Sunday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m. — RUTLAND — On Sunday Grace Congregational UCC of Rutland will be host to the Ensemble Chamarré. Formed in the early days of the pandemic, Ensemble Chamarré is a quartet comprised of Catherine Hudgins (clarinet), Katie Wolfe (violin), William Rounds (cello), and Vytas J. Baksys (piano). These four joined forces, with the goal of bringing new life to a piece called, “Quatuor pour la fin du temps.” The piece, translated as, “Quartet for the End of Time,” was composed in 1940 by Olivier Messiaen, during his time as a French soldier POW in Silesia, Germany.
“Quartet for the End of Time” contains eight movements, which Messiaen described as being intended to take the listener on a journey from “The harmonious silence of Heaven” through the chaos and tribulations of the end times, and ultimately bearing witness to “The being made divine towards Paradise.” Overall, it is a reflection of the man’s determination to survive, to triumph over despair.
Inspiration for this piece revolved around his own horrific experiences while held captive, along with what gave him solace and hope. His Christian faith, especially “The Book of Revelations,” became instrumental in keeping Messiaen afloat, and enforcing his aspirations towards gaining “freedom.” Birdsongs, angels, rainbows, the aurora borealis, and his own hallucinations (brought on by starvation and the extreme cold) were all muses involved in his creation of this piece.
“Quartet for the End of Time “has been described as, “One of the unquestionable masterpieces of the 20th century,” and each worldwide performance that Ensemble Chamarré has presented has been met with great enthusiasm. Their melodic prowess has been touted as “musical wizardry.” Their immersive approach to the piece is unique and includes descriptive narratives of the dismal scenes surrounding Messiaen in the camp. Hearing it played, with such reverence more than 80 years later is “mesmeric… brilliant… and a transforming experience.”
“Quartet for the End of Time” will be performed at Grace Church (8 Court St. in Rutland) on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.
For more information, visit: GraceChurchVt.org.
