Olivier Messiaen Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Quartet for the End of TimeOlivier Messiaen1rank/position

Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps / Weithaas, Gabetta, Meyer, Chamayou

Olivier Messiaen, a leading 20th-century composer who continually explored a mysterious world of sound.

His Quartet for the End of Time, composed in a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, is a consummate work that distills reflections on the beauty of nature and the eternity of the spiritual.

Completed under extreme conditions, it unveils a profound world that encapsulates Messiaen’s musical vision.

Its unique sense of color and expression that transcends conventional notions of time stir the listener’s heart and greatly expanded the possibilities of music.

Please take the opportunity to listen to this supreme masterpiece born out of hardship.

Four Rhythmic Etudes No. 1: “The Island of Fire I”Olivier Messiaen2rank/position

Messiaen: “Ile de feu I” from Four Studies of Rhythm / O. Messiaen: Quatre études de rythme “Île de feu I”

Olivier Messiaen, a leading 20th-century composer who experienced synesthesia and associated sounds with colors, is known for his unique compositional style linking sound and color.

In No.

1, “Île de feu I,” from Études de rythme, the intertwining of complex rhythms and timbres unfolds a mysterious and powerful musical world.

The piece demands a performance that combines bold expression with delicate touch, and it is one I highly recommend to advanced players familiar with contemporary music.

Eight Preludes No. 1 “Dove”Olivier Messiaen3rank/position

Olivier Messiaen ‒ Preludes pour Piano

Olivier Messiaen, one of the defining French composers of the 20th century, is known for music that explores mystical and religious themes.

Immersed in music from an early age, he entered the Paris Conservatory at 11.

The first piece of his Eight Preludes, “La colombe” (The Dove)—which is also his first piano work—showcases the young composer’s developing technique and his exploration of musical language.

This miniature conveys a sense of peace and calm, marked by distinctive harmonic progressions using modes of limited transposition.

It is quintessential Messiaen, weaving natural and religious symbolism into the music.

With its depth of musicality yet relatively approachable technical demands, it is a recommended introduction for those encountering Messiaen’s works for the first time.

Eight Preludes No. 8 “Reflections in the Wind”Olivier Messiaen4rank/position

Messiaen: From the Preludes, “Reflections in the Wind” – Piano: Sanae Takagi; O. Messiaen: Préludes “Un reflet dans le vent” – Pf. Sanae TAKAGI

Olivier Messiaen, a French composer who epitomizes the 20th century, is known for his distinctive style.

The eighth piece from his early collection Eight Preludes, “Reflections in the Wind,” shows the influence of Claude Debussy while revealing an original fusion of color and sound.

In the brief storm-like passages that frame the work, alternations of orange and green with black speckles appear; in the central section, shades of blue and orange illuminate a beautiful melodic line.

Please enjoy this work—an embodiment of the young Messiaen’s sensibility—in vividly colored sonorities.

Hymne au Saint SacrementOlivier Messiaen5rank/position

Messiaen: Hymne au Saint-Sacrement

“Hymne au Saint Sacrement (Hymn for the Blessed Sacrament)” was composed by Olivier Messiaen, born in Avignon, France, a composer of contemporary music who was also an organist, pianist, and music educator.

Olivier Messiaen was one of the composers who led European contemporary music from the first half to the second half of the 20th century.

L’Ascension: III. Transports de joie d’une ame devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienneOlivier Messiaen6rank/position

Olivier Latry Plays Messiaen, l’Ascension III-IV

Messiaen, a master of contemporary music.

He strove to give Catholicism a modern form of expression, developing his own techniques and systems, and was honored with the inaugural Kyoto Prize for his achievements.

This piece is among his most famous works and bears the subtitle “Four Symphonic Meditations.” It consists of four movements; the third movement, “Alleluia on the Trumpet and Cymbal,” depicts the trumpet and cymbal resounding at a fast tempo.

The fourth movement, “The Prayer of Christ to Return to the Father,” by contrast, is striking for its profoundly expressive, solemn melody at an extremely slow tempo.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

HATSUMI

Report a problem

Phantom of AmenOlivier Messiaen7rank/position

Visions of Amen (Vision de l’Amen), Messiaen — Pianoduo DUOR, two pianos, classical piano

Olivier Messiaen, a French composer who represents the 20th century, is known for his distinctive musical style.

His music is characterized by complex rhythms, rich timbres, and unique harmonies, exploring mystical and religious themes.

Composed in 1943, Visions de l’Amen is one of his major works for two pianos.

The piece consists of seven movements, each expressing a different subject based on the word “Amen.” Powerfully depicting profound themes such as creation, the stars, and the suffering of Jesus, this work is recommended not only for those who wish to experience Messiaen’s musical world but also for anyone interested in works with strong religious elements.