Messiaen's description of the opening movement presents a conjunction of Heaven and the natural world that was to become central to the expression of his musical theology. This movement, ‘Liturgie de cristal”, shows us as it were in embryo something that would come into larger existence with Des canyons aux étoiles … and Saint François d'Assise. But it is an embryo that is already fully formed, not least because its anatomy is on one level quite straightforward.

Interpretations

Messiaen's audacity lies in the very simplicity of his means, but these are employed in the service of the profound. In ‘Liturgie de cristal’, fragmentary imitations of birdsong, played by the clarinet and violin, are heard alongside unchanging and continuous material played by the cello and piano. It is easy enough to arrive at a provisional interpretation of these musical facts: clearly, one might say, the two latter instruments in some way represent Heaven; and given the work's title we might assume our focus is on Heaven's eternity. Indeed, as we shall see, the music of the cello and piano is constructed so that in concept it is perpetual – without beginning or end.