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Does anyone know of the correct pronunciation of the name Messiaen? I always thought it was mess-e-ehn, (long French syllable on the end.) But I've also heard mass-e-ehn, and mess-e-oh(n). I'm just curious to know; he's my favorite composer, and I thought I should at least know how to say his name.
Thanks, Aaron Hynds

messy-ANN. (ANN as in the name, Ann)

Except that the N is nearly silent.

The IPA pronunciation is mɛsjɑ̃ but with a ~ over the final sound, and that means the French pronunciation as in "an" or "en".

So, maybe it's more like mess-YANN.

Rick "who like nearly everyone who isn't French, struggles with French pronunciation" Denney

oh-liv-ee-ay

Yes, yes, a Minky... that is what I have been saying you idiot!

JIm "Does your dog bite?" Wagner

Hmmm...

I've only heard it one way:

muh- (as in mummy)
say-
in

The "muh" part is weaker as sort of a pick-up, the stress on "say" (or downbeat), and then a weaker "in."

Closest I can get using your weird, inadequate and often wildly inaccurate pronounciation approximation syllabification is
messy-AHN , the last one pronounced through your nose....

Here is a quite good exemple of the sound:

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/di ... y/Messiaen

Kind regards.

The quest is finally over! I know how to pronounce his name!
Thanks for the help, especially to Anterux.
Aaron Hynds

Anterux wrote:Here is a quite good exemple of the sound:

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/di ... y/Messiaen

Kind regards.

Posting a sound clip of the correct pronunciation was the only real way to answer that question. Good job!

Jim "I still think it's Minky" Wagner

"Zere is a Messy 'N' in zis rooooom."

serious answer, I always said messayahhh with that french nasal ehh. the n is silent

not so serious andswer:

not to be confused with massenet or "massenay" where the T is silent.

I always wondered why they write these letters if they aren't going to say them?

those french, its like they have a different word (and pronunciation) for everything! (apologies to Steve Martin)


Elephant wasn't far off:

the elephant wrote:While spelled Messiaen, it is pronounced "Throat Warbler Mangrove."

(Just had to try to beat the Python fans to the punch on that one . . . )

I have always said "messy-ánn" while trying to sound boorish and sort of official; you know – French! (Frawnsch!)

I was actually thinking "Smoketoomuch", "well you'd better cut down a little then....."

ken k wrote:I was actually thinking "Smoketoomuch", "well you'd better cut down a little then..."

"This next song is a protest song. I've suffered for my music- now its your turn!"

Yes, with the overdone pronunciations, why simply appear boorish, condescending or with an affectation, when with a minimal additional effort you can sound disgustingly xenophobic?

I'd spend less time worrying about pronouncing his name, and more listening to his music.
Leela in futurama is named after hisTurangalila symphony. I had the chance to hear this at the Sage concert hall in Gateshead(UK), sat just above the tuba player - it was phenomenal.
his music is profoundly devotional and listening to it can only make us better people ...and players

iiipopes wrote:Yes, with the overdone pronunciations, why simply appear boorish, condescending or with an affectation, when with a minimal additional effort you can sound disgustingly xenophobic?

Reminds me of the FM-radio-announcer-folks carefully pronouncing "Hee-nas-ter-ra" until someone discovered that the guy actually said his own name "Jee-nas-ter-ra" because it was the surname of his Italian father.

So, is it Alberto "Foo-jee-more-ee" or "Foo-hee-more-ee"?

iiipopes wrote:Yes, with the overdone pronunciations, why simply appear boorish, condescending or with an affectation, when with a minimal additional effort you can sound disgustingly xenophobic?

I remember WAY back when I was in school, a DJ (of the radio kind) announcing a horn concerto played by "MaSou Yonee" (Mason Jones)... I recall laughing all the way through the first movement!

here is another one....is Bernstein pronounced bernsteen or bernstine?

ken k

ken k wrote:here is another one....is Bernstein pronounced bernsteen or bernstine?

ken k

Ah, for that one there is a definitive answer:


In her book Bernstein, Joan Peyser (former editor of The Musical Quarterly and author of ''Boulez: Composer, Conductor, Enigma,'' as well as ''Twentieth-Century Music: The Sense Behind the Sound'' and a contributing writer to The New York Times) explains that although the family name was pronounced Bern – steen, Bernstein changed the pronunciation of his last name to “Bern – stine.â€

JB wrote:

ken k wrote:here is another one....is Bernstein pronounced bernsteen or bernstine?

ken k

Ah, for that one there is a definitive answer:


In her book Bernstein, Joan Peyser (former editor of The Musical Quarterly and author of ''Boulez: Composer, Conductor, Enigma,'' as well as ''Twentieth-Century Music: The Sense Behind the Sound'' and a contributing writer to The New York Times) explains that although the family name was pronounced Bern – steen, Bernstein changed the pronunciation of his last name to “Bern – stine.â€

.... the classical radio anouncer who, after playing a Mozart piece, feels a need to tell us the Kerrrrrssshhhul number.

Do we have literature written by Gerrrrrrrtuh? (well, according to some people who don't know any better, yes.)

And music written by J. S. Bossshhhh?