The Anzû Quartet is pleased to announce its debut album: a new recording of Olivier Messiaen’s monumental Quartet for the End of Time. Composed and premiered in a German P.O.W. camp in 1941, this work is one of the most consequential compositions of the 20th century. It is Messiaen’s first masterpiece - a brilliant, innovative work contemplating war, captivity, the divine, and the eternal.

Messiaen had limited access to musicians in the POW camp, and as a result, the Quartet for the End of Time is written for an unconventional quartet of clarinet, violin, cello and piano. Despite the immense impact of the piece, very little work has been composed for this instrumentation, and historically there have been nearly no touring groups formed for this instrumentation. As a result, many recordings and performances are presented by ad hoc ensembles. The Anzû Quartet is explicitly dedicated to this instrumentation. They have performed the Quartet for the End of Time numerous times across the US and Europe, and are continuously commissioning new pieces for this distinct instrumentation in order to build a broad, diverse body of work around Messiaen’s masterpiece.

The Anzû Quartet’s approach to the Quartet for the End of Time is reflective of the ensemble's dedication to contemporary music. Unlike previous recordings, which have typically been performed by musicians steeped in an older “clasical” style, Anzû interprets this work through a modern lens, treating it as a harbinger of post-WWII modernity and today’s contemporary composition rather than an extension of 19th century romanticism. The performance adheres closely to Messiaen’s instruction, deliberately eschewing certain conventions that, while not indicated in the score, have become standard practice. The result is a brilliantly virtuosic and fresh take on this important work, coming from musicians who have been instrumental in the work of important US contemporary ensembles Bang on a Can, Eighth Blackbird, Mivos Quartet, Ensemble Signal, and Bearthoven.

Since its inception during the pandemic, Anzû Quartet has toured to Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Croatia, Latvia and Lithuania in addition to the US. Upcoming performances include a US tour in March 2024.

Recorded by Paul Coleman
Mixed by Mike Tierney
Mastered by Andeas Meyer

Performed by the Anzû Quartet:
Ken Thomson - clarinet
Olivia De Prato - violin
Ashley Bathgate - cello
Karl Larson - piano