Analysis of the Catalogue of Birds of Olivier Messiaen

French composer, organist, teacher and ornithologist Oliver Messiaen devoted much of his life to birds alongside being one of the most significant representatives of 20th century music. Catalogue of Birds (Catalogue d'Oiseaux), which is the greatest achievement of his studies on ornithology, has made a tremendous impact on the modern music world. He began writing the music of the work of the Catalogue d'Osieaux, which consists of seven books and thirteen chapters, in October 1956 and completed it on the 1st day of Septemper in 1958. He spent two years travelling from France throughout North Africa with a view to observing birds and representing their sounds elaborately. Bringing this thorough research carried out on the seven books and thirteen chapters into the Turkish literature as a reference book has a great importance in order for performers and audience to obtain more extensive information related to the chapters. In this study, seventy seven birds identified within the work have been analyzed and their descriptions have been presented. Characteristic analysis has been carried out for each chapter and birds mentioned, creatures that are depicted except birds, landscapes, nature depictions, regions and the places of the colours used have been located. Notable technical details inside the chapters as well as characteristic analysis of the chapters have been reinforced through tables. Synaesthesia competency of Messiaen allowed him to hear and identify sounds as colours and led him to include colours in almost all chapters of the catalogue. Ascertaining of the colours in the chapters takes an important place in order for the audience and performer to better understand the work. Moreover, the sounds of the birds which entitled the chapters of the Catalogue of Birds have been studied by means of two methods. While one method has been used to identify notes, the other has been used to determine the volume of the sound. The study has concluded that there is a similarity to a large extent between the real sounds of the birds and the music of the birds involved in the work.