It's not every day that you have the chance to experience a performance of Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. Dr. Scot Humes, University of Louisiana at Monroe associate professor of music, will perform the work at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 3 in the Emy-Lou Biedenharn Recital Hall on the ULM campus.
Humes explains how the quartet came into existence and how a piece like this should be heard live, "rather than on a recording, no matter how good a CD might be."
The "Quartour pour la fin du temps" (Quartet for the end of time) was written during the composer's imprisonment in the Nazi Prisoner of War camp Stalag VIII.
Messiaen was recognized by a guard in the camp who was familiar with his work, making it possible for him to continue composing during his imprisonment.
Joining Humes for the performance are violinist Jubal Fulks, from the University of Northern Colorado; and Luther College faculty members, cellist Eric Kutz and pianist Xiao Hu.
Opening the program is Bela Bartok's "Contrasts."
The performance is free and open to the public.
