Lee Chi Kuen. / Thesis submitted in: December 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-109). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.iv / Abstract (Chinese Translation) --- p.vi / Acknowledgements --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Literature reviews --- p.2 / Chapter I) --- Authenticity in Messiaen's birdsongs --- p.2 / Chapter II) --- "Messiaen's writings, speeches and interviews about birdsong music" --- p.5 / Chapter III) --- Secondary source of Messiaen's birdsong music study --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Analyses (Part I) --- p.26 / "Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1940-41), first movement" --- p.26 / Le merle noir (1951) --- p.29 / "Catalogue d'oiseaux (1956-8), the blackbird passage" --- p.40 / "Chronochromie (1959-60)，""Epode""" --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Analyses (Part II) --- p.55 / Petites Esquisses d'oiseaux (1985)，second movement --- p.55 / "Feuillets inedits (2001), the blackbird passage" --- p.67 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Conclusion --- p.76 / Evolution of writings on birdsongs and music settings of birdsong --- p.76 / Impact of Technique and Traite --- p.81 / Appendix A: The analysis of Le merle noir --- p.83 / "Appendix B: The analysis of Catalogue d´ةoiseaux, the blackbird passage in second movement" --- p.91 / "Appendix C: The analysis of Petites Esquisses d´ةoiseaux, second movement" --- p.92 / "Appendix D: The analysis of Feuillets inedits, the blackbird passage" --- p.96 / Appendix E: Birdsongs mentioned in Messiaen's published works --- p.97 / Selected bibliography --- p.102