Music for the End of Time
Jen Bryant 2005
illustrated by Beth Peck
Lemony Snicket mentions this story and music in his new book Poison for Breakfast (a fantastic read!). I immediately called to mind this picture book that ended up on our shelves somewhere along the way. It wasn't the illustrations that drew me to it, but the true story of Olivier Messiaen, a musician who wrote the piece "Quartet for the End of Time" and performed it as a prisoner of war. I hate to admit it, but when Charlotte and I listened to the piece after reading the story, we were a little disappointed. Musically we both didn't care for it! But the story of his composition is very moving.