Messiaen Art Museum
Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour la fin du temps was composed in 1940/41 in the German
Prisoner of war camp Stalag VIII-A near Görlitz. Messiaen wrote the work
for three professional musicians imprisoned with him - the clarinettist Henri Akoka,
the violinist Jean Le Boulaire and the cellist Étienne Pasquier - as well as for
himself at the piano. The premiere took place on January 15, 1941 in the camp
in front of fellow prisoners and guards.
In eight movements, Messiaen unfolds music of extraordinary density
and concentration. Characteristic are the birdcalls, the large time decays and the
and the precisely placed timbres, as well as rhythmic mo
delle, which deliberately undermine regular pulse perception. The title
refers to the Revelation of St. John and Messiaen's dedication «to the
Angel announcing the end of time.
The Thun Museum of Art will also host a concert in 2026 that combines music and education.
art into a lively dialog: sounds and the exhibition permeate each other.
and open up new perspectives. The focus is on the individual exhibit
by the French artist Fabrice Hyber.
Date and time
June 14, 2026, 18:00
Address
Thun Art Museum
Organizer
Thun Castle Concerts
Works
Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour la fin du temps
Soloists
Sabina Matthus-Bébié, clarinet Theodore Flindell, violin Matthias Schranz, violoncello Yuki Inagawa, piano
Admission price
CHF 50.-
Contact us
+41 79 327 34 81