The circumstance in which Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was conceived and first performed is extraordinary; a monument to music’s ability to transcend suffering. Although firmly grounded in compositional method, Messiaen’s masterpiece is a unique expression of that transcendence. The Peabody Trio and clarinetist Wai Lau discuss how Messiaen crafts rhythm and meter, harmony and texture, to create one of the 20th Century’s most profound musical works.