Compositions dedicated to the Signum
Stillness and an almost imperceptible flickering of sun beams and shimmering of water surface…
The inspiration for this piece was derived from the painting of the same name by the famous Lithuanian composer and artist Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, whereas the sound material had been maturing in my mind for many years, coming to the surface and sinking into the subconscious again and again. The structure of this musical ‘landscape after M.K.Č.’ is quite symbolical: It consists of 36 bars, each corresponding to one year in Čiurlionis’ life.
Additionally, as a matter of symbolical coincidence, I was encouraged to refresh and give shape to my aural impressions of Čiurlionis by the charismatic “Signum Saxophonquartett” and the approaching “Usedomer Musikfestival”.
Das Saxophonquartett „Auswege“ stellt einen radikalen Bruch zu den Prinzipien der sogenannten Neuen Musik dar.
Dennoch stellt es keinen Rückgriff auf die Tradition dar, sondern beruft sich zurück auf die einfachsten Elemente, Tonalität (reine Intervalle), einfache Rhytmik (klarer Takt, gleichmäßige Pulsation), gestische und formale Präzision.
So teilt sich das Stück in fünf Sätze, wobei der erste auch alleine aufgeführt werden kann:
1. Allegretto
2. Andante
3. Lento (Tombeau de Johannes Fritsch)
4. Andante (Fortsetzung von 2.)
5. Moderato – Allegro
Durch thematische Verbindungen wird allerdings die Individualität der Sätze verwischt.
Hauptaugenmerk der kompositorischen Arbeit ist die Harmonik. Die Verwendung der reinen Spektren (ober- und untertönig) wird ergänzt durch eine symmetrische Anordnung von einfachen Intervallen um einen Zentralton im mittleren Register, Umdeutungen (vor allem um den 7. Naturton) und Vorhaltsbildungen ermöglichen harmonische Spannungen.
Dazu tritt – vor allem im 2. Satz eine “Verschmutzung“ der Harmonien durch meist vierteltönige Umspielung hinzu. Auch spielen Multiphonics als Hörbarmachung des Obertonspektrums eines Instruments eine geheimnisvolle Rolle..
Ein Spiel mit diesen Mitteln ist im Wesentlichen für die Dramaturgie des gesamten Stücks verantwortlich.
Es ist inspiriert vom großartigen Klang des Signum Saxophonquartetts und ist jenen auch gewidmet.
Die Spieldauer beträgt etwa 35 Minuten. (more info)
For this piece, Salvador Dalí was my source of inspiration. The title „Forgotten Horizon“ is taken from the artist’s early painting (1936) of the same name. The composition itself is based on Dalí’s belief that time can only exist in conjunction with space. That really fascinated me.
During the first five bars I create two spaces or dimensions. The first 3,5 bars form the fast, action-packed, fast-paced multi-dimensional space. The last 1,5 bars break this energy with a „lying“ note in pp and with a format. An imperceptible space of time emerges.
I imagine the first five bars to be like a moving picture which develops and changes throughout the piece – because the multi-dimensional space and the imperceptible space of time move fluidly with and next to each other, continuously traversing and connecting. Although both elements are extreme opposites and have a clear identity, they form an entity, we can’t feel the cues, the time that passes whilst playing has no defined boundaries.
In the course of the piece all voices become higher until they reach altitude. Afterwards I use various effects (e.g. without mouthpiece, tonguedrum, keynoise etc.) to draw back the high, loud energy – so that at the climax of the piece it can explode again with multiphonics of all four saxophones.
The explosion (up to fff) tonally openes up a boundless expanse.
Then there is silence. With little dots of short, quiet notes. This contrast makes the multi-dimensional space and the imperceptible space of time merge into one.
Now, I imagine, time has disappeared.
Inspired by the idea of overcoming constraining fences with rising height, the music develops in increasing energy levels and expanding instrumental ranges. The atmosphere, starting softly with a smoothly changing and rotating chord, is gaining tension by more and more linear progressions, often interrupted by homophone blocks. After a vibrating climax the music collapses to a heavy, microtonal coloured unison of all four instruments, subtly changing and dematerialising into pure key sounds. Suddenly the delimiting wall has disappeared, the last fence has been overcome: Doors open to a free universe of calmly floating sounds – timelessly, mysteriously… (more info)