BIBUOTHt/J.UE.

LEDUC

THE TECHNIQUE
OF MY

MUSICAL LANGUAGE
BY

OLIVIER MESSIAEN
Prof~ r at the National Conservatory 0/ Music

T rln. L.ted by
JOHI'I S,\T'J'[UltlD

Itt Volume: TEXT .

Al1'HONSE LEDUC
.ditiOIUl MUlic::al.et, 175. rue Saint-Honor~
PA R I S

B: L831 A.L. 21692 Rill' . UN

 BIBUOTHEQUE.LEDUC

THE TECHNIQUE

OF MY

MUSICAL LANGUAGE
BY

OLIVIER MESSIAEN
ProfUJO, at the Na tional Conx.rvalory 0/ Mwic

T ran,l,ted by
JOHN S"'TTnflELD

- lat Volume : TEXT ................ , Rei.: UN

2nd Volume: MUSICAL EXAMPLES.. us

ALPHONSE LEDUC
tditiona MUlicalet, 175. rue S.int-Honor~
PA R I S

I ... ",i ..... Fruu

B. L 831 A.L. 21692 R4:f. UN
 Introduction to t he English Translation

The translatio n into English of Olivier Messiaen's Th e Techniqu e 0/ My Musical Language

has been prompted by several fa ctors. M. Messiaen's growth in the past decade as an inter-
national figure in mid-Twentieth-Cciltury music has demanded aUention from various
a rtistic quarters. As a contempora ry musician of sta ture, M. Messiaen shou ld find a ready
a udience for his comments all any aspect of the current musical scene, particula rl y on those
aspects which most afTect his own production.
To lerance and apprecia tion of any given music arc always enhan ced by a microcosmic approach
to an understanding of the technical procedures involved . In this rela tivel y brief boo k, the
composer has laid ou t for properly equipped readers a clea r outl ine of certain principles of
co nstruction he has employed in composition. Made aware of t hese pri ncip les, the listener
brings to the music a more meani ngful receptiveness.
The ca talogu ing and ex planation of methods of bu ildin g tonal strU(;turcs may strike a crea tive
response in a stud ent or mature composer.
Th e book is one of the growing number of works on co ntemporary theory and practice wh ich
will co ntribute to the history of music in our century.
For all these reasons it has appeared desirable t o make M. Messiaen's book availab le to those
English-speak ing perso ns to whom French is not readil y accessible.
The only depa rtures from a quite literal rend ition of the original t ext have been those occa-
sioned by idiomatic dissimilarities of the languages involved. For the musical examples the
second volume 0/ the French publication will be used. The lew remab thai required trans-
lation in that uolume are presented in table form at its beginning.
My thanks a re due t o M. Messiaen a nd the house of Alphonse Leduc for their gracio us encour-
agemell tof this project and to m y friends. Carl Baxter, Robert Gould, and Frank Justice, for
th ei r carefu l a nd critical read ing of th e manuscript of the translation .
JO H N S ....IT ERFIELO.
Chapel Hill, No rth Carolina.
TO GUY BERNARI)..OELAPIERRE
 YOU. DROITS DE REPRODUCTION ET DB TIlADUCTION
REsERVts POUR YOU' P4 VI
Copyright 1'44 and UI56 by Alphonu lAdue tt oe, tciitioDl Ifuaieal.
175, rue Saint-Honort, PARIS
A. L. 21H2
 Preface

I) It is always da ngerous to speak of ollcselL H owever. seVeloa l pt:rsons ha ve vigorously e ith el

criticized or praised me, and always wrongly and (or thmgs I had not done. Un th e other hand
some students particu larly eager for novelty have asked me nu merous questions relative to
my musical la nguagc, and I dec ided to write this little " theor y." Aside from a few very ra re
exceptions pointed oul Ul passing, all the examples quoted here will be drawn from my wo r ~
(past or fulure I). In the hupe that m y sludents will return to the few ideas that I am goi ng tu
develop - whether to usc them belter than I, or to draw somclhin g else from them, or t o
reject them ultimately if the future proves them unlikely to hve - I draft my treatise by
ta king the reader's ha nd, searching with him, in the darkness where I have hoped guiding
him gently t oward a restrained light, prcparatory to a better und erstanding which he will be
able t o find afterwards. If the reader is equipped with solid studies of harmony, co unterpoin t
and fugue, compos ition, orchestratio n, as well as rhythmics a nd aco ustics, he will follow me
much more eas ily. If he is call ed by inspira tion from above, and if I find myself to be - on a
quite small point only - his precurso r, my task will be fulfilled and beyond ...
Melodies for voice and piano or voice and orchestra make up a good third of my production;
tl;l.ey assume very varied forms (psa lmody, vocalise, a nthem, strophes. coupl ets and refrain,
trio-form, bridge-form : ABCBA, developme nt of dramatic ord er, tablea u in severa l pa nels
following the divisions of the poem) a nd often .present, by their proportions and by their
character, the aspect of abridged th ea tri ~al scenes. However, outside of a few words on
psalmody and vocalise, I shall say nothing of m y special ideas on theater, voca l forms, prosody,
and the union of the rn usica lline with the living inflections of speech.
Supposing the fugue and th e sonata to be well-known to the reader, I shall pass over them
rather rapidly and talk more at length of less usual forms , especiall y the plai nchant forms.
Wh y this silence?
Tht Tt chniqut 0/ My Musical L angu agtl langua ge considered fr om the tr iple point of view,
rhythmic, melodic and harmonic. This work is not a treatise on composition .
I have d isca rd ed. also, all that could touch upon instrumentation. One ca n find in my works
some very refined orchestratio n, large vocal a nd instrumenta l inves tigations, a pianistic
writing, unex pect.ed organ registrations, and even some effects of the Ond e Martenot (I).
Let us forg et all that and respect the chosen title: it is a question of language and not of
timbre. Although I have written a good num ber of religious works - religious in a mystical,
Christia n, Catholic sense - I shall furth er leave aside this preference ; we trea t techniqu e and

(I ) TrOfl,lalo, ', noft. - An ~Ie( t tonlc 1'lItrum~nt. Martenot II t h~ nam~ or the Inv~ntot; andr II th~ Fno nf h tqu\v.ltnt
or !DOW.
 -8 -
not Bentiment. I shall content myself, on this last point. with citing an article in which I
formerly glorified sacred music. After having asked for" a true music, that is to say, spirit-
ual, a music which may be an act of faith; a music which may touch upon all subjects without
ceasing to louch upon God; an original music, in short, whose language may open a few doors.
take down some yet distant stars, " I stated that .. there is still a place. plainchant itself
not having lold all." And I concluded : .. To express with a lasting power our darkness
struggling with the Hol y Spirit, to raise upon the mountain the doors of our prison of flesh, to
give to our century the spring water for which it thirsts, there shall have to be a great artist
who will be both a great artisan and a great Christian." Let us hasten by our prayers the
coming of the liberator. And, beforehand, let us otTer him two thoughts. First, that of
Reverdy : .. May he draw in the whole sky in one breath I" And then that of Hello : .. There
is no one great except him to whom God speaks, and in the moment in which God speaks to
him ...
2) I do not want to close this introduction without thanking: - my masters: J ean and Noel
Gallon, who stimulated in me the feeling for the" true" harmony, Marcel Dupre, who oriented
me toward counterpoint and form, Paul Dukas, who taught me to develop, to orchestrate, to
study the history of the musical language in a spirit of humility and impartiality; - those who
influenced me: my mother (the poetess Cecile Sauvage), my wife (Claire Delbos), Shakespeare,
Claudel, Reverdy and Eluard, Hello and Dom Columba Marmion (shall I dare to speak of the
Holy Books which contain the only Truth?). birds, Russian music, Debussy's Pellias et M i li-
sande, plain chant, Hindu rhythmics. the mountains of Dauphine, and finally, all that evokes
stained-glass window and rainbow; - my most devoted interpreters : Roger Desormiere
(orchestra co nductor), Marcelle Bunlet (singer), ~tienne Pasquier (violoncellist), Yvonne
Loriod (pianist); - finally. all who induced me to write this work and particularly my friend
Andre Joliv ~ t.
 CONTENTS

INTROD UC TION TO THE ENGL ISH TRANSLATION . 5

PREFA CE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1

CHAPTER 1. - THE CHARM OF IMPOSS IBILITIES AND THE RELATION OF

THE DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTERS. /3

C HAPTER II. - RA GA VARDHANA. HIND U RHYTHM . 14

1) Arne/Tical M US!C 14
2) Rdgavardhana. . . . . . . . . . . 14

C HAPTER Ill. - RHYTHMS WITH ADDED VALUES . 16

1) Added Value. . . . . . . . . . 16
2) Use of the A dded Value. . . . . . 16
J) Rhythmic Preparations and Ductnts , 11
I} Relation to A dded NottJ. . . . . . 17

C HAPTER IV. - AUGMENTED OR DIMINIS HED RHYTHMS AND TABL E OF

THESE RHYTHMS, . . . . . . . 18
1) Augmented or Diminished Rhythms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2) Addition and Withdrawal o( the Dol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3) A Table o{ Some ForfTl$ 01 Augmentation or Diminution of a Rhythm.. 18
I} In exact A.ugmentations! . . . . . . 19

C HAPTER V. - NONRETROGRADABLE RHYTIIMS. 20

1) Retrograde Rhythms . . . . . . . . 20
2) Nonrdrogradable Rhytltnu. . . . . . 20
3) Relation of Nonrdrogradable Rhythms and Modes of Limittd Trans
positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CHAPTER VI. - POLYRHYTHM AND RHYTHMIC PEDALS . . . . . . . . . . 22

I ) Supuposition of Rhythms of Untqual Length . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2) Superposition of a Rhythm upon It$ Difltrent Forms of Augmtntotion
and Diminution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3) Superposition of a Rhythm upon Its Rd rogradt. 23
I) Rhythmic Canons . . . . . . . . . 21
5) Canon by tht Addition of tht Dot. . . 25
6} Canon of Nonntrogradablt Rhythm$. . 26
7) Rhythmic Ptdal . . . . 26

CHAPTER VII. - RHYTHMI C NOTATIONS. 28

1) Firll Notation . . 28
2) Second Notation . 28
J) Third Notation . 28
I) Fourth Notation . 29
5) Samt Mdricol Rhythms. 3D
 - 10 -
CHAPTER VIII . - M E LODY A ND MELOD I C CON TO UR S. 31
1) I nteruals . . . . 31
2) M d odic Contours. 31
3) Folk Songs. . 32
I) P lainchont. . . 33
5) Hindu Ragas . 33

C HAPTE Il IX. - BIRD S ONG . .

C IIAPTEIl X. - M ELODIC DE VE LOPMEN T . J5

1) E limin ation . . JS
2) lnfu utrsian of Notes
3) Change of R egister .
33..'
C HA PTEII X I. - SONG-SENTENCE. B I N ARY AND T E RN AR Y SEN T ENCES. 37
1) Song-Sentence.
2) Commentary . . . ,.
37

3) B inary Smtence . 3.
4) Ternary Sentm et . 3.
5) L ist of M elodic Ptriods. 39

C nAM EH X II. - F UGUE. SONA TA. PLAlNCH ANT FORMS. 4.

1) F ugue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.
2) Sonata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
3) Development of Three T hemes. Preparin g a F inallssutd from th,t First . 41
4) Variations of the Fi rst Th eme. Separated by Developments of the Second. 42
5) Plainchanl Forms . . . 44
6) Psalmody and Vocalise. IS
7) K yrit. IS
8) Sequence . . 46

C HAPTE R X III. - HARMON Y , DEB USS Y , ADDE D N OTES. 47

1) Added Notes . . .. . . . . . . . . 47
2) A dded Sixth and Added Augmm ted Fourth . 47
3) Rdation of Added Noles and Added Values. 48
4) Use of A dded Notes . . . . . . 48

C HA PTER x rv. - S P EC IAL CHORDS , CL US TERS OF CHORD S, A N D A LIS T OF

CONN ECTIONS OF CHORD S 50
1) The Chord on the Dominant : 50
2) The Chord of R esonance. 50
3) Th e Chord in Fourths . 50
4) Effects of R esonance . 51
5) Clusters of Chords. 51
6) A Look at Other Styles. 52
7) N atural Ha rmony . 52
8) A List of Connections of Chords. 53

C H APT ER XV. - EN LARGEMENT OF FORE I GN N OTE S, UPBEATS AND TE R

M I NA T I ONS. 55
1) The Pedal Group . 55
2) The Passing Group . 56
3) The Embellishment Group. 56
4) Upbeats and Terminations. .'6
 -11-
CIIAPTER XVI. - MODES OF LIMITED TRANSPOSITIONS. .53
J) Thtory of th~ Modes of Limited Transpositions . 58
Z) nrst Modt of Limited Transpositions. 59
J) Su:ond Mode o{ Limited Transpositions. 59
l) Third Mode of Limited Trallsposilions. 60
5) Modes4, 5,6,and7 . 61
6) Rtlalion of lUodes of Limited Transpositions and Nonrtfrog radablt
Rhythms 62

CHAPTER XVII. - MODULATIONS OF THESE MODES AND TlIEIR RELATION TO

TilE A1AJOR TONALITY . . . 64
1) Relation to the Major Tonalily . . . . . 6J
2) Alodulation o{ a Modt to Itstl{. . . . . 65
J) Modulation o{ a ."1fXh to Anolhu Modt. 65

C H APTER XVIII . - RELATION OF THESE MODES TO MODAL, ATONAL, POL \ ' .

rONAL. AND QUARTER-TONE M US IC. 67

CH .... PTER XIX . - J>OLYMODALITY . . . . 68

J) Two Supt.rpostd Mode5 . 68
2) Three Modes Supt.rpostd 69
3) Pofymodal Modulation . 69

CATilLOGUE OF WORKS . . . . . . . . . 71
 CHAPTER I

The Charm of Impossibilities and the Relation

of t he Different Subject Matters

Knowing that music is a language, we shall seek at first to make

melody" speak." The melody is the point of departure . May it remain
sovereign! And whatever may be the complexities of our rhythms and our
harmonies. they shall not draw it along in their wake. but, on the contrary. shall
obey it as faithful servants: the harmony especially shall always remain the
.. true ... which exists in a latent state in the melody, has always been the out-
come of it. We shall not reject the old rules of harmony and of form; let us
remember them constantly. whether to observe them. or to augment them, or to
add to them some others still older (those of piainchant and Hindu rhythmics) or
more reccnt (those suggested by Debussy and all contemporary music). One
point will attract our aUention at the outset: the charm 0/ impollibililiu. It is
a glistening music we seek, giving to the aural sense voluptuously refin ed plea.
sures. At the same time. this music should be able to express some noble senti
ments (and especially the most noble of all, the religious sentiments' exalted by
the theology and the truths of our Catholic faith). This charm. at once volup-
tuous and co ntemplative. resides particularly in certain mathemabcal impossi
bilities of the modal and rhythmic domains . 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 flOds the same order of values again - these are two striking impossi-
bilities. We shall study them at the end of Chapter V (" Nonretrogradable
Rhythms ") and in Chapter XVI (" Modes of Limited Transpositions "). Immedia-
tely one notices the analogy of these two impossibilities and how they complement
one another, the rh ythms realizing in the horizontal direction (retrogradation)
what the modes realize in the vertical direction (transposition). Arter this first
relation, there is another between values added to rhythms and notes added to
chords (Chapter III : " Rhythms with Added Values "; Chapter XIII : .. Har-
mony, Debussy, Added Notes "). Finally. we superpose our rhythms (Chap-
ter VI : .. PoJyrhythm and Rhythmic Pedals " ); we also superpose our modes
(Chapter XIX: " Polymodality ").
 CHAPTER II

Rigavardhana, Hindu Rhythm

Before co ntinui ng. I pause to specify that in my mus ic, a nd in all the examples
of this treat ise, the val ues are always nola ted very exactly; hence. whether it is
a question of barred passages or not, t he reader and the perfo rmer have only to
read and execute uaclly the values marked. In the passages not barred, which
8rc the most numero us, I have saved t he use of t he bar lin c t o mark the periods
and t o give an end to the effect of the accidentals (sharps, flats, et c.). If you
des ire more ample information, refer to Chapter VII : .. Rh ythmic Notations ...

I) Am.trical Music ( I)
Maurice Emmanuel and Dam Mocquereau knew how t o illuminate, th e- form er,
the variety of the rh ythmic patterns of ancient Greece, the latter, that of the
neumes of piainchant. That va riet y will instill in us already a marked predi-
lection for the rhythms of prime numbers (five, seven, eleven, thirteen, etc .).
Go ing furth er, we sha ll replace the notions of .. measure" and" beat" by the
feeling of a short value (the sixtee nth-note, for exa mple) and its free multiplica-
tions, which will lead us toward a. music more or less .. ametrical, .. necessi-
tating precise rhythmic rules. Recalling that Igor Stravinsky, consciously or
unconsciously. drew one of his most striking rhythmic procedures , the augmen-
tation or diminution of one rhythm out of two: namp)e 1

(diminution of A at the cross, B does not change) from the Hindu rhythm
simhauikridila : eumple 2

(A a ugments and diminishes progressively, B does not change). we sha ll in ou r

turn address ourselves to Hindu rhythmics to infer from it our first rules.

1) Rlcavardhana
Carngadeva, Hindu theorist of the thirtee nth century, has left us a table of a
hundred and twenty deci -tdlas, or Hindu rhythms (2). We find in this table the
rh ythm ragavardhana : .umpl. 3

( I ) Trarulalor', nolt. - The phrase. .. ametrical mu sle " 1$ ht re used t o mean a mUl le with fret, but pr~ d st , rhyt hm le
p ~ tlen\s,l n oppo$Ulon t o" measu red " (I. t . equally barred) music.

(2) Trarulalor" nole'. - The tab le may be found In t he Encvc10pldit dt la mu.iqut tt d fcUonnaiu du con,uva/oirt , eds.
A tbert Lavlgnae and Lionel de la Laurencie (Pa ris: Delagrave, 1913-1931). Part I, Vol. l , pp. 3011T. RdgofHlrdhanail
num be r 93. SimhollikrtdUa II numbn 24.
 - 15 -
Let us revene this rhythm : aampl. ,

Thus reversed , it co ntains three quarter-notes (A) and three eighth-notes (8) .
classic diminution of three quarter-notes; {urther, the dot added to. the second
eighth (at the cross). which renders the diminution in exact . opens to us a new
perspective of augmentation or d iminution (b y addition or withdrawal of the
dot) and, above all , constitutes an added valu e; fin all y. the fragment B is a non-
retrogradable rhythm : eumpl. 5

From these statements, very insignifican t in appearance, we can co nclude: first,

it is possible to add to any rhythm whatsoever a small, brief va lue which trans-
forms its metric balance; seco nd. any rhythm can be followed by its augmen-
tation or diminution according to forms more complex than th e simple classic
doublings; third, there are rh ythms impossible t o retrograde. Let us study all that
in detail.
 CHAPTER !II

Rhythms with Added Values

I) Added Value

What is the added valu e? It is a short value, added to any rhythm whatsoever ,
whether b y a nole, or by a rest, or by the dot. Let us suppose three very simple
rhythms whose unit of value will be the eighth-note: eumple 6

Let us transform them by the added value, added to the first of these rhythms
by a note: esample 7

to th e seco nd by a rest: example 8

to the third b y the dol: example 9

In practice one will rarely hear the simple rhythm before addition of the added
value; the rh ythmic pattern will almost always be immediately provided with
the added value.

2) Use of the Added Value

example 10
An example of ametrical music; the rh ythm is absolutely free. Notice the frag-
ments A. immediately followed by their augmentation in B (see Chapter IV),
and at C, the long trill on a whole note, interrupting the rhythmic discourse.
The added values are indicated by the crosses. Th e first two measures use a
rhythm of fiv e eighth-notes (a prime number), plus a sixteenth-note (added
value). The scintillating so nority of the harmonics of the plein-jell accen tuates
the joy of the calls, b-flat- to g-, of the upper stalT. example 11

The same character. The added values a re again ind ica ted by the crosses. example 12

An exa mple writte n entirely in the sixtl! mode of limited transpos itions (see Chap-
ter XVI). The brackets mark the large rhythmic divisions: seven eighth-notes.
eight eighth-notes, seven eighth-notes. Added val ues (at the crosses) just com-
plicate these divisions. We shall speak of this example again in r a ragraph 3. example 13

.. Irres istible movement of steel, .. I said in t he Prefaceo f my Qualuor pour fa fin du

T emps. Our fragm ent ca nnot give an exact idea of this" formidabl e gra nite of
 - 17 -
sound." But it is a model of the use of added values {still at l he crosses}. At A.
values added by t he dot . The added val ue creates the small groups of five
(in B), or seven (in C), or eleven (in D), or thirteen sixteenth-n otes (in E) - fi ve.
seven, eleve n, thirteen - prime numbers ; one recalls our predilection for these
numbers .

3) Rhythmic Preparations and Descents

The rh ythmic preparation precedes the accent, the rh yt hmic desce nt follows it.
We sha ll find this idea again in Chapter XV, laken in the melodic sense. T here
the appoggiatura will grow to the point of becoming the combi nation : " upbeat-
accent-termin ation." There is an evident analogy betwee n melodic upbeats a nd
terminations on the onc hand . and rhythmic preparations a nd desce nts on the
other. The added valu e ca n change considerab ly the aspect of th ese last. In
the preceding examples let us notice: - in example 12 (" les bergers .. ) : at B,
accents, at C, desce nts, at A, rh ythmic preparations elongated b y add ed va lu es
(at the crosses) - in example 13 (" Danst dt fa /urtur, pour fes stpl Irom-
ptltts ") : at A, the added va lues (at the crosses) slacken the desce nts by elon-
gating their penu ltimate note.
Another example of preparatio n thus elongated ; at A, acce nts. at B. descents,
at C. preparation (added value at the cross) : esample 14

Another example of descents: accelera ted in A, ret arded in B, by the add ed

values (at the crosses) : .......,J. IS

At A, long shrieks of anguish; two descents, Band C; the second is retarded by t he

addition of the dot (at the cross) : example 16

Elongated preparation in A (added value at the cross); a t B, accent; C and D,

descents ret arded by th e add ition of the dot (at the crosses) : example 17

A last example of a descent retarded by tripling the penultimate value : .umpI.18

This theme, which is completely a descent, would normally have been obliged
to finish thus : esample 19

It would thus have lost force, gra ndeur, and serenity.

4) Relation to Added Notes

We established just now an analogy between rhythmic preparations and descents

and melodic upbeats and terminations. Let us reca ll now, t o verify what was
said in Chapler I, the relation of values added to rh ythms and notes added to
chords; we shall speak of it again in Chapter X III.
 CHAPTER IV

Augmented or Diminished Rhythms

and a Table of These Rhythms

I) Augmented or Diminished Rhythms

J. S. Bach practiced the ca non by augmentation or dim inution; in it the values
of the proposed theme arc generally doubled or diminished by hair. We ourselves
shall have- the statement of the rh ythm followed by its immediate augmentat io n
or diminution, and according to more or less complex forms. An example of
simple augmentation: example 20

A has the value of nve sixteenth-notes. B of five eighth-n otes, C of fi ve q uarters;

B is t he augmentation of A, C it s varied double augmentation. Augmentation
by addition of the dol is much more interesting.

2) Addition and Withdrawal of the Dot

An example of augmentation by addition of t he dot: example 21

Simple rhythm in A; the same in B, all notes dotted; at the cross, added value.
An example of diminution by withdrawal of the dot: "'!:umple 22

Other form s of a ugmentation and diminution exist. We shall set up a table of

t hem.

3) A Table of Some Forms of Augmentation or Dimmution of a Rhythm

This table comprises: a) addition of a quarter of the values; b) additio n of a
third of t he values; c) addition of the dot, or addition of half the values; d) classic
augmentation, or addition of the valu es to themselves; e) addition of twice the
values; " addition of t hree t imes the values; g} additio n oUo ur times t he values.
And so much for augmentation.
Everything concerning diminution permits inverse examples, placed oppos ite
the preceding, which are: a) withdrawal of a fifth of the values; b) withdrawal
oi a quarter of the va lues; c) withdrawa l of the dot, or withdrawal of a third
of t he values; cl) classic diminution, or withdrawal of half the values;
e) withdrawal of two-thirds of the values; " withdrawal of three-fourths of the
va lues; g) withdrawal of four-fifths of the values.
 - 19 -
This table, sligh tl y abridged, li gures in the Preface of my Quatllor pour La fin du
Tem ps. I particul a rly used its rhythm ic forms in " J aie el daTU des r.orps 910-
rieux " (L l s Corps glorieux) and in the" Danst de fa lurellT, pour Its sept trom-
petta" (Quatllor pour fa fin du Temps). Excess ~ve augmenta tions or diminutions
would have drawn us into some very long or very short values. which woul d
have rendered the exa mples hardly ap preciable to hearing; we limit ourselves,
therefore, to a few fo rms onl y, all based upon the same initial rhy thm : long.
short, long : example 23

Each example situated at the left of the table presenls fi rst th e normal rh ythm,
then its a ugmenta tion ; each example situated at the right of the table prese nts
first the normal rh ythm, then its diminution. e:u.mple 24

4) Inexact Aurmentations

We saw in Chapter II, article I, the augmentation of one rh ythm out of two,
which already gave a presentiment of the present pa ragra ph. Here now a re
some examples of more striking inexact a ugmentations. First exa mple : e:u.mpl. 2S

B is the inexact augmentation of A; normally, the f~sh a rp ' wou ld ha ve to be a

dotted quarter-note. $!cond example : .:u.mpl. 2&

At the cross, added value; B is the augmentation of A, C is the a ugmen ta tion ofB;
the normal a ugmentation would be : .:ampl. rt

Let us notice furth er in this passage the use of the six-four cho rd with added
sixth and added augmented fourth (see Chapter XIII).
With very inexact augmentations or diminutions, one arrives at making
rhythmic variants ra ther than a ugmentations or diminutions properly so called.
 CHAPTER V

Nonret rogradable Rhythms

I) Retroc rade Rhythms

One knows t hat retrogradation is a co ntrapun tal procedure which co nsists of
of reading from right to left what normally ought to be read Crom left to right.
Applied to rhythm alone, it gives some curious reversals of values. Let us
suppose th e rhythmic formula: example 28

We shall fi nd it agai n in Chapt ers VI, XV a nd X IX . A typical formula of OUf

rh ythm ic fancies. it contains a combination of augmented rhythms a nd added
values. and , at t he same time, inexact augmentations and diminutions; furth er,
it begins with an interp-,;,ctation of the r agaLlardh ana, already see n in Chap-
ler II ; fina lly. the t otal of its values is thirteen quarter-notes (a prime number).
All the fragments B arc in diminution or augmentation of the fragments A;
t he added values are indicated by the crosses. Let us retrograde ou r formula;
t he order of the val ues is completely reversed, th e diminutions changing them-
selves into augmentations a nd vice versa : exam ple 29

We shall see in Chapter VI the superposition of a rhythm upon its retrograde.

2) Non retrocradable Rhythms

I have already spoken of nonretrogradable rhythms in a rather clear manner

in the Preface of my Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Whether one reads them
(rom right t o left or from left to right , the order of their va lues remains the
same. A very simple example: example 30

Outer values identical, middle value free. All rhythms of three values thus
disposed are nonretrogradable : example 31

If we go beyond the figure of three values, the principle grows, and we should
say : all rhythms divisible into two groups, one of which is the retrograde of
the other, with a central common ualue, arc nonretrogradable. eumple 32
 - 21 -
Th e group B is the retrograde of group Ai the quarter tied to a sixteenth-note
(ce ntral value whose duration ('quaIs that of five sixteenth-notes) is common
to the two groups, A sucl'c!lsion of nonretrogradable rhythms (one per meas-
ure) : esampl. 33

The melodic movement nample 34

is repeated a nd, from th is fa ct, goes through some important rhythmic variants.

3) Relation of Nonretro&radable Rhythms and Modes of Lim it ed Trans-

positions

I have alread y spoken, in the Prefa ce of my Naiiviti du Seigneur, of my prized

mod esof limited transpositions. We shall study them very mu ch at length in
Chapters XVI, XVII . XVIII and XIX. Let us go back to the re flections
of Chapter I a nd examine lhe relation which is established between these
modes and nonretrogradable rhythms. These modes realize in the vertical
direction (transposition) what nonretrogradable rhythms rea lize in the hori-
zontal direction (retrogradation). In fact, these modes can not be trans-
posed beyond a certain number of transpositions without falling aga in into the
same notes, enharmonically speaking; likewise, these rhythms cannot be read
in a retrograde sense without one's finding again exactl y the same order of
values as in th e right sense. These modes cannot be transposed because they
are - without polytonality - in the modal atmosphere of several keys at
once and co ntain in themselves small transpositions; these rhythms cannot be
retrograded because they contain in themselves small retrogradations. Th ese
modes are divisible into symmetrical groups; these rhythms, also, with this
difference: the symmetry of the rhythmic groups is a retrograd e symmetry.
Finally, the last note of each group of these mod es is always common with th e
first of the following group; and the groups of these rhythms fram e a central
valu.e common to each group. The analogy is now co mplete.
Let us think now of the hea rer of our modal and rhythmic mu sic; he will not
have time at the co ncert to inspect the nontranspositions and the nonretro-
gradations, and , at that moment, these questions will not interest him furth er;
to be charmed will be his only desire. And that is precisely what will happen;
in spite of himseIr he will submit to the strange charm of impossibilities : a
certain effect of tonal ubiquity in the nontransposition, a certain unity of move-
men t (where beginning a nd end are confused because identical) in the nonretro-
gradation, all things which will lead him progressively to that sort of theological
rainbow which the musical language, of which we seek edification and theory,
attempts to be.
 CHAPTER VI

Polyrhythm and Rhythmic Pedals

The superposi tion of several complicated rhythms will often make it necessary
for us, in the course of this cha pter, to gather our rhythms into one meter.
Explanation of this term: it is a question, by means of syncopes, of writing in a
normal met er rhythms which have no relation t o it. By mu ltiplying th e indi-
ca tio ns of slu rs, dyn amics, accents, exactly where we want them, the efTect of
our music will be produced upon the auditor. (This notation has th e fault of
being in contradiction to the rhythmic co nceptio n of the composer, and we
shall return to this subject in Chapter VlI; but certa in examples ca nnot be
written otherwise.) For the comprehension of the reader, before the measu red
examples - and notating it as it has been conceived, that is. without meas-
ure - I shall write separately each rhythm dest ined to be superposed after-
wards on one or severa l others.

I) Super position of Rhythms of Unequal Lencth

All the rhythmic forms detailed in t he preceding chapters are co nst an tly mixt!t1
in practice. It is also interesting to superpose them, and we arrive thus at a
rather thorough polyrhythm. Our first essay in polyrhythm, the simplest , the
most childish, will be the superposition of two rh ythms of un equal length ,
repeated until the return of the combination of departure. In the following
example (which is written in the third mode of limited transpositions - see
Chapter XVI) the upper part repeats a rhythm based. upon the addition and the
withdrawal of the dot (see Chapter IV) and of a t otal of t en sixteenth-notes;
the chords of the lower sta fT repeat a rhythm of ni ne sixteen th-notes; it will
require nine repetitions of the upper rhythm a nd t en repet itions of the lower
rhythm to find again the combination of departure eu mple 3S

I have abb reviated the quotation. Another example. Fi rst rh ythmic succes-
sion : eu mple 36

In R, diminution of A by withdrawal of two-thirds of the values. The triplets

a nd the quintu plet are each worth , in total , one quarter-note. Second rhythmic
succession : example 37
 - 23 -
In S, augme ntation of A by add ition of a fou rth 01 th(' values. In C, diminu-
tion of B by withdrawa l of a Hfth 01 the values (sec Chapte r IV). Normally.
B ought to he : example 38

In D. nonretrogradabJe rhyt hm. divisible into two groups, onc of wh ic h is th e

retrograde of th e other, with a cen tral common va lue at th e cross (see Chapt er V).
The second rhythmi c succession is much short er than the first. Let us superpose

th em, while repeating them, and gather the who le in to a ~: ex.mple 39

2) Supe rposition of a Rhythm upon Its Different Forms of Augmentation

and Diminution

Let us suppose t he rhythm: eumple 40

In joining some vC the forms of augmentation a nd diminution made from this

rh ythm (see Chapter IV , example 24), we get the foll owin g series: eumple 41

Let us now combi ne this series with repetitions oC the initial rhythm, while

gatheri ng the whole into a ~ : e:u.mple 42

The brackets of the upper part (series of the difTere nt forms of augme ntation and
diminution) mark these difTerent forms ; the lower part repeats the initial rh ythm.

3) Superposition of a Rhythm upon Its Retrograde

eumple 43
There is much to be said about this exam ple. Besides its curious mixture of
timbres, it superposes difTerent rhythms and modes, co mbining thus polymodal-
ity and pol yrhythm . From the modal point of view : all the chords of the
upper stafT are written in the second mode of limited transpositions (see Chap-
ter XVI) . example 44

all the chords oC the middle stafT arc written in the third mode of limited trans-
positio ns : eumple 4S

and the bass (pedal part, which sounds an octave higher than the notation) uses
the whole-tone scale. There is. lhen, a superposition of t hree modes of limited
transpositions. We shall remember this example in Chapter XIX (" Po lymo-
dality ").
From the rhythmic point of view : the right hand repeats the rhythm : example 46

the left hand repeats t he retrograde of this rhythm: esample 41

Th('fC is, then, a superposition of a rhythm upon its retrograde, the combinatio n
taking place several times consecutively and occurring each time with the ele-
ments a n eighth-note farther apart than the preceding time.
As for the bass, it repeats a nonretrogradabl e rhythm (see Chapter V), divisible
into two groups, one of which is t he retrograde of the other, with a cen tral com-
mon value (at the cross) : example 48

There are three rhythms which are repeated indefatigably, in ostinato. This is
the principle of the rhythmic pedal, and here we are in the presence of three
superposed rhythmic pedals, the second being the retrograde of the first, the
third befng nonrctrogradable.
From A forward , the entrances. in right ~hythm, of the chords of the upper staff
are shortened by losing values progressively, following the principle of deve lop-
ment by elimin ation (see Chapter X, article I). From B forward, the entrances,
in retrograde rhythm, of the chords of the middle staff are deprived of the
eighth-rest which was separa ting them and are contracted in the same manner.
The nonretrogradable rhythm of the bass does not change.

4) Rhythmic Canons

They may exist without the presence of any melodic canOIl. Here is an
example: eumple 49

Upper statT : the right hand repeats 1l melodic and harmo nic succession of six
chords; lower statT : the left hand repeats a melodic and harmonic succession of
five chords, the whole entirely independent of the rhythmic canon established
between the two hands at a quarter-note's distance. At A, the canon ends.
Use of the added value (at the crosses) and superposition of the modes of limited
transpositions, number 3 (chords of the upper staff) over number 2 (chords of
the lower staff) - see Chapters XVI and XIX on the subject of these modes
and polymodality. At B, use of the sixth mode of limited t ranspositions, creat-
ing a modal modulation and placing the entire passage in A major.
Another example: example 50

Superposition of the modes of limited transpositions, number 2 (upper statT)

over number 3 (lower statT). No melodic canon. Rhythmic canon at a quarter-
note's distance. The brackets mark the rhythmic divisions and facilitate the
view of the canon.
Let us recall the lypical formula of our rhythmic fancies, analyzed at length in
Chapter V (article 1) : eumple 51
 - 25-
Let us treat this formula in triple canon and gather the whole into
2
a 4' The letters A. B, C, D. E, F, placed on example 5 1. ind icate the small

rh ythmic divisions of it. By reproduci ng them over each part of example 52,
we facilitate t he view of the triple canon. The latter takes place twice in the
example, and the reprise indicates that one call repeat it to infinity. esample 52

5) Canon by the Addition of the Dot

Wh y not write, also, rhy thmic ca nons by augmentatio n or diminution, using the
forms classiHed in Cha pter IV, article 3? Let us try a canon b y t he addition
of the dot. Proposi ng rh ythm, of a total value of t hirteen eighth-notes (prime
number) : .ample 53

Response. all valu es dotted: example 54

Three repetitions of t he proposing rhythm combin ed with two repetitions of the

responding rhythm, the whole gath ered into a ~ : example 55

The brackets mark each repetition .

The rhythmic succession following exploits a1l the forms of augmentation or
diminution of a rhythm from the table of Chapter IV (article 3) : example SCi

A : initial rhythm - B : addition of a quar.t er of the values to each value of the

preceding rhythm . All the rhythms which are going to fo llow will thus be an
augmentation or diminution of the rhythm which precedes them, acco rding to
one or another of the forms of Chapter IV. I indicate each time the chosen
form - C : withdrawal of a flfth of the values - 0 : withd rawal of a fourth of the
values - E : add ition of a third of the values - F : classic diminution - G : addi-
tion of t he dot - H : withdrawal of the dot - I : classic augmentation -
J : withdrawal of three-fourths of the values - K : addition of twice the values
- L : withdrawal of two-thirds of the values - M : addition of four times the
values - N : withdrawal of four-fifths of the values - 0 : addition of three times
the values, forming at the same time a last recall of the initial rhythm.
Let us treat this succession in triple canon while gathering it into

a~ . By reproducing over each part the letters which marked the rhythmic

divisions, we facilitate the comprehension of the example. ..mpl.57

 - 26 -

6) Canon of Nonretrogradable Rhythms

Let us lry a canon of nonretrogradable rhythms . Let us recall exa mpl f' 33 of
Chapter V : succession of nonreLrogradable rhythms (o ne per measure) ; example 58

Here is that same succession in triple canon, gather('d into a i example 59

Each non relrograda ble rhythm is brac keted.

7) Rhythmic Pedal

Rhythm which repeals itself indefatigably. in ostinaLo - I was say ing in para-
grap h 3 - without busying itself aboul the rhythms which surround it. The
rhythmic pedal , then, call accompany a music of e ntirely diflcre nl rhythm;
or mingle with it as in exa mple 3 10 of Chapter XV; again it can be super posed
~pon other rhythmic pedals (see exa mpl e 43 of Chapter VI). Let us co nsid er
now the following fragm ent : eumple 60

Th e clarinet sings the principal melody (do not forget that it sounds a t one
lower th a n the nota tion). The light formulas of the violin create a seco nd ary
counterpoint. The harmonics with vibrato of the violoncello, wh ic h sound two
octaves higher than the notation in round notes, are a first rhythmic pedal ,
whose airy sonority en velops and unifies all the rest in its mysterious hal o;
here is the rhythm of this pedal: example 61

It is divid ed into two nonrelrogradable rhythms, A and B, the second of these

rhythms being composed of two groups, one of which is the retrOf.!rade of the
other, with a central common value at the cross (this ce ntral va lue is in reality
a ha lf note, coin ed in four eighth-notes, which changes nothing in the non retro-
gradation). Of course, the rhythm is repeated several times co nsecutively in
the course of the piece, thus co nstituting a rhythmic pedal; the quoted Crag
ment contains in X, Y, Z, the first two expressions and the beginning of the
third express ion. This rh ythmic pedal of fifteen values is at th e same time a
melodic pedal of five notes ; there is, then, disproportion betwee n the rhythm
and the melody - in M. N, 0, p. Q, R, S, T, eight expressions of the melod ic
pedal. (As the rh ythmic pedal repeats a rh ythm independent of the rhythms
which surround it, melodic and harmonic peda ls repea t melody and chord
succession independent of the melodies and chords which surround them; see
article 1 of Chapter XV which t reats pedalgroups.)
 - 27 -
The piano in its turn exec utes a repeated successio n of chords. forming at once
a rhythmic pedal and a harmonic pedal. Here again, the number of chords,
twenty-nine, is difTerent from that of values. seventeen. The chords undergo
thus some unexpec ted rh ythmic variants. (" Rhythmicize your harmon ics! "
Paul Dukas used to say to his students.) Here is the rh ythm of this second
rhythmic pedal: example 62

We recognize the succession of its valu es. already commented upon in Chapter V.
In At B. C, D, four expressions of the rhythmic pedal. In H and It the first two
repetitions of the twenty-nin e chords.
Let us look anew a tlhe chords of the piano: Crom the first to the second cross,
they are" chords on the dominant" with appoggiaturas, according to the effect
of the stained~gla ss window of Chapter XIV (article I) - from the third to the
fourth cross, they use the third mode of limited transpositions (see
Chapter X V I) - from the fifth to the sixth cross, the second of these modes.
Let us notice also that the melodic pedal of the violoncello is written in the
whole-tone scale, the use of which can be tolerated when it is thus mixed with
harmonic combinations which are foreign to it.
Let us point out finally that the formulas divided by rests in the vio lin (a sort
of pedal) are written in " bird style, .. as is the principal so ng of the .clarinet (a
model of this style). We shall speak of it agai n in Chapter IX (" Bird Song ").
 CHAPTER VII

Rhythmic Notations

I) First Notation

There are four m ethods of notating these rhythms whose th eory we ha ve detailed
since Chapte r I I. The Hrsl consists of writin g the exact values, without
measure or beat, while saving the use of the bar-line only to indicate periods
and to make an end to the effect of accidentals (sharps, Oats. etc.). This nota-
tion is evidently the best for the composer, si nce it is the exact exp ressio n of his
musica l conception . It is excell en t for one alone or a few performers in a
group. As I remarked in the Preface of my Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, inter-
preters who feel a little strained by the rhythms can mentall y count all the short
valu es (Lhe sixteenth-notes, for example). but only a t the beginning of their
work; this procedu re could make the performance in public disagreeably dull
and would become a real pu zzle for them ; they ought, in cou rse of time, to
keep in themselves the feeling for the valu es , without more (wh ich will permit them
to observe the dynamics, acceleratio ns, retards, all that which makes an inter-
pretation alive a nd sensitive).
I have used this fi rst not a tion in m y works for orga n (La Na liuiU du Seigneur,
Us Corps gloritux), in my vocal works (Poimes pour M i - voice and pia no
version, Chants de terre tl de del), a nd in several movements of my Quatuor pour
fa fin du Temps.

2) Second Notation
In th e orchestra , things are complicated. When all the performers play the
same rhythms a nd these rhythms gather into normal measures, one can pil e
up metric changes; that is what Stravinsky did in Ie Sacre du Printemps. These
changes of meter are very tiring for the orchestra conductor, I used this second
notation in my Oflrandts oubliees.

3) Third Notation
Still in the orchestra, ir all the performers play the same rhythms and th ese
rh ythms do not gather into normal meters, it is necessary t o divide the music
into short measu res ; a numeral written at the head of each measure indica tes
 - 29-
the number of beals in it. These beats are equal or uneq ual in duralion; it is
necessary then to have recourse to some rhythmic signs, placed above the
beats to indicate their exact duration. In the versio n of my Poemu pour Mi
for voice and orchestra - upon the advice of Roger Desormiere, orchestra
conducto r a nd inventor of these signs - I used the following rhythmic signs: example 63

With these three signs a nd their doublings : e:u.mple 64

one can notate the must difficult rhythms . This nolation necessitates prelim-
inary agr eement between musicia ns and conductor and a rather forbidd ing
efTort at the Hrst reading. The thing is nevertheless very possible.

4) Fourth Notation

The easiest for performers since it disarra nges their habits in no way. It con-
sists, by means of syncopes, of writi ng in a normal meter a rhythm which has no
relation to it. This procedure is indispe nsab le when it is a question of having
performed by several musicians a superposition of several rhythms, complicated
and very dilTerent from each other. In order to produce the elTect, it suffices
to multiply the indications of slurs. dynamics. and especially acce nts exactly
where one wants them . T his notation is false, since it is in contradiction to
the rhythmic conception of the composer; but if the performers observe the
indicated accents well, the listener hears the true rhythm. J used this notation
in several movements of my Quotuor pour to fin du Tt.mps.
Here is a rhythmic fra gment as it was co nceived by the composer; it is in the
first notation : example 65

Third notation - the same fragme nt with rhythmic signs: example 66

Second notation - another fragment, with metrical changes: example 67

Another fragm ent as it was conceived by the composer; it is again in the first
notation : example 68

The same, written in a false meter, with exact accentuation; it is in the fourth
notation : example 69

I add that one will fmd ill my works and in the examples of this treatise some
metrical passages conceived in some meters which are absolutely independent
of my rhythmic system. Moreover, - let us repeat it - whether my music
is measured or not, the values th ere are always notated very exactly: fh t. per-
Jormer has then only to play the vaiues indicated.
 - 30 -

5) Some Metrical Rhythm.

In appendix to the present chapter and to all those on rhythm, here nrc some
supp lementary examples which do not at all obey the laws of my rhythmic
system: e~pl"A,B,C.D.E.FJG

The rhythms of A. B t C. and 0 retai n an impressio nistic character. The short

tied to the long in example C (at the cross) is of Debussy-like essence; it con-
trasts with the Stravinsky-li ke sonorities of the passage. Examples E and F
afC in " bird style" (see Chapter IX). G offers us an eITect of resonance (see
Chapler XIV, article 4); further, X, Y, Z are allied to the rhythmic variants of a
Johvel, Y being the inexact augmentation of X, Z being the inexact augmen-
tation of Y (see Chapter IV, article 4).
 CHAPTER Vlll

Melody and Melodic Contours

Supremacy to melod y! The noblest element of music, ma y melod y be t he

principa l a im of OUf invest iga tions . Let us always work melodically ; rh ythm
remains pliant and gives precedence t o melodic development, the harmon y
chose n being the" true, " that is t o say. wanted by t he melod y a nd the outcome
of it. P aul Dukas used often to spea k to his students of intervals and their
choice. Let us follow his coun sel and see which will be OUf preferred intervals.

I) Intervals

Let us encroac h a little upon the domain of Chapter X II I and recall that a very
fin e car clea rl y perceives a n F-sha rp in th e natural resonan ce of a low C. example 70

This F-sharp is endowed with an attraction t oward the C. which becomes its
normal resolution. example 71

We are in the presence of the fi rst interval t o choose: the desce ndi ng a ugmented
fourth. example 72

Because of t he importance of th e added sixth in the perfect chord , foreseen by

Ramea u a nd established by Debussy (see also Chapter X III ). and because
Mozart. t hat grea t melodist. often used the desce nding ma jor sixth , we shall
choose t hat interval a new: example 73

We shall not fo rget , fin all y. cer tai n returnin g chromatic formul as which wou ld
be the joy of a Bela Bartok : example 74

2) Melodic Contours

Keepi ng our cho ice of int ervals thoroughl y in mind. let us look now at some
beloved melod ic co ntours and endeavor t o draw th e essence of them. In the
shadow of th e fi ve notes which open Moussorgsky's Boris GodounolJ .' example 75

let us try our first formula of melodic cadence: example 76

 - 32 -
Let us apply to it the added value -- at the crosses -- (see Chapter IIl)a.nd the
harmonies of the second mode of limited transpositions (se' Chapter XVI): e:umple 77

Other uses of this melodic cadence: ......pl.. 78 and 79.

Gries's Chanson de SO/IJeig : eumpJe 80

will be the point of departure of this theme: example 81

Olher uses of th e same formula: en mple. 82 to 84

The three notes written by Debussy at t he beginning of his Ref/ets dans l'eau: eumple 85

will serve us t o engen der a great number of melodic contours : enmple. 86 to 89

Here is a n example in which desce nding augmented fourths abound: example 90

and another in which descending major sixths sing: e:u.mple 91

Let us think again of returning chromatic formulas. A first example: esample 92

I have bracketed the returning chromaticisms. Here again we find the added
valu e (at the crosses) and an interpretation of the Hindu r agavardhana (see
Chapter II) : ezample 93

Another formu la, entirely typical . containing our returning chromaticism in B

and two intervals of the diminished fifth in A and C (the diminish ed fifth.
enharmonically, is the same thing as the augmented fourth) : example 94

Uses of this formula: exampl.. 95 to 99

Example 99 develops our formula by contrary motion in A. normal motion

in B. retrograde motion in D. by interversion of the notes in C and E (see in
Chapter X a long example :>f this latter form of melodic development); it super
poses two modes of limited transpositions : mode 5 upon mode 6
(see Chapter XVI).

3) Folk Songs

In old French songs. and especially in Russian folk lore. we find some remarkable
melodies. Let us remember them. to pass them through lhe deforming prism
 - 33-
of our language. The Russian song, Point n'etail de vent, haunted my youth;
we Hnd there aga in the five nOles of Boris that inspired our first formula of
melodic cadence: czaDlple 100

One can also create false folk songs, without forgetting the little refrain in
onoma topcs : cumpl. 101

4) Plainchant

Plain chanl is an inexhaustible mine of rare and expressive melodic co ntours,

such as : example. 102 to 107

We shall make use of them, forgetting their modes and rhythms for th e use of
ours. A single example of this kind of transformation; from a fragm ent of th e
Introit de Noll: example 108

we shall draw : example 109

The stra nge choice of timbres. th e sixth mode of limited tra nspositions (see
Chapter XVI), the repetitions of the melodic dominant, the fm a l melod ic
descent, the foundation of chords repeating themselves in groups of eleven
eighth-notes, and filiall y the rhythmic variations of the shrill carillon of the
pedal acce ntuate the change. Let us notice that this pedal carillon is based
upon the fragment : example 110

in which we recognize our first formula of melodic cade nce (see example 76 of this
chapter); and let us not forget that it sounds an octave higher than the notation .
More than to the melodic co ntours of plainchant, we shall appl y ourselves to
its forms: Anthems, Alleluias, Psalmodies. Kyrie, Sequence, etc. They will
be treated more at length in Chapter XII.

5) Hindu Ragas

Hindu music aho unds in cu rious, exquisite. unexpected melodic contours which
the native improvisers repeat and vary following the rules of the raga. Here
are two ravishing examples of them, end ing on repeated notes : examples 111 and 112

A theme in which the added value (see Chapter III) and Hindu melodic co lor
are united: example 113

The added values are marked by a cross.

 CHAPTER IX

Bird Song

Paul Dukas used to say, .. Listen to the birds. They are grea t masters." t
confess not having awaited this advice t o 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 fanta sy. Since they use untem-
pered intervals smaller tha n the semi Lone. and as it is rid iculous se rvilely to copy
nature, we are going to give some examples of melodies of the " bird" genre
which will be transcription, transformation, and interpretation of the volleys
and trills of our little serva nts of immaterial joy.
A first example, drawn from my Quatuor pour fa fi n du T t mps : e:u.mple 114

In A, an arpeggio on the domi nant chord with appoggiaturas (Chapter XIV,

article 1) : esample 115

See too in Chapter VI , article 7, example 60 (" Liturgie de cristal "), also drawn
from m y Quatuor j read there the so fan ciful melody of the clarinet, particularl y
typical of the bird style.
The call of a merle: esample 116

Four ornamental variations of a theme and its" commentary " (see Chapter XI ,
article 2) which were suggested to me by the improvisations of a merle: e:u.mple 117

The ve hement tirralirra, alwa ys higher, of the lark : example 118

Hymn of the sparrows at da ybreak: example 119

 CHAPTER X

Melodic Development

I) Elimination

Melod ic development through elimination was really created by Beethoven .

He has left us some immortal models of it; let us reca ll only the ce ntral develop-
ment of the first movement of the Fittll Symphony in C mi nor. This proced ure
is at the basis of all thematic life. It consists of repealing a fra gment of the
theme, taking away from it success ively a part of its notes up t o concentration
upon itself, reduction to a sc hematic stale, shrunken by strife. by crisis. Vincent
d'lndyexplained that very well in his COUTS de composition musicale. Let us
suppose the following theme: Clumple 120

Let us develop it by elimination: example 121

The thematic fragments are bracketed ; one sees that they are of eight notes,
then of four notes, then of two notes. On this bass ascent crashes a veritabl e
flood of chords in sixteenth-notes that I cannot quote here. Afterwards, the
theme is cut in two: example 122

and once more developed by elimination : example 123

while borrowin g its harmonies from the chord of resonance (see Chapter XIV).
Amplification is the procedure exactly opposite to the preceding.

2) Interversion of Notes

This procedure, analyzed by Marcel Dupre in his remarkable TraUt d' improut-
sation, has already been foreseen in Chapter VIII. Let us take again the
fragment used there in contrary and normal movement: example 124

We find there aU the notes of the fifth mode of limited transpositions: example 1%5

Let us try to present the notes of this mode in a large number of different
orders : example 126
 - 36 -
One co uld multiply the combinations. Let us notice, in the last two, the added
values at the crosses and the descents elongated by the addition of the dol at A, B,
and C (see Chapter I II).

J) Cha nge of Register

T he low notes of the theme pass to the extreme treble, the treble to the extre-
mel y low, in a brupt leaps. Alban Berg used t his procedure in the Suitt lyrique;
certain passages of Andre J olivel 's Mana bear evidence of a na logous preoccu-
pations : esample 127

Augmentation and change of repi~ter are going to communicate to th is theme

a crushing power : example 128
 CHAPTER X I

Song-Sentence, Binary and Ternary Sentences

The musical sentence is a succession of periods. The theme is the synthesis of

the elements co ntained in the sentence, of which it generall y constitutes the
fi rst period. Se ntences of one, two, or three difTerent periods; a sentence of
four different periods, or square sentence ; a suite of ornamenta l variat ions of
a t heme a nd its commenta ry (see example 117 of Chapter IX); sent ences issued
from plainc ha nt forms (see Chapter Xli) ; sentences growing or decreas ing. of
longer a nd longer or shorter and shorter periods - one ca n Hnd infinite forms
of dive rse sen tences. For O Uf work of an alysis, let us choose three very charac-
teristic se nte nces : the son g-sentence. cited by d ' Indy in his C OUTS de composi-
tion ; bin ar y and t erna ry sentences, discussed in detail in Marcel Dupre's TraUe
d'improIJisaiion .

I) Song-Sentence

The song-sentence is divided thus: a) theme (antecedent and consequent);

b) middle period, innected toward the dominant; c) Hnal period , an issu e of t he
theme. An example of song-sentence; theme (antecedent) : eumpl. 129

This theme is repeated with a difTerent melodic descent (consequent) ; after-

wards, th e middle part, exceptionall y long a nd divisible into three periods: eumple 130

After a cadence in B major, key of th e dominant, an ascent with crescendo

leads to the Hn al period over the six-four chord in E major, the initial key : eumple 131

and the sentence is ended in absolute pianissimo. Another example: eumple 132

In AI, the a ntecedent of the theme ; in At, the consequent of the th eme. In B,
the middle period, developing the fra gment Y bracketed in the (heme ; Y is
repeated six times upon difTerent degrees - th e first time a melodic variant,
the secon d time a rh ythmic varia nt. In C, the flllal period, an issue of the
theme; it repeats X twice and Z once upon other degrees - Y, developed in t he
middle period, IS absent here.
 - 38 -

2) Comme ntary

The commentary Is a melodic developm ent of the theme, onc in which so me

fragments of the theme are repeat ed in the initial key upon difTcrent degrees,
or in olher ke ys, a nd are varied rh ythmically. melodica ll y, and ha rmonicall y.
The commen tary can also develop elements fore ign t o the theme. but presenting
with the latter a certain agreement of accent. Th e middle period of
example 132 ( Th eme t.l variations) is a commenta ry. Bi nary and t ernary sen
t enees a lternate theme a nd commenta ries.

3) Binary Sentence

The bin a ry se ntence is divided t hus: a) theme; b) fi rs t commenta ry, modulat-

ing more or Jess. inflect ed towa rd lhe domi nant of the ini tial key; c) the me;
d) seco nd commentary, co ncludin g upon lhe t onic of the original key. An
exa mple of the bi na ry sente nce, th e theme and its repetition a degree lower
with harmonic varia tion : ezample 133

The first comm entary: eum ple 134

B uilt e ntirely upon this Cragment oCt he theme: example 135

it uses Crom X to X the second mode oC limited tra nspositions (see Cha pter XVI ).
Afterwards, rest atement of the t hem e. The seco nd comm entary develops t he
same fr agment as the fi rst : example 136

Departing from a lower point, it rises higher a nd ends in the initi al key in the
extreme t reble.

4) T e rnary Sentence

The Lerna ry senten ce is divided t hus: al) theme; al) co nsequ ent of the th eme;
/r ) comme nta ry ; btl conseque nt of the commenta ry; c1) theme; eI) consequ ent of
the theme. An example of the ternar y sentence: enmple 137

In A, t he th eme. In B, consequent of th e t heme; th e fragment W ends a nte

cedent a nd consequent , in normal motion in the fi rst , in contrary motion in the
second . G is a frag ment leading to the commentar y a t C, which starts out
upo n X (rhythm of the head of the th eme) a nd H a nd develops the fragments X ,
Y, Z. In D, the consequent of t he commentary, inflected towa rd the dominant
and developing especia ll y t he fragment Y. The reca ll of H leads t o t he re-e n
tran ce of the theme at E ( I was obliged to a bridge the quotation) . T he ante
 - 39-
cedent of the theme is succeeded by a co nsequent id entical to the preceding
co nsequent and followed by a brief coda ill the extreme treble upon the fra g-
ment W . All 'of this sentence mixes the tonality of E major and the second
mode of lim it ed transpositions, borrowing co nstantly from itself in its differe nt
transpositions. Let us notice the orchestra l distribution in this passage; all
the first violins sing muted, very slowly, with love; four second violins so li and
fiv e violas soli , all also muted, form around th em a halo of mysterious chords;
a harmonic tapestry of such so ftn ess that onc scarcely hears it!

5) List of Melodic Periods

Let us set up a list of melodic periods. Each example of the list will comprise
one or several connected periods. In paragraph 6 of Chapter XIV, entitled
.. A Look at Other Styles, ,. we shall try t o draw the essence from the procedures
of contemporary composers. Here, in the sa me way, we sha ll see some shadows
of former t imes noat by, we shall sa lute some grea t names of mod ern tim es ;
but all these borrowings, like t hose of the paragraph 6 just mentioned, will be
passed through the deforming prism of our language, will receive from our
st yle a difTere nt blood , an une xpec ted melodic and rh ythmic color in which
fanta sy a nd resea rch will be united to des tro y the least rese mblance t o the
model. examples 138 to 150

Examples 138 and 139 evoke Ravel ; who wou ld have believed that '} Examples
140 and 141 have Adam de la Halle for a patron; that is even more unlikely.
140, by its OPI)osition of dynamics , ca lls t o mind t he alterna tions of solo and tutti .
The two periods A and B of 141 co uld have bee n used for a refrain; let us note
their curious rh ythmic symmetry; B res ponds with ascending interva ls to the
descending intervals of A and vice versa. 142 mixes Mozart a nd Manuel de
Falla. 143 unites Bela Bart6k and Andre Jolivet. with a touch of bird st yle
(see Chapter IX). 144 a nd 145 are completely bird style. Th e repeated notes
of 146 are allied to Hindu music. 147 a nd 148 proceed from Russia n songs .
147 is written in the seco nd mode of limited transpositions; its measure A co n-
tains a nonretrog radable rh yt hm (see Chapters XVI and V). E xamples 149
and 150 refer to Rameau; they are fa r awa y from him I
Example 150 is a complete sentence in fi ve periods, whose shape has some
analogy to that of a rigadoo n. AI, the first period , starting upon X; AI, th e
first period repea t ed a nd concluding on the third degree. Period H, starting
upon X in retrograde and modula tirr.; to the domi nant. Restatement of the
period A. slightl y varied. Period C, develop ing es peciall y X, wh ich will be used
to concl ude in a rapid 'a rpeggio; the bracket ed notes Y. of the fi rst period , are
res tated here in a new order.

-
 CHAPTER XII

Fugue, Sonata, Plainchant Forms

I) Fugue

I repeat my Introduction ; " Supposing the fugue and the sonata to

be well-known to the reader, I shall pass over them rather rapidl y and talk more
at length of less usual fo rms." Without co nstraining ourselves to making
regu lar fu gues, we shall keep the most essential parts of them: the episode and
the stretto. The episode is a progression of harmony, concealed by entrances
in canonic imitation being reproduced at symmetrica l intervals, generally from
fifth to fifth; see, in suppo rt of this definition, J. S. Bach 's second" Kyric "
of the Mass in B minor. t he first movement of the Sixth Trio Sonata for organ.
the great Fugue in G millor, also for organ. An example of the episode: example 151

In the piano: harmonic progression, symmetrica l entrances from fifth to fifth

upon the head of the sub ject elongated by a coda; in the violin: desce nt, upon
the head of the countersubject.

An example of stretto in triple ca non at the octave, at one notc's distance: example 152

From A forward, use of the third mode of limited tra nspositions in its third
transposition.

2) Sonata
1\11 free in strumental forms are derived more or less from th e four movcments
)f the sonata. The sonata -allegro synthesizes the whole sonata. I-laving
written some absolutely regular sonata-a llegros, we shall state that one thing
in that form has become obsolete: the recapitulation. Then we sha ll tr y once
more to keep what is most essentia l : the development. There are tWO in a
sonata-allegro : the middle, modulating development; the terminal develop-
ment, generally built over understood domi nant and tonic pedals. We sha ll
be able to write pieces made of this terminal development alone ; I tried it in
.. les En/ants rfe Dieu .. of ta Nalivile du Seigneur. Analysis of this piece :
a) first eleme nt over a domi nant pedal in B major. Development by amplifi-
cation of the second measure of the theme: example 153
 - 41 -
b) A great fortissimo cry, upon a sort of schematic augmentation of thc theme.
c) A tender phrase, forming the conclusion, established over a tonic peda l in B
major : eumple 154

We ma y also start directly upon the central modulati ng development and end
upon a large se ntence forming at once the conclusion, the fi rst complete ex po-
sition of the principal theme, and the definite estab lishment of the principnl
tonality; I tried it in .. Gom bat de la Mort et de la Vie" of its Corps giorieux.
Analysis of this piece:
a) First clement of the development. Theme in C minor, in one voice: e:u.mple 155

followed by a conlest of chord s alternated tumultuously.

b) Theme in E minor, in two voices in ca non. The n a new tumult of chords.
e) Theme in A-flat major. in three voices in canon. Theme in D minor in the
bass, then the tum ult of cho rds.
d) A wave of chords falls in contra ry movemen t over a n ascent of the theme in
the bass. A long deve lopment by elimination (see example 121 of Chapter X
which quotes this elimination).
t!) The theme is cut in two and co ntinues to be developed by elimination in great
forti ssimo cries. This last clemen t of developme nt is an understood dominant
pedal in F-sharp major.
n A large binary sentence (see Chapter XI. article 3). very slow and very long.
in which one hears at last, in a state of repose, the principal key. F-sharp major,
and especially the complete theme from which the sentence is issue(i. (You
will find in Chapter XIII two fragm ents of th is se nte nce: examples 194
a nd 199.)
We are go ing to study in the two following articles two interesting free forms
proceeding from the development of the sonata-a llegro..

3) Development of Three Themes, Prepari ng a Final Issued from the

First

This form resembles the precedi ng. I used it in the ninth part of my NafiviU
du Seigneur: "Dieu parmi nous." An analysis of this piece :
a) Condensed exposit ion of the three themes in eight measures. First theme,
rhythmic: example 156

This first theme is divided into A and B; A is writte n in the fourth mode of
limited tran spositions; B is written in the second of these modes; B co ntains
three quarter-notes and three eighth- notes (dim inution of the three quarter-
notes), a rhythm which reca lls to us the Hindu ragavardhana and which will be
the basis of the final toccata. Like Bach's chorale. Adam's Fall (for orga n),
 - 42 -
like the descent of Arianc, the light, t o the midst or the darkness where t he
wives of Bluebeard su ffered (in the opera of Paul Dukas), this clement B assim-
ilates rhythmic precip itation and the passage from treble to bass into t he idea
of fall ; hut it is a question of the glorious and ineffa ble fall of the second per-
son of t he Holy Trinity into a human form ( if it is permissible to employ this
term on the subject of the Inca rnation of the Word I).
The second theme, melodic and harmo nic, exp ress ing the lovc for J esus Christ
of th e communicant, of the Virgin, of the entire Church : example 157

(Without the value added by the dot, at the crosses - see Cha pter ItT - which

transforms its rh ythmic pace, this theme could have been written in ~ time.)

T hird theme, melod ic, a Magni ficat, alleluia tic praise in bird st yle: e:u.mple 158

b) Deve lopment of the first a nd third themes.

c) Development of the third theme in jubilatory counterpoi nt in two vo ices.
d) More im pass ioned development of the second theme.
e) Element A of the fi rst theme over a dominant peda l in E majo r. Element B
in contrar y motio n bu rsts li ke thunder and engenders a joyo us and vigorous
toccata.
f) This toccata in E maj or is the piece itsel f, all the large development wh ich
precedes hav ing been onl y the preparation of it. Except for a passage recall ing
the third t heme, a nd a new melodic elemen t: e:u.mple 159

the whole toccat a is built upon the element B of the first theme: e:u.mple 160

whose four quarter-notes are developed at length, re pea ted, triturated, hesi-
tati ng in the bass aroun d F-Ilatura l before conclud ing on th e E (tonic) in a
triumphant glee.

4) Variations of the First Theme, Separated by Developments of the

Second

Th e form used in the seventh part of m y Quoluor pour 10 fin du T emps :" Fouillis
d'orcs-tn-ciel, pour I'Ange qui annonct la fin du T em ps." An alys is of this
piece:
a) Exposition of the first theme (melod ic) : example 161

A co mplet e sente nce, in the second mode of limited transpositions, drilti ng

between the tonalities of A major, F-sharp major, E- nat major. (See
example 359 of Chapter XVII where it is quoted completely with its harmonies.)
b) E xposition of the second theme (rh ythmic) by the four ins truments: violin,
clarinet in B-Oat, violoncello, and piano: e:u.mple 162
 -43 -
This second theme is drawn from the second movement of the Quatuor,
c) First variation of the first t heme, Accompanied by the clarin et's coun terpoint,
still in the second mode, and drifting between the tonalities of F~sharp, -Oat,
and C ma jor. (Example 326 of Chap ter XVI quotes the first meas ures oCit.)
d) Development of the rhythmic elements A, B. C, D, all drawn from the seco nd
t heme : example 163

First measures of the second th eme. Developmen t of A in the strings over a

cluster of chords, X . in the pian o drawn from the second movement of the
Quatuor example 164

Nex t measures of the second theme. Development of Band 0 in th e piano,

und er the clu ster of chords, X, ret rograded in the v ioli n and clarinet for the two
t op vo ices of the chords (the violoncello pa rtially retrogrades the two low
vo ices), with use of the domi na nt chord with a ppoggiaturas in B a nd efleets of
inferior reso na nce in D (see Chapter X IV, articles 1 and 4) : example 165

Then, developme nt of C b y elimination. ( In exam ples 164 and 165 the clarinet
sounds a tone lower than the nota tion.)
e) Second variation of the first theme. Arabesqu es in the violin and viano are
o pposed t o the cla rinet in the low reg ist er and the col iegno of the violoncello.
I) Combinatioll of the commentary of the second t heme : example 166

wi t h this rh ythm of the first : example 167

and a clarinet recall , in equal values , of the sixth movemen t of th e Qualuor : example 168

Development of th e trilled chords wh ich end th e commen ta ry of the second

theme. The cl uster of chords, X, in normal a nd retrograde movemcnt at th c
same time. Then, a new successio n of chords, dra wn from the seco nd theme
and from the seco nd movemen t of the Quatuor. (O ne has thus hcard aga in, by
fra gments, in th e co urse of the developments, the entire second theme. ) Finall y,
the" jum ble." Clusters, cascades of chords. The clarin et repeals an arpeggio
formula of the dominant chord a lready heard in the second and third movemen ts
of the Qualuor. Violin a nd violoncello. borrowi ng this diminution from the
first theme : example 169

ma ke of it an ascent in development by eliminatio n (see Chapter X), which lea ds

qu ite naturall y to t he final varia tion.
g) Last va riation of the first theme. Same mode and same tonal drifting.
The sentence is t rilled throughout. Sho rt recall of the second theme to co n-
cl ude.
 - 44 -

5) Plainchant Forms

On e can hardly use th e themes of plainchant more and better than Charles
Tourn cmirc in his Orgue mystique. Leaving these themes and the ir me lod ic
co ntours (see Chapter VIII ) for a little, we s ha ll lurn to wa rd the pla inchant
forms. Alle luias a nd great anthems will a llu re us from th e vc ry first. My
.. S ubliliti des Corps giorieux " (Les Corps g/orieux) is a large ornamented
anthem in onc vo ice without any harmonizatioll ; eac h period in it is tcrmi
!l Olled by a formula of melodic cadence repeated in echo : example 170

Th e first period A is rcpeated twice. Then, period B, also re pealed twice,

with, the seco nd time, varia nts of a cce nt, descent , and curves. Hcs latcment
of period A. Period C, modulating to the dom inant and co nclu di ng on til('
tonic. Period A, varied. Period D, mod ulating to the dom inant, with var ied
repetitions in crescendo a nd great voca lise, e nding in the period A, deprived of
its head . Period E. starting upon a great voca lise and co ncl udi ng on the
to nic, wi t h echoes a nd rh yth mic e nlargeme nt.
In .. Antienne du Silenu .. (Chanfs de Terre et de Cie) I superposed the prin.
cipa l se ntence given t o the voice upon a melody in a nth em form , surrounded
by a quasi-atonal double co un terpoint.
As for a lleluias. we sha ll retain t he essentia l part of them : a lleluiatic voca
lise, whose characte r our music will often have. My" Resuruc(ion " serves
to furnish us a ll the useful examples. Alleluia tic melody : uample 171

Le t us poi nt out (a t the crosses) the ad ded va lues in the song; it is divided into
li ttle groups of five sixtee nth-notes (a prime number). The vocal ise which
fo llows accentuates aga in th e rapid, s uppl e, joyous, triumphant pace of the
passage. In the pia no, a sort of e normous ca rillon , irradiated, usi ng an inter-
pretation of the Hindu rh yt hm, ragauardh ana (see Cha pte r II). At A, domi
Ila nt chord with appoggia turas (see Chapter XIV), prov ided with an cllect
of inferior reso na ncc at B. At C. the chord of resona nce with the ellect of a
sta inedglass window (aga in , sce Chapter X I V). Farther on, th e initial vocalise
is a mplified (at A) : ezample 172

Third jubilator)' example: example 173

Notice. in the so ng, the intervals of the two melodic descents : at A. desce nding
major s ixth ; at B, desccnding augmented fourth . In the piano, a domin ant
c hord with appoggiaturas (see Chapter XIV, article 1) used in its ditTerent
in versions at C. D, E. Still in the piano: close entrances, X i the t hematic
fragment (which is our first formula of melod ic cadence in Chapt er VIII ) cha nges
rh ythm at each cntry.
 - 45 -
A fourth exa mple, in which the voice turns around a melodic dominant (G. sharp).
with a sUllny gaie ty morc and more delirious: eumple 174

The work ends with t his las t in crease of joy : example 175

The volleys in bird style (at A) contrast with the powerful solemnity of the
chords. B, preceded at C by the ir cffect of inferior reso nance. At D. chord of th e
dominant seventh with added sixth (see Chapter XI II ). At E. last volley,
like a blow of instan ta neous light !
Let us see now how one can blend allelu ialic vocalise with psalmod y. After-
wa rds we shall stud y two plaincha nt forms: the Kyrie a nd th e seq uence.

6) Psalmody and Vocalise

Withou t forgetting that the voice should fi rst sin g and afterwards lurn t o
t he cxigcnces of the text a nd im itate the inOeclions of s peech, we may occa-
s iona ll y adopt a certa in system of decla mation more easily appl icab le if we
ourselves write the poems of ou r voca l works: first, all that seems to belong
to th e domain of the recitative is psalmody (the words utlered at a very ra pid
pace on a repeat ed note, th e punctuation underlined by formulas of voca lized
melod ic cadences); second, any word es peciall y important, moving, rich in
mean ing, is ado rned with a long or even very long vocalise. An exa mple
of psalmody eumple 176

The melodic caden ce con tains a returni ng chromaticism, B. and a melodic

contour. A, often quot ed in this work (see Chapter V III ). In the followin g
exa mple, the importan t word ame - it is the so ul that sutlers and prays - is
vocalized at length : example 177

7) Kyrie
In the pla incha nt masses, some K yries a re divided thus : fi rst. K yrie eleison
(th e Father) three times: A, B, A; second. Christe d eiSM (the Son) th ree times:
C. D. C; third, Kyrie deiSM (the Holy Ghost) t hree times: E, F; the last K yrie.
longer. takes up the period E agai n, repea tin g it t wice; it is followed by a
melodic co nclusion. The music assumed at the word e/eison (" have pity upon
us! ") remains the same for the nine invocat ions. My" Mystere de la S ainte
Triniti .. will give us an exam ple of this form . This organ piece is written in
three vo ices, supplementary homa ge to the Trinity, the form itself being t ri-
pa rtite: t hree times three. The top voice si ngs a distant cou nterpoint. q uasi-
atona l, made of upbeats a nd termi nations; the bass unfolds a long rhythmic
peda l (see in Chapter XV examp le 3 10, drawn exactl y from t he" Mystere
de la Sain te Trilliti tt) . I quo te here onl y the middle voice, which has the-prin-
cipal song. example 178
 - 46 -
This first tercel, A. B. A, is in D. In it the music of X (eleison) remains the
same, The second tercel, C, D, C, touches upon the key of A. The third tercel,
E, F, E : eumpl. 179

also begins in A. X being transposed. F is on ly a restatement of A. Then E is

repeated twice, the second time being enlarged by an ornamental melodir:
variant. Co nclusion in D recalling the period D; X (eleison) in D.
with rhythmic expansio n, to finish.

8) Sequence

The sequence is a canticle of popular style. Each period in it is heard twic'.

either consecutively or alternately; all cnd on the same nole. In" ie Verbe "
(fourth part of my NafiviU du Seigneur), I used a very special form which
simultaneously holds to the sequence through its divisions. to the Hindu ragas
through its character, to the ornamented chorales of J. S. Bach through its
expressive and austere arabesques which overload the solemn, long, slow melody.
In it each repetition of a period is varied, provided with a new ornamentation;
G, the Hn al of each period. is in the course of the sentence harmonized in nine
difTerent ways. The second mode of limited transpositions (the melody) is
mi xed with the major tonality and the seventh mode of plainchant or the
mode on G (the harmonies) - these mixtures will be exami ned more closely in
Chapters XVII and XVIII.
Distribution of the periods: period I : example 180

Period 2 repeated twice. Periods 3 and 4 : example 181

Again, periods 3 and 4, varied. Then restatement of period 2, very much

elongated and followed by a sort of amen to conclude: example 182
 CHAPTER X III

Harmony, Debussy, Added Notes

I) Added Notes

With the advent of Cla ude Debussy, one spoke of appogg iaturas without reso-
lu tion, of passing notes with no issue. elc. In fa el, one found them in his first
works. In Pellias et M i lisande. les Estompes, Its Preludes . les Images fo r the
piano, it is a q uestion of fo reign notes. w ith neither preparation nor resolu-
tion , without pa rticular expressive accent. which tranquilly make a part of
the chord , chang ing its co lor, givin g it a spice. a new perfume. These notes
keep a charaeL(' r of intrusion. of suppleme nt: th e bee in the fl ower ! They
have, nevertheless, a certa in citizenship in the chord, either because th ey have
the same sonority as some cla ssified appoggiatura. or because lhey issue from
the reso na nce of the fu ndamen tal. They arc added noh.s.

2) Added Sixth and Added Augmented Fourth

The most used of t hese notes is the added sixth . Ramcau foresa w it; Chopin ,
Wagner made use of it (and also some writers of a fa cile a nd light temperament,
nota bl y Masse net a nd Chab rier, which proves to what poi nt it is nat ura l I).
Deb ussy and Rave l installed it definitively in t he musica l lan guage, Here
it is on t he perfect chord : example 183

on the chord of t he dom inan t seve nth : example 184

on the chord of the ninth : example 185

In the resona nce of a low C. a very fi ne ear perceives an F-sha rp : es ample 186

T herefore, we are a uthorized to t reat this F-sha rp as an added note in t he per-

fect chord, a lread y provided with an add ed sixth. Then our perfect chord
will be : example 181

and there will be an attraction between the F~s harp and the C, the form er
t en8ing to resolve itself upon the latter. example 188
 - 48 -

3) Relation of Added Notes and Added Values

Let us come back t o t he renections of Chapter J. Th e perfect chord with

added sixth and added a ugmented fourth which we have just written will
be the t yp ical chord of the seco nd mod e of lim ited transpos itions (see Chap-
t er XVI). In Chapt er VIII , we had chosen from all intervals the descending
augmented fo urth and the descending major sixth , a new a nalogy. Finall y,
the relation of notes added to chords and values added to rhythms strikes us.
The same charm, onc somewhat perverse, is found in t hese va lues of supplement
which make the rh ythms limp deliciously. in these foreign noles which insidi-
ously transform the tint of the chord.

4) Use of Added Notes

At the head of th is para graph, I want to write these two chords from P ellias:, example 189

They will be th e genesis of the following example: example 190

The added notes are ind icated by the crosses. The same chords with new
added notes: example 191

Use in one of m y melod ies: " La Maison" : eu mple 192

The first two measures contai n four quarter-notes, the third four d o tte~ quarter-
notes, without the eighth- note's having changed in va lue. Another example
of added notes : eumple 193

Again, the added notes at the crosses. Th e fr agment A, alrea dy quoted in

Chapter VI II . constitutes a " passi ng group" (see Chapter XV). At B, the
add ed s ixth on the chord of the ninth ; in C, use of t he seco nd mode of li mited
trans pos ition's (see Chapter XVI) . Another example (added notes still at the
crosses) : example 194

Very striki ng use of the added sixth in the ninth chord example 195

The entire exa mple is written on the chord esample 196

Except for its firs t eighth-note, t he accent, it is also entirely an extremely

gracious and refi ned rhythmic descent. In t he first measure, interpretation
of the Hin du ragavardhana, divisible into two fragm ents, A and B; in the seco nd ,
variant of these two rhythms : A is deprived of its last eighth-n ote, the third
qu arter-note of B is dotted. This dot (added value, indicated by the cross)
 - 49 -
slac kens t he rhythmic descen t wh il e un de rlining its caressi ng nonchala nce
(see a rt icle 3 of Chapter III, whic h t reats rhythmic prepa ra tions and descents).
Usc of t he au gmented fourth added to the perfec t chord a t A, of the six t h
add ed Lo the chord of th e domi nan t sevent h a t B. Usc of added va lues (I
insis t no furth er upon their relaLionship wi th added notes). From the begi n-
ning t o X. t he quota tion is wrillen in the seco nd mode of limited t ra nspo-
s itiollS : e:umple 197

Agai n, usc of the a ugmen ted fourth added t o t he p<'rfcct chord a t A, of the added
s ixth at B; at the crosses, added va lues; at the last cross, lengthening by t he
dot , slacke nin g t he rhythmic descent : example 198

A las t q uotation : ezample 199

At the crosses. the add ed a ugmented .fourth. The initial contour, A, is a n

.. embellishme nt group " on the D-sha rp (see Chapter X V). T he entire qu o-
lation is written in t he second mode of limited tra nspos itions: eumple 200
. ,.
 CHAPTER XIV

Special Chords, Clusters of Chords,

and a List of Connections of Chords

I) The Chord on the Dominant

It contains all the notes of the major scale : example 201

Here is its supposed resolution: enmple 202

Let us make appoggiaturas to the added notes: example 203

Let us make multicolor work, bring forth an efTect of a stained-glass window and
arrange the different inversions of the chord with such appoggiaturas over a
common bass note (C-sharp or D-nat) . eumple 204

Another disposition: eumpJe 205

The same, transforming the appoggiaturas into added notes: example 206

Other added notes : esample 207

1) The Chord of Resonance

Nearly all the noles perceptible, to an extremely fme ear, in the resonance of
a low C, figure. tempered, in this chord. It.ample 208

Let us make the preceding efTect of a stained-glass window, arranging the

inversions on a common bass note (C-sharp or D-flat) : example 209

Connected to its second inversion: example 210

the chord of reso nance gives all the notes of the third mode of limited transpo-
sitions : example 211

A progression alternating our chord and its first inversion: e.ample 212

3) The Chord in Fourths

Let us forget the classic chords of superposed t hirds t o use a chord of augmen ted
and perfect fourths. uampl. 213
 - 51 -
It contains all the not es of the fift h mode of limited transpositions (see Chap-
ter XV I) : ......pl. 214

To this chord and this mode belongs the melodic formula: eUJDple 215

already cited in paragraph 2 of Chapter X, apropos of t he interversion of notes.

This successio n : example 216

otTers us use: in A. of t he chord in fou rths; in B. of the chord of resonance,

4) Effects of Resonance

Paul Dukas often spoke of .. effects of reso nance." Effects of pure fantas y,
similar by a very dista nt analogy to the phenomenon of natura l resonance. One
will find remarkable ones, mingled with learned variations of rhythm, in the
Dames rituelles and especially in the Mana of Andre Jolivct.
Superior resonance: example 217

The cluster of chords, B, is written in the sixth mode of limited transpositions,

the cluster of chords. C, in the second or these modes (see Chapter XVI). These
two clusters of chords form superior resonance of the chord, A. Inferior reso-
nan ce (at the cross) : example 218

An analogous effect: example 219

Third exumple of inferio,r resonance: example 220

At A (a rpeggio of the clarinet and chords of the piano) : chord on the dominant
(see article 1 of this chapter). At H : inferior resona nce. At C : bird-style
melodic contours.
A last effect of resonance : example 221

5) Clusters of Chords

See example 217 of the preceding paragraph. Another quotation : example 222

In the gentle cascade of blue-orange chords surrounding with its distant carillon
the melody, quasi-pJainchant, of the strings, let us notice: in A, superposed
fourths; in B. a progression upon t he chord of resonance (see example 212 of
this chapter); in C, the second mode of limited transpositions.
 - 52 -

6) A Look at Other Styles

Let us recall that these two chords of Pe{ieas : example 223

engendered the" Danst generate ., of Daphnis (Ravel) and a pol ylonalit y par-
ticularly .dear. t o Milhaud. It is curious to sec how, since the Orfeo and the
extraordinary madrigals of Monteverd i, the harmon ic scie nce has evolved fmlll
one composer to another. In our turn, let us look at the works of our contem-
poraries and try to draw the essence fr om th em. Two examples of this trans-
forming" look. " A measure of Debussy: '" example 224

I make a progression of it example 225

Another transformation eumJ11e 226

A measure of Ravel: eumple 'lZ1

I reverse the connection: e um.ple 228

Another t ransformation esample 229

7) Natural Harmony

Now we are going to set up a list of co nnections of chords. In the followin g

chapters we shall try again to en large our harmonic horizon by the use of the
modes of limited transpositions and of the combination," upbeat-accent-termi-
nation. It All these investigations ought not make us forget the natural har-
mony : the true, unique, voluptuously pretty by essence, willed by the melody,
issued from it, pre-existent in it, having always bee n enclosed in it, awaiting
manifestation.
My secret desire of enchanted gorgeousness in harmony has pushed me toward
those swords of nrc, those sudden stars, those flows of blue-o range lavas, those
planets of turquoise. those violet shades, those garnets of long-haired arbores-
cence, those wheelings of sounds and colors in a jumble of rainbows of which I
have spoken with love in the Preface of my Quatuor pour la fin du T emps; such
a gushing out of chords should necessarily be filtered; it is the sacred instinct of
the natural and true harmony which, alone, can so charge itself.
 - 53-

8) A List of Connections of Chords

eumpl" 230 to 24S
P rogressions of harmony. Exam ples 230 and 23 1 retrograde the second t erm
of t he progression (1). We have alread y seen examples 233 and 238 in para-
graph 6. Examp le 236 is part icu larl y expressive. In 237, the midd le peda l on
E and the con trary motion of the two upper voices change the aspec t of the
progression situated in the tou r lower voices. In 238, 244, and 245, the seco nd
Lerm varies the rhythm of th e fi rst. 241 and 243 are d rawn fro m " Vocalise,
pour rAnge qui annonce fa fin du T emps." E xamp le 244 superposes, at A.
two modes of limited t ranspositions: mode number three over mode number
two ; at B. the superposition is lowered by a t one; it is drawn from " Ta IJoix "
as is example 245. examples 246 to 251

Ha rmonic lita nies. (The harmonIc li tany is a melod ic fragment of two or several
notes repeated wi th di fTerent harmonizatio ns.) E xamples 247 a nd 248 are
dra wn from " Bail avec M i "; 246 fig ures in .. Un re flet dans Ie vent. " 249 in
.. Louan ge a l'lmmortalite de J isus. " 250 in " Fouillis d'arcsenciel. pour
l' Ange qui annOfICe fa fi n du Temps. " examples 252 to 276

Various co nnec tions. E xample 253 is written in t he se venth mode of lim ited
transpositions, exam ple 256 in the second of these modes, 258 fig ures in
,. Ie CoUier." 262 is in A major, in spite of its poiyton ai appearance. 269 is
made from 268. 272 superposes t wo modes of limited t ranspositions: mode
number th ree (up per stall) upon mode num ber two (l ower stall); one will fm d it
aga in, t ranspospd, a nd with a difTerent rhy thm, in " A rc tncitl d' innoctnct. ..
274 is poiytonal. 276 is a co ntraction of the theme of Debussy's I\-t elisa nde. esamples rn to 283
Superposit ions of perfect and a ugmented fourths, of perfect and diminjshed
fifths. 277 fi gures in .. Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonct la fin du T emps "; it
superposes perfect fourths; a t t he cross, from the boltom upward, perfect fourt h,
a ugmented fourth , perfect fou rth. The following examples superpose perfect
and diminished fifth s. In arra nging the chords of 282 and 283 in spaced posi
tio ns. one . Hn ds the same supe rpositions. esample. 284 to 287

Examples of longer duration. T hey give a qu ite small glimpse of the gushing
out of chords described in pa ragra ph 7. Example 287 curiously mixes th ree
harmonic st yles: A evokes Ravel, B, Stravins ky, C, Honegger. esamples 288 to 293

More refm ed examples. Example 288 : measure A is made from a fragment of

the .. Fouillis d'a rcs en citl. pour l' A nge qui annonce la fin du T emps"

( I ) TranI/aJar " noll. - T he ilxleenth-110l e movemenl undu t he luond eight h -note I, t he retrograde .', Ih ll t under
t he ftnt .
 - 54-
(example 289); measure B contracts the reso nance of example 290 (drawn from
the same work) . Example 291 is a transformation of three Ravel-like chords
(example 292, Ravel , Ma Mere l'Oye). Finally, example 293 uses: at A. the
co nnections of 288; at C. those of 291; at B t the dominant chord with appo~gia-
turas (see example 204, article 1 of this chapter). ezamplet 294 to 301

Formulas of accompaniment. One should be able to place a theme in a middle

voice in 294. 295 (" Le nombre Ugu ") calls for a voice above and below it.
296 (" Paysage ") is written in the second mode of limited transpositions; thE'
theme will be placed above it. in the same mode. The light rustling of 29i
superpost"s a melodic formul a in .the fifth mode of limited transpositions upon
arpeggios using the sixth of these modes; it calls for a voice above and below it.
298 is in bird style; it supposes a voice below it. as do the chiming sonorities
of 299 and 300. 301 has us hear voice and accompaniment.
 CHAPTER XV

Enlargement of Foreign Notes, Upbeats

and Terminations

Dissonances or foreign notes, they arc all the same. With OUf com plicnted
chords, is a dissonance possible? And, in this mu ltitude of added noles, what
becomes of the old foreign notes: pedal, passi ng note, embellishment, appoggia-
tura ? They are indispensable to the expressive and con trapuntallifc of mmic;
let us preserve them by en largi ng them. The pedal will become the pedal
group; the passing note, the passing group; the embellishment, the embell ishment
group. Each of these groups will co ntain several foreign notes, formin g a com-
plete .. whole music" (rhythm, harmony. melod y) and being analyzed as : a
single pedal. a single passing note, a single embellishment.
We shall forget the a nticipation and the escape lone which have only been the
prophecy of the added note. The suspension. also, has erased itself litlle by
little bdore the appoggiatura. This last, the most important and the most
express ive of tht: foreig n notes in the classic style, will become the combin ation:
u phea t-acce nt-termi nation .

I) The Pedal Group

Instead 01 one sustained note, foreign to the chords which surround it, we shall
have a repeated music (repetition and sustaining are eq uivalent), foreign to
another music situated above or below it; each of these musics will have its own
rhythm. melody, harmonies. esampl.302

In this exa mple, the music of the upper stafT rep.e ats itself from measure to
measure, independent of the music of the lower staff; it is a pedal group. The
entire passage is in A major. At the same time it is polymodaJ and superposes
two mod es of limited transpositions: the third mode for the upper stafT: e:umple 303

and the second mode for the lower stafT : esample 304

We shall speak again of this polymodality in Chapter XIX .

 - 56-

2) The Passing Group

On the spot repetition is the equi va le nt of sustaining. we sa id apropos of pedal

groups. Likewise, the reproduction of the terms of a progress ion is t he cqui.
valent of the symmetrical move ment, ascending or desce ndin g, degree b y degree .
of passing noles. example 305

In the middle voice, in B. a pedal group. In th e two outer voices , at A. groups

of foreign notes, reprod uced symme trica ll y, in asce ndin g progress ion for the
upper part, desce nding for the bass; they are pass in g groups.

3) The Embellishment Group

example 306
At A and a t C. the rca l note O. In B. an immense sc roll fonning a single emb ...'I-
lishme nl of the 0; it is a n e mbellishment gro up.

4) Upbeats a nd Tenn inations

Mozart is the distant herald of them. Schonbe rg a rrd Alban Berg used them
with a rare emolio na l inte ns ity. But it is Arthur Honegger es pecia ll y wh o has
ca rried them to their ma ximum of efTect (see notab ly J udith , /-I ora c( uicforiw:r.
Antigone, Dans( des morls).
Let us preserve what is most esse ntial in th e a ppogg ia tura: the ex pressive accent.
Let us pre pare t his accen t by a n immense upbeat and resolve it by an imme nse
termination; its ex pressive power will be augmented in the same proportion.
We thus obtain the combin a tion: upbeat-acce nt-terminatio n. Th e upbeat and
the termin ation ma y be se parated from the acce nt by a rest , and even exis t in
the absence of any acce nt. In the embe ll ishment gro up, departure and arrival
took place actuall y on the same long note; here. the last note is short, difTerent
from the first, and all the notf!S are foreign. T he embellishment group, like th e
pedal group and the passing group , could possess its own harmonies; the co mbi-
nation upbea t-a\.:cen t-termi lla tion is, on the co ntrary, exclusively melodic.
Finally - and here is the principle - our combi natio n tu rns arou nd the exp res-
sive acce nt, which is its ccn ter and reason for being. whe reas the embellishmen t
gro up docs not havc a n acce nt. exam ple 307

Course of a nguish, of desire, and of horror ; in A, panting upbeat; at E, accent;

in C, termination . example 308

The direct movement and the cruelty of the chords give to t his exa mple a great
expressive strength. The accent B is lacerating. In A, upbeat and rh yt hmic
precipitation ; ill C, termination. eumple 309
 - 57-
At B, accent. Tne upbeat A and the t ermination C are cut by rests; impress ion
of effort for one, of exha ustion for th e other. In sp ite of this cutting into
parls, an example of more vigoro us character than the preceding. Exception-
ally, the combination begins and en ds on the same note: E. example 310

Here , the acce nt B is distant and the upbea t A more calm . In C, a very long
t ermination in quasi-atona l style. In D. a termination not preceded by an
accent. Let us nOlice, in the bass, the rhythmic succession: example 311

already quoted in Chapter VI apropos of rhythmic pedals. It plays this role

of rh ythmic peda l in the course of the work.
 CHAPTER XVI

Modes of Limited Transpositions

I have already spoke n of these modes in the Prelace of m y Nalivili du Seigneur.

Let us repeat that ex position, amplifying it cons id erably by examples and
more detailed ex planations of the mechanism of the modes. To lighten m y text,
I shall not constantly usc the term, " mod es of limited transpositions, .. which
is a Ii ltle long, but I shall designate each mod e by its numeral: seco nd mode,
third mod e. ctc., or mod e 2, mod e 3, etc.
All lh e examples of this cha pter use the chosen mode melodicall y an d harmon -
icall y, that is to say, all their notes belong t o the mode. In til(' co ntrary cases,
I indicate the notes for eign t o th e mode.

I) Theory of the Modes of Limited Transpositions

Ba sed on OUf present chromatic system, a tempered system of twelve soun ds, .
th ese modes are formed of several symmet rica l groups, t he last note of each
group always bei ng common with the first of the foll owin g group. Atthe end of
a certain number of chromatic transpositio ns which va ries with each mode, they
are no longer transposa bl e, the fourth transposition giving exac tl y the same
notes as the first, for ex ample, the fifth giving exactly the sa me notes as t he
second. etc. (When I say " the same notes, " I speak enharmonically and always
accord ing to our tempered system. C-sha rp bei ng equal to D-nat.) There are
three mod es of this t ype. There are four other modes, tra nsposab le six times.
and presenting less interes t, for the very reaso n of their too great number of
transpositions. All th e modes of limited transpositions cu n be used melodica lly.
and especially harmonicall y, melod y and harmonies never leaving t he notes of
the mode. We spoke in Chapter I of the charm of impossibilities ; their impos-
sibility of transposition makes their strange charm. The y are at once in the
atmosphere of several tonalities , without polyfonalify, the composer being free to
give predomi nan ce to one of the t onalities or to leave the to nal im pressio n unset-
tled. Their series is closed. It is mathematicall y impossible to fmd others of
them, at least in ou r tempered system of twelve sem itones. In the tempered
syst em in qu arter-ton es , extolled by Haba and Wischn egradsky, 1here exists a
co rresponding series (unfortunately, I can not busy myself here with it. no more
 - 59 -
tha n with the other particularities of q uarter-tone music. no more t han wi th the
relat ions between tempered a nd u ntem pered music. all q uest ions which will
impassion t he musicians of the fut ure, bul passi ng t he bo undaries of t his work).
I add that t he modes of lim ited transpos itions have nothing in common wit h the
t hree great moda l systems of India , Chi na. a nd an cient Greece. no more t han with
the modes of pla inchanl (rela ti ves of the Gn:ek modes), all these scales being
transposable twelve times.

2) First Mode of Limited Transpositions

The firs t mode is divided into six grou ps of t wo notes each ; it is tra nsposab le
twice. It is the whole-tone scale. Cl a ud e Deb ussy, in Pel/ias el M eJisande,
and after him Pau l Dukas. in Ariane et Barbe-Blwe. have-made such remar k-
a ble use of it t hat t here is noth in g more t o add . Then we shall carefully avo id
making use of it , unless it is co ncea led in a superpos ition of modes wh ich re nders
it un recognizable, as in example 43 of Chapte r VI, paragraph 3.

3) Second Mode of Limited Transpositions

On e already fi nds traces of it in Sadko b y Rimsky-K orsa kov; Sc riabine uses it

in a more co nscious fashion ; Ravel and Strav in sky have used it transientl y.
But all that remai ns in t he state of timid sketch, the moda l effect being more or
less absorbed by classified sonorities.
l\tode 2 is transposable three times, as is t he chord of t he dimi nished seventh.
It is divided into four symmetrica l gro ups of t hree notes each. These " t ri-
chords, .. taken in asce nding movement, are themselves divided into t wo inter-
va ls : a semitone a nd a tone. Here is the first t ra nsposition ; esample 312

Here arc t he seco nd and third t ranspositions: examples 313 and 314

The fourth t ra nspositio n gives exactl y t he same notes as the fi rst (enha rmoni-
call y spea king) : example 315

T he fifth t ranspos ition gives the sa me not es as the second , the sixth the same as
the third , a nd so on. One can b egin t he scale on the seco nd degree; we shall
th us have in each gro up the interva ls of a t one. a sem ito ne (in stead of a semitone,
a t one, as prev iously); bu t t hat changes no th i n ~ in the chords created by t he
mode, and we fall again, enharmonically, into tbe notes of the fi rst transpos i-
tio n : example 316

Mode 2, fi rst t ra nsposition , in parallel succession of chords (each vo ice rea lizes
th e eufre mode, start ing on a difTerent degree) : example 317
 - 60 -
This success ion nJtcrna tcs the six-four chord with added au gmc ilted fourth and
t he domina nt seve nth chord wi th added sixth (s('t' Chapter X III ).
Co ntrary motion, sa llle tra nsposition: nample 318

Typica l chord of the mode, same tra nsposition example 319

Cho rd co ntaining alllhc notes of the mode, ir, it s s('co nd tra nspos ition : example 320

Vahous fOrmulas of cade nce belo nging to the sero nd mode: es.ample. 321 to 324

The first formuJ:l. is the t yp ic;ll cadence of the mode , first transposition; we h3\'('
already seen it ill Chapter VI I I (example 77, .. fa Vierge el (,EII/alli " ) . Th e
second formula uses the mode in its seco nd t ransposi tion . The third formu[n
is a progress ion of harmony; at A, first term, third trans posi tion; at the cross,
added va lu e, givi ng more force to t he pre pa ra tion of the accent; at B, second
term, first transpositio n, rhyt hmic variation; at th e cross. \'al uc elongated by
add ition of the dot, slackening the descent. The fourth formu la uscs the seco nd
tra lLspositio ll.
I have a lready pointed out. in the exa mp les of the preceding chapte rs. fr eque nt
bo rrowi ngs from the second mode. i\ew exa mples of its usc: examples 32S to 321

Th e thre{' exa mples do not leave the notes of the mode in its lirs l tra nsposi tion.
T he third example co ntain s, in t he piano, an interesting formu la of accompa-
nimen t (sec Chapter X IV, paragrap h 8) ; com parc its melodic movement with
exa mp le 11 3 of Cha rkr VI II (" rAnge aux par/ums "). n .ample 328

This last exa mple uses mode 2: at A, in its th ird tra nsposit ion ; at B, in its first
tra nspos itio n.

4) Third Mode of Limited Transpositions

It is transposa ble four t imes, as is the chord of th e augmcnted Mth. isl[

divided into three symmetrical groups of four not("s each . These " tetrac hord s. "
take n in ascending movement, a rc divided t he mse lves into t hree interva ls : 3
tone and two semi tones. I-It' re is the first transposition example 329

Here are the second, third, and fou rth tran sposi tions: example. 330 to 332

Thc Hfth transposit ion gives the sa me notes as thc Hrst, the sixth the sa me notes
as t he second, and so on, according to the ph enomenon observed in mode 2.
One can begin the sca le on t he seco nd or on the third degree, but (as we have seen
also for the secon d mode) there follows only n new order of tones and semi tones
 -61-
for each group, no change of the notes constituting the mode or oC th e chords
called for by it.
Mode 3, first transposition, in parallel succession of chords (each voice realizes
the en tire mode s tarting 0 11 a diIT(,fc nl degrer) example 333

Co ntrary motion, second tra nsposition example 334

T yp ica l cho rd , first tran sposition : example 335

Chord co ntainin g all th e notes of til(' mod(', sa me tra nsposi tion example 336

Two cadence formulas, the fi rs t in the fou rth transposition: example 337

the second, in co ntrar y motion, in lhe first transposition : example 338

Use of the third mode : eumple 339

This fragmen t does nol leave the notes of the mode in its fi rst tra nsposi tion .
The cluster of chords, wh ich is repea led from measure to meas ure in the uppe r
sla fT of the piano. co nslilules a peda l grou p (see Chtl pler XV) . Anolh er use of
l he third mode: example 340

Use of the cade nce formu las of examples 337 and 338, of thc co nlrary motion
of example 334. At A, fourth transposition; at B, fi rst tra nspositio n ; a t C,
seco nd transposition. The thrrc letters D indica te notes foreign 10 lhe mode,
forming e ffects of superior and inferi or reso nan ces (see Chapter XIV, article 4).

5) Modes 4, 5, 6, and 7

These modes are transposable six times, like the interva l of the augmented
fourth. They are divided into two symmelrical groups. The re are fo ur of
t hem, which carries the total number of modes of lim ited transpos itions to
seve n. One canno t find others of them transposable six times , because all
t he other combinations dividing the octave into two symmetrical g roups must:
commence the sca les of modes 4, 5, 6, and 7 upon other (iegrees than the lirsl
(wh ich changes the order of t he intervals, but not the notes or the c ho rds of the
modes - we have al read y established that); or fo rm a rpeggios of classified
cho rds; or form truncated modes 2, such as : examples 341 aDd 342

or form truncated modes 5 : examples 343 aDd 344

Here is mode 4 : esample 34S

T he same ill parallel succession of chords: example 346

 - 6:!-
I have used this mode in .. Pri~re txaucee" from my Poemes pou.r Mi.
The same scale, less two notes; it is mode 5 : e:omple 347

Th is mode 5, being a truncated mode 4, has the right of quotation here onl y
because it engenders the melodic formula (already seen in Chapter X) : example 348

and the chord in fou rths, analyzed in Chapter XIV, paragraph 3 : example 349

Both the chord in fourths and l he melodic fo rmula co ntain all the notes of
mode 5.

Now here is mode 6 : example 3SO

Contrary muvement in th is mod e: example 351

Another contra ry movement: example 352

Same mode, paraliel succession of chords over a sustained augmented fourth: example 353

F or the usc of mode 6, see in Chapter Ill , paragraph 2. exa mple 12 (" Its Bet
getS "), which uses the mode in its fifth transposition; and in Chapter VIII,
paragrap h 4, example 109 (0< la Vierge et f' Enfant " ), wh ich uses the mode in
its first transposition.
Finally. here is mode 7 example 354

The same, in para llel succession of chords: e:xample 355

I have used this mode in t he fourth part of I' Ascension' .. Priere du Christ mon
Lalli vers son pere." Let us recall example 253 of the list of chord connections
(Chapter XIV, paragraph 8) : e:xample 356

which uses aU the notes of mode 7 in its fifth transposition: e:u.mple 357

6) Relation of Modes of Limited Transpositions and Nonretrogradable

Rhythms

Let us return to t he reflections of Chapter V, article 3. There it is said: .. The

modes of limited transpositio ns rea lize in the vertical direction (transposition)
what nonretrogradable rhythms realize in the horizo ntal direction (retrograda
tio n). In fact, t hese modes cannot be transposed beyond a certain number of
transpositions without falling again into the same notes, enharmonically speak.
ing; likewise, t hese rhythms ca nnot be read in a retrograde sense without
one's fill ding again exactly the same order of values as in the right sense. These
modes cannot be tra nsposed hecause they are - without polytonality - in t he
 - 63 -
modal a tmosp here of severa l keys at once and co ntai n in t hemselves small trans-
positions; these rh ythms can not be retrograded beca use they conta in in them-
.. elves small retrogradations. These modes arc di visi ble into symmetrica l
grou ps; these rhythms, also, with this difference: th e symm etry of the rh yt hm ic
gro ups is a retrograde sym metry. Finall y, the last nole of eac h group of these
modes is always comnlO" wit h the fi rst of the follo\vi ng grou p; and the groups of
these rhythms frame a central va lue common to each group. T he analogy is now
complete . ..
Aga in in the sa me article 3 of Chapter V, it is sa id: .. Let us think of the hearer
of ou r modal a nd rh ythmic music; he will not have time at lh econ cerl to inspect the
non transpositions and the non retrogradation s, and , at that moment, t hese
questions will not interest him furth er; to be charmed will be his onl y desirc.
And that is precisely what will happen; in sp ite of himself he will submit to the
st ra nge cha rm of imposs ibilities: a certain effect of tonal ubiqui ty in the non
tra nspositions, a ce rtain unity of movement (wherc beginni ng and en d arc
confused beca use identica l) in the no nret rogradatio n, all things which will lead
him progressively to that so rt of lhtological rain bow which the musica l language,
of which we seek edification a nd t heo ry, attempts t o be . ..
Arri ved at this place in our treatise , is it not useful to repea t these lines?
 CH APT ER X VII

Modulations of These Modes and Their

Relation to the Major Tonality

As previously, nil t he exa m ples of t his cha pter usc t he chose n mode melodica ll y
a nd harmonicnl1 y. tha t is to say, all their notes bel ong to t he Illode. E ve rywhere
I poin t o ut the c ha nge of mode a nd the notes foreig n to the mode.

I) Relation to the Major Tonality

We have a lread y remarked lhat l he modes of limited tra nspos itions a rc " in the
at mosphere of severa l to nali ties at ') Ilce, Wil!IO U! polylonalify. t he composer
being free to give predom inance to one of the tonalities or t o leave t he t onal
impress ion un settled ." T hus, mode 2 in its fi rst tra nspos ition : example 358

ca n hesitate bet ween t he four major tonal ities of C, E 031, F-sharp. and A.
Usc of this tonal indecision of mode 2, same tra nsposi tion (to ab ridge, 1 quote
onl y th e so ng of the violoncello and the chords, leaving aside the accompa ni-
ment form ula of the piano) : eKUnple 359

We do not leave the notes of t he mode; the three stops on t he six-fou r chords
of A, F -sharp , a nd E-flal major accentuate the un settledness.
By the frequent return of t he ton ic of the chosen key or by t he use of the domi-
na nt seve nth ehord in that key (t his last means being t he most effi cacio us), we
mi x the mode wit h the major tonalit y. eumple 360

This example, written entirely in mode 2, third transposi tion, remains in B

major, t he holding of B in the bass st rongly setting up the t onality. (The slurs
between common notes concern execution on the organ.)
In the following paragra ph, example 363 (It B anquet celestt) will prove to us th at
not hin g is so valua ble as the domina nt seventh for the affi rmation of a tonality.
We ca n also mix our modes with to nalities whose tonics do not figure in t he
notes of the chosen mode. eKUnple 361

The song of the fi rst two measures is in mode 2, third transposition ; the notes e ,
g' (t onic and third), which accompany it, do not make a part of the mode.
 - 65 -
l\'1 casure X is in mode 3, seco nd transposition; its expressive and profou ndl y
efTorl soo thes itself on thc fifth , b ' to f-sharp ', domi nant of E.
g ri C\'O US Tonal
impr('ssioll of E minor.
In the sa me ordl'r of ideas. here is a small fragment in mode 2. th ird tra nsposi-
tion. the b-flat" exce pted (upper stafT). superposed upon chords made of perfect
fourth s foreign to the mod e (lower staff) : example 362

1) Modulation of a Mode to Itself

Our modes can mod ulate to themselves or borrow from themselves in thei r dif-
ferent transposi tions. Example 137 of Chapter XI (Les Oflrandts oubliees). in
which mode 2 bo rrows from itse lr in almost eve ry chord. bears witness to this.
Anot her exa mple: example 363

First measure: dominant seve nth of F-sharp major, mod e 2 in its second trans-
position : example 364

Seco nd measure perfect chord of F-sharp major. mode 2 in its Hrst transpo-
sition : esample 36S

The e-sharp'" in the seco nd meas ure does not belong to the mode. Very intense
tonal impression of F-sharp major, a nd modu latio n of the mode to itseJr without
the tonality 's giving wa y. The peda l. played in droplet-like stacca to. sounds an
octave above the notation; the true bass is thus in the left hand .
Last example. using exactl y the same efTeet. but in a more striking fa shion : example 366

At A - upper statT : mode 2, second tra nsposition ; lower stafT : third invers ion
of th e dominant seventh chord of F-sharp major. At B - upper stafT: mode 2.
first transposition; lower stafT : first in vers ion of the perfect chord of F-sharp
maj or.

3) Modulation of a Hode to Another Hode

Modulation of the third mode to the seco nd mode: esample 367

At A, third mode, fourth tra nsposition; at B, second mode, fi rst transposition;

at C, major tonality; at D. lhird mode. General impression of G major by the
frequent relurn of the tonic G and by lhe domi nant seventh at the Jetter C.
~ l od uJation of the seco nd mode to lhe third mode: example 368

From A to C. second mode, fi rs t transposition; at B, cadence formula oC lh is

mode (see Chapter XV I, example 32 1); al C. third mode. firsl transposition ; at D.
second mode, seco nd tra nsposition.
Alternalion of the third mode and the seco nd mode, in progression: example 369
 - 66 -

At A, third mod e; a t B. second mode; at C, third mode; at D, second mode.

At E. second mode tra ns posed ; at F. another t ransposition of t he second mode.
Mod ulation from mode 2 Lo modes 6 and 4 example 370

Melodic co nt ours somewhat like Moza rt. The harmonies of the lower slafl
a re simple and lonal ; the modes mingled there sutnce to commu nicate Lo them
infi nite tenderness a nd divine Jove. The numerals indica te the modes. We
thus pass successively through : mode 2 (third transposition). mode 2 (second
transposi t ion). mode 6, mode 2, mode 6, mode 2 (second transposition), mode 2
(first transposition). mode 4, mode 2 (second. then third. then second transposi-
tions). It is evident that we are in G maj or.
 CHAPT ER XVIII

Relation of These Modes to Modal, Atonal,

Poly tonal, and Quarter-Tone Music

Our modes call be mi xed with major tonality; we have j ust see n it. Also. t hey
can oppose it - it seems to me useless to give examp les of it. 1 have a lread y
sa id that lhey have not hing in common with the three grea t modal sys tems of
India, Ch ina, and ancient Greece, no more t han with modes of pla in chant - and
it is these difTere nt modes that I call " modal mu sic." Ours call be opposed to
o r mixed with a ll. In parag raph 8 of Chapler X II , ex a mple 182 (If It Vub~")
mi xes the seco nd mode of limited transpositions (t he so ng) with tonal harmo nics
and the seve nt h mode of plaincha nt or t he mode on G.
Exa mpl e 310 of Chapter XV (" It MysUre de fa Sainte Trinili ") shows us how
one ca n mix our modes with atona l music; the principal melody, which is give n
to the intermed iate vo ice, is written in the seco nd mode of limited transpositions
(third transposition for the fi rs t measure, fi rst tra nsposition afterwards); the
upbeat and the termin ations of the upper voice and the rh ythmic pedal of thc
bass are written in ato nal style; general se nsa tion of the key of D.
Ou r modes ofTer the listener the atmosp here of several tonali ties at once, without
polytonality - that has bee n said in Chapter XVI. The chords, the co mbi na-
tions of notes which t hey ca ll for, can be made equivoca l with poly tonal so no-
rities; the modal force always absorbs th em. By polymodality (see
Chapter XIX), we superpose our modes, and there aga in , we are present at the
hatching of pol y tonal aggregations, completely d rowned in the chose n pol ymo-
dality.
F or quart er-tone music, I pause to repeat (see Chapter XV I, article I) that the
tempered qua rter-to ne sys tem. extolled by Haba and Wischn egradsk y. otters us
a series of modes of limited transpositions which co ntinues ours; let us cite ,
among these modes, th e scale of eight so unds in three-quarters of a tone, of
whir:h each degree form s with its neighbor an interva l of three-quarters of a tone
or a neuter second (smaller by a quarter of a tone than the major seco nd). T his
system, comprisi ng twenty-fou r sounds, twenty-four intervals, twen t y-four
trans posi tions, entirely new melod ies and chords. necessitates a special notation
a nd special inst ru me nts; I can not t hen ex tend myse lf more at length on a ques-
tio n which alone wou ld fill several t rea tises.
 CHA PTE R X IX

Polymodality

In a ll t his cha pter, it will be onl y a question of modes of limited tra nspos itio ns.
We shall see the superpos ition of these modes, or polymodali ly; t hen the co n-
nection of one polymodali ly to another, or polymodaf modulation.
In each example the modes will be used melodicall y and harm onicall y; th en,
when I say" upper sta fT, such and such a mode, " all the notes of t he upper stafT
belong to t he mode, and" lower sLa tT, such and such a mode, .. all the not es of
the lower sta fT belo ng to t he mode.

I) Two Superposed Modes

We have already pointed out, in the co urse of the preced ing chapters, several
superpos itions of our modes. See in Chapter VI, article 4, example 49 (" Action
de grdces ") which superposes mode 3 (seco nd tra nsposi tion) upon mode 2 (fi rst
tra nsposi tion) - except for the last measure wh ich is in mode 6 and crea tes thus
a modu lation from polymodali ty to modality. Th is fragment is a model of
rh yt hmic ca non.
See in Chapter XV, article I , exa mple 302, (" La sons im palpab/es du r elle .. )
which superposes mode 3 (third transposition) upon mode 2 (first t ra nsposition).
T he music of t he up per sta ll of this fragment is a model of pedal group.
Anolher example. Upper sta ll: repetitions of a fragment of five chords in
mode 3 (third tra nsposition); lower sta ll : repetitions of a fragment of four
chords in mode 2 (first transposition). These two pedal groups of unequal
length a re repea ted, one a bove the other, until they meet aga in at the point of
depa rture : esample 311

The following example proceeds from the same principle. With this d ifTerence :
t he pedal groups there undergo rhythmic variants . Upper sta fT : repetitions
of a fragment of seven chord s in mode 3 (third tran sposition); lower sta ll : repe-
titions of a fra gment of fi ve chords in mode 2 (first tra nsposition) - this second
fragm ent is a bbreviated at each repetition ; its t otal duration is of ten, then
nine, then seven, then fi ve eighth-noles. eu.m.ple 312
 - 69 -
Again mode 3, first transposition (upper slafT), upon mod e 2, seco nd trans-
position (lower 51afT). Th e second measure t ransposes the polymodality a
lon e lower: eu.mple 373

Super position of mod e 2, second t ra nsposition (upper stafl of the piano). upon
mode 7, first t rans position (so ng and lower 5ta fT of the pian o): e:umple 374

Superposition of mode 4, third transposition (upper slafT). upon mode 6, first

tran spos ition (lower starT) : example 375

Sec again in Chapler XlV, article 4, example 217 (" Cloches cl'angoisse et
form es d'adieu ") wh ich superposes mode 6, first tran spos itio n (cluster of
chords B), upon mode 2, seco nd t ransposition (cluster of chords C).

2) Three Modes Superposed

See in Chapler V I, art icle 3, example 43 (" I'Ange aux par/urns ") wh ich super-
poses three rhythmic peda ls, the second being the retrog rade of t he first, the
third being non retrogradable. This exa mple unites polyrhythm and po lymo-
da lity. In fa ct it uses: upper stafT : mode 2, first tra ns position; middle stafT :
mode 3, third tra nsposition; lower stafT : the whole-tone sca le. (This las t is
transformed by the pol ymodal sonority, a nd that excuses its use, forbidden in
our lan guage - see Chapter XVI.)

3) Polymodal Modulation

This is the passage from olle polymodality to another.

First case. Modulation b y a cha nge of transposition of th e superposed modes : example 376

At A, mod e 3, first transposition (voice and upper sta fT of th e piano), upon

mode 2, second transposition (lowerstafT of the piano). Here are the two modes: example 377

At B, mode 3, third transpos ition (vo ice a nd upper sta fT of the piano), upon
mode 2, th ird transposition (lower s ta fT of the piano). Here are the two modes : example 378

Let us notice, in the last measure of example 376. at the cross, the lengthening
of the rhythm ic descent by the addition of the dot, and ill its fi rst three meas-
ures the use of the often quoted rhythmic succession: example 379

Second case. Modulation by inversion of the superposed modes. example 380

We have already seen this fragment in Chapter I II , exa mple 14, apropos of the
preparation of the rhythmic accent elongated b y the added value. It super-
poses: at A. mode 3, first transposition (upper stafT of the piano) , upon mode 2,
 - 70 -
second tra nsposition (lower slafT); at B, mode 2. second transposition (upper
stafT of the piano). upon mode 3, first transposition (lower stafT). This second
polymodalit y is exactl y th e inverse of the preceding. In the last measure of
the exa mple, a new invers ion; we find again the first polymodalily.
Third casco Modulatio n to a difTerent polymodality, using at least one new
mode : eza mple 381

In order to read this examp le well, let us remember that the part of the pedal
sounds a n octave higher than the notation, that the true bass is the co untcr-
point in sixteen th-notes of the left hand , a nd finall y th a t th is true bass has a
very pa rticular timbre du e to the harmonics (fifth and third) which the mix-
tures give it. As for the chords of the right hand, the sixteen-foot doubl es
them at the lower octave. At A, mod e 3 in the hands (first t ra nsposition) over
mode 2 in the pedal (fi rst tran sposition). At a, the same polymotlality lowered
a semitone; mode 3 in the ha nds (fourth t ra nsposition) over mod e 2 in the
pedal (th ird tran sposition); the sixteenth-notes cause to be heard some notes
foreign to mod e 3; in all this fragment B, not a single E natural, the union of
our two modes using all the notes of the chromatic scale except one, the E.
The arriva l of this note will au gment the elTect of th e following modulation.
At C, new po lymodal it y : mode 2 in the ha nds (second t ra nsposition) over th e
whole-tone sca le in the pedal; th e si xt eenth-n otes repeat th e e xpect ed E .
Another exa mple of modula tion to a dilTerent polymodality : ezample 382

At A, m ode 3, first tra nspos ition (chords in sixteenth-n otes), upon mode 2,
second transposition (voice and chords in eighth-notes); at a, the sa me th ing
lowered a tone. At C, new polymodality : mode 2, second trans position (si x
teenth-not es), over mode 7, first transposition (eighth-notes). At D, the sa me
mode 2 (sixteenth-notes) over mode 3, second tra nsposition (eighth-notes); at E.
chord of the tritone.
 OLIVIER MESS IAEN
(born 10 December 1908. in Avignon, Vaucl use)

Catalogue of Works

After eac h work , I have indicated the place a nd the year of its composition, the name of its
publisher. The works which arc characteristic of m y musical la nguage are marked with a n
ast erisk, the works very characteristic with two asteris ks .
Several numbers of this ca t alogue t reat secu lar subj ects; some arc in t he doma in of pure
m usic; most' of t hem are attached to t he medit ation of th e T ru ths of our Ca tholic faith,
borro win g from lh e inexhaustible sources of the Bible, the Missa l, the Fathers of the Church,
T he Imitation 0/ Christ. The two cycles for voice and piano ent itled Poemes pour Mi and
Chants de T errt tf de Ciel have unfor t unately been quoted very li ttle in t he present work.
Since th ey are part icularl y " true " in se ntiment and t ypical of m y manner, 1 ad vise the
reader who desires to und erstand my m usic better to begin by rea ding tnem.

PIANO
La dame de Sbalott (G renoble. 19 17).
La tristesle d'un grand ciel blanc (Paris, 1925) .
* Preludes (Fuligny, Aube. 1929. D urand , publisher).
La colombe - Chant d 'extase dans un paysage trisle - Le nnmbre Icgc r - Instants
defunts - Les sons impalpables du ri ve - Cloches d 'an go isse et larmes d 'adieu -
Plainte calme - Un re net dans Ie vent.
* (PianoOf!randes
Les oubliees (Fuligny, Aube,
reduction bythe co mposer.)
1930 , Durand, publisher),

La Croix - Ie pecbe - I'Eucharistie.

Fantaisie burlesque (paris, 1932. Durand, publisher).
Piece pour Ie Tombeau de Paul Duw (Grenoble. 1935. Revue m usicale of May-June 1936),
Rondeau (P aris, 1943. Led uc. publisher).

** Visions de I' Amen (Paris. 1943),

(For two pianos.)
Amen de Ia Creation - Amen des et oiles, de la planete a I'anneau - Amen de I'agonie
de J esus - Amen du Desir - Amen des anges, des sainls, du chant des oiseaux -
Amen du Jugement - Ame n de la Consommation.
 - 72 -

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

* Theme et variations (Paris. 1932. Leduc. publisher).

(For violin a nd pla no.)

Fantaisie (Paris, 1933).

(For violln and piano.)

** QualU Of pour II. fln du Temps (Goriitz, Silesic, 1941 . Durand , publisher).
(For violin , B flat clarin et, violoncello and plano - written while a prisoner.)
Liturgic de cristal - Voca lise, pour rAnge qui annonce la fin du Tem ps - Abime des
oiseau x - Intermede - Loua nge a rternite de J esus - Danse de la fureur, pour
les sept trompettes - Fouillis d'arcs-c n-ciel, pour I'Ange qui ann once la fin du Temps -
Loua nge a I'Immorlalite de Jesus.

VOCAL MUSIC
Deux Ballades de Villon ( Paris, 1921 ).
(For vo ice and piano.)
pitre l' scs a mis - Ballade des pend us.
Trois Melodies (Pa ris. 1930. Du rand. publisher).
(For sop rano and p iano.)
Pourquoi? - Le sourire - La fian cee perdu e.
La mort du Nombre (Paris, 1930. Durand , publisher).
(For soprano, tenor, violin and piano - poem and music by Olivier Messiaen .)
Messe (Neussargues, Ca ntal, 1933).
(For 8 sopranos and 4 Violins.)
K yrie - Gloria - Credo - Sa nct us - Agn us.
* Vocalise (Pa ris, 1935. Leduc, publjsher : Hettich collection)
(For soprano and piano .)
** Po emes pour (Petiche t, Isere, 1936 . Durand . publisher).
Mi
(For soprano and piano - poems and music by Olivier Messiaen.)
P remier Li vre: Action de graces - Paysage - La maison - I!pouva nte.
Deuxieme Livre: L'l!pouse - Ta voix - Les deux guerriers - Le collier - Priere
exa ucee.
o sacrum convivium! (Paris, 1937. Durand , publisher).
(For mi xed chorus in four part s. a cappelia - or for soprano a nd orga n.)
** Cha nts de Tene et de Ciel (Pet ichet , Isere. 1938. Durand, publisher).
(For sopra no a nd piano - poems and music by Oliv ier Messiaen.)
Bail avee Mi (pour rna femme) - Antienne du silence (pour Ie jour des Angcs gard iens) -
Danse du bebe-Pilu le (po ur man pet it P asca l) - Arc-en-ciel d 'innocencc (pour mon petit
Pasc~l l ) - Minuit pile et face (pour la Mort) - Res urrec tion (pour Ie jour de p aques).
CbQ!Un pour une Jeanne d' Arc (Neussargues, Ca nta l, 191\ ).
( For a large and small chorus, mixed, a cappella .)
Te Dcum - Impropcrcs.
 -73 -

ONDE MARTENOT

* F~te des belles eauJ: (Paris, 1937).

(Six 9ndes Martenot - written for the" festivities of water and light," at the Exposition o f 1937).

* Deux Monodies en quarts de ton (Paris, 1938).

(For one Dnde Martenot alone.)
Musique de scene pour un <Edipe (Paris, 1942).
(For one Dnde Martenol alone.)

ORGAN

Esquisse modale (Paris, 1927).

Variations ecossaises (Paris, 1928).
* Le Banquet celeste (FuJigny, Aube, 1928. Leduc, publisher).
L'bate aimable dea ames (Fuligny, Aube, 1928).
Diptyque (Paris, 1930. Durand. publisher).
(Essay on terrestrial life and blessed eternity.)

* Apparition de l'tglise eternelle (Paris. 1932. Lemoine, publisher).

L' Ascension (Neussargues. Cantal, 1933. Leduc, publisher).
(Version for organ.)
Majeste du Christ demandant sa gloire a son Pere - Alh!luias sereins d'une lime qui
desire Ie ciel - Transports de joie d'une arne devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne
- Prieres du Christ montant vers son Pere.
** La Nativite du Seigneur (Grenoble, 1935. Leduc, publisher).
(Nine meditations for organ.)
Premier Livre: La Vierge et I'Enfant - Les bergers - Desseins eternels.
Deuxieme Livre: Le Verbe - Les e nfants de Dieu.
Troisieme Livre: Les Anges - Jesus accepte la souflran ce - Les Mages.
Quatrieme Livre: Dieu parmi nous.
** Les corps glorieu:.: (Peitchet, Isere, 1939. Leduc, publisher).
(Seven short visions of the life of the Resurrected).
Premier Livre: Subtilite des co rps glorieux - Les eaux de la grace - L'Ange nux
parfums.
Deuxieme Livre: Combat de la Mort et de la Vic.
Troisieme Livre: Force et agilite des corps glorieux - Joie et clarte des corps glorieux
- Le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite.

ORCHESTRA

.Fugue en re mineur (Paris, 1928).

I.e Banquet EucbariJtique (Fuligny, Aube, 1928).
Simple chant d'une ime (Paris, 1930).
 - 74
* Lei Oftrandes oubli6es (Fuligny, Aube, 1930. Durand, publisher).
(Symphonic m editation.)
La Croi x - Ie peche - I'Eucha ristie.
Le tombeau resplendissant (Fuligny. Aube, 1931 ).
(Manuscript, on hire, is at the H ouse of Durand, publisher.)

* Hymne au Saint Sacrement (Paris, 1932).

(Manuscript, on hire, Is at the Home of Durand, publisher.)
L' Ascension (Monaco. 1934).
(Orchestral ver~lon - manuscript, on hire, is at the Hou se of Leduc, publisher.)

Maj est e du Christ demandant sa gloire a son Perc - Alleluias sereins d'une arne qui
desire Ie ciel - A lh~lui a sur la trompette, alleluia sur la cymba Ie I - Priere du Ch rist
montant vers son p ere.
** Poemes pour Mi (Paris, 1937. Durand, publisher).
(Orchestral version - for dramatic soprano and orchestra.)
Premier Livre: Action de graces ~ Pa ysage - La maison - ~pouvante .
Deuxieme Livre : L'~pouse - Ta voi x - Les deux guerriers - Le co llier - Priere
exaucee.

PEDAGOGICAL WORKS

Vingt lecons de solfege modernes (Neussargues, Can tal, 1933. Lemoine, publisher) .
(Only five of these lesso ns are by Olivier Messiaen).
Vingt l~ns d' harmonie (Paris, 1939.
Leduc, publisher).
(In the styles of several composers important to the history of harmony. from Monteverdi
to Ravel).
** Technique de mon langage mwical (Neussargues, Cantal, 1942. Led uc, publisher).
(With the present publication, available in English as The Technique 0/ My Musi cal
Language).
 rulTto NS MUS ICALES ALPIIONSE LED UC 175. rue Sainl rr OTlO rt 75040 PARIS CEDEX or . nl.(I)429689"
OUVRAGES THEORIQUES
BOZZA. TABLEAU INSTRUMENTAL indiqu4nt
I"itendue. 14 notation k rite et lei lonl reell de tous les
instrument. principa.ux des orchestru Iymphoniques
et militaires. complitl: par un tableau annexe concer
nanlles instruments diven, lei claviers et In instruments
;. percussion. Crand dipliant mural facile. afficher.
CHAILLEY 0.) ET CHALLAN (H.). THEORIE DE
LA MUSIQUE.
Les programmes de so lf~ge du Conservatoire ":tanl
iti rkemment modillh. Ie besoin se fa i... it sentir d'un
ouvTage qui ri pondil aux nouvelles direclives.
La. division de cel ouvrage corre'f)(md it celie Ilxee
pour chacun del trois degres de I enseignemcnt d u
lolqe tel qu ' il est dillni au Conservatoire depuis 194 1.
Conforme lUX directivel de cel enseill'nement. il reporte
d~liberement rarri~re.pl,n loute donnee mathemati
que ou theorique "bslralte pour I'attacher avant tout
i. la formation de I'oreille mu.iale.
CHAIl.I.EY. TRAITI'. HISTORIQUE DANAL YSE
MUSICALE
Ce Iraite ',dreue tOUI Ie. musicien. qui "eulent
avoir une parfaite comprehension des o:uvres quil.
interpretent ou qu'ils eooutent. L'auteur Hudie les
amrnet, modes (antiques. liturliquel. etc ...) pour
aboutir, apre. lei polyphonistes de la Renai. ...nce. de
I'epoque clusique et de I'epoque oontemporaine. aux
koles ultramodernel de la polytonalite, de i'atonalite
et de i'kriture dodkaphonique.
- LES NOTATIONS MUSICALES NOUVELLES.
Notre graphi sme musial actuel prescnte encore de
nombreux inconvenientl. Bien des Irtemes ont He
imatin& pour lim pi iller i'krilure. . Chailley. &vec
de pertinentCl remarquel, presente, en une suite d'in-
t~rellant. tableaux, Ie. dlveTSes lolutionl proposeCl
pour y remedier.
DUPR (M.). COURS DHARMONIE ANALY.
TIQUE. 2 volume. :
I" Ann. - li' Annie.
Extrememenl bien fait. I'ouvrare de Mucel Dupri
pos.ede une vaJeur pbiarorique de tout premier ordre :
10 parce qu'il elt tre. cuir et tre. pre.cil ; ?J parce que u
prorression del itu'del (It tre. judic ieuscment eablie.
Get ouvrage el t un guide indil pen... ble de premier pun
pour Ie professcur, car Ion en.e ignement e.t tout trace
.ur la voie la plu. directe. la plul aiiU, la plus .are.
- COURS DE CONTREPOINT.
Si l.a doctrine d'e.criture riroureuse expoaee entihe~
ment tknl ce livre (It scrupuleu.ement relpec:t.I'~ ICve
scra certain d'acquerir lasouple.sc et la .arete indispen-
..bles tout compoliteur honncle el .erieux.
- COURS COMPLET DE FUGUE. 2 rolu~.
In Volume : Cours de Furue.
Z. Volume: Corriril du COUrt de Fugue.
Ce CoUTS de Fugue compl~te Ie cycle commenu par
lei Courl d'Harmonie .naIytique et de Contrepoint.
Chacune de sc. 12 I~ns explique d'une fa~ n claire el
concisc ce qu 'il flut lavoir et elt luivie d'exercicel deail.
I~I appliques. chacune del partiel d'une fugue, lur del
IU)ets 01.1 fragment. de lujet. approprie.. Le corriae,
publ i~ liparement. el t de. tine au profelleur. L'eleve
aura tout avanlllie ne pas I'en scrYir et 1 trouver par
lui-meme les solutions demand6et.
OTU
- TRAITES
- COURS COMPLET DIMPROVISATION A
L'ORCUE. 2 volumes :
ler Volume: Exercice. pr~paratoiret I'impro-
vi...tion libre.
~ Volume : Trait~ dimpro..-i..tion 1 lofl'Ue.
- MANUEL DACCOMPAGNEMENT DU PLAIN
CHANT GREGORIEN.
DURAND (E.). THEORIE MUSICALE
- TRAITI'. COMPLET DHARMONIE. on I ou
2 volume.
E:risle en lute portulQ.is.
Ce traite d'harmonie ell Ie plul clair et Ie plus
complet qui ait l:te publi~ jUlqui. ce Iour.
Aucun accord nouveau. aucune ormule nouvelle
n'ont ~chappe I'auteur. Une able a1phabetique per-
mettant de trouver immMiatement lei mots. termes,
expressions. etc ... aux palel OU ill IOnt expliques ou
employel, a ~te placee i. la Iln du traite.
- R~L1SAnONS DES LECONS DU TRAITI'.
DHARMONIE.
- ABR(GE DU COURS DHARMONIE.
Exisle en lule ufXJ,noI.
Gel ouvrqe elscntiellement pratique a resolu Ie
probleme : apprendre seul I'harmonie.
- R~L1SATIONS DES LECONS DE LABR(GE.
- TRAITI'. DE COMPOSITION MUSICALE
- TRAITI'. DACCOMPAGNEMENT AU PIANO.
MESSIAEN. TECHNIQUE DE MON LANGAGE
MUSICAL 2 volume. :
let Volume : Texte.
~ Volume : Exemplel mUIKl.u:r..
Messiaen initie Ie lecteur aUx .eduiaantel theoriel
del model. tranlposition. limitee. et del rythlT1e$ non
r~troaradable . Se. model ont ceci de remarquable.
qu'ill IOnt. danl I'atmosr.here de plusieun tonalit& 1
la foil, sew: polvlornJJiU, e compositeur ~tant libre de
donner la predominance i. I'une del tonalil&, 01.1 de
lailscr !'impression tonale Rottante -.
Cel deux livrel. Ii riches d 'aper~1 mUl iau:l., n'ont
pu etre kritl que par un tres "and mUlicien ayant
une claire vilion de I'evolution naturelle de Ion art.
- VINGT LECONS DHARMONIE. dan. I. 'lyl. da
quelquel auteun importantl de " Hiltoire Harmo-
nique de la musique depuil Monteverdi jUlqu. Ravel.
RIMSKY -KORSAKOFF (N.). TRAITI'. DHARMO
NIE-
Cet ouvrqe I'attache tout particulierement. exposer
avec clut~ In precede. de r&li... tion d'un chant et
ceux de la modulation. Ne nkessitanl qu'une seule
annie d'etude. il amene rapidement pouvoir pour ~
luivre lei etudel ..nl I'aicle continuelle du profeaseur.
BERTRAND (p.). PRECIS DHISTOIRE DE LA
MUSIQUE.
leI tpoqllU. expotant lei transformationl de rAn
mUl ical en fonction de SCI ~I"ments conltitutif.
lei coI.es. montrant commenl la mUlique I'elt
divenillee scion Ie. lendancel ditferentel dCl racCl.
leI Fo-rrna, etudlanl comment, d'apres leI Epoquet
et leI ooICl, u mu.ique I'Clt concretis6e tknl un cer-
tain nombre de "andes formes c.uacleriltiquCl.
 Acheve d'imprimer
sur les preaes de-l'imprimerie
Arts Graphiques du Perche
28240 Meauc6
DepOt l"aI Jan_ 1990
Irnprim~ en France