I came across these videos on Alex Ross's new blog, Unquiet Thoughts. The videos were commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The first video features music from the seventh movement of Messiaen's Quartet for the end of time, titled "Clusters of rainbows, for the Angel who announces the end of Time." The second video features music from the eighth and final movement of the Quartet, titled "Praise to the eternity of Jesus." The videos are really quite beautiful. As many of you probably know, Messiaen was affected with synaesthesia, which meant that he saw colors when he heard sounds. In his composition treatises, he actually describes the colors associated with the different harmonies in his music.
Part 1:
Part 2: