Zach Neufeld

Professor Mark Delaere

Music 245, Spring 2014

Wild Complexity, Singular Vision: Serial Techniques, Inconsistencies, and Expressivity
in Les Yeux dans les Roues from Messiaens Livre dOrgue
For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror, which we are still just able to endure,
and we are so awed because it serenely disdains to annihilate us.
Every angel is terrifying. - Rainer Maria Rilke
With this quote from rst Duino Elegy Messiaen begins his analysis of Les Yeux
dans les Roues in his famous Trait. Although his analogy between Rilkes angel and the
terrifying vision of Ezekiel may be spurious (Rilke was clear that his angel is not from
the Christian tradition)
1
, his sentiment and meaning are loud and clear: this movement
of Livre dOrgue is at once beautiful and terrifying. In this movement, Messiaen uses a
quite rigid (yet original) 12-tone serial method, typical of the experimental period in
which it was written. However, the piece retains a inseparable connection with his
works from outside the experimental period, especially regarding spiritual inspiration,
sectional form (rather than thematic development), and treatment of rhythm. Les Yeux
dans les Roues, the focus of this study, is representative of both his experimental, serial
style, and his less rigid, spiritual style. In a certain sense, Les Yeux dans les Roues
1
Healey 161
exemplies Messiaens oeuvre in general, and should not be pigeonholed as only an
abstruse technical exercise and exclusively cerebral in approach.
2
Messiaens Livre dOrgue is normally seen as the last collection of pieces of his so-
called experimental, serial period of 1949-1951.
3
His compositional method before 1949
culminated with the Turangalila Symphony, which is representational of a more
emotional, grand style.
4
The shift to the more austere, rigid compositions of the 49-51
period coincides with a decline in his wifes health, and according to Dingle, ...grim
reality appears in place of surrealistic fantasy.
5
The most important rst pieces of this
new idiom were the set Quatre tudes de rhythme (Four rhythmic studies), in which are
some of the rst (if not the rst) pieces to use techniques of multiple-serialism.
6
These
four quasi-serial pieces (Mode de valeurs et dintensits, Neumes rythmiques, and Ile de feu
1/2) exerted a profound inuence on the development of total serialism in the work of
Stockhausen and Goeyvaerts, but also on Messiaens later work, including Livre
dOrgue. Although in these pieces Messiaen works within a much stricter set of rules
than in his previous work, he still retains a remarkable exibility and freedom in
2
Bell 100
3
Ibid 100
4
Dingle 122
5
Ibid 122
6
Ibid 124
comparison to the 12-tone serial method of the Second Viennese School.
7
It is out of
these serial experiments that Livre dOrgue is born.
Movement VI of Livre dOrgue, Les Yeux dans les Roues (The Eyes in the Wheels)
refers to the biblical prophet Ezekiels vision of the wheels within wheels from
Ezekiel I:
16 The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of
them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within
another. 17 Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as
they moved. 18 As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them
were full of eyes round about. 19 Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with
them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 Wherever the
spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for
the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
8
The movement is a wild, relentless toccata, and according to Messiaen it evokes all the
details of the vision of Ezekiel: a whirlwind, a great cloud of re, the turbulence of high
water, four living beings, running in every direction like lightning, extraordinary
wheels, living, with eyes all about....
9
The manual parts exemplify the dizzying
spinning and whirling of the wheels, while the pedal represents the eyes peering out
from within the wheels.
10
The entire piece is played with the full power of the organ at
triple forte and quadruple forte for the manuals and pedals, respectively, which indeed
results in a terrifying ery effect. The piece uses what Messiaen calls a very special
7
Dingle 124
8
New American Standard Bible
9
Messiaen 214
10
Gillock 186
dodecaphonic language.
11
The three parts (right hand, left hand, pedals) each cycle
through different 12-tone series in such a way that they do not really interact with each
other, resulting in a chromatically-saturated texture of extreme complexity, yet singular
artistic vision and intent. In order to understand this special 12-tone method, let us
begin with the pedal part, since it is easiest to understand.
The pedal part uses strictly 6 permutations of a single 12-tone row, each
permutation happening only once, and thereby creating the form of the piece (each
iteration is separated by one bar of 7 16th notes).
This results in an entire length for the piece of 546 16th notes: 6 iterations of 78 plus 6
interpolated bars of 7). Each pitch is assigned a specic duration, to which it is
inextricably linked for the entire movement. The durations are derived from a chromatic
series of one 16th note, 2 16ths, 3 16ths, etc... up to 12 16ths. These durations are then
paired with a descending chromatic scale, resulting in the following gamut of sound-
durations or sons-dures.
12
11
Messiaen 214
12
Messiaen 215
As a result, each pitch always is of a specic duration, yet can appear in any register.
The 5 permutations of the main row are attained through the process that Messiaen calls
interversion.
13
He chooses the permutations of the main row according to a specic
permutational process in order to have the most simple, the most immediately
accessible, that is to say those that are possible with 3 units. Eleanor Trawick has aptly
named this permutational process the fan function.
14
It enables Messiaen to attain 5
permutations using only 3 units in this way: beginning with the main row, re-order it
by taking the rst pitch, the last, the second, the penultimate, etc... One can see the
resemblance to the visual metaphor of a fan opening up.
The next permutation on the original row is exactly the same, except starting with the
last pitch instead of the rst. The third permutation begins in the middle and moves
outward (take the 7th pitch, the 6th, the 8th, the 5th, etc...) which is the same as the rst
permutation in retrograde. The 4th permutation is the same except it starts on the 6th
note instead of the 7th, which results in the retrograde of the 2nd permutation. Finally,
13
Bell 102
14
Trawick 19
the 5th permutation is simply the original row in retrograde, which results in the pedal
part having a quasi-palindromic structure overall.
15
The result of all these permutations
is that there are really only 3 rows: the original and its retrograde (iterations 1 and 6),
the 1st permutation and its retrograde (2 and 4), and the 2nd permutation and its
retrograde (3 and 5). The six iterations of the row in the pedal part are the basis for the
form of the piece, and act as the foundation around which the manual parts relentlessly
swirl. Messiaen explains the reasons for the freedom of register in the pedal part:
melodic interest, keeping with the disjointed feeling of the manuals, and facilitating
(relative) ease of playing.
16

Somewhat in contrast to the construction of the pedal is the construction of the
manual parts. Messiaen is more cryptic about the method of their composition than that
of the pedal, and for good reason: they are much more difcult to explain. In the Trait,
he offers this inconclusive statement: One could think of [the technique of this piece] as
a superposition of 3 series. Although it is obvious that each series corresponds to each
part, here we nd a clue that not all is technically straightforward in the manuals.
Messiaen only offers one twelve-tone row for each manual part in the diagram in his
Trait (which he admits contain chromatics), and he explains that the rigor of the
pedal part contrasts with the incoherence of the upper parts.
17
What later analysts have
15
Trawick 25
16
Messiaen 215
17
Ibid
discovered (including Hei and Trawick) is that the manual parts actually each consist
of a meta-row of 6 distinct 12-tone rows (equalling 72 pitches) that repeat, albeit with
missing notes (perhaps these are Messiaens chromatics).
18
In addition, the rst note
of each of the 12 total distinct rows in the manuals form yet another row via identical
interlocking hexachords.
This creates a nesting phenomenon: 1) the 72 pitch meta-row, 2) the rst note row (the
exploded row), and 3) the lowest level, the 12 rows themselves. Trawick postulates
that the lowest level 12 rows are derived from the fan function of the chromatic scale,
thereby linking them to the exploded row.
19


18
Trawick 33
19
Ibid 32
The majority of the technical inconsistencies in this movement are to be found in
the manual parts. Although the cycling of the meta-row is consistent and not
particularly difcult to nd, Messiaen freely omits notes, switches their position, and
uses drastic changes in register. As postulated by Trawick, we nd a clue in his
reasoning behind omitting notes in the fact that there is only one pitch-class doubling in
the entire piece (the D natural in the pedal and left hand 3 16ths from the end). As Hei
has noted, an examination of the theoretical missing notes reveals that many of them
would cause pitch-class doublings, which would pop out of the texture and detract
from the chromatic saturation.
20
As far as Messiaens reasoning regarding which manual
part from which to omit notes, Hei observes, It is unlikely that the composer was able
to make a safe decision in a given individual case, whether the elimination of the upper
or the lower pitches would be a better solution [...] Furthermore, the perceived effect of
a certain isolated decision is so minimal as to not be worthy of consideration.
21

Messiaen uses similar motion and contrary motion in near-equal percentages, and there
are only two places where true parallel motion occurs between the hands. It is a
reasonable assumption that this avoidance was intentional, and perhaps explains the
other omitted notes and thus the incoherence of the manual parts.
A partial inventory of the vertical sonorities made by all three parts reveals
another avoidance: that of triads and other consonant three-note structures. However,
20
Hei 25
21
Ibid
those that exist could have been avoided in the same manner as doublings, so it is
difcult to determine whether Messiaen intentionally kept them to a minimum, or
whether the lack of more is a mere statistical result of the random interaction of the
cycling rows in each part. Messiaens comments discussed previously regarding the
incoherence of the manual parts seem to indicate that he was not highly concerned
with the interaction of the three parts (with the exception of avoiding doublings), and
they give this analyst condence that there are no missing structurally important
patterns to be found in the vertical sonorities.
Now that I have discussed the technique and structure of the piece, I will now
consider the programmatic idioms and symbolisms inherent in this technique and
structure.
The most obvious programmatic associations to be made bear a brief mention.
The rst is the choice of registration: tutti, the full power of the organ, with all possible
couplings engaged. This serves to exemplify both the beautiful and terrifying nature of
the vision: a whirlwind, a great cloud of re, the turbulence of high water, four living
beings running in all directions like lightning...
22
The incessant driving motion and
total chromatic saturation, somewhat counter-intuitively, create a feeling of blistering
motion and complete stasis at the same time, perhaps representing Ezekiels frozen and
confused state, eyes locked on the awesome vision. This stasis is created through the
22
Messiaen 214
constant and uniform registral changes in both the pedal and manual parts (there is no
progression of register: all registers are used from beginning to end), the constant
driving 16th notes without textural change, and the total chromatic saturation without
any regard for a progression of dissonance and resolution.
According to Messiaen, and as both Hei and Trawick have noted, the pedal part
represents the spirit within the wheels.
23
This symbology is derived from the contrast
of the pedal part with the manual parts (making it a foreground element that at times
swallows the manual parts), the completeness of the pedal part (all pitches and all
durations representing the completeness of God), and, as Hei observes, the life of the
Holy Spirit is represented by the constant permutation of the pitches.
24
Gillock has a
slightly different interpretation: he states that the theme in the pedal represents the eyes
peering out from within the wheel, each note symbolizing a locked gaze of a specic
duration.
25
The permutational process can also be seen as representing the living
beings running in all directions like lightning, as the melodic contour is highly
unpredictable, and each member of the row is always in a new position when repeated.
The manual parts represent the ery, swirling wheels, one within another.
Trawick and Hei have presented both obvious and not so obvious interpretations of
the symbology of the manual parts. First, the overall structure is cyclical: the 6 rows in
23
Messiaen 215
24
Hei 26
25
Gillock 187
each part repeat over and over in a cycle, like a spinning wheel.
26
There are two cycles
happening at once, and as Hei has noted, the simultaneity of the top and bottom
manual parts represents the juxtaposition of the wheels.
27
I propose yet another level of
metaphor within the manual parts. As mentioned above, they are constructed in a
nested fashion, so that there are three levels: the meta row, the exploded row, and the
12 distinct rows. Messiaen goes one level further in the construction of the exploded
row. As Hei has explained, when extracted, the two hexachords of the row are identical
and interlock to form a chromatic scale (see previous example on p. 7). Hei does not
mention that this is yet another layer of nesting, such that even the rows themselves are
nested within each other. There are rows within rows at every level of the piece.
Another form of interlocking occurs due to the registration of the organ. Because
all voices are coupled, each part only plays one pitch at a time, but several additional
octaves are sounded. For example, the pedal part includes the 16, 8, 4, and 32 foot stops.
The 8 and 4 foot stops place many of the pedal notes directly in the range of the manual
parts. This results not only in audible interlocking of parts, but also aural shadowing,
whereby the pedal part blocks our auditory view of the manuals, and vice versa. This
adds another layer of visual metaphor.
As far as the four living beings (with four heads, four wings, etc...), Messiaen
does not comment further on any representation of them in the piece. In the Trait
26
Trawick 25
27
Hei 26
chapter, he argues that only William Blake had the courage to represent the eyes in the
wheels, while other artists have betrayed the representation of the vision by focusing
only on the living beings and excluding the eyes, the wheels, and the re.
28
Perhaps this
explains his lack of specic imagery for the living beings and his focus on the wheels
and eyes.
Finally, I will attempt to place Les Yeux dans les Roues in the context of Messiaens
other work, noting both similarities and differences with his ouvre as a whole, and
showing that, somewhat contrary to Bells statement that the Livre dOrgue is extremely
technical, severe in style, and cerebral in approach,
29
it is both aspects of Messiaens
composition in this movement (rigid serial/permutational techniques and freedom/
inconsistencies) equally contribute to the pieces expressive power.
At its heart, Les Yeux is a essentially a programmatic, expressive work. When
asked by Claude Samuel about the reception of daring works such as Livre dOrgue by
priests at Sainte Trinit, he replied They werent horried because the truths I express,
the truths of the Faith, are equally daring; they are fairy tales, in turn mysterious,
harrowing, glorious, and sometimes terrifying, always rooted in radiant, unchanging
reality.
30
There is other evidence to suggest that Messiaen valued expression above
technicality. In speaking about serialism, he says The most successful pieces in the
28
Messiaen 213
29
Bell 100
30
Samuel 25
serial eld are Weberns because, in spite of the dogmatism of the writing, he still
managed to compose very pretty, even ravishing music.
31
About Berg, he says ...Lyric
Suite is a programmatic work, based on the true story of a desperately hopeless love, so
the beauty of the score touches me even more.
32
He goes on about Bergs opera Lulu,
The subject of Lulu is repugnant and should have been treated as an example of
madness. But its realization is academic and as a result, a failure.
33
One can see that
Messiaen holds a respect for dogmatic, technical writing, but only in the service of
artistic expression.
Within the context of the seven movements of the Livre, Les Yeux stands out as
having an afnity with Messiaens output as a whole because of its overtly liturgical
nature (for the day of Pentecost). Bell writes, ...his musical structure usually conveys a
logical and continuing thought process very often descriptive of events, miracles, or
holy images inherent in Roman Catholicism.
34
The rhythmical techniques in Les Yeux
are especially representative of Messiaens usual language: irregular lengths, quasi non-
retrogradable rhythms (the pedal part as a whole), and the accumulation of durations
rather than division of time into equal parts.
35
However, the constant 16th notes in the
manuals are an anomaly for the sake of expressive power (Messiaen was insecure about
31
Samuel 50
32
Ibid
33
Ibid
34
Bell 23
35
Bell 5 and Samuel 79
them, saying the 16ths in retrospect confused me and that the idea that they make the
durations of the pedal easier to perceive is a mauvaise excuse...).
36

The serial aspect is the main connection with the experimental period, but it
also plays an important role in the expression of the piece. Dingle suggests that serial
aspects are an analogy for the impenetrable manifestations of the divine.
37
The sheer
chromatic complexity certainly exemplies the awesome mystery of Ezekiels vision.
The symbolic possibilities of the cycling of rows have already been discussed.
In conclusion, I posit that the seemingly contrasting aspects of Messiaens style in
this movement - rigid serial and permutational techniques juxtaposed with free
inconsistencies and expressive license - equally contribute to the pieces expressive
power. Messiaen is not using technique for techniques sake in this piece: every decision
is based on the desire to create a work of singular expression.
36
Messiaen 215
37
Dingle 125
Works Cited
Bell, Carla Houston. Olivier Messiaen. Boston: Twayne, 1984.
Dingle, Christopher. The Life of Messiaen. Cambridge UP, 2007.
Gillock, Jon. Performing Messiaens Organ Music. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2010.
Healey, Gareth. Messiaen-Bibliophile. Olivier Messiaen: Music, Art, and Literature. Ed.
Christopher Dingle and Nigel Simione. 159-171. Burlington: Ashgate, 2007.
Hei, Hellmut. Struktur und Symbolik in Les Yeux dans les Roues aus Olivier Messiaens
Livre dOrgue. Zeitschrift fr Musiktheorie, 3 (2) 1972: 22-27.
Messiaen, Olivier. Trait de Rhythme, de Couleur, et dOrnithologie, vol. 3. 213-217. Leduc,
1996.
Samuel, Claude. Olivier Messiaen: Music and Color. Portland: Amadeus, 1986.
Trawick, Eleanor. Serialism and permutation techniques in Olivier Messiaens Livre
dOrgue. Ex tempore, 9 (2) 1999: 64-77.
Works Consulted
Ericsson, Hans Ola. Messiaen: Complete Organ Works (sound recording). BIS 2009.
Rler, Almut. Contributions to the Spiritual World of Olivier Messiaen. Gilles and
Francke, 1986.
Zacher, Gerd. Livre d'orgue - eine Zumutung. Musik-Konzepte. 28: Olivier
Messiaen. 92-107. 1982.