Messiaen

[omccreary]

I'm interested in exploring Messiaen's piano music.

I'm now working on a couple of the preludes, which were  written in 1928-29, when he was at the very beginning of his career.

Can anyone suggest any of his later piano pieces which might be more representative of his more mature compositional style? Obviously it's not hard to find a complete list of his piano pieces. But that list includes more than 30 pieces, including some multi-part works (for example, the Vingt Regards, with 20 sections), and I'd be glad to have some guidance as to which I should look at next. Which are the most worthwhile, the most representative, the best known?

Thanks.

[apmapmapm]

I think Messiaen is a fascinating composer to look into and he has such a large and varied body of music that you could spend a long time going through it.
From my own experience I can recommend exploring the Vingt Regards and the Catalogue d'Oiseaux. These 2 cycles offer lots of music to explore and should give you a taste of his exotic harmonies.
I'm not a huge fan of the Preludes or the Etudes (of which the one that uses modes is the most famous for its connection with total serialism).