Messiaen “Quartet for the End of Time”

STEFAN JACKIW, Violin
JAY CAMPBELL, Cello
YOONAH KIM, Clarinet
ORION WEISS, Piano

Concert experience by Michael Dean Morgan and Wesley Cornwell

No words can adequately capture the towering mystery of Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” One can speak of the piece’s backstory, composed in a World War II prisoner of war camp and inspired by the biblical depiction of an Angel of God heralding the end of days. One can describe the musical language, which incorporates birdsong, plainchant, shimmering cascades of light, a sonic depiction of eternity, and everything in between. But ultimately, the only way to truly understand it is to sit in wonder as this hour-long musical journey reveals the depths of our humanity while simultaneously opening the door to the infinite. Guiding our way will be four of the brightest young stars of classical music, led by PUC favorite Stefan Jackiw, who stepped in for Isabelle Faust back in 2015 and illuminated a darkened hall (and our collective souls) with a movement of the Messiaen arranged for violin and piano. A number of concertgoers expressed the hope that they might one day hear him play the full piece, and now, friends, that day has come.

A documentary about the “Quartet for the End of Time” will be screened at the Princeton Public Library on Sunday, February 3, 2019 at 3PM. More information below.