Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22 Christina Astrand, Johnny Teyssier, Henrik Dam Thomsen, Per Salo

• Olivier Messiaen (1908 - 1992): Quartet for the End of Time, I/22:
• 1 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: I. Liturgie de cristal 02:52
• 2 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: II. Vocalise, pour l’ange qui annonce la fin du temps 05:19
• 3 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: III. Abîme des oiseaux 07:44
• 4 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: IV. Intermède 01:42
• 5 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: V. Louange à l’éternité de Jésus 08:07
• 6 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: VI. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes 06:18
• 7 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: VII. Fouillis d’arcs-en-ciel, pour l’ange qui annonce la fin du temps 07:53
• 8 Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22: VIII. Louange à l’immortalité de Jésus 07:01
• Total Runtime 46:56

Info for Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22

Messiaen’s most famous work, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time), was composed while a captive in a German prisoner of war at Stalag VIII A, located near the town of Görlitz-Moys in Silesia, Germany. Messiaen met there three fellow prisoners who were also accomplished musicians: Etienne Pasquier, a world-class cellist who had already secured an international reputation as a member of the Pasquier Trio; Jean Le Bou-laire, a violinist who had studied at the Paris Conservatory; and Henri Akoka, a clarinetist who was a member of the Paris-based Orchestre National de la Radio. Together, this unusual ensemble formed the basis for one of the most extraordinary works of the 20th century.

Rooted in his deeply Christian faith, the Quatuor is inspired by the 10th chapter of the Book of Revelation. It was also Messiaen’s first composition to include bird song, in addition to his developing use of color imagery, and his continuing exploration of many interesting and novel ways of rhythmic organization to create a feeling of timelessness.

Two of the most highly esteemed classical musicians in Denmark, violinist and concertmaster Christina Åstrand and pianist Per Salo (AKA Duo Åstrand/Salo) are joined by two solo players from The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Johnny Teyssier, clarinet, and Henrik Dam Thomsen, cello for a performance as pure as crystal and as immense as space.

Per Salo, piano
Christina Åstrand, violin
Johnny Tyssier, clarinet
Henrik Dam Thomsen, cello

Christina Åstrand
(b. 1969) is in all respects a highly remarkable and versatile violinist, whether as a soloist, a chamber musician or as concertmaster of the DR Symphony Orchestra – a position she has held since 1993 from the age of 22. Her repertoire in both solo concertos and chamber music works ranges from the classical masterpieces to the brand new contemporary music, and she is widely known for her always exciting and personal interpretation of the music.

She has recorded and first performed several violin concertos, and she is one of the few violinists in the world to master György Ligeti’s violin concerto. Her CD recording featuring Ligeti’s and Nørgård’s violin concertos in collaboration with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Thomas Dausgaard was awarded the distinguished French Diapason d´Or in 2001.

She is a frequent guest soloist with symphony orchestras, especially in the Nordic countries, playing the major classical violin concertos. Her CD recording of violin concertos by N.W. Gade, Lange-Müller and Rued Langgaard, in particular, has enjoyed great international success – bringing her, amongst other things, an invitation to play Gade’s Violin Concerto with The Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.

Her passion for Danish music from the first half of the 19th century (the so called Golden Age) will result in yet a cd in the autumn 2020 when she, accompanied by the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, releases a cd with Danish violin romances for violin and orchestra.

Contemporary music has always been close to her heart. To quote Christina Åstrand herself: “The collaboration with composers of today has always interested me because it makes the music vibrant and meaningful, and you can describe it in concrete terms. It means I can work with new timbres and playing techniques with the composers, and the inspiration goes both ways. And, surprisingly, for me this line of work has cast a completely different light on the ‘old music’ as well. In the beginning of my carrier this was associated with too many dogmas and rules, and I used to feel bound by the tight reigns of tradition. Today I feel free, no matter what music I play.”

Both as soloist and chamber musician Christina Åstrand has collaborated with several Danish composers. She has performed and premiered works by established artists like Hans Abrahamsen, Per Nørgård and Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen as well as works from the new young generation of composers. Recently she premiered the young composer Allan Gravgaard Madsen’s double concerto “Nachtmusik” with pianist Per Salo and DR Symphony Orchestra. The concerto is recorded together with Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s “For Violin and Orchestra” and released on the label Dacapo Records.

Chamber music represents a vital part of Christina Åstrand’s repertoire. Since 1996 she has played in Duo Åstrand/Salo with pianist Per Salo; in addition to giving countless concerts they recorded several highly praised and award-winning CDs.

Christina Åstrand has received several prizes and honours. 2019 she was a nominee for The Nordic Council Music Prize.

Christina Åstrand plays a 1705 Stradivarius.

Per Salo
(b. 1962) studied piano and organ in Denmark, Italy and the US. He studied piano under Esther Wagning, John Damgaard and Seymour Lipkin, and organ under Grethe Krogh and Flemming Dreisig. Per Salo holds a diploma degree as organist from the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen and also a master’s degree in Piano Performance from Juilliard School of Music, New York. He has been employed as the pianist/organist in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra since 1989.

Per Salo is one of Denmark’s leading pianists and is an extremely active soloist and chamber musician. His repertoire includes a great number of Danish and present-day works, and many Danish composers have written music especially for him – including Per Nørgård, who wrote his piano concerto Concerto in due Tempi for Salo and also dedicated it to him. For many years, Salo has played with his wife, Christina Åstrand in Duo Åstrand/Salo. The duo has a considerable concert activity and CD production behind them, the emphasis being on Danish music. Salo’s concerts have taken him to many venues in Scandinavia, Europe, Korea and the USA, and he has received numerous awards and scholarships, including Gladsaxe Music Prize and the Danish Music Critics Artist Prize.

As a soloist, Per Salo has recorded a great many CDs with music by, among others, Per Nørgård, Emil Hartmann and Michael Mantler – his latest CD production being The Tempered Piano by Niels Viggo Bentzon.

Henrik Dam Thomsen
divides his time between his position as First Principal Cellist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, a busy schedule playing solo and chamber music concerts, and teaching at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

His 1998 debut from the Soloist Class of the Royal Danish Academy of Music, received an extraordinarily enthusiastic review from the Berlingske Tidende newspaper: ”Our expectations were very high, yet they were surpassed. Who could have dreamed of hearing a debut concert on an artistic level such as this? Henrik Dam Thomsen is not only a brilliant soloist, he is a virtuoso. This critic simply cannot remember anything more convincing in his 35 years of concert-going.”

Henrik has continued to live up to this praise, as his large discography testifies. His 2004 release of music by Kodàly and Brit- ten (Chandos Records) was nominated for a Danish Music Award in the category of Best Solo Recording and received numerous excellent reviews in the international mu- sic press. In 2006, his recital recording with pianist Ulrich Stærk was CD of the Month in international string magazine The Strad. In 2009, Henrik released ”Live at the Tivoli Concert Hall” – a DVD/CD box set, again with pianist Ulrich Stærk as well as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. Henrik is influenced by both the distinguished Scandinavian cello tradition and some of the international cello world’s most important icons.

He studied in Copenhagen, London, and Bloomington, Indiana (USA), with Morten Zeuthen, Torleif Thedéen, William Pleeth, and Jànos Starker. He has played numerous concerts at festivals through- out Europe, the U.S. and Asia, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician, including with the Sartory Quartet and the Copenhagen Cello Quartet.

Henrik Dam Thomsen has also distinguished himself as an improviser and has performed with an array of Danish and international jazz stars. He appears on a large number of award-winning film scores, notably for several films by auteur Lars von Trier.

In 2016 Henrik Dam Thomsen was the first artist to release an APP-album. Again in collaboration with pianist, Ulrich Stærk and titled “More french pieces”.

Booklet for Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, I/22