Resonance 104.4 FM

One of the 20th century’s most influential  composers, Olivier Messiaen is the subject of Dead And Alive this coming Friday. Also, from 09:00pm this Sunday - February 3rd - The Nash Ensemble perform his heart-achingly poignant composition  Quartet for the End of Time at The Front Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall . Quatuor pour la fin du temps was composed in 1940 when Messiaen was interned in a German prison camp. Amongst his fellow prisoners he found  a clarinettist, violinist and cellist, and with Messiaen himself playing a battered piano he composed the eight intriguing and melancholic movements of Quartet For The End Of Time. 
Two pairs of free tickets are available,  one pair can be won by the answering the following question, the second pair can be won by tuning to Dead And Alive’s Messiaen special  this Friday  (09:00 - 10:30pm).  So the question is this: which animal inspired Messiaen in many of his compositions? E-mail your answers to the address below, the competition closes at noon on Thursday, February 1st 2008. richard@resonancefm.com