MESSIAEN Olivier (1908 - 1992)

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  4. Lot n° 132 
Lot n° 132
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Estimation :
80000 - 100000 EUR
MESSIAEN Olivier (1908 - 1992)
MUSICAL MANUSCRIPT autographed by "Olivier Messiaen", Sept Haïkaï, esquisses japonaises pour piano solo et petit orchestre (1963) ; one volume in-fol. of 6 leaves, 139 pages (with 7 title pages), crystal paper serpents and white interleaved leaves, the whole bound in brown cloth with title label. Very nice score for piano and orchestra, inspired by Japan. Composed in 1962 after a stay in Japan, on the occasion of the performance of the Turangalîla-Symphony by Seiji Ozawa, the Seven Haikaï want to give a musical form to the vivid impressions felt by the composer during his visits to the Nara Park, the Karuizawa Natural Park, Mount Fuji, or the island of Miyajima, and to the discovery of Japanese music (with the gagaku) and Japanese birds; but also to extend the rhythmic and chromatic research of Chronochromie. The composition of the work is very elaborate, in seven short pieces, like the Japanese poems of the same name; it lasts 23 minutes. Premiered in Paris, at the Odéon theater, by the Domaine musical under the direction of Pierre Boulez, with Yvonne Loriod at the piano, on October 30, 1963, the Seven Haïkaï were published by Alphonse Leduc in November 1966. The work is dedicated to: "Yvonne Loriod, Pierre Boulez, Madame Fumi Yamaguchi, Seiji Ozawa, Yoritsuné Matsudaïra, Sadao Bekku and Mitsuaki Hayama, the ornithologist Hoshino, the landscapes, the music, and all the birds of Japan. The manuscript is preceded by several title pages and preliminary leaves. One of the title pages is covered with notes for the revision and correction of the score, another lists the seven movements (the subtitle is then written as follows: "esquisses japonaises, pour Piano solo, xylophone, marimba, et petit orchestre"). This is followed by the nomenclature of the instruments, an analysis of each of the pieces (which we will quote in the description), and the "List of Japanese birds that sing in this work: Japanese, French and Latin names" (25 birds). The Nomenclature of instruments includes 11 Woodwinds: 1 small flute, 1 flute, 2 oboes, 1 English horn, 1 small E-flat clarinet, 2 B-flat clarinets, 1 B-flat bass clarinet, 2 bassoons; 2 Brass: 1 trumpet, 1 tenor trombone; 8 violins; 2 keyboards: 1 xylophone, 1 marimba (diffi cult parts); 1 Solo piano (concert grand) (solo part); 4 percussion (4 performers): I chromatic set of cencerros, II chromatic set of crotales (2nd percussionist also plays 1 triangle), III 18 tube bells (chromatic set), IV 2 small Turkish cymbals, 2 gongs, 1 Chinese cymbal, 2 tam-tams... The manuscript is very carefully written in black pencil on Durand paper with 26, 28, 30 or 32 lines; each part is preceded by a title page. It comprises seven movements; we quote the analysis given by Messiaen in the preliminary pages. I. Introduction (12 p.). "By the cencerros, bells, trumpet, trombone, and metal percussion: rhythms of India dedicated to the three Shakti. The piano and woodwinds make a retrograde rhythmic canon. Xylophone and marimba make a metabole, from tâla simhavikrama (strength of the lion) to tâla miçra-varna (mixture of colors). On the violins: a melodic phrase, of which only the 1st stanza is heard (the 2nd stanza being reserved for the 7th piece)". II. The park of Nara and the stone lanterns (14 p.). "Japan. Region of Nara. Four Buddhist temples. A park. Deer and hinds walk freely. The sun plays between the cryptomerias that line the main path. 3.000 stone lanterns are squeezed as far as the eye can see". III. Yamanaka, cadenza (19 p.). "The birds singing in this piece were heard in the forest near Lake Yamanaka, at the foot of Mount Fuji. They are about the same birds as in the 6th piece. We must add: Misosozai (Midzodzotzaye): Japanese wren, played on the xylophone - and Aka hara: Red-fronted thrush, played on the English horn. Aoji (Aôdji): Japanese Masked Sparrow - and Ôruri (Ô-louli): Japanese Blue Flycatcher - were noted at Subashiri. The three "cadenzas" of the piano use successively: a) 1st cadenza: Kibitaki: Narcissus Flycatcher. b) 2nd cadenza: Hôaka: Grey-headed Bunting - and Hibari: Japanese Skylark. c) 3rd cadenza: Kuro tsugumi (Kouleu-tsougoumi): Japanese blackbird". IV. Gagaku (12 p.). "Gagaku (Gagakou) is the noble music of the 7th century in Japan. It is still practiced at the imperial court. Only the two main timbres of this music are shown here: the Shô (mouth organ), replaced by an ensemble of 8 violins - the Hichiriki (primitive oboe), replaced by the trumpet." V. Miyajima and the torii in the sea (13 p.). "Perhaps the most beautiful landscape in Japan. An island, a mountain covered with dark green Japanese pine and maple trees (
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