Historical Synthesis

Definition: The conscious integration of materials and techniques from multiple historical periods and cultural traditions into a coherent personal language.

Messiaen's Treatment: Messiaen explicitly rejects wholesale abandonment of tradition, arguing instead for remembering, observing, augmenting, and supplementing historical rules. He identifies specific traditions to draw upon: medieval plainchant, Hindu rhythmic systems (tālas), innovations by Debussy, and contemporary practices. This synthesis operates through addition rather than replacement—old forms coexist with new techniques.

Modern Context: Messiaen's approach represents an early articulation of what would later be recognized as musical postmodernism or pluralism—the eclectic combination of disparate stylistic elements. His method differs from neoclassicism (which tends toward stylistic homogeneity within single works) and anticipates multiculturalism in music theory. Contemporary scholars might frame this as intercultural compositional practice or historical polystylism.

Examples: The treatise itself demonstrates this synthesis by devoting chapters to plainchant forms (Chapter XII), Hindu rhythm (Chapter II), and Debussy's harmonic innovations (Chapter XIII).