Quartet for the End of Time

One of French composer Olivier Messiaen’s most prominent works, Quartet for the End of Time was written while Messiaen was serving time as a prisoner of war in Poland during the Second World War. Written for the unusual combination of clarinet, violin, cello and piano, Messiaen wrote this piece for, and performed it with, three of his fellow inmates who also happened to be musicians. Clarinettist Beth Nichol, violinist Olivia Jago, cellist Rosie Spinks and pianist Joe Howson perform this haunting yet uplifting work, which serves as a testament to the beauty which can triumph over human brutality.

Host or Publisher Just Festival