Messiaen

American  

[mes-yahn] / mɛsˈyɑ̃ /

noun

1. Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles 1908–92, French composer and organist.

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Messiaen British  

/ mɛsjɑ̃ /

noun

1. Olivier (ɔlivje). 1908–92, French composer and organist. His music is distinguished by its rhythmic intricacy; he was influenced by Hindu and Greek rhythms and bird song

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Example Sentences

With the help of director Peter Sellars, they staged Messiaen’s epic opera “Saint François d’Assise,” with pyramids of televisions, resulting in music and monitors upending, in Mozart’s hometown, the role of the modern opera and, so to speak, the sound of music.

From Los Angeles Times

Its cousin, the ondes martenot, was featured in one of Groening’s favorite classical pieces — the “Turangalîla-symphonie” by Olivier Messiaen — which would inspire the name for a lead character in “Futurama,” Turanga Leela.

From Los Angeles Times

And then there were moments of “11,000 Strings” that sounded like the musical aviaries of Olivier Messiaen emanating from a far away lath house.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is no longer the uptight atmosphere where John Adams was angrily booed and where people noisily walked out as Zubin Mehta premiered major new works by Olivier Messiaen and Iannis Xenakis.

From Los Angeles Times

In the late ’50s, Jones relocated to Paris, where he studied composition with the highly regarded teacher Nadia Boulanger and composer Olivier Messiaen.

From Los Angeles Times