Olivier Eugène Prosper Messiaen born Avignon, 10 December.

Messiaen’s father Pierre serves as a soldier in World War I.

Messiaen and his mother settle in Grenoble.

His first attempts at composition (La Dame de Shallot, 1917).

Messiaen studies in Nantes with Jean de Gibon who gives him a score of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

Messiaen begins his studies at the Paris Conservatoire. Over the next decade he wins numerous prizes there.

Messiaen joins the composition class of Paul Dukas at the Conservatoire. Composes Préludes for piano and Le Banquet céleste for organ.

Messiaen completes his studies at the Conservatoire.

Messiaen's first publications are issued by Durand: Préludes, Diptyque and Les Offrandes oubliées.

First performance of Les Offrandes oubliées, Paris, 19 February.

Messiaen appointed organist at the Trinité, Paris

Messiaen marries Claire Delbos on 22 June.

Messiaen composes L’Ascension.

Messiaen composes La Nativité du Seigneur.

First performance of La Nativité du Seigneur, Trinité, Paris, 27 February.

During the summer, Messiaen composes voice and piano version of Poèmes pour Mi at Petichet

Messiaen composes Fête des belles eaux (scored for six Ondes Martenot), for the 1937 Paris Exposition.

Orchestral version of Poèmes pour Mi.

Messiaen completes Chants de terre et de ciel and Les Corps glorieux. Enlists in the French army in September.

Messiaen captured in June and sent to Stalag VIII-A at Görlitz n Silesia.

Composes Quatuor pour la fin du Temps.

First performance of Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, Stalag VIII-A, 15 January.

Messiaen is freed in March and returns to France.

Messiaen appointed harmony teacher at the Paris Conservatoire.

First performances of Visions de l’Amen, Paris, 10 May, and Les Corps glorieux, Paris, 15 November.

Messiaen composes Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus

First performances of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, Paris, 26 March, and Trois petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine, Paris, 21 April. Messiaen composes Harawi.

First performance of Harawi at the home of Count Etienne de Beaumont, Paris, 26 June.

Messiaen composes Cinq Rechants.

Messiaen’s first visit to the USA. He teaches a course at Tanglewood during the summer; Turangalîla-Symphonie first performed in Boston, 2 December, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

First performance of Quatre études de rythme, Tunis, 6 November.

Messiaen completes Messe de la Pentecôte.

Messiaen studies birdsong with Jacques Delamain at Gardépée, near Cognac.

Messiaen and Boulez give the first performance of Boulez’s Structures 1A

First performances of Livre d’orgue, Stuttgart, 23 April, and Réveil des oiseaux, Donaueschingen, 11 October.

Messiaen composes Oiseaux exotiques.

First performance of Oiseaux exotiques, Paris, 10 March.

First complete performance of Catalogue d’Oiseaux, Paris, 15 April.

Death of Messiaen’s first wife, Claire Delbos.

First performance of Chronochromie, Donaueschingen, 16 October.

Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod marry, 1 July.

Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod visit Japan for the first time.

First performance of Sept Haïkaï, Paris, 30 October.

First performance of Couleurs de la Cité céleste, Donaueschingen, 17 October.

First performance of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, 7 May.

First performance of La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Lisbon, 7 June.

First performances of Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte-Trinité, Washington DC, 20 March, and La Fauvette des jardins, Paris, 7 November.

First performance of Des Canyons aux étoiles, New York, 20 November.

Messiaen begins work on Saint François d’Assise.

First performance of Saint François d’Assise, Paris Opéra, 28 November.

First performance of Livre du Saint Sacrement, Detroit, 1 July 1986.

Messiaen begins work on Éclairs sur l’Au-delà. First performance of Petites esquisses d’oiseaux, Paris.

Messiaen dies on the night of 27 April.

First performance of Éclairs sur l’Au-delà, New York. 5 November.