Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 10

We now turn our attention to the “Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes.” This movement features the quartet playing in unison with tessituras (the range of pitch content) that fall mostly in the staff. The movement uses a binary formal structure. And the double barline at Reh. I indicates the division between the exposition and development sections. 

Elastic Phrases and Additive Rhythms

Elastic phrase duration and rhythmic complexity characterize the opening theme of this movement. Phrases are “elastic” because Messiaen varies the number of rhythmic values in each phrase. These are known as “additive rhythms.” No meter given, so barlines are merely used to mark the end of phrases. Notice how the number of shorter rhythmic values leading up to a quarter note or half note differs from phrase to phrase in the example below.

Example: Theme of Movement VI at Rehearsal A. Brackets indicate rhythmic palindromes.

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 9

Overview of the fifth movement

The fifth movement is the first of two movements written in the key of E.  Reflecting the concept of eternity in its title, the duration of “Louange à l’Èternité de Jésus” is one of the longest movements in Quatuor resulting in part from a unchanging and very slow tempo. Irregular phrase durations also characterize the movement. This irregularity results from Messiaen’s un-balancing of phrases with the addition or subtraction of a sixteenth note that create rhythmically asymmetrical measures. The fifth movement is therefore dynamic in terms of phrase duration as well as melodic contour and gradual contrasts of expression.  

The Melody of the fifth movement

Messiaen places the cello melody, characterized by lyricism and gradual contrasts of expression, in a high tessitura that never strays below B3.  As with the third and fourth movements, the melody of the fifth movement uses Messiaen’s Mode 2 for pitch content.

The Accompaniment

The piano accompaniment of the fifth movement initially appears to be rather simple:  Three-voice chords, which gain a fourth voice after Reh. D, sustain harmonies by repeating the chords in sixteenth notes.  The accompaniment is dynamic, however, in that it contains a harmonic progression that ascends into a higher register before returning to the register in which it began. 

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.  

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Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 7

In this post we again return to a discussion of how Messiaen creates the “end of time” by confusing our ability to clearly perceive the passage of time as we listen to his Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.

Using Barlines

In the third movement of Quatuor, Messiaen uses barlines to delimit segments and neutralize accidentals rather than indicate meter.[1]  Sections of the clarinet solo, “Abime des oiseaux,” may be generalized as belonging to either the slow and melancholy or birdsong material. 

The Suspension of Time

The formal structure of this movement may be described as a ternary form with codetta.  Messiaen’s asymmetrical additive rhythms combined with an extremely slow tempo in the A sections help to create a sense of the suspension of time by eliminating the possibility of perceiving a clear rhythmic pulse by which we would gauge how much time has passed. 

Structural Anchors

Yet despite this suspension of time, three instances of a sustained crescendo on the sounding pitch E5 serve as structural anchors. These occur at the beginning of the B section in measure 13, in the middle of the B section at measure 20, and initiating the codetta in measure 41.  Each occurrence of this prolonged crescendo precedes a sudden tempo change to a significantly faster tempo and the return to birdsong material.  Melodic pitch content may be classified as belonging to Messiaen's Mode 2. 

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[1] Clara Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen (Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1984), 27.

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.

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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.   

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Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 3

Distorting Time With Birdsong

In this post we will continue looking at the first movement of Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1941). Now that we’ve looked at some of the dynamic and static elements of the first movement, in this post we’ll look at examples of birdsong motives that Messiaen uses to distort our perception of time. So not only is the piece about the end of time in the sense of Christian eschatology (Messiaen was a Roman Catholic), but the compositional techniques used also bring about the end time in the sense  of our ability to perceive the passage of time.

Frustration Is the Goal

First, the syncopation created by the polyrhythm of the first movement hinders our ability to perceive the passage of time. The variety of rhythmic values in the cello and piano help frustrate our ability to perceive a clear rhythmic pulse that is necessary for accurately perceiving the passage of time.  Musicologist Clara Huston Bell suggests that Messiaen fully intended “to abolish the equal and divisive durational time of traditional [Western] music” and thereby suspend or bring about the end of perceptible time in music.[i]

The Nature and Use of Birdsong

The use of birdsong motives in the first movement also interferes with the listener’s perception of time through the syncopation created by their juxtaposition against concurrent rhythms.  These motives are used extensively in the first movement and recur in subsequent movements with less prominence.  Their inclusion in the first movement, especially in the clarinet, help maintain the interest of the listener who becomes bored by the relatively static processes of the piano and cello. (This is not to say, of course, that all audiences would be bored by a static texture. Take the avid fans of minimalists, for example). The birdsong examples do not represent constant change, however, as they are frequently repeated.  Similarities among birdsong examples include the interval of the tritone, an interval that Messiaen uses extensively in his music.[ii]  

Introducing the Avian Violin

The violin birdsong of the first movement is written primarily in Messiaen’s Mode 3.[iii]  While many of the birdsong examples are repeated verbatim, the violin and clarinet also feature variation in birdsong and the inclusion of non-birdsong transition material, thus producing change over time and qualifying the violin and clarinet as dynamic elements of the first movement.

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[i] Carla Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen (Boston: Twayne, 1984): 70.

[ii] Ibid., 27.

[iii] Ibid., 73.

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 2

Continued Dynamic vs. Static Elements

In the previous post on Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps we began by looking at the static and dynamic elements of the piece. This post continues where we left off in the first movement. In the piano, Messiaen used a series of seventeen rhythmic values and twenty-nine chords to produce a seemingly endless series of combinations, thus constituting a dynamic element (change). Yet, allowed to continue indefinitely, we would eventually end up where we began, perhaps causing us to reconsider this element as static.

From here we turn our attention to the cello of the first movement.

Palindromic Rhythms

The timbre of the cello’s constant glissandi between harmonics throughout the first movement adds a unique color to the texture.  The bracket in Example 2 below indicates the first statement of the isorhythm used by the cello throughout the first movement.  This series of rhythmic values produces palindromes, also known as non-retrogradable rhythms, upon repetition.  

Example 2. Excerpt of the cello’s rhythmic values in perceived durations from the first movement. The bracket indicates the first statement of the pattern. Note the rhythmic palindrome formed by the addition of three rhythmic values from the first repetition and the rhythmic palindrome formed by the entire example.

While the cello process also creates combinations of rhythmic values and pitch material, the results of this process are far more limited than that of the piano and begin repeating at Rehearsal B+1.  Therefore, because the cello process is more repetitious over the course of the first movement, it may be considered static relative to the process of the piano. 

Defining "Dynamic"

This conclusion gives occasion to further define “dynamic” and “static” by qualifying what constitutes “significant” or “appreciable” change over time.  Appreciable change is relative to the context in which it is found.  While change over time is inherent to a process, neither the cello nor the piano ever depart from their respective processes over the entirety of the first movement.  Thus, both processes demonstrate consistency in this respect rather than change, implying a static nature.  That which constitutes appreciable change over time, therefore, depends greatly on the context and the level of analysis.     

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Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Part 1

Dynamic Instrumentation

In a previous post we looked at the difference between dynamic and static elements in music.  Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1941), written in eight movements, is dynamic in terms of instrumentation. The first, sixth, and seventh movements are written for the full quartet consisting of violin, clarinet in B-flat, cello, and piano. In contrast, the second movement begins and ends with sections written for the full quartet while containing a middle section written for violin and cello with piano accompaniment. The third movement of Quatuor is written for unaccompanied clarinet while the fifth movement is a cello solo with piano accompaniment and the eighth movement is a violin solo with piano accompaniment. Thus, instrumentation is a dynamic element in that it experiences some variation over the course of Quatuor.

The First Movement - Panisorhythm

An analysis of each movement illuminates the variety of elements within Quatuor that compose a dynamic yet unified whole. The first movement, “Liturgie de cristal,” begins in simple-triple meter. Musicologists have labeled the presence of isorhythm in multiple instruments of this polyphonic movement as “panisorhythm.”1 One example of isorhythm may be found in the piano, a repeating pattern of seventeen rhythmic values shown here: 2

Series of seventeen repeating rhythmic values in the piano part of Movement I

 

To this series of repeating rhythmic values, Messiaen applies a repeating series of twenty-nine chords.

In a similar manner, the cello of the first movement combines isorhythm with a repeating series of five ordered pitches in a high register, taken from a whole-tone scale.3 This process generates new amalgamations (cool big word) of harmonies and rhythmic values over time and therefore constitutes a dynamic element. However, the unchanging, mechanistic nature of this process may be perceived by the listener as a static element. If permitted to continue indefinitely, this process would eventually return to the initial combination of chords and rhythmic values and thus cease to create new material. Therefore, with the cessation of continuing change given sufficient time, this process could be considered a static element. or Mode 1 of Messiaen’s modes of limited transposition.4

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Endnotes

1 Carla Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen (Boston: Twayne, 1984): 13.
2 Olivier Messiaen, “Prèface,” Quartuor pour la fin du Temps (Paris: Duran, 1942): IV.

3 Allen Forte, “Messiaen’s Chords,” Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art and Literature, Christopher Dingle and Nigel Simeone, eds. (Burlington: Ashgate, 2007): 99.
4 Clara Huston Bell, Olivier Messiaen, 75.

Timeless Music

by David Doty
What does a timeless piece of music sound like? “Trick question,” you say, “You’re using a mixed metaphor!” and indeed I am. “Timeless” could refer to that which is valued and esteemed by critics over time, or it could be used to describe something without or lacking time (although we might not use the word this way often).

A timeless piece of music, one which lacks the element of time or duration, doesn’t sound like anything at all. Music is temporal of course, that is, limited by time. A piece or a song has a beginning and an end. Furthermore, [audible] music is made of sound (sound organized by humans according to John Cage) which is really air waves vibrating at particular frequencies, things that are timed. With no time there is no repetition or frequency and no sound and consequently no music!

Thus, all music is rooted in time, but not all music, and in fact much of music, does not help the listener to perceive the passage of time. How the listener’s perception of time is manipulated in Olivier Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1941) is the subject of a forth-coming series of blog posts.