Page 285 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

MODERN 1900–1950 283

See also: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune 228–231 ■ A Child of Our
Time 284–285 ■ Gruppen 306–307 ■ Apocalypse 322 ■ In Seven Days 328

hand toward Heaven saying, “There slow and expressive cello melody,
shall be no more time,” in reference accompanied by throbbing
to the suffering of the period in harmonies on the piano. In the
which Messiaen was writing. sixth movement, the quartet play
in unison to emulate the “seven
Reflective and evocative trumpets” of the Apocalypse,
In the first movement of the piece, negotiating complex dance
two birds, accompanied by a rhythms, dynamic contrasts, and
plaintive piano and whistling fluctuating tempos. A quiet melody
cello, set the bucolic scene. A loud follows and others interrupt until a
interruption heralds the second loud unison, accompanied by Olivier Messiaen
movement with a fast and frenzied cascades of piano notes, leads to a
unison in the strings, while a brutal, triumphant conclusion. The Born in Avignon, France, in
distant, slow melody, suspended violinist plays the last notes that 1908, Messiaen was a highly
by soft raindrops in the piano, slowly rise to a hushed, lonely end. musical child and studied
establishes the pattern of the Within its eight movements, at the Paris Conservatoire
reflective and unhurried mood that the Quartet contains most of the from the age of 11, publishing
characterizes the work. Cascades elements that characterize his eight Préludes while still
of notes end the movement. Messiaen’s distinctive style and a student. He was also a
In the third movement, the would later influence his pupils, deeply committed Roman
clarinettist plays a sad pastorale, including Pierre Boulez and Catholic from childhood
juxtaposed with very long notes Karlheinz Stockhausen. ■ onward and combined his
moving from silence to ear-piercing two passions as organist of
volume. Birdsong—something that La Trinité in Paris from 1931.
At this time, the composer
fascinated Messiaen and absorbed Guards patrol a German POW camp wrote a number of religious
his later years—reappears, adding in World War II. Messiaen composed organ pieces and also works
Quartet for the End of Time while
a surreal note. After a short trio a prisoner at Camp Stalag VIII-A, for his wife, the violinist and
interlude comes the spiritual center premiering the work to 5,000 fellow composer Claire Delbos, whom
of the piece—the fifth movement’s prisoners outside in freezing weather. he married in 1932.
In 1941, following his World
War II imprisonment in Silesia,
Messiaen was appointed
professor of harmony at the
Paris Conservatoire. During
the 1950s and 1960s, he
pursued his interest in
birdsong with a number of
works imitating their sounds.
Internationally acclaimed, he
died in Paris in 1992.

Other key works

1932 Thème et variations
1946–1948 Turangalîla-
symphonie
1951 Livre d’orgue
1959 Catalogue d’oiseaux

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