Musicology Commons^™

Sonic Environmentalism: God, Nature, And Politics In Olivier Messiaen's Des Canyons Aux Étoiles . . ., Ryan James Taussig

Masters Theses

Scholars often speak of Olivier Messiaen’s (1908-1992) use of birdsong as inspiration in his compositions. The avian vocalizations he dictated and catalogued while traveling throughout France and the world make appearances throughout his oeuvre. Other well documented influences upon his music include landscape and religion. In order to better comprehend the ecological, religious, and political underpinnings of Olivier Messiaen’s musical output, one must deduce how he drew upon nature and religion as inspiration. I propose that such an understanding can be reached through an in-depth examination of Messiaen's Des canyons aux étoiles . . . (1971-1974).

Through analysis of Messiaen’s …