Turangalila and final projects

Thanks for your thoughtful analyses and reactions to this piece! Since there are 6 movements left in Turangalila and one week of class, I would like to assign individual movements to each of you to comment on below, as we've been doing for the other movements. I quickly assigned movements in class but I can't remember who is supposed to do what, so if you don't mind I will reassign as follows:

Matt, V. Joie du Sang des Etoiles
Cheryl, VI. Jardin du Sommeil d'amour
JP, VII. Turangalila 2
Mary, VIII. Developpement d'amour
Edo, IX. Turangalila 3
Kristin, X. Final

You're also welcome to take a look at the informative wikipedia page on this piece. For these remaining movements, instead of doing another form chart, discuss a topic of your choice such as motives, harmony, use of modes, rhythms, orchestration, poetry/extramusical ideas, etc. - try to write something interesting and enlightening about your assigned movement.

Don't worry if your posts are not in the order of movements; and to follow up on Matt's comment in class, you're all welcome to present other pieces if you wish, in addition to your work on Turangalila.

Final projects will be due on Friday, December 14. If people are free that day, I'd like to have a final class in lieu of an exam, to take a look at each other's final projects. Are people free at noon on Friday, Dec. 14?

Thanks and good luck!

Turangalila 4th movement

Here's a place to leave your analyses of the 4th movement. After this one only five more to go! If you haven't yet done this, please have all the first four movements done before class resumes after Thanksgiving break. We'll look at these, and look over your pieces in progress as well.

Turangalila 3rd movement

Dear composers, please comment on this post with your thoughts on the third movement, formal
and otherwise. Which of Messiaen's techniques do you think are most applicable to your own work so far?

Also, thanks to those who showed up at the Composer's Forum yesterday, I thought it was very interesting. I don't believe I saw any of you (ahem) at the composer concert last night - attendance at these events is important!

Turangalila, 2nd movement

Dear 206 composers,

As we discussed in class on Wednesday, please listen to and study the score of the second movement to Turangalîla; post your formal analysis as a comment here. And as we go through the piece, start thinking about the overall plan - what is the place of this movement in the grand scheme?

And if you still have not posted on the first movement, please do so before Monday.

Music 206: Turangalila

Dear 206 composers: I'm taking over this blog from a class I taught last summer on music since World War II (which you should check out if you're interested). For the remainder of this semester, I would like us to focus on a single work: Messiaen's gigantic Turangalîla-Symphony. I do not have this piece online, but there are several CD's in the library:

• CDISC M1001 M37T87
• CDISC M1001 M47T82 (also on reserve)
• DVD MT125 L438v.2 (DVD with Simon Rattle)

I will be leaving a copy of the score on reserve as well. For Wednesday, please listen to the first movement and make a chart of the form; we will discuss this in class today.