floorembden (May 26, 2008 at 11:40 am)

exploration de couleurs et de formes nouvelles dès 1941 ! Prolongement et illustration des chemins de Messiaen sur le web : "site du partenariat radio classique messiaen" - (ouvrez la 2ème entrée pour lire le texte en supplément): une classe d'élèves de première explore très sensiblement cet univers singulier

pavlus2 (May 25, 2008 at 11:34 am)

i like the pianist at 2:27-2:38. he's like:"WTF IS WRITTEN HERE? better not to ask, just play..";)

darkprose (March 29, 2008 at 5:53 pm)

This is not a personal comment on you, alvinkuo777, but I find it so hard to believe that this work only tickles the brain. It is, in all of its theological glory, musical christology. It is the music of redemption and incarnation. Have you listened to "Louange à l'éternité de Jésus"? This reaches, I believe, as I am an atheist, the closest experience of transcendence I have encountered. Save Mahler, perhaps.

BlindObedienceBrutal (February 20, 2008 at 5:28 am)

This is a wonderful performance. In general I am very picky about the clarinet part but I find this to be very well done.

AlNissin (January 29, 2008 at 4:45 pm)

My english is not very well. Do you have a video of "les offrandes oubliées?

RimeofAncientMariner (January 12, 2008 at 10:11 pm)

jrk3150 -- yep; in fact, it was first performed in that camp (as the opening to this video notes). And Messiaen was a devout Catholic who wrote his music out of, and infused it with, his deep Catholic spirituality.

jrk3150 (January 7, 2008 at 5:17 am)

Didn't Messaien write this while being held in a prison camp by the Nazis? It's a remarkable, strange, ethereal work, and it makes sense that it sounds nothing like the lush work of Romantic or post-Romantic composers. It's spiritual in a profound way--the thin elusiveness of the texture, of these birds just out of reach, this "Crystal Liturgy," is almost like the spirit hovering just out of reach, but still perceptible.

TSEliot666 (December 13, 2007 at 9:48 am)

I don't understand why people keep having such a narrowminded view of art, and just can't see the bigger picture. And this piece btw does a lot for my "soul" as it has been a favourite since I just started to take my first steps in Classical music. But other pieces as well, like for instance Ligeti's. They are able to invoke a different type of emotion or reaction, more suited to our modern age, I think. You just have to keep an open mind and be prepared to really listen.

kartoonstew (December 3, 2007 at 4:59 am)

Quite *tame* (not time) compared to other pieces of music

kartoonstew (December 3, 2007 at 4:57 am)

ChopinARG,With all due respect, you will realize the lack of understanding that your comment portrays as time passes. The quartet for the end of time is indeed one of the 20th century's great masterpieces of art, though it does require the listener to expand his or her definition of what one EXPECTS music to be, but even still, this music is quite time compared to many other pieces of music. It is quite an incredible work.