MHST 556 Messiaen
This course provides an in depth study of Messiaen’s life and music. The repertoire is presented chronologically and each class focuses on a particular aspect of Messiaen’s musical style, ranging from rhythmic and modal innovations to theological issues and pedagogy. In addition, we will study the music of other French composers from the late 19th/early 20th centuries in order to place Messiaen’s music in an historical and cultural context. Course requirements include weekly listening and reading assignments, a program note with an oral report, a review of a Messiaen Centenary Paper with an oral report, and a short research paper.