comme un oiseau
French composer
Definition
Like a bird — a performance direction indicating a passage should evoke birdsong: rapid, light, highly ornamented, rhythmically free, and sharp in articulation.
Interpretive Guidance
Birdsong passages require a very bright, dry touch with minimal pedal. The speed should feel spontaneous, not metronomic. Messiaen's transcriptions are remarkably accurate — listening to recordings of the actual birds he notated will clarify the intended character of each passage.