Olivier Messiaen wrote his Quartet for the End of Time during World War II in a prisoner-of-war camp. The work was also premiered there, immediately making a deep impression on those in attendance. This poignant work has since become one of the most iconic compositions of the 20th century.
Messiaen sought to express the end of time through music. The effect on both the performers and the audience is a sense of inevitability, which at the same time offers comfort. You don’t simply listen to this work—you experience it. This performance is made even more powerful by the participation of Daniel Montero Real, a dancer with the Dutch National Ballet.
