QUATUOR POUR LA FIN DU TEMPS Åstrand/Teyssier/Dam Thomsen/Salo

Messiaen
Åstrand (vln); Teyssier (cl); Dam Thomsen (vlc); Salo (pno) 
OUR Recordings (2022)

Written in 1941 whilst incarnated as a POW, Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quatuor pour la fin du Temps’ (‘Quartet for the End of Time’) shines for ever due its impelling creative insight and resultant beauty. Never more so on a sonically radiant recording from the un-monikered ensemble of Christina Åstrand (violin), Johnny Teyssier (clarinet), Henrik Dam Thomsen (cello), and Per Salo (piano). To be released on May 13th on OUR Recordings.


The work opens with ‘Crystal liturgy,’ enticing, delicate, and gently rhythmic with its repetitive birdcalls. The next movement, ‘Vocalise…’ involves the strike of piano chords in varied tonal balance, interweaving between the melodic lines. There is a surprising jump of style near close as if switching to a new movement already. Which is the clarinet solo ‘Abyss of birds.’ A palatte of nature, and of Grieg, it retains a mystery of achievement; compositionally and in performance. Its timespan (nearing eight minutes) indeed seems to fly. The wondrous ‘Interlude’ was the first piece written for Messiaen’s comrades. As Messiaen explains, it is of “a more individual character than the other movements, but linked to them nevertheless by certain melodic recollections.”


‘Praise to the eternity of Jesus’ is a duet for cello and piano. Despite of or because of its diminished cadences this is arguably the most ‘accessible’ movement, both melodically and harmonically. No less, another work of indescribable beauty. What follows, ‘Dance of fury…’ is a stunning melodic pattern in unison of violin and piano, taken-up by clarinet, before the piece seems to ‘un-structure.’ In so doing, creating structures which still feel new.


‘Tangle of rainbows…’ is likewise extraordinarily contemporary. This intersperses with moments of equally extraordinary melodicism which often (in the context of a full quartet score) centre upon the piano, its trills and cascading chordal sequences. In Messiaen's description: “Music of stone, formidable granite sound; irresistible movement of steel, huge blocks of purple rage, icy drunkenness.” The last movement, ‘Praise to the immortality of Jesus’ is again too beautiful to accord to the written word. Itself a definition of music and beyond, the soaring violin pinned and unpinned by the double ‘chimes’ of the piano.

Exceptionally sensitive playing by four very gifted performers. To be followed only by silence.

– Martin Slidel

Available to purchase here
Further reading at marthasumma.com


#Birdsong #Cello #ChamberMusic #ChristinaÅstrand #Clarinet #HenrikDamThomsen #JohnnyTeyssier #MartinSlidel #Messiaen #MusicReview #NewCD #NewRelease #OURRecordings #PerSalo #Piano #Quartet #QuatuorPourLaFinDuTemps #Violin #WWII

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