Olivier Messiaen's opera, Saint François d'Assise

Description

In this comprehensive study of Olivier Messiaen's magnum opus, Saint François d'Assise, Vincent Perez Benitez examines the opera from both theological and musical-analytical perspectives to ask how Messiaen expresses his Catholic theology through his work.;Introduction : setting the stage for Messiaen's compositional summa -- Contemplating theologies of beauty, glory, and light in Saint François d'Assise -- A theological opera and its musical themes -- Form as an expression of the beyond -- Chords and colors : the harmonic vocabulary of Saint François d'Assise -- Analyzing the musical language of Saint François d'Assise -- Birdsong in Saint François d'Assise -- Tonal-dramatic associations in Saint Francis's spiritual journey -- Saint Francis's path toward the numinous: a tonal-color narrative -- Appendix : dramatic synopsis. Introduction : setting the stage for Messiaen's compositional summa -- Contemplating theologies of beauty, glory, and light in Saint François d'Assise -- A theological opera and its musical themes -- Form as an expression of the beyond -- Chords and colors : the harmonic vocabulary of Saint François d'Assise -- Analyzing the musical language of Saint François d'Assise -- Birdsong in Saint François d'Assise -- Tonal-dramatic associations in Saint Francis's spiritual journey -- Saint Francis's path toward the numinous: a tonal-color narrative -- Appendix : dramatic synopsis.