That Messiaen was a practicing liturgical organist is well known, as is the fact that in that capacity a lot of his practice constituted improvisation. Due in part to its ephemeral nature, and also to its very specific cultural-theological locus in Catholic liturgy, however, the impact that this role had on his wider musical practice is more often asserted than explored.

This project aims to add substance to our understanding of his practice in this area. Primarily this will involve engaging with a representative sample of the available recordings of Messiaen’s liturgical improvisations, together with preparatory materials and sketches. These elements are further informed by consideration of the theology of Liturgy, which grounds the context in which the improvisations were made. This in turn may shed light on what Messiaen may have meant when describing his concert works as ‘liturgical’.