Customer Reviews

Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time

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Quatuor pour la fin du Temps is one of my favourite Messiaen's works, together with his Turangalila Symphonie, the Vingt Regards and his opera Saint Françoise. In all that pieces you can feel together with a great development of musical technique a great faith in the work, something that is specially present in this Quatuor, composed in the concentration camp in which Olivier Messiaen was captured.

With a curious and not very common instrumentation, Quatuor pour la fin du Temps, is the result of what Messiaen found in that camp and what he really needed in that moment, a mixture of anxiety for freedom and an incredible faith in the powerful of a presence that we can easily identify with God, the Christian God, as Messiaen was a pity and devout Christian, like we listen in many of his pieces. I'm not really in that way, but I understand something about that feelings and about what is musical techniques, and it really helps to love this wonderful, rare and particular quartet.

I've listened versions played by Barenboim, Tetard... (DG), Kontarsky, Palm... (EMI), De Leeuw, Bylsma... (Philips) and between all of them this is really the one I love much more. I have to mention Palm, Kontarsky, Gawriloff and Deinzer in a wonderful recording that was together with the Turangalila conducted by Simon Rattle, but now deleted. I hope EMI will release again this performance, because it's very, very good too. But the best I know nowadays is this one full of virtuosity and compromise with Messiaen language, very well known by Chung, who have conducted lot of very good CDs of the French composer, apart from being during many years a close assistant to Messiaen in his last period. The other players are really outstanding, specially a terrific Gil Shaham, who is, in my opinion, one of the best young violin players from our time.

The recording is, too, the best I know for this piece, amazing!. Everything is clear and well balanced. The sound is very present and you can even listen the touch of the fingers with the different parts of the instruments. An amazing experience to listen the soloists in this recording.

In sum, one of the best Messiaen's work in the top performance. A must have for all those interested on XXth Century Classic Music.

This Messiaen masterpiece was composed and first performed in a Nazi prison camp. The program for this piece is the revelation of St. John the Divine. It is scored for violin, clarinet, cello, and piano. You would expect a piece composed in a prison camp and based on biblical text to be powerful, and this one certainly is.

This extraordinary piece of music lives or dies on the strength of the musicians; both as ensemble musicians and as soloists. Virtuosity is a must. Ensemble work is critical in the first and second movements. The second movement (Vocalise for the Angel who announces the end of Time) has an extended passage for violin and cello, accompanied by simple chords on the piano. The violin and cello are in unison octaves for much of this movement. Shaham and Wang played this movement very well in tune. Messiaen calls this middle section of the movement "impalpable harmonies of heaven" where the violin and cello are engaged in "quasi-plainsong chanting".

The third movement (Abyss of the birds) introduces the soloistic aspects of this piece. This is an extended clarinet solo, expertly played by Paul Meyer. Technical difficulty abounds..the clarinet has to play in all the registers, at all the dynamics, and with varying coloration. Long sostenutos, difficult runs, it's everything a clarinettist might have nightmares about. In Meyer's hands, it sounded like a walk in the park.

The opening of the fourth movement (Interlude) contains some minor intonation issues between the violinist and cellist, mainly when they are on open strings. Octaves are dangerous, as any musician will tell you. The ensemble intonation is perfect in the sixth movement (Dance of frenzy, for the seven trumpets).

The fifth movement is a gorgeous extended cello solo (Eulogy to the Eternity of Jesus), played with tremendous sensitivity by Jian Wang. It is achingly beautiful, and requires tremendous musicianship. While it contains no firework runs, the lines are very long, and the writing takes the cellist well up in thumb position. Wang made every single note sing. The complementary movement to this is the extended violin solo eighth and final movement (Eulogy to the immortality of Jesus), played by the incomparable Gil Shaham. It is just amazing, and Shaham is brilliant as usual. Let's just let Messiaen (through translator Anthony Pople) explain it: "It is all love. Its slow ascent towards the extreme high register is the ascent of man towards his God, of the Child of God towards his Father, of the deified Being toward Paradise." No one could have said it better.

Highly recommended.

An incredible recording of a monumental work. This ensemble is made of four high caliber soloists. With the ominous timbre of Paul Meyer, the technical virtousity of Myung-Whun Chung, and the sorrowfull, tear jerking musicality of Gil Shaham and Jian Wang, this recording stands out as an icon of what true virtousity is. The blend of these four is precise, full, and pure, but most importantly, the music being made is unreserved and inspiring.

This is powerful music played by four powerhouse musicians. This recording is one of the best recordings I have in my library. There is no doubt in my mind that these musicians' interpretation of the Messiaen will be remembered as legendary.

I still may have much to learn about Olivier Messiaen's music if I was to focus at a scholarly/doctorate level, yet I feel incredibly lucky at a relatively young age to understand and fall in love with his music since I heard it for the first time. He was a devout man, and his music represents " the truth".

To a casual audience, Scheonberg and Messiaen might as well sound the same, but unlike Scheonberg, Messiaen seems to take us at a whole new dimension of "Art Music" in general, and his religious fervor (he was a devout Catholic) and obsession for this "truth" reflects that. That's why I rank Messiaen as one of my favorite composrs, along with Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler, two more composers I deeply admire whose music seems to go beyond this world.

He wrote different works at different scales; some are written for a large orchestra, such as the "Turangalila Symphony", and some only utlize a single piano player, such as "Catalogue of Birds" and "Gazes at the Infant Jesus".

Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" is written for a quartet, but the instrumentation is beyond normal; the work requires a violin, a clarinet, a cello, and a piano. He wrote it during his imprisonment at a German camp, the instruments the only ones available. The work musically describes the Revalation of St. John the Divine, an angel announcing the end of time.

Of the eight movements, I especially like the dazzling "Dance of Frenzy", when the four instruments play in unison to give a unique color, imitating trumpets and gongs, and the two hauntingly beautiful "Eulogies", innocent and beautiful as the words of God itself.

There are different performances of the Quartet and I did listen to some, but I decided to own this version, because of its recent release (with the most advanced recording technology available), the "Yellow" label every one loves (Who Doesn't?), and the roster of internationally-combined soloists - the American violinist Gil Shaham, the French clarinetist Paul Meyer, the Chinise cellist Gian Wang, and last be certainly not least, the Korean pianist Myung-Whun Chung, also a conductor and superb interpreter of other Messiaen works. I don't necessarily agree with the Amazon reviwer about the preference of tempi. Fast segments seems more frantic, while slower segments seems much more meditative.

With all that being said, I consider Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time", a treasure among 20th century works, music that should be cherished forever as long as music lives. And I recommend to buy this album if you want to own this beautiful work.

This deeply moving account of the work can well match the acclaimed RCA recording by Tashi Quartet. Main difference is that Shaham's ensemble allows more freedom of expression for individual instrument and every movement is much slower than Tashi ( DG Timing 3'01 / 5'31 / 8'51 / 1'43 / 10'00 / 5'38 / 8'18 / 9'17 ).

Another advantage of this recording is the very realistic sound quality of each instrument. I'm particularly pleased with the piano part which has amazing presence throughout the music, providing rich, almost orchestra-like sonority, well balanced with other three instruments (not restrained as mere background support like in so many other recordings).

Shaham's rendition of the last movement is one of the most moving performances I ever encountered, capturing the sense of infinity and eternity so profoundly like no other violinist could do. Commentary includes facinating account of musical life surrounding the first performance, by one of the musicians who gave premiere concert in the prisoners' camp.

Overall, this performance is a welcome addition to the amazing classic account by Tashi which is also well worth listening for its entirely different approach, deep spirituality and especially for the synthesiser-like sonority accidentally achieved in the 6th movement where all players join in unison. So get the both recordings and see the same music can be played in totally different ways, both very inspired in its own way.

I bought this CD after reading many reviews proclaiming it a definitive recording of Messiaen's quartet. However, after listening to the first few movements I found myself so distracted by the heavy breathing that punctuates nearly every violin phrase played that the music itself became difficult to concentrate on.

Having since purchased a couple more recordings featuring him, I've discovered that this breathiness is a part of Gil Shaham's style that comes to the fore on smaller ensemble recordings -- sort of like pianist Glenn Gould's humming. Evidently most reviewers here weren't distracted enough by it to comment, but I found it intrusive enough during close listening to mar the listening experience. As a result, I rarely listen to this recording and usually go back to the 1975 Tashi recording on RCA.

First I have to say that track 5 - Louange à l'Eternité de Jésus is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. But this piece as a whole is so memorable. The piece feels, as far as a strong sense of tonality, unanchored, nebulous. It may be quite a different type of experience for you if you are new to contemporary classical music. But you get used to it and I think it makes the piece have a certain magic - a quality that is ethereal and even eternal.

I also think it bears mentioning that Messiaen wrote this piece as a prisoner of war in a German camp during World War II. I am sure he wondered what his own fate would be. Would he live or die? So, to me he wrote this piece for himself really. He wasn't writing it for a commission or to impress the musical world. He wrote it to survive emotionally and probably to make sense of what seemed like a very cruel world.

This is a stunning performance of what may be the most accessible work of one of the icons of twentieth century composition.

Unlike other quartets, this composition is scored for the unusual combination of clarinet, cello, violin and piano. The eight movements are scored for different combinations of these instruments. The inspiration came from the book of revelation, and each movement is given a religious interpretation by the composer. But it may be best to simply forget about the program---the power of the music will come through after repeated listenings.

My favorite movements are the two louanges, particularly the last movement which is scored for violin and piano. This conclusion to the work conveys an incredible sense of peace and resignation.

This is a stunning performance of what may be the most accessible work of one of the icons of twentieth century composition.

Unlike other quartets, this composition is scored for the unusual combination of clarinet, cello, violin and piano. The eight movements are scored for different combinations of these instruments. The inspiration came from the book of revelation, and each movement is given a religious interpretation by the composer. But it may be best to simply forget about the program---the power of the music will come through after repeated listenings.

My favorite movements are the two louanges, particularly the last movement which is scored for violin and piano. This conclusion to the work conveys an incredible sense of peace and resignation.

The story goes like this. Olivier Messiaen - mystic, troubadour, lover - was minding his business one day, during World War 2, when the Nazis suddenly picked him up and threw him in a concentration camp. The world about Olivier was beset with darkness. Jews were being murdered, land was being stolen, lives were being cut to ribbons and blown to the wind and a great many decent, intelligent people were seriously worried that all of the good things in humanity and earth were going to be permanently destroyed. In this situation utter despair, imbecilic rage, or cold apathy were understandable responses. But not for that great frenchman Olivier Messiaen. Right in the middle of the citadel of darkness, using only a few instruments that came to hand, he composed the Quartet For The End of Time. And by doing so he destroyed the spirit of Naziism, vindicated humanity, and spoke a strange deep word to his God. The music is full of an alien loveliness. Its beauty is not burgeois. It is free and even terrifying. It wrestles with the powers of murder and despair and overcomes them in a way that is hard to describe. On one level the music almost ignores evil. It floats free from it and like a shaft of emerald fire it burns through cruel time into the heart of a calm but taut eternity. On another level the music could very well be called "The Transmutation of Unease". Pure distress is not abolished but siezed by a calm but powerful hand and pulled into a realm where it becomes something aureate. All of Olivier's music is a heroic endeavour but in a certain sense it begins with the Quartet. Stravinsky called Olivier's music "the slag heap of art" but Stravinsky did have his limits. Messiaen permanently takes us in all of his music to a place where the voices of birds are as terrifying as angels in a light that destroys evil by it transmutation.