MASTERCLASS – MESSIAEN

In this class, we are going to deal with new systems of organizing the
pitch material for composing.

MELODY: MODES OF LIMITED TRANSPOSITION

• Messiaen developed a series of modes that can be transported a
limited number of times. If we transpose the scale of the mode one
semitone upwards, and so on, there is a moment when the pitches
are enharmonic to a previous transposition.
• They are limited because the modes are transpositionally
simmetrical. By contrast, the diatonic collection, transpositionally
asymmetrical, exists in an unlimited number of transposition, to all
twelve chromatic degrees withouth reproducing itself
• Messiaen’s modes represent more of a harmonic resource than a
melodic resource. He claimed, “People have often referred to my
modes of limited transposition as scales. They are not scales, but
harmonic colors.” Messiaen did sometimes use the modes in a
strictly melodic (i.e., monophonic, or unharmonized) manner, but
only rarely after his early works. He almost always presented his
modes chordally, presumably to take advantage of their particular
colorations; only by presenting notes of a mode simultaneously
could a coloration emerge.
• According to Messiaen, these modes are at once in the
atmosphere of several tonalities, without polytonality, the composer
being free to give predominance to one of the tonalities or to leave
the tonal impression unsettled. He stated that, with them, the
composer can choose to emphasize any harmonic structures within
the mode; you can be as consonant or as dissonant, as tonal or as
non-tonal as you like.

• The first mode is the whole-tone scale, used by Debussy, Dukas,

etc. Transposable two times.
• The second mode was used by Rimsky-Korsakov, Scriabin, Ravel
and Stravinsky. This octatonic mode is related to the chord of
diminished seventh. Transposable three times.
• The third mode is transposable four times, as is the chords ot the
augmented fifth. Messiaen used it many times, as Toru Takemitsu.
• Modes 4, 5, 6 and 7 were less interesting to Messiaen because
they are transposable six times.

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MELODY: COMPOSING WITH INTERVALS
• In this case the composer organizes a set of pitches, and uses it as
raw composing material: the number of pitches is variable, and the
intervals between them will give the general mood. Let’s say we
build a set of four pitches. The result shoud be quite different if they
are major thirds and a semitone (M3, M3, m2) = C – E – G# - A;
than if we use seconds and tritones (M2, TT, M2)= C – F# – G#.
So, depending on the intervals we can “manipulate” one factor in
our music to make it softer, harder, more or less tonal…
• There are several nomenclatures for this system but an extensive
exposition of the Set Theory is beyond our goal.
• We can do several things with a set of pitches: transposition to any
pitch, retrogradation, inversion, rotation (instead of M2, TT, M2, we
would use TT, M2, M2, splitting in octaves, and the combination of
all of them. Of course, taking the set as a base, we can add
intervals, or use the set partially.

HARMONY IN THE MODES OF LIMITED TRANSPOSITION

• Messiaen also said that chords should be made with notes of the
mode. Some modes offers more posibilitties than others.
• Mode 1 is harmonically poorer.
• Modes like 2 give many different chords, using enharmonics. Let’s
take Mode 2: C – Db –Eb – E – F# - G – A – Bb
o Triadic chords: C, C7, C#min(b5), Eb, Eb7, Am, etc..
o Quartal chords: C – F# - Bb, Db – G – C
o Quintal chords: C – G – Db, E – Bb – F#
o Chords by seconds
o Hybrid chords: Am/Db, Eb/F#
o Etc… Every combination of pitches can be a chord
• We should have in mind that in this language funtional
relationships in harmony are no longer the same than in tonal
harmony.
• Developing Harmony in Messiaen’s style isn’t different from the
classic period, but using the pitches of the mode we are using.
That is to say: melody in several voices, single melodic line and
harmonization.

HARMONY: MESSIAEN NEW CHORDS

Messiaen also invented new chords: chord on the dominant, chord on

the dominant with apoggiaturas, chord with transposed inversions, chord
of resonance, chord with contracted resonance, chord in fourths, turning

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chord, and chord of total cromaticism.
All these chords fit in one or another mode, but they can be used as
chords by themselves in any background.
Finally, be must bear in mind that we will often find combination of
modes. Of course in the development of a piece there can be more tan
one mode in an horizontal direction. But also we can use a mode for the
melody and a different one for the harmony (Messiaen used even three
modes at a time, in a sort of polymodality).

EXAMPLE: “Abîme des Oiseaux”

Here the first page of the score Abîme des Oiseaux where the first part is
in mode 2 and the second part uses an interval set. See below.

RECAP

Melody:
• Modes of limited transposition: stick to the notes of the mode
• Interval set defined by the composer
• When using a scale is good to define it soon in the melody: make
all the notes of the scale sound.
• In this style counterpoint is not preferred, but can be used. Melody
alone or melody in several parallel voices.

Harmony:
• Build any kind of chord and voicing using the same notes of the
mode in the melody
• Melody by interval set can be harmonized using a mode, too
• Messiaen’s new chord can also be taken, but they’r not necessary
to define the mode
• Bi- or polymodality is possible

FURTHER READING

O. Messiaen: The technique of my musical language

Modes of limited transposition and special chords:
http://www.geocities.ws/jeharris56/chapter05.pdf

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Students Allowing: 7
Initial Writing Requirement: our goals are to compose effective pieces with different
melodic and harmonic systems compared to classic tonal period

Two Works:
a) 16-24 bars, only melody with any instrument solo. Use a mode or an
interval set. Have in mind the possibilities of the instrument: range,
dynamics.
b) 16-24 bars, piano solo or melodic instrument + piano solo. Focus on
harmonization with chords built with pitches from the mode you want to
develop.

Initial Writing Requirement Deadline: March 26

POST COMPOSITIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW WHEN FINISHED.

ADD AN AUDIO FILE IF YOU WANT
COMMENT SHORTLY THE ORGANIZATION OF YOUR PIECES.

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