"In my music, there are always the sounds and silences of nature, as I heard them in the forest of Saint-Cloud near Paris, in the mountains of Auvergne, or in the plains of the Abbey of Sainte-Marie de la Tourette."
This quote by Olivier Messiaen suggests that his music is deeply inspired by the natural world around him, particularly the sounds and silences he experienced in various landscapes such as forests, mountains, and plains. The forest of Saint-Cloud near Paris, the mountains of Auvergne, and the plains of Sainte-Marie de la Tourette seem to have left a profound impact on his musical compositions, imbuing them with an organic, earthy quality that reflects the beauty and serenity he found in nature.
"The whole secret of my success is due to my trick of thinking I am playing far better than I really am."
This quote implies that Olivier Messiaen, a renowned French composer and musician, was humbly acknowledging his technique of overestimating his own performance ability as a contributing factor to his success. By believing he played better than he actually did, he may have experienced less self-doubt or pressure, which in turn allowed him to give more confident, impressive performances. This mindset could have boosted his self-confidence and helped him excel in his career.
"Music for me is the soul made audible."
This quote emphasizes that music, according to Olivier Messiaen, has a profound spiritual dimension; it serves as an audible manifestation of one's soul or inner self. Essentially, when composing or listening to music, the essence of an individual's emotions, thoughts, and experiences is revealed, making it a unique means of expressing and understanding the human spirit.
"I have always been fascinated by birdsong and the rhythms, melodies, and harmonies it contains, both in its own right and as a symbol of God's infinite creativity."
This quote by Olivier Messiaen highlights his deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity found in bird songs. For him, these natural melodies are not just sounds but contain intricate rhythms, melodies, and harmonies, which he finds profoundly inspiring. Additionally, bird songs symbolize to him the boundless creativity of God, emphasizing the idea that even the simplest elements of nature can serve as a reflection of the infinite divine genius.
"The mode of limited transposition is a series of tones which are always played in the same order, and which can be transposed by whole tones only. The notes of this scale thus form a kind of 'cage', with the tonic in the middle. Each bird has its own cage."
Olivier Messiaen's quote describes his concept of "mode of limited transposition," which is a musical scale system he used in his compositions, often inspired by birdsong. In this system, a series of tones are arranged in a fixed order and can only be transposed by whole tones (12 semitones), forming a unique pattern or "cage" with the tonic note at the center. Each scale or "cage" represents the "cage" or song of a specific bird, hence the poetic reference to birdsong. This musical structure reflects Messiaen's belief in the inherent spirituality and symbolism found in nature, particularly in the songs of birds.
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