Amy Welborn linked to this story about the San Francisco Opera's production of the opera by Messiaen. I have heard a lot of his organ and piano music, as well as the "Quartet for the End of Time" which I believe he wrote during WWII as a prisoner of the Germans. His music is as profound as it is inaccessible. It is wonderful but hard on the ears of most people. He had, for lack of a better term, the charism of synthesia. People with synthesia not only hear music, it causes other sensations or responses in the listener like seeing colors in their mind, smells, even physical sensations.
When I learned this about Messiaen I realized I would never experience his music the same way he did. I was disappointed but I knew it's the same for all music - we never totally share in the composer's experience. I feel a bit cheated when listening to Messiaen though - I can only imagine what his music did to him. He was a devout Catholic and wrote many pieces expressing his faith.
