For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.76 (699 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0801472970 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 224 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-11-24 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Rebecca Rischin explores the musicians' life in the prison camp, their relationships with each other and with the German camp officials, and their intriguing fortunes before and after the momentous premiere. For the End of Time touches on many things: faith, friendship, creativity, grace in a time of despair, and the uncommon human alliances that wartime engenders."Arnold Steinhardt, Chamber Music"The clarification of the order of composition of the movements is just one of the minor but cumulatively significant ways in which Rischin modifies the widely accepted account of the events at Stalag VIII A. Based on original interviews with the performers, witnesses to the premiere, and documents from the prison camp, this first comprehensive history of the Quartet's composition and premiere held my interest from beginning to end. Rischin lovingly brings to life the other musiciansÉtienne Pasquier, cellist; Henri Akoka, clarinetist; and Jean Le Boulaire, violinistwho played with Messiaen, the pianist at the premiere."Alex Ross, The New Yorker "This book offers a wealth of new information about the circumstances under which the Quartet was created. Her research dispels
Eva Foreman said Read it if you are up or if you are down. I happen to love Messiaen's music so this book -the story of his strength, creativity and perseverance under the most trying circumstances is truly inspirational. I highly recommend the book and the music to everyone, especially for those who for a variety of reasons have to overcome difficulties. It's sheer jubilation of the human spiritEva Foreman. Essential "biography" of the Messiaen quartet Rischin's book is not mainly a musical analysis of Messiaen's masterpiece and was not intended to be one. As other reviewers here have pointed out, there are excellent books devoted to that subject.Her study instead is a "biography" of the quartet and the musicians who made it happen, not just Messiaen himself, but the other three original performers as well. All four were remarkable people . DuoPianist said Those who want to read it will not be disappointed.. If you know of Messiaen's Quartet and want to know more, this is your book. It's not a book for everyone. Those who want to read it will not be disappointed.
Rischin tracked down the elderly Pasquier and violinist Jean La Boulaire (who lived his postwar life as an actor) and also talked to Messiaen's widow and Akoka's surviving family. . The players come off better than the deeply religious, aloof, rather ethereal Messiaen, who seems to have been so otherworldly as to recoil from life's messiness. From Publishers Weekly The writing and first performance of French composer Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, in a German POW camp in the bitter winter of 1941, is one of the great stories of 20th century music. Ohio University music professor Rischin has gone to heroic lengths to separate the facts from the legends that have grown up about it. Oddly, none of them had been interviewed about the occasion, which made the work Messiaen's most celebrated. In fact, Messiaen (1908-1992)