edited with transcriptions and bio-
graphical and analytical notes by Li-
Ger., Fr., 53 p.; and parts for B-flat
and E-flat instruments. Cat. No. 11 onel Grigson. London and Sevenoaks:
0219/ISBN 0-85360-140-2.]
Novello (Shawnee), 1993. [Text in
Eng., Fr., Ger., 23 p.; score, pp. 24-
A Louis Armstrong Study Album. 58;Ed-
and part for C, B-flat, and E-flat
instruments. Cat. No. 11 0229/ISBN
ited with transcriptions and biograph-
ical and analytical notes by Lionel 085360-156-9. $24.95.]
Grigson. London and Sevenoaks: No-
As every music librarian knows, jazz is an
vello (Shawnee), 1992. [Text in Eng., oral tradition, preserved and disseminated
Ger., Fr., 38 p.; score, pp. 39-75; by the thoroughly twentieth-century tech-
and parts for B-flat and E-flat in- nology of sound recording. Still, notation
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