Composer

:

Jonathan Harvey

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1994

Average_duration

:

8:43

Tombeau de Messiaen for piano and tape is a composition by British composer Jonathan Harvey. It was composed in 1994 as a tribute to the French composer Olivier Messiaen, who had passed away the previous year. The piece was premiered on 17th November 1994 at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, with pianist Philip Mead performing. The composition consists of three movements, each of which is named after a bird that Messiaen had used as a musical motif in his own compositions. The first movement, "Le Merle Noir" (The Blackbird), is a virtuosic display of piano technique, with the pianist playing rapid, fluttering passages that imitate the bird's song. The tape part provides a backdrop of electronic sounds, including bird calls and other natural sounds. The second movement, "Le Traquet Stapazin" (The Black-eared Wheatear), is more contemplative in nature. The piano part is more subdued, with long, sustained chords and gentle arpeggios. The tape part features a haunting melody played on a solo flute, which is gradually joined by other instruments and electronic sounds. The final movement, "La Rousserolle Effarvatte" (The Reed Warbler), is the most complex and challenging of the three. The piano part is again virtuosic, with rapid runs and arpeggios that imitate the bird's song. The tape part is a dense, swirling mass of electronic sounds, including bird calls, bells, and other percussive sounds. Overall, Tombeau de Messiaen is a highly original and innovative composition that pays tribute to one of the great composers of the 20th century. Harvey's use of electronic sounds and his incorporation of natural sounds into the tape part create a rich and evocative sonic landscape that complements the virtuosic piano writing. The piece is a testament to Harvey's skill as a composer and his deep admiration for Messiaen's music.

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