Decomposing Messiaen: Melodic Development

This series of videos reads through 'Techniques of my Musical Language' by Olivier Messiaen. This episode describes three fundamental tactics for deriving melodic content. In the previous episode we talked about melodic contour - basic shapes and gestures. The next few chapters will define structural forms like Binary songs, or chant forms. This chapter includes a lengthy but relevant tangent into the early music of Phillip Glass including excerpts of a performance of "Music in Fifths". Performed on Hurdy Gurdy. Yep. And for everyone's entertainment, I'm reading from the French and translating to the best of my ability in real-time. Without a safety net. 0:00 Introduction 4:15 tactical solutions to melody 5:54 'Elimination' as a technique for developing melody 8:30 sidetracked to Vincent D'indy 13:50 back on track 17:35 example 122 18:41 example 123 20:30 the second technique is interversion 20:58 example 124 21:30 Glass "Music in Fifths" 36:14 Hurdy Gurdy 37:10 3rd technique ( registration) 38:45 example 127, section of the Quartet. In each episode, I'll work through the text and also play the many musical examples Messiaen provides. Occasionally I'll work on some homework assignments, setting myself the task to write short practice pieces based on the material at hand. Studying music is a fair analogy for examining the human condition. The music of Olivier Messiaen is particularly suited for this study. I'll often wander into an extra-musical tangent hoping to explore more about composition, listening, performing and practicing.