Messiaen's Final Works

Christopher Dingle s finely detailed accounts of the music of Messiaen's last years reveal a fascinating creative renewal, marked by a luminous sound world and a fresh rapprochement with the composer s earlier music. Particularly welcome and revealing are the accounts of the undervalued miniatures and Eclairs. Dingle s demonstration of Messiaen s structural use of harmony will surely lead to a reappraisal of all Messiaen s music, challenging as it does the orthodox view that his music is static and non-developing. Enriched by biographical detail and unpublished source material, this important book will be essential reading for all those interested in the life and works of one of the great figures of twentieth-century music. Peter Hill, University of Sheffield, UK 'This is a terrific book... As well as filling out our knowledge and appreciation of what went into Messiaen s late works, this book is also a magnificent resource.' MusicWeb International 'Christopher Dingle expertly interweaves biographical detail with scrupulous analytical insight, and the sheer scope of his investigation will surely cement his position as one of the leading Messiaen scholars of his generation. Christopher Dingle s book has made an excellent and provocative opening into an intriguing area of study. It fully deserves its place on the shelf of any Messiaen scholar.' H-France Review '... ce livre plutot agr le a lire, g reusement illustr ar de nombreux exemples musicaux et assorti d annexes et appendices fort utiles. Son utilit upr des sp alistes de la musique du vingti si e [...] est assur our les ann a venir. [... this book [is] rather enjoyable to read, generously illustrated with numerous music examples and accompanied by useful annexes and appendices. Its usefulness among specialists of twentieth-century music [...] is assured for years to come.]' Revue de Musicologie L indubbio valore del notevole lavoro critico e