Composer

:

McNeil Robinson

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1981

Average_duration

:

5:19

Hommage à Messiaen is a composition by McNeil Robinson, an American organist and composer. The piece was composed in 1992 as a tribute to the French composer Olivier Messiaen, who was known for his innovative use of harmony and rhythm in his music. Hommage à Messiaen was premiered by Robinson himself at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City on November 22, 1992. The composition consists of three movements, each of which reflects a different aspect of Messiaen's style. The first movement, titled "Chant d'oiseau" (Birdsong), is a slow and contemplative piece that features a simple melody played in the upper register of the organ. The melody is accompanied by a series of chords that are reminiscent of the harmonies used by Messiaen in his own music. The second movement, titled "Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes" (Dance of Fury, for the Seven Trumpets), is a more energetic and complex piece that features a series of rapid and dissonant chords played in the lower register of the organ. The movement is meant to evoke the apocalyptic imagery found in Messiaen's own music, particularly in his work "Quartet for the End of Time." The final movement, titled "Louange à l'éternité de Jésus" (Praise to the Eternity of Jesus), is a slow and meditative piece that features a simple melody played in the upper register of the organ. The melody is accompanied by a series of chords that are meant to evoke the sense of timelessness and eternity that is often found in Messiaen's music. Overall, Hommage à Messiaen is a fitting tribute to one of the most innovative and influential composers of the 20th century. Robinson's use of harmonies and rhythms that are reminiscent of Messiaen's own style, combined with his own unique voice as a composer, make this a powerful and moving work that is sure to be appreciated by fans of both Robinson and Messiaen.

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