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Olivier Messiaen's "Cinq rechants": The importance of rhythm as a structural element.

Cinq rechants, composed in December of 1948, represents the culmination of Olivier Messiaen's rhythmic exploration. These rhythmic influences, including Greek versification, talas from ancient India, and medieval and Western associations with plainsong, canon, ostinato, and polymeter, drew Messiaen's attention to ways in which to alter rhythms. The techniques which Messiaen discovered enabled him to alter rhythmic patterns through added values, the addition or subtraction of a note, dot, or rest, and augmentation or diminution. An analysis of form, texture, text associations, and meter adaptation within Cinq rechants provides the framework for a study in the application of Messiaen's rhythmic discoveries and inventions.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/185098
Date January 1990
CreatorsWiest, Lori Jean.
ContributorsSkones, Maurice, Knott, Josef, Wilson, Gary, Murphy, Edward, Kolosick, Timothy
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic)
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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