Quartet for the End of Time
Jonathan Cohen, clarinetJosefina Urraca, pianoJulia Yang, celloMari Lee, violin
I – Crystal liturgy
II – Vocalise, for the Angel who announces the end of time
III – Abyss of birds
IV – Interlude
V – Praise to the eternity of Jesus
VI – Dance of fury, for the seven trumpets
VII – Tangle of rainbows, for the Angel who announces the end of time
VIII – Praise to the immortality of Jesus
Quartet for the End of Time, is a piece of chamber music by the French composer Olivier Messiaen. It was premiered in 1941. The piece is scored for clarinet (in B-flat), violin, cello, and piano; a typical performance of the complete work lasts about 50 minutes. Messiaen wrote the piece while a prisoner of war in German captivity and it was first performed by his fellow prisoners. It is generally considered one of his most important works.
