Poster Composer Oliveir Messiaen in 1983.
Composer Olivier Messiaen in 1983.
Francois Lochon/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Extra Eclectic

Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time"

Extra Eclectic for January 27, 2021

The title of Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" refers both to the Apocalypse and to the way the composer, through rhythm and harmony, approached the concept of time in a way that was completely original. Messiaen wrote the work while in a prisoner of war camp during World War II, and Steve Seel features it on this week's program as part of our observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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