CSO Sessions Episode 18: Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time (on-demand until 5/21/2021)
$15
Robert Chen, violin
John Sharp, cello
Stephen Williamson, clarinet
Kuang-Hao Huang, piano
Olivier Messiaen – Quatuor pour la fin du temps ("Quartet for the End of Time")
Written in a German prison camp during World War II, Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was premiered by the composer to an audience of guards and fellow prisoners. Evoking sounds and imagery from his surroundings, including the famous birdsong clarinet solo, Messiaen’s powerful quartet transcends the dark circumstances of its inspiration and attempts to give new meaning to the word eternity. By the final movement, time seems to slip away, bringing to mind the apocalyptic passage that inspired the work’s title: “There shall be no more time.”
Premieres on Thursday, April 22, 2021. Available through Friday, May 21, 2021
Individual episodes of CSO Sessions and Symphony Center Presents On Demand are accessible on the CSOtv video portal at 12am Central Time on the premiere date listed for each episode. On-demand streaming for each new episode is available for 30 days after each premiere date. Individual episodes are available for $15, with a 20% discount available with the purchase of three or more episodes. More info at cso.org/tv.
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