Performing Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time is quite a special experience for me. I have so many stories from various different performances, I would need a long dinner party to tell them all. Every time we perform this work it is a difference experience. It changes according to who I am playing it with, and their experiences of the work, along with the venue, the city, the audience, the weather….

It is such a long and taxing work; it is interesting to try and mentally prepare yourself for each performance. It is also interesting to consider the different perspectives of each musician involved in the performance. It is quite a different experience for everyone. My major movement is the solo clarinet movement (3rd mvt) which comes along relatively early in the piece. The Abyss is a 9 minute work-out of stamina and control. I also like to perform this movement from memory which also requires some extra concentration. I also find the 4th movement incredibly hard as I am still trying to regulate my breathing from the previous movement. The 4th movement is quite relaxed and fun, the lightest movement of all eight, but within the context of the performance, it is quite hard to control. 

For cellists, everything is building towards the glorious 5th movement, and for the poor violinists, (or lucky depending on how you look at it), they need to pace themselves to have the bow control and concentration required to play the stunning 8th movement. Pianists need to be in control of things all the way through. It is definitely a major feat of concentration for all. 

I first studied the work in detail as a student in NY at the Manhattan School of Music. I had the luxury of spending an entire semester diving deeply into immense details with three like-minded students. I’ve since been fortunate enough to have performed it many many times including a ten-concert tour of New Zealand with Wilma Smith and Ensemble Liaison. Ten concerts in twelve days was a real challenge, definitely character building! We also recorded the work for Melba Recordings, which also posed some unique challenges, especially around stamina due to the repetitive nature of the recording process.

This will be my fourth performance of the work with Julian and my second with the Australia Ensemble. I’ll never forget my first performance with AE. Julian and Dimity are both incredibly special musicians and the connection that they share together through marriage and countless years of experience playing together made it such a joy to join them for the first time. I know that this work is also very special to them, so to share this with them is very memorable. 

This upcoming performance will be Andrea Lam’s first time playing the work, so it will be exciting to not only share with her our experiences but learn from her fresh ears and approach. I can’t wait! 

Buy your ticket here to the first Australia Ensemble program of 2025!