messiaen's piano music

[ravel]

i just got reminded of them while answering the violent piece post. so well what do people think of his piano music.
the only piano music i have heard of him is in a recording by angela chang of his music, it has his preludes and a couples of his rhythmic etudes and selections from his , i dont know the name exactly , but it was something like " in regard to the infant Jesus" ( specially liked those pieces,  the chords, he uses there are so strange, the harmony is so original) , but generally liked all the piece on that cd.
anywaz  so how do people here think of his piano music?

[JK]

His solo piano pieces that imitate birdsong are really interesting, as is his organ music.

[dude110]

i'm much more familiar with the organ music, having played most of it.  messiaen was a real genius.  there certainly isn't an immediate heir apparent now that he's gone.  profound music but you really probably need at least the equivalent of a GOOD undergrad theory education to understand what he's doing.

[cziffra]

Transcribing real bird music was a brilliant idea-

playing it on a piano or organ, i'm not so sure.