Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace

The Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace (French: Verset for the Festival of the Dedication of a Church) is a short composition for organ by French composer Olivier Messiaen. It was completed in 1960.

Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace
by Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
ComposedDecember 1960 (1960-12): Paris
Published13 June 1961 (1961-06-13): Paris
ScoringOrgan

Background

The Verset was composed as a response to a commission by the Conservatoire de Paris. The piece would be used at the organ competitive examination which took place on June 13, 1961, at the Conservatoire.[1][2][3] It was completed in Paris in December 1960 and was premiered at the examination.[4] It was published that year by Éditions Alphonse Leduc.[3][5]

Structure

The piece is scored for solo organ and has a total duration of around 9 minutes. Messiaen used plainchant and birdsong extensively throughout the whole piece.

The Verset starts with a monodic theme entitled Alleluia de la Dédicace, which he also used in the second movement of his Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité.[4] However, unlike in the Méditations, the melody has several chromatic changes,[2] turning it into an atonal melody. After presenting the main theme, he alternates different themes: the Alleluia, a consolation, and a supplication, a loud central section of the piece. Intersparsed between these sections are extended passages of birdsong. The song thrush is the only bird to be presented in the piece.[4][6][7]

Song thrush

References
  1. Campbell, Rachel. "Verset pour la Fête de la… | Details". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  2. Winpenny, Tom. "About this Recording 8.573845 - MESSIAEN, O.: Livre d'orgue / Verset pour la Fête de la Dédicace (Winpenny)". Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  3. Benitez, Vincent (2007). Olivier Messiaen: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-87130-7. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. Griffiths, Paul (2002). Liner notes of Deutsche Grammophon 471 480-2. Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon. p. 32.
  5. Dingle, Christopher Philip (2013). Messiaen's Final Works. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7546-0633-8. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. Aprahamian, Felix (1987). Liner notes of Regis Records RRC 2052. Regis Records.
  7. Messiaen, Olivier (1961). Verset pour la fête de la dédicace: pour orgue (in French). A. Leduc. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
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