Add free shipping to your order with these great books
Olivier Messiaen's System of Signs : Notes Towards Understanding His Music - Andrew Shenton

Olivier Messiaen's System of Signs

Notes Towards Understanding His Music

By: Andrew Shenton

Paperback | 11 November 2016

Sorry, we are not able to source the book you are looking for right now.

We did a search for other books with a similar title, however there were no matches. You can try selecting from a similar category, click on the author's name, or use the search box above to find your book.

Andrew Shenton's groundbreaking cross-disciplinary approach to Messiaen's music presents a systematic and detailed examination of the compositional techniques of one of the most significant musicians of the twentieth century as they relate to his desire to express profound truths about Catholicism. It is widely accepted that music can have mystical and transformative powers, but because 'pure' music has no programme, Messiaen sought to refine his compositions to speak more clearly about the truths of the Catholic faith by developing a sophisticated semiotic system in which aspects of music become direct signs for words and concepts. Using interdisciplinary methodologies drawing on linguistics, cognition studies, theological studies and semiotics, Shenton traces the development of Messiaen's sign system using examples from many of Messiaen's works and concentrating in particular on the Meditations sur le mystere de la Sainte Trinite for organ, a suite which contains the most sophisticated and developed use of a sign system and represents a profound exegesis of Messiaen's understanding of the Catholic triune God. By working on issues of interpretation, Shenton endeavours to bridge the traditional gap between scholars and performers and to help people listen to Messiaen's music with spirit and understanding.
Industry Reviews
Prize: Awarded the 2009 Max. B Miller Book Award from the American Guild of Organists Organ Library ?... the book is packed with creative and critical thinking.? Tempo ?... Shenton's book ...is of fundamental importance ...(his) approach is the deepest and most empathetic to Messiaen that I have yet come across. There is so much to be learnt from this book, and as such, I recommend it wholeheartedly to those, like me, who regard Messiaen as the seminal composer of organ music in the twentieth century.? Journal of the British Institute of Organ Studies ? ... (an) exhaustive study ...Its thoroughness is admirable, and the excursions down the by-ways leading from the central argument are thought-provoking and interesting. Shenton always puts both sides of his argument, in which he is helped, perhaps unfortunately, by the frequent ambivalence of Messiaen himself.? The Organists' Review ?It is good that in this anniversary year we have such an important study of Messiaen's music as this one. Andrew Shenton has amassed a wealth of material from a wide range of sources to produce an excellent 200 page scholarly work that will do a considerable amount to aid the understanding and interpretation of the composer's output. ... There is also a select discography, a full bibliography, a glossary, and a good index. There are so many ways in which this book stands out as being impressive... above all the way in which Shenton brings together all the material in such a detailed and comprehensive study of the music.? The Organ

More in Music

Down With the System : A Memoir (Of Sorts) - Serj Tankian
The Storyteller : Tales of Life and Music - Dave Grohl
Faith, Hope and Carnage - Nick Cave

RRP $34.99

$31.75

Behind the Seams : My Life in Rhinestones - Dolly Parton

RRP $85.00

$56.25

34%
OFF
Who I Am : My Story - Melanie C

RRP $34.99

$28.50

19%
OFF
Book of Life - Deborah Conway

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$31.75

Music Theory for Dummies : For Dummies (Career/Education) - Michael Pilhofer
Scattershot : Life, Music, Elton and Me - Bernie Taupin

RRP $34.99

$31.75

Fender Stratocaster 70 Years - Dave Hunter

RRP $105.00

$67.25

36%
OFF
Paul Simon : The Life - Robert Hilburn

RRP $39.99

$29.50

26%
OFF
Songs from the Kitchen Table : Lyrics and Stories - Archie Roach

RRP $59.99

$49.95

17%
OFF
New Kids on the Block : 40th Anniversary Celebration - Selena Fragassi
Surrender : 40 Songs, One Story - Bono

RRP $49.99

$34.75

30%
OFF
It's a Shame About Ray : A memoir - Jonathan Seidler

RRP $32.99

$30.25

Shake Some Action : My life in music (and other stuff) - Stuart Coupe
Brutally Honest : The Sunday Times Bestseller - Melanie Brown