Quatuor pour la fin du Temp, Olivier Messiaen - Église de La Grave, Festival Messiaen 2026
An extraordinary concert, marked by the extreme commitment of both the musicians and the audience, resulting in an exceptional partnership for the performance. La Grave isn’t easy to get to so everyone had made effort to be at the concert.
The music was written in a Stalag PoW camp early in WW2 when prospects looked bleak. The composer harks back to happy summer stays here in La Grave in the Provence Alps. It’s impossible that he didn’t worship in the old granite church of tonight’s performance. I don’t go with his deep Catholicism, bringing Jesus in to so many compositions jars totally with me. But bringing this music about the end of Time back to this church resonated with tonight’s musicians, audience and myself.
It’s a challenging piece for the listener. Fantastic use and stretching of the musical vocabulary. I read there is inner mysticism and symbolism to be discovered with familiarity of the score. Some amazing chord progressions for the piano in particular. Virtuosity for each instrument in turn. And a basic theme and tonality which binds the movements together. So I’m happy to have heard Quatuor pour la fin du Temp (“Quartet for the End of Time” ) in what must surely have been an outstanding performance.
The acoustics of the Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption de La Grave are brilliant for s listener. The apse and the stone vault roof, all in block granite are based on circles, there is hardly a rectangular feature to be seen. And a short reverberation time so there is extreme clarity.
The Trio Moreau (all the same family) together with the clarinet of Patrick Messina made a formidable ensemble. Tight, dynamic playing, light and dark.
Helpful programme notes in a handout, amplified in person by the writer, also introductions by the Festival Director.
Olivier Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du Temps
Trio Moreau :
Edgar Moreau, violoncelle
David Moreau, violon
Jérémie Moreau, piano
Patrick Messina, clarinette
