The Messiaen Companion - Tapa dura

This is a collection of specially commissioned essays about the music of the great French composer, Olivier Messiaen, who died in 1992. Messiaen is regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century and this collection gives a study of his music, with chapters on individual pieces like the opera "St Francois d'Assise". The contributors are all highly distinguished musicians, who had made special studies of Messiaen's work.