Number Synbol In Messiaen’s Vingt Regards Sur L’ Enfant-Jesus And Crumb’s Makrokosmos Ⅰ

Numbers possessed an important and unique value amongst many20th century music works, influencing and deciding some of the main music parameters from pieces of the era. This dissertation, attempts to analyze and compare of Olivier Messiaen’s "Vingt Regards sur I’Enfant-J esus " and Crumb’s "Makrokosmos I", and aims to uncover the effect of numbers in their music composition.The connection between numbers, cultural traditions and music is explained at the beginning of this dissertation. The second chapter covers the religious thought of Messiaen’s works, the numbers involved and the symbolic technique they represent. These are present through the analysis of his composition "Vingt Regards sur I’Enfant-J&us". Chapter three starts with an analysis on use of multiple symbolic techniques in George Crumb’s work "Makrokosmos I",which details its use of number symbol. Discussion in chapter four focuses on the two previously mentioned works, and explains how the numbers which Messiaen and Crumb chose effected the tonal structure and rhythmic systems. This dissertation looks in depth at the connections between number symbols and composition techniques along with musical essence in "Vingt Regards sur I’Enfant-Jisus" and "Makrokosmos I".