Composer

:

Olivier Messiaen

Genre

:

Concerto

Style

:

Suite

Compose Date

:

1962

Average_duration

:

21:30

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Sept haïkaï, I/45 is a composition by Olivier Messiaen, a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. The piece was composed in 1962 and premiered on May 22, 1963, at the Salle Gaveau in Paris. It is a set of seven short pieces for solo piano, each inspired by a haiku, a traditional Japanese poem consisting of three lines. The seven movements of Sept haïkaï, I/45 are titled as follows: "Le Bégonia", "Le Loriot", "Le Traquet stapazin", "La Chouette hulotte", "L'Alouette lulu", "La Bouscarle", and "Le Merle bleu". Each movement is characterized by Messiaen's unique style, which combines elements of Western classical music with Eastern musical traditions and his own personal spirituality. "Le Bégonia" is a slow and contemplative piece, featuring a simple melody and delicate harmonies. "Le Loriot" is more lively, with a playful and rhythmic melody that evokes the song of the oriole bird. "Le Traquet stapazin" is a fast and energetic piece, with a complex and virtuosic piano part that imitates the flight of the stonechat bird. "La Chouette hulotte" is a haunting and atmospheric piece, with a sparse and eerie melody that evokes the call of the tawny owl. "L'Alouette lulu" is a joyful and exuberant piece, with a lively and syncopated rhythm that evokes the song of the woodlark. "La Bouscarle" is a slow and meditative piece, with a simple and repetitive melody that evokes the call of the Cetti's warbler. Finally, "Le Merle bleu" is a fast and virtuosic piece, with a complex and intricate piano part that imitates the flight of the blue rock thrush. The piece ends with a triumphant and joyful coda, bringing the set of haiku-inspired pieces to a close. Overall, Sept haïkaï, I/45 is a beautiful and evocative set of pieces that showcases Messiaen's unique musical style and his fascination with the natural world. Each movement is a miniature masterpiece, capturing the essence of a different bird or animal in a way that is both musically and spiritually profound.

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