Rebecca Rischin Livres

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was a prominent 20th-century composer, known for his Quartet for the End of Time, premiered on January 15, 1941, in Stalag VIIIA, a Nazi prison camp, under extreme conditions. A devout Catholic fascinated by mysticism, Messiaen was also a poet and amateur ornithologist, blending sounds like a painter with colors. This book delves into the Quartet's composition, the musicians' experiences in the camp, and the complexities surrounding the premiere, based on testimonies from musicians, witnesses, and historical documents. It explores their relationships, interactions with German officials, and the challenges they faced during execution, impacting the premiere and future performances. Rebecca Rischin investigates the lives of the musicians, their correspondence with survivors, and members of Messiaen's circle, including cellist Etienne Pasquier and violinist Jean Le Boulaire. The book features photographs of the musicians, press releases, letters, and drawings of the camp layout, alongside wartime images and contemporary views of the site, which Rischin visited in 1995. An Associate Professor of Music at Ohio University, Rischin received a Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship for her research and is an award-winning clarinetist performing across the U.S. and Europe.