Olivier Messiaen Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Bird Catalogue, Volume 1, No. 2: Yellow-headed OrioleOlivier Messiaen15rank/position

Olivier Messiaen: From the Catalogue of Birds, No. 2 “Golden Oriole” / Haruka Abiko [Japan Performers Competition]

Olivier Messiaen, one of the great composers of the 20th century, showed a deep interest in music from childhood and blossomed as a prodigious talent at a young age.

His music is filled with unmistakably personal traits—complex rhythms, rich timbres, and a unique harmonic language.

The piano collection Catalogue d’oiseaux is a set of 13 pieces composed between 1956 and 1958, inspired by the natural landscapes of France and the songs of birds.

The second piece, titled “The Yellow-browed Warbler,” is a masterpiece that reflects Messiaen’s ambitious attempt to faithfully reproduce birdsong.

Beyond the birds’ calls, his music depicts scenery, light, and atmosphere, forming a sublime art in which deep reverence for nature is fused with religious devotion.

Immerse yourself in Messiaen’s mysterious, color-suffused musical world.

Bird Catalogue, Volume 2, No. 6: “Forest Lark”Olivier Messiaen16rank/position

Messiaen: L’alouette lulu (Catalogue d’oiseaux) ∙ Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Olivier Messiaen, one of the defining composers of the 20th century, was an artist who single-mindedly pursued music.

Centered on mystical and religious themes, he established a unique musical language through his exploration of complex rhythms and harmonies.

His Catalogue d’oiseaux is truly the culmination of Messiaen’s musical world.

In Book II, No.

6, “The Woodlark,” he reproduces the sounds of France’s natural landscapes and birds down to the finest detail.

From this piece, one can feel his deep love and reverence for birds as God’s creations.

It is a masterpiece that I especially encourage those unfamiliar with classical music to hear.

Bird Catalog, Volume 7, No. 13: “Eurasian Curlew”Olivier Messiaen17rank/position

Messiaen: Catalogue d’oiseaux No. 13 “Le courlis cendré” (The Eurasian Curlew) Performer: Reiko Kato

Olivier Messiaen, known for his mystical and richly colored style.

His representative piano work, Catalogue d’oiseaux, consists of 13 pieces that transcribe birdsongs from various regions of France and weave them together with his unique musical language.

Among them, Book 7, No.

13, “The Eurasian Curlew,” brilliantly depicts the solitary call of this bird, which inhabits the coast of Brittany, and the stark beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Its complex rhythms and harmonies and its rich sonorities convey a profound reverence for God and a deep love of nature.

Why not experience the composer’s spirituality through the performance of a sensitive pianist?

Small Sketches of Birds, No. 1: “European Robin”Olivier Messiaen18rank/position

Olivier Messiaen : Petites esquisses d’oiseaux – 1. Le Rouge-gorge (Marie Vermeulin)

Olivier Messiaen, one of the defining French composers of the 20th century, is known for his original musical language and profound spirituality.

Petites esquisses d’oiseaux is a collection of piano pieces dedicated to his wife, Yvonne Loriod, consisting of six short movements that imitate the songs of various European birds.

Marked by complex, richly colored harmonies and rhythms, the work reflects the composer’s religious worldview and love of nature, making it a recommended piece not only for classical music enthusiasts but also for nature lovers.