Composer Olivier Messiaen and clarinetist Henri Akoka had been taken prisoner of war together and were awaiting transport to a German camp. Clarinetist Alexandra Kehrle on the origins of Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time”:

“I am moved by the story of how clarinetist Henri Akoka premiered the solo piece ‘Abyss of the Birds’ in 1940 in a field in France, surrounded by thousands of fellow prisoners. There are moments in the piece that are free of any rhythmic structure, and it feels as though space and time dissolve within it. I also feel as though at one point everything collapses, and in the end, the violin solo remains. Here, Messiaen writes ‘Avec amour.’ It is very moving to me how, amidst all this darkness, something so beautiful and pure remains. He writes, ‘the hymn of praise is love itself.’ I feel great reverence for this piece and find it wonderful that the actor Stephan Szász reads texts that fit it perfectly.”