Bertold Hummel

Trio “In memoriam Olivier Messiaen” op. 95c

The Trio for flute, oboe and piano op. 95c is a personal homage to Olivier Messiaen whose death became known shortly before this work was composed. Melismas reminiscences of a bird song dominate - in various variations - the 1st movement the structure of which is determined by a cadence contributed by each soloist. The 2nd movement is characterized by sustained tones and concise motifs. Being economical with the material, this movement forms a strong contrast to the outer movements. The basic note material of the 3rd movement comprises the letters from OLIVIER MESSIAEN's name that can be used musically: E-E-Eb-Eb-A-E. In the middle section, a sequence of chords repeated over and again forms the basis for a melodic line from Messiaen's opera Saint François d'Assise - thus creating a kind of little passacaglia.