Le merle noir

From 1952 to the end of his life, Messiaen studied ornithology at a professional level. All of his mature works, either explicitly—as in the multi-volume “Catalog of the Birds” completed in 1958—or otherwise, pay homage to the music of our winged companions. This sonic awareness merged with a deep Catholicism to produce many poignant, probing compositions. In past seasons we have heard his Quartet for the End of Time, written in a German prisoner-of-war camp and performed for 5000 fellow inmates. Tonight we hear Le merle noir (Blackbird) from 1952, the composer’s first piece based almost entirely on birdsong.
Entering the famed Paris Conservatory at age 11, Messiaen studied at the organ with several giants of the French tradition, including Widor and Dupré. He thus joins Saint-Saëns, Rameau, and Fauré (as we will see) in the storied line of French master organists. When he composed Le merle noir for the 1952 flute department examinations, he was already a professor at the Conservatory. Le merle noir is a fascinating work, and we would benefit from being able to hear it repeated as many times as the judges on that first occasion. Extensive, virtuosic cadenzas and other technical challenges—not the least of which are rhythmic—make clear that this was a competition piece. In general, one may note Messiaen’s careful control of pitches. This is not strictly twelve-tone composition (a method developed by Arnold Schoenberg, in which each of the twelve pitches within our musical system is used before being repeated). Messiaen prefers floating collections of 10 or 11 pitches, though the result, as in Schoenberg’s works, is to loosen the mooring of traditional tonality. Other factors, such as tempo and density of texture, take over the task of creating form. The final fast section is relentlessly difficult, pushing the ensemble to near breakdown. Messiaen’s final gesture sounds almost irreverent in such a context.

(c) Jason Stell