Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps / Weithaas, Gabetta, Meyer, Chamayou

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992: Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1941)
Antje Weithaas, Violine / Sol Gabetta, Cello / Sabine Meyer, Clarinet / Bertrand, Chamayou, Piano

Quartet for the End of Time
I. Liturgie de cristal
II. Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps
III. Abîme des oiseaux
IV. Intermède
V. Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus
VI. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes
VII. Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps
VIII. Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus

Filmed at Solsberg Festival 2016

Producer: Thomas Märki
Sound: Joël Cormier
Post Production: Amaury Berger
Cameras: Oliver Herzog, Johannes Bachmann, Muriel Kunz, Julian Gresenz

© HMF Productions

[pogface]

0:00 - I. "Liturgie de cristal" (Crystal liturgy)
2:54 - II. "Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps" (Vocalise, for the Angel who announces the end of time)
8:19 - III. "Abîme des oiseaux" (Abyss of birds)
15:33 - IV. "Intermède" (Interlude)
17:27 - V. "Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus" (Praise to the eternity of Jesus)
25:14 - VI. "Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes" (Dance of fury, for the seven trumpets)
31:49 - VII. "Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps" (Tangle of rainbows, for the Angel who announces the end of time)
39:54 - VIII. "Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus" (Praise to the immortality of Jesus)

[joedays]

Sublime Sabine Meyer. Expressive, honest, poetic, disarming, moving. A voice in constant search and full of questions, she and her instrument. Just as Messiaen would have wanted it.

[Maowel]

The length of the silence in the audience after the first violinist's last note is a testimony both to Messiaen's sublime composition and to the musicians' incredible craft and spirit. This is a performance of utter contemplation and Grace. Thank you to the production team.

[williamjoostjr]

I read online that this music was written by a POW during World War 2. It was said that when this was played, many prisoners and guards burst into tears.... What soul this music posses

[dmitriidorofeev]

0:05 I. Liturgie de cristal
2:55 II. Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps
8:18 III. Abîme des oiseaux
15:33 IV. Intermède
17:27 V. Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus
25:14 VI. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes
31:50 VII. Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps
39:55 VIII. Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus

[paulplaton]

Ne jamais oublier que cette œuvre grandiose a été créée le 15 janvier 1941 au Stalag VII A de Göerlitz par Olivier Messiaen, Jean Le Boulaire, Henri Akoca et Etienne Pasquier et qu'il convient de remercier le Commandant allemand de ce camp de prisonniers d'avoir immédiatement perçu le génie du compositeur et le talent de ses compagnons musiciens. Tous furent libérés quelques temps après et purent regagner leur pays, la France.

[kranmaster]

What a resolution to the piece; every single person dazzled into the hypnosis of a moment stretched into an eternity, of notes seemingly slowing the passage of time to a crawl. That was some of the most incredibly deft playing I've ever seen or heard. What an unbelievably delicate touch both the violinist & pianist possess.

[mjlosur]

Quelle intensité, quelle intensité avec ces 4 instrumentistes. Vitalité explosive des mouvements rapides. Mais je ne connais aucune autre œuvre qui ouvre l’âme à l’éternité comme le font les 2 louanges, qui mènent à une forme de joie extatique qu’on voudrait merci❤

[HuguesTalbot]

Fantastic concert. All four musicians are exceptionally great. Sabine Meyer at the clarinet is awesome.

[numiaou]

Des musiciens exceptionnels pour une Œuvre Exceptionnelle ! Bravo et merci.

[Ziad]

This is one of the best things I have ever experienced ever. Supreme players that is recorded supremely in a supreme place too.

[kempedkemp]

Greatest appreciation for the musicians, support technicians and audience who had to endure this tortuous opus. It was a superb performance and production!

[antomontinaro]

Il dolore e lo strazio in musica. Bellissima interpretazione: 4 musicisti straordinari.

[anamariabedaque]

So transparent, independent and yet perfectly together.

[RMutt-gwuz]

Absolutely stunning...
My dream is to play chamber music with great musicians in a beautiful church like that.

[MegaCirse]

I love the chemistry between musicians, it's so cool to see them understand each other and have fun together¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Cette oeuvre, exécuté dans des conditions glaciales sur des instruments malades, devant un public de plusieurs centaines de compagnons de guerre, Messiaen a déclaré plus tard "je n'ai jamais été écouté avec autant d'attention et de compréhension"

[PaulCaruso]

Outstanding levels of musicianship to be able to play music of this complexity and with such powerful interpretation..

[juhaniraitinpaa]

Olivier Messian composed this when he was a-prisoner-of-war, and "premiered at the [prison] camp in 1941 by the composer and three fellow internees for an audience of 5000 prisoners. He commented later: Never was I listened to with such rapt attention and comprehension." This info comes from John Stanley´s book "Classical Music".

[joelpenicaud]

Oeuvre splendide. Tant de sentiments exprimés. Un universalité dans l'expression.

[naviddsiddiqui]

Breathtakingly beautiful music, played superbly and recorded perfectly! What a discerning and musically sophisticated audience! I love the way they delayed their applause!