At the beginning of the Second World War Messiaen was called up as a private in the army and soon taken prisoner by the Germans and sent to the Stalag 8-A camp near Berlin. It was there in captivity that Quator pour la fin du Temps wascomposed and first performed on January 15 1941. A large audience of the inmates gathered to listen to the music. It must have been one of the most extraordinary performances in the history of music. The temperature was well below zero, the keys of the piano were sticking and the cello had only three strings. Later Messiaen said: "Never in my life have I been listened with such great attention and understanding"

Recorded by Vista Vera in 1994