The Technique of My Musical Language
Tags: #music #music theory #composition #harmony #rhythm #melody
Authors: Olivier Messiaen
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Overview
In this treatise, I aim to unveil the intricacies of my musical language, a language born from my deep fascination with melody, rhythm, and harmony. I guide you through a detailed exploration of the core principles that shape my compositional choices, inviting you to engage with the “charm of impossibilities” that lies at the heart of my music. I explore the power of rhythmic manipulations, demonstrating how the addition of subtle values can radically transform a phrase’s expressive potential. I unlock the secrets of nonretrogradable rhythms and modes of limited transpositions, concepts that defy traditional boundaries and create a sense of boundless musical space. I delve into the world of polyrhythm, where multiple rhythms dance together in a tapestry of intricate interplay, and polymodality, where multiple modes intertwine to create a rich harmonic language. My inspiration extends beyond the human realm, drawing upon the captivating melodies and rhythms found in bird song, as well as the forms and textures of plainchant. This treatise is not merely a theoretical exercise; it is an invitation to experience music as a language capable of expressing profound emotions, particularly within the realm of religious sentiment. My musical language is a vibrant tapestry woven from a multitude of influences, transformed through my personal lens, and ultimately aimed at creating a music that is both sensually rich and spiritually profound.
Book Outline
1. The Charm of Impossibilities and the Relation of the Different Subject Matters
I aim to guide you through the complexities of my musical language, highlighting the significance of melody as the guiding force, with rhythms and harmonies serving as its loyal subjects. The core concept I introduce is the “charm of impossibilities,” which underpins the creation of a music that is both sensually rich and capable of expressing profound, particularly religious, sentiments.
Key concept: The charm of impossibilities. It is a glistening music we seek, giving to the aural sense voluptuously refined pleasures.
2. Râgavardhana, Hindu Rhythm
Drawing inspiration from ancient Greek rhythmic patterns and the nuances of plainchant, we explore the concept of ametrical music. This music transcends traditional notions of “measure” and “beat,” instead embracing the free multiplication of a short value to create rhythms based on prime numbers. We turn to Hindu rhythmics, particularly the concept of rāgavardhana, to understand how subtle value manipulations can dramatically transform a rhythm’s balance.
Key concept: That variety will instill in us already a marked predilection for the rhythms of prime numbers (five, seven, eleven, thirteen, etc.).
3. Rhythms with Added Values
I explain the concept of “added value” in rhythms, which involves adding a short value to an existing rhythm to alter its metric balance. This can be achieved through the addition of a note, a rest, or a dot. I demonstrate how this technique, used in conjunction with concepts like augmentation and diminution, enhances the rhythmic complexity and expressive possibilities of a musical phrase.
Key concept: From these statements, very insignificant in appearance, we can conclude: first, it is possible to add to any rhythm whatsoever a small, brief value which transforms its metric balance…
4. Augmented or Diminished Rhythms and a Table of These Rhythms
Moving beyond simple rhythmic augmentation and diminution, I present a table outlining various complex forms of rhythmic transformation, including adding or subtracting fractions of values and manipulating dots. I explain how applying these transformations to a basic rhythmic motif can generate a diverse array of rhythmic variations.
Key concept: This table comprises: a) addition of a quarter of the values; b) addition of a third of the values; c) addition of the dot, or addition of half the values; d) classic augmentation, or addition of the values to themselves…
5. Nonretrogradable Rhythms
The chapter explores the intriguing concept of musical “impossibilities”: nonretrogradable rhythms and modes of limited transpositions. I explain how these concepts, seemingly contradictory, hold a unique appeal, creating an effect of boundless musical space. Nonretrogradable rhythms retain their identity regardless of reading direction, while modes of limited transpositions limit the number of possible transpositions before repeating the same notes.
Key concept: Modes which cannot be transposed beyond a certain number of transpositions, because one always falls again into the same notes; rhythms which cannot be used in retrograde, because in such a case one finds the same order of values again – these are two striking impossibilities.
6. Polyrhythm and Rhythmic Pedals
This chapter dives into the realm of polyrhythm, exploring the simultaneous use of multiple, often complex, rhythmic patterns. I demonstrate how superimposing rhythms of unequal lengths, augmentations and diminutions, retrogrades, and even nonretrogradable rhythms, can create a rich tapestry of rhythmic interplay. I also introduce the concept of “rhythmic pedals,” repeating rhythmic patterns that create a foundation upon which other musical elements unfold.
Key concept: All the rhythmic forms detailed in the preceding chapters are constantly mixed in practice. It is also interesting to superpose them, and we arrive thus at a rather thorough polyrhythm.
7. Rhythmic Notations
I present and discuss four different notation methods for the complex rhythms I employ. The first focuses on precise value notation without traditional measures or beats, ideal for solo or small ensemble performance. The second involves metric changes within a standard notation, often used in orchestral settings. The third utilizes special rhythmic symbols within short measures, helpful for complex orchestral rhythms. The fourth, using syncopation within a regular meter, is most accessible to performers but requires careful attention to accentuation to convey the intended rhythmic effect.
Key concept: There are four methods of notating these rhythms whose theory we have detailed since Chapter II.
8. Melody and Melodic Contours
I emphasize the primacy of melody in my musical language. I discuss the selection and use of intervals, highlighting the descending augmented fourth and the descending major sixth as particularly expressive choices. I delve into the creation of unique melodic contours, drawing inspiration from sources such as Moussorgsky, Grieg, Debussy, and Bartók, as well as folk songs, plainchant, and Hindu ragas.
Key concept: Supremacy to melody! The noblest element of music, may melody be the principal aim of our investigations.
9. Bird Song
Bird song serves as a major inspiration for my musical language. The intricate rhythmic patterns and fantastical melodic contours found in bird songs, particularly those of blackbirds, inform my own compositional choices. I provide several examples of how I transcribe, transform, and interpret bird song into my own musical expressions.
Key concept: Through the mixture of their songs, birds make extremely refined jumbles of rhythmic pedals. Their melodic contours, those of merles especially, surpass the human imagination in fantasy.
10. Melodic Development
I discuss melodic development, particularly the technique of “elimination.” This method involves progressively removing notes from a thematic fragment, creating a sense of concentration and intensification. I contrast this with the technique of “amplification,” which adds notes to expand and develop a theme. I also discuss “interversion of notes,” where the order of notes in a theme is rearranged to create new melodic variations.
Key concept: This procedure is at the basis of all thematic life. It consists of repeating a fragment of the theme, taking away from it successively a part of its notes up to concentration upon itself…
11. Song-Sentence, Binary and Ternary Sentences
This chapter examines different types of musical sentences, which are successions of periods. I focus on three primary types: the song-sentence, the binary sentence, and the ternary sentence. I explain how these structures, built upon the interplay of themes and commentaries, contribute to the overall form and development of a musical composition. I also provide a list of examples illustrating various melodic periods and their unique characteristics.
Key concept: For our work of analysis, let us choose three very characteristic sentences: the song-sentence, cited by d’Indy in his Cours de composition; binary and ternary sentences, discussed in detail in Marcel Dupré’s Traité d’improvisation.
12. Fugue, Sonata, Plainchant Forms
While acknowledging the traditional forms of fugue and sonata, I shift focus to less conventional structures, particularly those inspired by plainchant. Beyond simply borrowing melodic contours, I emphasize the adaptation of plainchant forms like anthems, alleluias, psalmodies, Kyries, and sequences into my own compositions. I demonstrate how these forms can be used to create unique and expressive musical structures.
Key concept: More than to the melodic contours of plainchant, we shall apply ourselves to its forms: Anthems, Alleluias, Psalmodies, Kyrie, Sequence, etc.
13. Harmony, Debussy, Added Notes
I delve into the concept of “added notes,” building upon Debussy’s innovations in harmony. These notes, foreign to traditional chord structures, enrich and subtly transform harmonic color without requiring traditional preparation or resolution. I discuss the use of the “added sixth” and the “added augmented fourth,” demonstrating how these added notes create unique harmonic textures and a sense of ambiguity.
Key concept: They are added notes.
14. Special Chords, Clusters of Chords, and a List of Connections of Chords
This chapter introduces unique harmonic concepts, including the “chord on the dominant,” the “chord of resonance,” and the “chord in fourths.” I explore the use of “effects of resonance” to create imaginative and surprising harmonic progressions, as well as “clusters of chords” for dense, polytonal effects. I emphasize the importance of “natural harmony”: intuitive, melody-driven harmonic choices that create a sense of beauty and inevitability.
Key concept: “Rhythmicize your harmonies!” – Paul Dukas used to say to his students
15. Enlargement of Foreign Notes, Upbeats and Terminations
Expanding on traditional notions of foreign notes, I introduce the concept of enlarging these elements into complete musical structures. The “pedal group” replaces a sustained note with a repeating musical phrase; the “passing group” becomes a series of repeated progressions; the “embellishment group” evolves into an extended melodic ornamentation. I highlight the significance of the “upbeat-accent-termination” combination, which replaces traditional appoggiaturas with a more expansive and expressive melodic gesture.
Key concept: We thus obtain the combination: upbeat-accent-termination.
16. Modes of Limited Transpositions
This chapter delves into “modes of limited transpositions,” a concept central to my musical language. These modes, built from symmetrical groups of notes, possess a unique characteristic: they can only be transposed a limited number of times before repeating the same notes. I discuss the construction and characteristics of the seven modes of limited transpositions, demonstrating how they create a sense of ambiguity, suggesting multiple tonal centers without resorting to polytonality.
Key concept: It is mathematically impossible to find others of them, at least in our tempered system of twelve semitones.
17. Modulations of These Modes and Their Relation to the Major Tonality
This chapter explores the interaction between modes of limited transpositions and traditional major tonality. While these modes suggest multiple tonalities, I demonstrate how strategic use of the tonic or dominant seventh chord of a chosen key can create a stronger pull towards a specific tonality. I also show how these modes can be modulated, transitioning between their own transpositions or even to other modes, creating a dynamic sense of harmonic movement.
Key concept: By the frequent return of the tonic of the chosen key or by the use of the dominant seventh chord in that key (this last means being the most efficacious), we mix the mode with the major tonality.
18. Relation of These Modes to Modal, Atonal, Polytonal, and Quarter-Tone Music
This chapter situates modes of limited transpositions within a broader musical landscape. I emphasize that these modes, while distinct from traditional modal systems like plainchant or Hindu ragas, can be effectively combined with them. I also discuss how these modes interact with atonal and polytonal music, demonstrating how their inherent modal force can be used to integrate seemingly disparate harmonic languages.
Key concept: Ours can be opposed to or mixed with all.
19. Polymodality
The final chapter explores the concept of “polymodality”: the simultaneous use of multiple modes of limited transpositions. I demonstrate various techniques of polymodal superposition, creating rich harmonic textures that evoke a multitude of tonal colors. I discuss how polymodality differs from polytonality, emphasizing that the strong modal character of these modes creates a unified harmonic language rather than simply juxtaposing unrelated keys. I also introduce “polymodal modulation,” demonstrating how to transition between different polymodal combinations to create a dynamic sense of harmonic movement and evolution.
Key concept: By polymodality (see Chapter XIX), we superpose our modes, and there again, we are present at the hatching of polytonal aggregations, completely drowned in the chosen polymodality.
Essential Questions
1. What is the foundational principle of Messiaen’s musical language, and how does he achieve the specific aesthetic he seeks?
Messiaen’s central argument is that melody is the sovereign element of music, driving both rhythmic and harmonic choices. He argues for a music of ‘refined pleasures’ that can also express noble, particularly religious, sentiments. This is achieved through ‘mathematical impossibilities’ found in nonretrogradable rhythms and modes of limited transpositions, concepts that create unique musical effects.
2. What are the primary sources of inspiration for Messiaen’s musical language, and how does he integrate them into his system?
Messiaen draws upon diverse sources for his musical language. Prime number rhythms are inspired by ancient Greek and plainchant patterns. He borrows the concept of ‘added value’ from Hindu rhythmics, explores melodic contours found in folk songs, plainchant, and Hindu ragas, and even transcribes bird songs. This eclectic approach demonstrates his desire to forge a unique language from various influences.
3. What are Messiaen’s ‘modes of limited transpositions,’ and how do they function within his harmonic system?
Messiaen’s modes of limited transpositions are scales built from symmetrical groups of notes that can only be transposed a limited number of times before repeating. This creates a sense of tonal ambiguity, suggesting multiple keys without being explicitly polytonal. This concept is essential to his harmonic language, allowing him to explore a unique sonic world.
4. How does Messiaen reconceive traditional notions of “foreign notes” within his system, and what implications does this have for melody?
Messiaen expands the traditional concept of foreign notes (passing notes, appoggiaturas, etc.) by creating “groups” of foreign notes that form their own rhythmic and melodic entities. He places special emphasis on the ‘upbeat-accent-termination’ combination, a powerful melodic gesture that builds upon the expressive potential of the traditional appoggiatura.
5. What is Messiaen’s concept of “natural harmony,” and how does it relate to his exploration of unconventional chords and sonorities?
Messiaen champions ‘natural harmony,’ where harmonic choices are dictated by the melody itself. He sees this as a guiding principle, ensuring the harmony remains ‘true,’ emerging organically from the melodic line. He emphasizes that his exploration of complex chords and sonorities should always be filtered through this lens of natural harmony.
Key Takeaways
1. Embrace the ‘impossibility’ of nonretrogradable rhythms.
These rhythms, which sound the same regardless of the direction they’re played, challenge traditional notions of musical development. In composing, they create an inherent sense of unity and symmetry, as the beginning and end of the rhythmic phrase become indistinguishable. This concept can be applied to create cyclical or repeating structures within a composition, mirroring natural phenomena like the cyclical nature of seasons.
Practical Application:
In AI music composition, nonretrogradable rhythms could be used to generate themes that remain recognizable even when played in reverse, creating unique symmetrical structures within the music. This could also be applied in sound design for games or interactive experiences, crafting soundscapes with inherent palindromic qualities.
2. Explore the potential of ‘modes of limited transpositions.’
These scales, with their limited transpositional possibilities, push beyond the boundaries of conventional tonality. They allow the composer to evoke multiple tonal centers simultaneously without being explicitly polytonal, creating a sense of ambiguity and richness within the harmonic language. This can be used to create music that feels both grounded and ethereal, suggesting a sense of ‘tonal ubiquity.’
Practical Application:
In AI-powered musical analysis, understanding these modes could be used to identify and categorize music beyond traditional tonal systems. This would be valuable for music recommendation systems, allowing them to connect users with music sharing similar modal characteristics, even across different genres or cultures.
3. Find inspiration beyond human music by incorporating elements of bird song.
Messiaen highlights the untapped potential of bird song as a source of musical inspiration. He advocates for going beyond simple imitation, instead using bird song as a starting point for creative transformation and interpretation. This approach can inspire composers to discover new melodic contours, rhythmic complexities, and timbral possibilities, expanding the boundaries of conventional musical language.
Practical Application:
AI algorithms could be developed to generate melodies based on bird song transcriptions, transforming these complex and nuanced phrases into musically coherent structures. This could lead to the creation of unique and expressive melodies unlike anything produced within human-defined musical systems.
4. Prioritize ‘natural harmony,’ allowing melodic choices to guide harmonic decisions.
Messiaen’s ‘natural harmony’ emphasizes a melody-driven approach to harmony, where the harmonic choices emerge organically from the melodic line. This concept promotes a deep understanding of the inherent harmonic potential within a melody, leading to a more unified and expressive musical language. It encourages composers to find the ‘true’ harmony within the melody, avoiding arbitrary or formulaic harmonic choices.
Practical Application:
In AI-driven music production, algorithms could be trained to analyze melodic lines and generate accompanying harmonies that adhere to Messiaen’s concept of natural harmony. This could lead to richer and more musically satisfying harmonic progressions, moving beyond predictable chord progressions.
5. Expand the concept of “foreign notes” into larger, self-contained “groups.”
Messiaen advocates for ‘enlarging’ traditional foreign notes into complete musical phrases, creating “groups” that possess their own melodic and rhythmic identities. This concept pushes beyond simple ornamentation, introducing structural elements that enrich the musical texture and provide a sense of continuity and development. These groups can function as musical building blocks, allowing the composer to create complex and layered musical structures.
Practical Application:
In AI music generation, algorithms could be developed to create ‘pedal groups’ based on specific musical parameters or emotional cues. These repeating melodic and harmonic patterns could be used to evoke a particular mood or atmosphere within the music, providing a stable foundation upon which other musical elements unfold.
Memorable Quotes
Chapter I. 13
One point will attract our attention at the outset: the charm of impossibilities. It is a glistening music we seek, giving to the aural sense voluptuously refined pleasures.
Chapter V, Relation of Nonretrogradable Rhythms and Modes of Limited Transpositions. 21
Let us think now of the hearer of our modal and rhythmic music; he will not have time at the concert to inspect the nontranspositions and the nonretrogradations, and, at that moment, these questions will not interest him further; to be charmed will be his only desire.
Chapter IX, Bird Song. 34
Listen to the birds. They are great masters. I confess not having awaited this advice to admire, analyze, and notate some songs of birds. Through the mixture of their songs, birds make extremely refined jumbles of rhythmic pedals. Their melodic contours, those of merles especially, surpass the human imagination in fantasy.
Chapter XIII, Harmony, Debussy, Added Notes. 47
These notes keep a character of intrusion, of supplement – the bee in the flower!
Chapter XIV, Effects of Resonance. 52
My secret desire of enchanted gorgeousness in harmony has pushed me toward those swords of fire, those sudden stars, those flows of blue-orange lavas… those wheelings of sounds and colors in a jumble of rainbows…
Comparative Analysis
Messiaen’s “The Technique of My Musical Language” stands as a unique contribution to music theory, diverging significantly from traditional treatises. Unlike harmony textbooks focused on common practice, Messiaen delves into his personal system, built upon modes of limited transpositions, nonretrogradable rhythms, and added values. This focus on his idiosyncratic approach contrasts with, for example, Piston’s “Harmony,” a comprehensive guide to traditional harmony. Schoenberg’s “Theory of Harmony” delves into the evolution of harmony towards atonality, a path Messiaen acknowledges but diverges from, finding his own “natural harmony” within his modal system. While Stravinsky, in his conversations with Craft, explores rhythm and his own compositional techniques, his approach is less systematic and more anecdotal compared to Messiaen’s detailed analysis. Messiaen’s treatise, however, shares with these works a desire to articulate the principles behind a personal musical language, revealing the composer’s mind at work.
Reflection
Messiaen’s “The Technique of My Musical Language” is a fascinating window into the mind of a highly original composer. While his system is rooted in his personal aesthetic and deeply intertwined with his Catholic faith, the principles he articulates have broader implications for musical exploration. The concept of ‘natural harmony,’ for example, resonates with the idea of intuitive composition, a principle applicable beyond Messiaen’s modal system. However, his focus on ‘mathematical impossibilities’ could be seen as both a strength and a weakness. While this approach yields unique musical effects, it can also lead to a certain rigidity and lack of spontaneity. Moreover, his dismissal of other musical systems (like Indian ragas) as simply ‘modal music’ feels dismissive and overlooks the potential for cross-cultural dialogue. Despite these limitations, Messiaen’s treatise remains a significant contribution to music theory, encouraging composers to break free from conventional boundaries and explore uncharted sonic territories. In an age of AI-driven music composition, understanding Messiaen’s approach to melody, rhythm, and harmony could offer valuable insights for developing algorithms capable of generating truly innovative and expressive music.
Flashcards
What is an ‘added value’ in Messiaen’s rhythmic system?
A short value added to any rhythm, altering its metric balance. It can be a note, a rest, or a dot.
What is a ‘nonretrogradable rhythm’?
A rhythm that maintains the same order of values whether read forwards or backwards.
What is a ‘mode of limited transposition’?
A musical scale built from symmetrical groups of notes, transposable only a limited number of times before repeating.
What is ‘polymodality’?
The simultaneous use of multiple modes of limited transpositions.
What is ‘polyrhythm’?
The simultaneous use of multiple, often complex, rhythmic patterns.
What is a ‘rhythmic pedal’?
A repeating rhythmic pattern that provides a foundation for other musical elements.
What is the ‘upbeat-accent-termination’ combination?
A melodic gesture featuring an extended upbeat leading to a strong accent, followed by a pronounced termination.
How does the concept of ‘resonance’ inform Messiaen’s harmony?
The natural resonance of a low C includes an F#, which can be treated as an added note in chords.
What is a ‘chord in fourths’?
A chord built using only augmented and perfect fourths.
What is ‘natural harmony’?
Harmony that arises organically from the melody, ensuring a sense of truth and inevitability.