Elbphilharmonie Sessions: Pablo Barragán

First performed in 1941 in a German prisoner-of-war camp near Görlitz, Olivier Messiaen’s »Quatuor pour la fin du temps« (»Quartet for the End of Time«) is now one of the most important works of chamber music of the past century. The French composer was called up for military service in 1939 and taken prisoner by the Germans in his first year of service. The fact that he was allowed to compose there at all is thanks to a commandant who provided him with paper and let him into the camp church. The unusual formation of this quartet, for clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano, was the result, not least, of the musicians imprisoned with him and the composer himself at the piano. Despite the prevailing cold and the dire circumstances, the quartet even had a premiere performance in January 1941 in front of an audience of around 400 prisoners – a moving moment in the midst of the terrible reality of the camp. »The most diverse classes of society were mingled: farmers, factory workers, intellectuals, professional servicemen, doctors and priests. Never before have I been listened to with such attention and understanding,« the composer recalled many years later.

For Messiaen, the »end of the world« in the title of the quartet does not refer to anything apocalyptic. Deeply rooted in the Catholic faith, the then 32-year-old was referring instead to the Book of Revelation, where the end of the world coincides with the beginning of eternity – thus drawing on a biblical vision of hope in times of personal and political hopelessness: »And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever.«

The extended movement for solo clarinet is the third of a total of eight movements and is entitled »Abîme des oiseaux« (»Abyss of the Birds«). The composer wrote it en route to Görlitz before arriving at the prison, after meeting the clarinettist Henri Akoka among his fellow prisoners. Messiaen, whose repeatedly featured birdcalls in his works, sets the biblical image of birds circling over the abyss of time before the angel of the Apocalypse appears in this technically very demanding solo. In the proclamation it says »There shall be no more time«. Messiaen translates this beginning of timeless eternity with enormous rhythmic freedom and an extremely slow tempo, along other devices. The metric order of the musical progression seems to be suspended – the melody floats independently of space and time.

Pablo Barragán delights audiences around the world with his musical sensitivity, love of experimentation and impressive precision. The clarinettist from the south of Spain is both a revered soloist and a sought-after chamber musician. His musical partners include Beatrice Rana, Noa Wildschut and Kian Soltani.

Known for his enormous artistic breadth, he also turns time and again back to contemporary music. His extremely wide-ranging album compilations have earned him international praise. Pablo Barragán has been teaching as a professor at the renowned Barenboim-Said Foundation in Seville since 2020.