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'Yvonne Loriod as Source and Influence' and accompanying 'Appendix: Yvonne Loriod Discography'

‘Yvonne Loriod as Source and Influence’ is an examination of the role played by the woman who is an essential point of reference for performers and scholars of Messiaen’s music alike, yet who has received relatively little sustained discussion. It considers some of the ways in which she was important both for Messiaen himself and for those studying him, viewing her specifically through the lens of _Messiaen Perspectives 1_ in exploring her role as a profound influence upon Messiaen, and a source of insight and information about him. As a consequence, it forms the centrepiece of the book. In terms of influence, it argues that Loriod’s pianism opened out Messiaen’s compositional thought. Her pedigree in an extensive repertoire ranging from Bach to Bartók was critical to her creative influence upon Messiaen and is partially reflected in the book’s appendix, a discography of Loriod’s commercial recordings amounting to 80 distinct recordings. The chapter goes on to consider the love between Messiaen and Loriod, its implications, ways in which it is manifest in his works and the ways in which she supported him. As a source, Loriod is considered as a teacher, then as the first custodian of her husband’s legacy, becoming an invaluable source of materials and memories, while her role in various posthumous editions of his music is critically examined.