Olivier Messiaen - Quartet For The End Of Time (MHS - MHS 978)

I can gratefully state that I am a keen audience for the works of Olivier Messiaen and have a well established collection of his recordings. However, most of them are miles apart even though their structures have similarities on base level. There are some of his earlier works which stand out from the group but even on those works, his different style of approach can be seen and felt. Quartet For The End Of Time or originally Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps is one of those pieces. When compared with his later works, it has a more classical style to it even though with long passages from the clarinet which creates a chilling effect on the listener. On the other hand, this composition is not only beautiful in the musical sense, but also on the composing stage as well.

There are some compositions which are a result of uncompromising circumstances. This composition is a clear example of this type. It is essential to learn about the circumstances during the composition of this work in order to fully grasp the reality behind the melancholy and even depressive notes that dominate it. Messiaen was enlisted in the French army during WWII and he was in a prisoner camp when he wrote this work. He was accompanied by three other French musicians and he wrote a trio for them which later on became a quartet with Messiaen on the piano. The premiere was in a barrack of the prisoner camp in front of 5.000 prisoners and German soldiers. Interestingly the front row was for the German guards whom were all the more effected by the pure beauty of the piece. Of course there were some mishaps like the cello with three strings.

To be honest, it can be noted that this piece is one of the most important works of 20th century music not only because of it's emotional value, but also musically. The gloomy atmosphere along the composition was also similarly offered to us by the likes of Sibelius, but his position was merely a depression in the dense forest house where he was feeling more productive.

It is really hard to explain the composition. When you listen to it, the first thing that strikes you is that the name is extremely proper to the composition. There is a dark atmosphere. Really dark. This is the work of Messiaen, but it is more rightful to say that this is the best piece about war since it was written within the war itself. I am also a deep admirer of Britten's War Requiem which is similarly affectionate and emotional. However, there is a small difference between them and that is War Requiem is the child of grief after war and Quartet For The End Of Time is the child of grief, pain and suffering during the war. There are no more words to describe it. None needed as well as the whole piece speaks for itself.

Larry Coryell - Lady Coryell (Vanguard - VSD 6509)

Larry Coryell is a talented guitarist with a background in various music genres and various drugs. However, due to his talent and openness to different genres, he is quite a guitarist whom you don't know what he'll deliver. With his talent, it mainly delivers nice surprises.

Lady Coryell is the first album of Larry Coryell as a band leader. Actually it is rather an interesting album based on several issues. The first one is, the album is more like a collective of Larry Coryell's works in the sense that the tracks go between Blues Rock, Southern Rock, Improvisation, Blues and Jazz. Either he didn't have his mind set on a particular style or he just let it go. Another option is that he was 25 years old when this album was released and he really didn't have a clear cut idea about where he was heading. Therefore he just made up a general idea about who he is.

Even though the album itself is directionless, his guitar playing is certainly the opposite. He is a goddamn versatile guitar player who plays hell of a good guitar. I was stunned starting with "Sunday Telephone" and the similarity of Stephan Malkmus from the beginning of the track. I mentioned Malkmus due to the logistical fact that I like him a lot. From then on, we venture into Southern Rock with quite the weakiest link in the album, "Love Child Is Coming Home". Another is the Blues gone bad "Cleo's Mood" where his improvisation didn't do the best for the track. The alternative take of the track (Which is not on the vinyl) is better to be honest. On the other hand, the Jazz part of the album is supported by two important names from the John Coltrane Quartet, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.

Apart from the musical beauty of the album, there is an unfortunate fact that Larry Coryell tried to sing on 3 tracks on the A side which made life a little frustrating. He has a untaimed voice that may not be best for singing. He could have done a much better job by sticking similar to the B side where it is all instrumental.

This album is tempting in the sense that it captures the first steps of the virtuoso guitarist as well as his first album. It withholds a couple of thrilling solos which clearly shows why he has partnered later on with the household names John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia. You don't get teamed up with those guys and create something ordinary. He may have been later replaced by Al Di Meola due to his drug addiction, but hey, who does not have weakness after all.