Chapter XIV: Special Chords, Clusters of Chords, and a List of Connections of Chords
Original: Pages 50–54 in Satterfield translation
Musical Examples: Examples 201–301 (101 examples)
Overview
Chapter XIV expands Messiaen's harmonic vocabulary by presenting three distinctive chord types—the chord on the dominant, the chord of resonance, and the chord in fourths—followed by extended discussions of resonance effects, chord clusters, analytical comparisons with other composers' styles, and a comprehensive catalog of chord connections. The chapter culminates in Messiaen's aesthetic manifesto on "natural harmony," positioning his harmonic language as an organic outgrowth of acoustic phenomena and spiritual aspiration rather than systematic theoretical construction.