Messiaen the Theologian

For Oliver Messiaen, music was a way of expressing his faith. He considered it his good fortune to have been born a Catholic and declared that 'the illumination of the theological truths of the Catholic faith is the first aspect of my work, the noblest and no doubt the most useful'. Messiaen is one of the most widely performed and recorded composers of the twentieth-century and his popularity is increasing, but the theological component of his music has so far been neglected and continues to provide a serious impediment for some of his audience. "Messiaen the Theologian" makes a significant contribution by providing cultural and historical context to Messiaen's theology. An array of international Messiaen scholars cover a wide variety of topics including Messiaen's personal spirituality, the context of Catholicism in France in the twentieth century, and comparisons of Messiaen with other artists such as Dante and Maritain. Interdisciplinary methodologies including exegesis, theological studies and semiotics are used to contribute to the understanding of several major works including Eclairs sur l'au-dela...Sept Haikai and Saint Francois d'Assise. By approaching Messiaen from such important and original perspectives, this book will be of interest not only to musicologists, but also to theologians and other readers with an interest in the connections between religion/spirituality and the arts.