Quartet for the End of Time
Messiaen’s Great Quartet Has a Unique Sound and a Moving History
The "Quatuor pour la fin du Temps" uses elements that were close to Messiaen's heart: devout Catholic faith, birdsong, Eastern rhythms, and mysterious medieval modes.
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. A study of a list of his compositions reveals his Catholic faith as the core of his art. Also an ornithologist, he viewed birdsong as the highest form of musical expression; many works were wholly or partly based on the rhythmic and melodic fragments of birdsong, examples of which he collected as other composers collected folk music.
He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and showed great potential during his years as a student. Later, as a teacher, he had many devoted students who went on to become masters of the next generation of 20th century classical composers, one of whom was the recently deceased Karlheinz Stockhausen.
Origin of the “Quartet for the End of Time”
The Quatuor pour la fin du Temps for violin, cello, clarinet and piano was born under heartrending circumstances. After having been drafted into the army Messiaen was captured by the Germans in June of 1940 and incarcerated in a prison camp in Silesia. While there he met three fellow prisoners who were musicians: a violinist, a cellist and a clarinetist. Messiaen was himself an organist and pianist, and he found inspiration in composing a work for this available combination.
The Quartet had its premiere in the stalag on 15 January, 1941 to an audience of prisoners and prison guards. Many sources that discuss this work quote Messiaen’s touching recollection of this performance: “Never was I listened to with such rapt attention and comprehension”.
The Music’s Organization
The work is in 8 movements and is inspired by a portion of text from the book of Revelation. Even with only 4 instruments he explores various sound “colours” by using different instrumental combinations (i.e. the full quartet is not used throughout).
The title of each is an expression of his devout Catholicism:
1. “Liturgie de cristal” (full quartet)
2. "Vocalise, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps” (full quartet)
3. "Abîme des Oiseaux" (solo clarinet)
4. "Fouillis d’arcs-en-ciel, pour l’Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps” (full quartet)
5. "Intermède” (violin, cello, clarinet)
6. “Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus” (cello, piano)
7. “Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes” (full quartet)
8. “Louange à l’immortalité de Jésus” (violin, piano)
Messiaen’s Fingerprints
The 8 movements are characterized by the song of the blackbird and nightingale (among others), the movement of parallel voices that replicate plainchant, the percussion-like impression of gongs (inspired by the gamelan), asymmetrical rhythms like those found in Eastern music, and references in later movements to themes used earlier which imparts unity to the work as a whole. Motivated by the affirmation of Life the “Quartet for the End of Time” is one of Olivier Messiaen’s greatest works and an important contribution to the history of 20th century music.
Sources
Austin, W.M. Music in the 20th Century. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1966.
Demuth, N. Musical Trends in the Twentieth Century. London: Salisbury Square, 1952.
Grout, D. J. A History of Western Music. New York: W.W. Norton and Company (3rd edition), 1980.
Machlis, J. The Enjoyment of Music. New York: W.W. Norton and Company (6th edition), 1990.
Pople, A. Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Salzman, E. Twentieth-Century Music: An Introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall,
(4th edition), 2002.
Whittall, A. Musical Composition in the Twentieth Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
