Olivier Messiaen 

Quartet for the End of Time 
In 1940, Olivier Messiaen (1908-92) was interned in a German prison camp, where he discovered among his fellow prisoners a clarinettist, a violinist and a violoncellist. The success of a short trio which he wrote for them led him to add seven more movements to this Interlude, and a piano to the ensemble, to create the Quartet for the End of Time. Messiaen and his friends first performed it for 5000 fellow prisoners on January 15, 1941.
 
January 1941–The End of Time?

The Composer's Text

Theology

Birdsongs

Conversations with the Performers

Suggested Listening

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