The composer Olivier Messiaen died at the age of 83. Here is all you want to know, and more!
Biography - A Short Wiki
French composer, ornithologist, and organist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. He was known for his complex rhythms that were inspired by Greek and Hindu repertoire. He frequently employed modes of limited transposition.
He enrolled in the Paris Conservatory at the young age of 11. He was made a prisoner of war in France during World War II, where he composed and performed a piece of chamber music with his fellow prisoners.
He was influenced by many aspects of his life, including his Roman Catholic faith, Japanese music, the Bryce Canyon landscape in Utah, and the life and work of St. Francis of Assisi.
He married the violinist Claire Delbos in 1932.
He studied composition under Paul Dukas at the Paris Conservatory.
Quotes
"I give bird songs to those who dwell in cities and have never heard them, make rhythms for those who know only military marches or jazz, and paint colors for those who see none.
"The human being is flesh and consciousness, body and soul; his heart is an abyss which can only be filled by that which is godly.
"My faith is the grand drama of my life. I’m a believer, so I sing words of God to those who have no faith.
"No one should be allowed to make music as if he were made of wood. One must reproduce the musical text exactly, but not play like a stone.