University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Applying synesthesia and modes of limited transposition to Olivier Messiaen’s Theme et Variations for Violin and Piano

Woo, Han Na

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116375

Description

Title
Applying synesthesia and modes of limited transposition to Olivier Messiaen’s Theme et Variations for Violin and Piano
Author(s)
Woo, Han Na
Issue Date
2022
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Haken, Rudolf
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Haken, Rudolf
Committee Member(s)
  • Milenkovich, Stefan
  • Moersch, Charlotte Mattax
  • Magee, Gayle
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • synesthesia
  • modes of limited transposition
  • Olivier Messiaen
  • Theme et Variations for Violin and Piano
  • violin
  • chromesthesia
  • color analysis
Language
en
Abstract
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) never received an official synesthesia diagnosis, but his experience perceiving colors when he heard music is well-known to music history students today, as is his systemizing of the modes of limited transposition, combining whole tone, octatonic, and other modes in symmetrical, repeated intervallic patterns. This paper will focus on introducing synesthesia as a condition (or phenomenon) and analyzing how Messiaen applied synesthetic concepts to his early violin music, specifically Theme and Variations for Violin and Piano. The analysis aims to reveal an extra layer of music beyond the notes that Messiaen could have had embedded based on his physiological condition. The goal of this paper is to educate the reader about synesthesia, offer a different perspective from which to experience Messiaen’s music, and encourage synesthete and non-synesthete performers and listeners alike to enhance their aesthetic experience by acknowledging what’s possible when two or more of the five senses converge.
Graduation Semester
2022-12-02T14:55:14-06:00
Type of Resource
  • text
  • still image
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2022 Han Na Woo

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Theses [Option 2] - Music PRIMARY