The Reinvention of Religious Music: Olivier Messiaen's Breakthrough Toward the Beyond

2. Five Times Breakthrough

2. Five Times Breakthrough La Transfiguration: A Privileged Example The first chapter mapped the ‘‘program’’ of Messiaen and exploring the theoretical possibilities that he discerned for putting it to practice. Now it is time to turn to the question of how he endeavored to realize these possibilities . What does it look like in practice, this ‘‘glistening music’’ of soundcolor , dazzlement, and breakthrough? How does Messiaen actually compose this music of éblouissement? What is it that makes music and religion relate so intimately to one another? Several levels come into view. What chords and colors exactly come into play? How does Messiaen use them? Are there perhaps any other musical factors that play a part in dazzlement? Messiaen furnished an answer for these and related questions, although these answers do not immediately settle the matter and give rise to a number of additional, even more pertinent questions. In November 1985 Messiaen visited Japan and gave a lecture in Kyoto.1 In this lecture, published as the Conférence de Kyoto, Messiaen again addressed the issue of éblouissement. This time, however, he made a remarkable reference to two specific works that, according to Messiaen, are ‘‘directly related’’ to the experience.2 One of these is La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ. He specifies and describes five particular passages in relation to éblouissement: ‘‘Several passages of La Transfiguration are directly related to what I call dazzlement (éblouissement ), that is to say an inner color sensation that is analogous to the visual sensations that are produced by the stained-glass rosettes and windows of the grand Gothic cathedrals, something of the terrible and the sacred, whose details cannot be understood, that transports us to a world of light that is too strong for our reason.’’ The following brief analysis of these passages will offer some insight into the form Messiaen actually gave to his music of éblouissement.3 Messiaen composed La Transfiguration between 1965 and 1969.4 The work is written for seven instrumental soloists, choir, and orchestra. Its form 37 38 Five Times Breakthrough is reminiscent of Bach’s passions or the eighteenth-century oratorio, consisting as it does of a number of vocal ‘‘recitatives,’’ ‘‘commentary’’ movements , and two closing chorales. Its fourteen movements are grouped into two septénaires (septenaries), the second running at twice the length of the first. The text of the work is a patchwork of scriptural and theological fragments , all addressing some aspect of the transfiguration of Christ as related in the gospel of Matthew (Mt 17:1–9). [1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, [2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. [3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. [4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. [5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. [6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. [7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. [8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. [9] And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. Messiaen spread this text over four ‘‘evangelical recitatives’’ (récits évangeliques ), each followed by two ‘‘meditations’’ (méditations), in which texts that relate to the thematics of transfiguration are set to music. These include passages from Psalms, Genesis, the Book of Wisdom of Solomon, and the letters of Paul, extracts from the liturgy of Transfiguration (August 6), and remarkably long excerpts from Aquinas’s commentary on the transfiguration of Christ, among other writings.5 All texts are sung in Latin. First Passage: Part VIII, ‘‘Et ecce vox de nube . . .’’ The third recitative of La Transfiguration narrates how Peter, Jacob, and John, standing on top...