# Olivier Messiaen quartet for the end of time best version?



## deprofundis

Ockay this is one of my favorite but not as good as turangalila symphony but it's so gloom and doom,
the atmosphere is sinister yet pleasant, i dont consider Messiaen easy lisening but once you understand him you dig is geneous, it may take time but.. you will eventually feel his work not 
just ear it.

It make me Wonder *what is the best recording of quartet for the end of time?*Any Messiaen fanboy here? , personaly i have the naxos whit Amici ensemble, never heard other version of '' quartet for end of time'' yet. have a nice days folks.

:tiphat:


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## Celloman

Peter Serkin, Ida Kavafian, Fred Sherry, Richard Stoltzman

Tashi makes it happen. What else can I say about this imaginative and transcendent recording?


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## MarkW

There's a good one by the Eschatology Ensemble.


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## 20centrfuge

This recording is mind-bendingly good. The clarinet solo reaches whisper levels yet with a surreal intensity, the violin and cello playing is so perfect - full of pathos and gorgeous tone, and the piano playing is by Messiaen's leading interpreter. There may be other great recordings out there, but YOU WILL NOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE:


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## science

Tashi is the received answer. I do look forward to seeing what other recommendations are popular here, though.


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## Weston

20centrfuge said:


> This recording is mind-bendingly good. The clarinet solo reaches whisper levels yet with a surreal intensity, the violin and cello playing is so perfect - full of pathos and gorgeous tone, and the piano playing is by Messiaen's leading interpreter. There may be other great recordings out there, but YOU WILL NOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE:
> 
> View attachment 67289


This is the recording I have, so it may stand to reason I would recommend it. It's not the first version I heard, but the first that caught my ear. I did listen to several samples before settling on this version. It's mighty nice.

Is it supposed to be all doom and gloom and sinister? I don't quite pick up on that.


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## Heliogabo

This is the one that I have, and can easily recommend it. I enjoy specially the clarinet playing by de Peyer.









From Presto classical:

In this great recording from 1968, Nichols singles out Gervase de Peyer as supremely equal to his starring role: 'surely no clarinettist has yet matched his "désolé" tone and phrasing at the start of the third movement solo'.


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## Mahlerian

Weston said:


> Is it supposed to be all doom and gloom and sinister? I don't quite pick up on that.


No, Messiaen's music is not really doom and gloom at all. It has violence, but it's external (natural or supernatural), not internal.

I do love that recording, though.


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## brotagonist

20centrfuge said:


> View attachment 67289


I am thinking of getting it. It's on my wish list, but I want to have a break for a little bit while I wait for my last 7 orders to arrive. I want to get back into a slow-paced collecting mode and leave the campaigning (opera, lieder, etc.) behind me for a while. It is too frantic 

I heard Tashi way back on LP, but I want a new and fresh recording for my second version. Chung has the credentials as the premier Messiaen proponent of our age, I think. I will give it a sample first, however.

The recording I already have is really a very fine one, from 1978, with Gawriloff (violin), Dienzer (clarinet), Palm (cello) and Kontarsky (piano). Palm and Kontarsky were some of the top proponents of new music back then, when I was first getting into it.


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## science

No one is mentioning the recording featuring Loriod. Is there anything particularly wrong with that one, or is it just unpopular?


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## SimonNZ

If you get the superb 18cd Warner box, then you'll get this recommendable recording with Marie-Madeleine Petit et al:










...along with the essential Loroid recordings of the piano works, and at super-budget price:










http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Warner+Classics/2564621622


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## echmain

20centrfuge said:


> This recording is mind-bendingly good. The clarinet solo reaches whisper levels yet with a surreal intensity, the violin and cello playing is so perfect - full of pathos and gorgeous tone, and the piano playing is by Messiaen's leading interpreter. There may be other great recordings out there, but YOU WILL NOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE:
> 
> View attachment 67289


Everybody Wang Chung tonight.


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## alexdasilva

I have the Tashi version on a RCA lp and it's on heavy rotation at my home.


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## Klassic

20centrfuge said:


> There may be other great recordings out there, but YOU WILL NOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE:
> 
> View attachment 67289


I agree. This is my favorite recording as well.


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## Phil loves classical

Heliogabo said:


> This is the one that I have, and can easily recommend it. I enjoy specially the clarinet playing by de Peyer.
> 
> View attachment 67294
> 
> 
> From Presto classical:
> 
> In this great recording from 1968, Nichols singles out Gervase de Peyer as supremely equal to his starring role: 'surely no clarinettist has yet matched his "désolé" tone and phrasing at the start of the third movement solo'.


Wow, just listened to this version. I wasn't a big fan of the work till now. I was used to the Stolazman which feels rushed and missing the mystery.


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## Ras

Actually that is a tough question to answer for me because the *Chung DGG recording *








that has always been my favorite is apparently full of mistakes - check out R. Nichols review in Gramphone magazine of the recording when it came out - here is the introduction to the review and a link below so you can read the whole review yourself:

*>>>Hands up all those who would put money on a one-time music director of the Paris Opera being able to distinguish between semiquavers and demi-semiquavers? Well, Myun-Whun Chung can't here, and I suggest you keep your hands on your wallets.<<<*

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/messiaen-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-1


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## WildThing

Ras said:


> Actually that is a tough question to answer for me because the *Chung DGG recording *
> View attachment 104444
> 
> 
> that has always been my favorite is apparently full of mistakes - check out R. Nichols review in Gramphone magazine of the recording when it came out - here is the introduction to the review and a link below so you can read the whole review yourself:
> 
> *>>>Hands up all those who would put money on a one-time music director of the Paris Opera being able to distinguish between semiquavers and demi-semiquavers? Well, Myun-Whun Chung can't here, and I suggest you keep your hands on your wallets.<<<*
> 
> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/messiaen-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-1


Jed Distler makes the same point in his review on the website Classicstoday.

Apparently there's a new recording with the clarinetist Martin Fröst that I'm anxious to hear.


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## Woodduck

I was trying to decide on a favorite version but I ran out of time.


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## fluteman

Woodduck said:


> I was trying to decide on a favorite version but I ran out of time.


I'll bet that was a messy end.


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## Woodduck

fluteman said:


> I'll bet that was a messy end.


It's OK. I escaped into timelessness.


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## janxharris

Have somewhat warmed to the piece - and this version is good, I think:

Richard Nunemaker, Clarinet
Trio Oriens:
Johnny Chang, Violin
Olive Chen, Cello
I-Ling Chen, Piano


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