Pianist

Rossini’s Petite Messe is one of the most joyful and uplifting sacred works in the entire repertoire composed by the Italian operatic genius after he finished writing for stage, and which he referred as “one of the sins of his old age”.

EPSG:4326

Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle

St Nicolas Church

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.

Pianist

Libby Burgess

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 30, 2026

Berkeley Ensemble with Libby Burgess, piano · Sinfonia Smith Square

Past events

May 7, 2023

Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle · Newbury Spring Festival

Future and recently performed repertoire

Piano in Quartet for the End of Time by Messiaen

Sinfonia Smith Square

About

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