Messiaen

Quatuor pour la fin du temps

Martin Fröst (clarinet), Janine Jansen (violin), Torleif Thedéen (cello),

Lucas Debargue (piano)

Sony 88985363102 45:99 mins

The Quartet for the end of time is an exceptional work, inextricably entwined with the circumstances of its creation in a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. For all that the piece explores the theology of the Apocalypse, it is ultimately about shared humanity, creating a common experience between performers and audience.

That this newcomer succeeds better than other recent accounts doubtless stems from Martin Fröst, Janine Jansen and Torleif Thedéen having a decade-and-a-half collective history with this work.

Far from an ad hoc starry ensemble, this interpretation has had time to mature, while retaining freshness in execution. The increased hush found partway through Jansen and Thedéen’s extended duet in the second movement is but one magical moment among many.

Unsurprisingly, Fröst exhibits masterly control in ‘Abîme des oiseaux’, the haunting solo clarinet movement, one passage dropping to the cusp of audibility. Similarly, Thedéen majestically sustains the intensity of the ‘Louange a L’éternité de Jesus’, tactfully supported by Lucas Debargue. Both string players’ use of portamento is especially welcome, Jansen using these expressive slides exquisitely in the final ‘Louange’ movement.

Some passages could be more extreme, and the recording gives the piano a brittle edge, but these are minor quibbles in a performance of Messiaen’s Quartet for the end of time to live with. Christopher Dingle PERFORMANCE ★★★★★

RECORDING ★★★★