Messiaen, O :: Le Merle Noir [The Blackbird]

Le Merle Noir [The Blackbird]

Messiaen, O

The Blackbird, written in 1952 by Olivier Messiaen, is a small chamber work for flute and piano. Based on the study of bird songs, this piece is highly technical, and is appropriate for advanced students and players. The Blackbird is divided into five approximate sections, mixing tonal and atonal parts. Each of the sections is different to the ones surrounding them, and the piece also contains a few flute cadenzas. Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was a French organist and composer passionate about ornithology, and was one of the most important composer of his century. Inspired by Japanese music, he had a very special way of composing and his work can be identified by its complexity, its diatonic aspect, its harmony with limited transposition, its color and its additive rhythms. He composed many works related to ornithology and birdsong, including the 'Bird Catalogue' in 7 volumes and the 'Treatise on rhythm, color and ornithology' in 7 volumes.