Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 8

Messiaen, Confusing Our Perception of Time

In “Intermède,” the fourth movement of Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps, Messiaen uses a conventional simple duple meter, barlines, and dynamic elements (things that change, not expression) to confuse the listener’s perception of time. The playful, clear rhythmic pulse disguises Messiaen’s technique, making the whole movement sound rather... conventional... or perhaps straight forward, yet it is not.  

How Does He Do It? Stretching!

Messiaen achieves confusion of our accurate perception of time, despite using a clear rhythmic pulse throughout much of the movement, by progressively stretching musical phrases. The phrases of the A section, extending from Reh. A (“rehearsal marker A”) to Reh. B, begin with brief gestures one beat in duration that consist of two sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note (♬ + ♪). In the second measure, Messiaen extends phrase duration to fill the whole measure with six sixteenth notes preceding the eighth note marking the end of the phrase, which creates a moment of relative repose. Messiaen stretches this phrase to cover the next two measures, followed by an even greater phrase-stretch spanning four measures and coming to rest on the quarter note in the measure preceding Reh. B. 

Quantifying Phrases by Beats

The stretched phrases may be quantified by the number of beats involved, resulting in the series: 1, 1, 2, 4, and 8.  Thus, the dynamic nature of phrase durations eliminates the possibility of perceptible hypermeter (another cool, big word that should be added to the Jargon glossary), which depends on the regularity of hypermetric beat duration. (Note: Hypermeter is so much fun). Messiaen also momentarily suspends time at Reh. C with a quotation of birdsong in the clarinet lacking a clear rhythmic pulse, that spans two measures, shown in the example below.

Example: Birdsong in clarinet at Reh. C of Movement IV first used in Movement II at Reh A+1

Bridging Connections to Other Movements

Helping to connect this movement to other movements of Quatuor includes the use of Messiaen's "Mode 2" in the melody, quotations of birdsong, and the foreshadowing of the melody in Movement VI at Reh. F of Movement IV.  

For the next post in this series, click here.

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 6

Using Isorhythm to Treat Time

            We discover Messiaen’s unique treatment of time in the homophonic section of the second movement of Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1941).  The isorhythmic piano accompaniment consists of a repeating series of eight descending chords in sixteenth notes at pianississimo (PPP). Initially four voices comprise these chords.

The repetitious and consistent nature of this isorhythmic accompaniment could be labeled “static” because it creates a clear rhythmic pulse through its rhythmic regularity.  See (link: previous post) for a discussion of static versus dynamic elements.

Cycle, Interrupted

Messiaen uses interruptions of this cycle, however, to confuse the listener’s perception of time (see example below).  Each initiation of the eight descending chords in sixteenth notes functions as a kind of hypermetric beat (!) that creates, in the context of triple simple meter, a sense of hemiola.  By interrupting the cycle at irregular intervals with new harmonic material, thus delaying the next repetition of the eight primary descending chords, Messiaen distorts the regularity of hypermetric beat duration and thereby destroys the perception of a clear hypermeter (which we use, whether consciously or subconsciously, to mark the passing of time). Can you perceive it? Give it a listen and tell me what you think! (Buy an MP3 of the second movement here!)

Maintaining a Clear Rhythmic Pulse

Messiaen maintains unity and a clear rhythmic pulse in the piano, however, by continuing the sixteenth note isorhythm in descending progressions of chords with as many as eight voices (glad I don’t have to play that!).  The B section concludes with the cessation of descending motion and the beginning of sustaining harmonies through the repetition of chords in sixteenth notes. This conclusion foreshadows the piano accompaniment of the fifth movement. 

Excerpt of the eight descending chords in sixteenth notes, indicated by the brackets, which primarily comprise the piano accompaniment beginning at Reh. D of the second movement.  This excerpt is taken from the piano in Movement VII at Reh. C+4, which borrows extensively from the second movement.

To read the next post in this series, click here.

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 5

by David Doty

What is a Palindrome?

What is a palindrome, you ask? Something political, perhaps (i.e. Palin+drome) ? 

A palindrome is a favorite compositional device of Olivier Messiaen, of course! When we look closely at Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1941) we can find palindromes all over the place. For example, consider part of the second movement.

First, a little context. Messiaen composes the B section of the second movement beginning at Reh. D using simple triple meter and syncopation. In this section, the cello doubles the melody two octaves below the violin using Messiaen’s “Mode 7” for pitch material. The melody climaxes at Reh. F with a crescendo into its highest register. 

In Example 1 below, brackets indicate several instances of rhythmic palindromes formed by the melody of the B section at Reh. D. 

Example 1. Theme from Movement II in the violin at Reh. D. Brackets indicate rhythmic palindromes. 

So, what is a palindrome? A rhythmic palindrome is simply a series or pattern of rhythmic values that reads the same forwards or backwards. A melodic palindrome would be a series of pitches that likewise reads the same forwards or backwards. Messiaen adds complexity by nesting rhythmic palindromes in one another, or, in other words, by starting a new one before the preceding palindrome has finished. This, by the way, is a really (really? yes really) fun way to compose complex rhythms. But you don't have to take my word for it.   

To read the next post in this series, click here.

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 4

by David Doty

Dynamic Or Static? 

In this post we return to Olivier Messiaen’s Quator pour le fin du Temps (1941) and consider some of the dynamic and static elements of the second movement.

The Second Movement

The second movement, “Vocalise, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps,” consists of a ternary (three part) formal structure comprised of A, B, and A-prime sections.  The contrast of styles between the A and B sections suggests that the formal structure in this movement acts as a dynamic element (by providing appreciable change over time relative to the first movement’s single section through-composed formal structure). The fragmentary A and A-prime sections of the second movement, functioning as introduction and coda, share a number of similarities including the use of sudden tempo changes and great contrasts of expression. 

A Note on the Formal Structure

Neither the duration of the A nor A-prime section is very long relative to the middle B section, although the introduction contains more measures and material than the coda.  The A section spans from Reh. A to Reh. D, while Reh. D to Reh. H (rehearsal markers in the score) to the comprise the B section, and the coda or A-prime section follows at Reh. H to the conclusion of the movement.    

Proof of Dynamism

Among the similarities of the A and A-prime sections are segments with inverted melodic contours.  Corresponding melodic identities in the A and A-prime sections are identified by comparing rhythm, contour, and instrumentation.  The variety of melodic identities in these sections suggests that they should be considered dynamic in nature.  This is evidenced at Reh. C of the A section in which the violin and cello ascend in unison sixteenth notes for two measures before a sudden tempo change brings sustained trills in the violin, clarinet, and cello with staggered entrances.  This scalar ascent mirrors two measures of descending sixteenth notes in the violin and cello at Reh. H of the A-prime section that also precedes sustained trills with staggered entrances.  In both the A and A-prime sections, these trills are joined by thirty-second notes in the piano.  The ascending thirty-second notes layered over the trills of the A section are mirrored by descending thirty-second notes in the piano at Reh. H+4 of the A-prime section. 

A Concluding Thought

The final two measures of the A and A-prime sections likewise contain similar gestures in the piano: four descending chords at fortississimo (wow, so loud!) in the A section are echoed by four ascending chords at fortississimo in the A-prime section. What could be called a “tag” or “button,” such as those commonly found at the end of marches, follows each of these.  In the context of this movement, the button consists of a forceful piano chord coinciding with a thirty-second note triplet in the clarinet. Considering the B section solely as a structural unit for the time being, enclosed by the A and A-prime sections that are unified by corresponding gestures of inverted contours, these sections create a structural and melodic palindrome similar to the non-retrogradable rhythms that Messiaen scatters throughout Quatuor.   

For the next post in this series, click here.

Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium

We were exhausted.

But did we get a break? Or a nap? Of course not. We had come to sing.

This particular concert came during our second week of jet-lag as my college choir and I toured eastern Europe. We sang in a Roman Catholic cathedral in Moscow. I do not now remember our entire program, but I will never forget the magic we felt that night singing Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium. 

Listen to the recording (not my college choir) and follow the score below:

Though his choral work sounds somewhat medieval (Latin text, a cappella) Lauridsen is actually a contemporary composer living and teaching at the University of Southern California (at time of writing). You can read more about Lauridsen and his music on his website by clicking here or visiting the Links page of this blog.

O Magnum Mysterium reflects on the incarnation of Christ the Lord, celebrated at Christmas. The text (in English) reads: “O great mystery and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manager. Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Allelujah!”[1]

Lauridsen’s setting of the text takes on a four part structure with sections A, A-prime (1:46) B (3:13), and A-double prime (4:05-end).

Besides the text, the piece features a few distinctive elements including close harmonies, suspensions and their resolutions, and polyphony. (To learn about polyphony, homophony, et al, click here). 

Close harmonies, specifically seconds, appear all over the place, even in first measure of the tenors (T). Particular chord voicings also create Lauridsen’s unique sound in this piece.

Listen again to “Beata Virgo” (beginning around 3:13) for a stellar example of tension, created by dissonance, resolving to consonance. In “Virgo” Lauridsen moves from the chord G(add 2), the sub-dominant, to tonicize F-sharp minor (the mediant) via a G-sharp in the altos (3:23). Beautiful!

Lauridsen’s work shows us that in setting text to music, we do not have to use text exactly as written. What do I mean? Lauridsen’s piece might have been brief had he set the original text with its original structure. But instead, Lauridsen edits the text and repeats phrases (e.g. “O magnum mysterium”) and even single words (e.g. sacramentum).

Ever since that concert in Moscow, Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium has continued to be one of my favorite choral works. It is a composition of lyrical melody, gorgeous harmonies and... great mystery.

What are your favorite choral works? Share something about them and/or your thought’s on Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium with a comment below.

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[1]  Click here to go to the article “O Magnum Mysterium," Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Magnum_Mysterium. 

String Loops Old and New

by David Doty

In a previous post we looked at Coldplay’s 2008 hit, Viva La Vida. The opening riff/loop of the strings both characterizes the song and provides momentum throughout. (Can you imagine what the song would sound like without it?)  If you haven’t heard the song, give it a listen on YouTube by clicking here, or download the MP3 here.

The rhythmic pattern of this loop/riff could be represented by the following series of rhythmic values:

And yet, the concept of using such a riff or loop in the strings is not new. Take the following series of rhythmic values (with articulations) for example. Can you guess which piece relies heavily upon this rhythmic pattern? Here’s a clue: the piece, or rather the movement in which this rhythmic pattern is taken, is featured in a recently released motion picture:

Dost thou protest, “Why, that could be anything!”? I’ll admit, the rhythmic pattern: long, short, short, long, long, is pretty generic.

The motion picture? The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. The piece?

[This space is intentionally left blank]

Answer:

Symphony #7 in A, Op. 92 – 2 Allegretto by Ludwig Von Beethoven.  If you’re not familiar with this movement, you can download the MP3 here.

This movement has been used as background music in other motion pictures, such as Mr. Holland’s Opus. Can you think of any others? Feel free to leave a comment.