ABSTRACT
Harmonic pedals share the premise of rhythmic pedals, namely the repetition of a predetermined pattern, and intriguingly are evenly distributed chronologically within Olivier Messiaen's output. As with rhythmic pedals, there is no evidence of evolution from earlier to later works due to the innate limitations of the notion. Harmonic pedals are always allied to a rhythmic device, as Messiaen obviously believed the technique could not function satisfactorily in technical isolation. An amalgam of harmonic pedals and rhythmic canon can be observed in 'Regard du silence'. The isorhythmic facet is absent here given that both layers of the rhythmic canon utilise 17 values. Despite such unions between techniques, the intrinsic character of the harmonic pedal remains unchanged. Contrary to Messiaen's other harmonic procedures, the whimsically titled rocket-like groups are named after the resultant audible and visible effect, rather than the technical process itself.
