Clarinetist

Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time has assumed near-mythical status since its premiere 85 years ago at a prisoner-of-war camp, performed in freezing midwinter to hundreds of fellow inmates.

With the outbreak of World War II Messiaen had been drafted into the French army but was captured in 1940 and sent to the Stalag VIII-A camp near Görlitz. There he found himself imprisoned with three other professional musicians – a violinist, clarinettist and cellist – and began writing for the unusual ensemble circumstance had thrown together.

The piece was inspired by apocalyptic visions from the Book of Revelation, but its title was double-edged: it also represented the end of a clockwork, periodic musical time that had held sway for centuries.

Clarinetist

John Slack

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 30, 2026

Berkeley Ensemble with Libby Burgess, piano · Sinfonia Smith Square

Future and recently performed repertoire

Clarinet in Quartet for the End of Time by Messiaen

Sinfonia Smith Square

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