for large orchestra
Author archives: Sabine
CocoonSymphony
Five stages of a journey into the inner self The history of music is also the history of the individual expanding into the realm of the fantastic. The individual experiences a journey that ultimately culminates in exaltation. Today, we are increasingly preoccupied with the fantastic for its own sake, as the ultimate personal trip, e.g. …
Astralis
for orchestra
Miserere
Sound study on the ‘Qui tollis’ from Mozart’s Mass in C minor, K. 427/417a At first, everything in me resisted: a new orchestral work with an audible reference to Mozart! When using quotations, the artistic difficulty lies in creating islands of quotation. The following must not happen: the composer writes his music, and at the …
Concerto for Orchestra
‘The modernity of my concerto for orchestra is woven into the fabric of a totally classical symphony orchestra. The sound of the orchestra, regardless of the soundscape in which it is expressed, continues to hold a strong fascination for me. That is something I am absolutely committed to.’ (Christian Jost) Christian Jost makes his contribution …
CodeNine
Metamorphoses of four sound elements from Beethoven’s, Bruckner’s and Mahler’s Ninth Symphonies and Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony Metamorphoses of four sound elements from Beethoven’s, Bruckner’s and Mahler’s Ninth Symphonies and Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ In this orchestral work, Christian Jost deals with the theme of transition, both as a phase within a musical work and as a phenomenon …
Suspense
While composing my opera Hamlet, I became more aware than ever of how incredibly important intrinsic tension is for modern musical theatre. Such tension is created through dramaturgically placed impulses, which are usually introduced instrumentally, then build up and discharge in the action on stage. Suspense is a purely orchestral realisation of such forces of …
Taipei Horizon
for orchestra My two-month summer stay in Taipei as composer-in-residence with the National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan felt like watching a film in widescreen format. Day and night temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius and 95% humidity transported me into a living Cinemascope experience. Because I enjoyed every second, a minimum of sleep intensified the already intense …
BerlinSymphony
for large orchestra Berlin, Torstrasse 4 o’clock in the morning in October. The temperature is pleasant. A lukewarm, light breeze blows through the night. For a moment, the traffic has disappeared from the city. Life stands still for a breath. Before my breath returns from its slow-motion deceleration to a steady rhythm, a fox crosses …
ShanghaiOdyssey
for large orchestra Shanghai, now the most populous city in the world, captivates with a combination unique in Asia of state-of-the-art skyscrapers and magnificent European-style colonial buildings reflected in them. In fact, the city is characterised by exciting contrasts, both in its external form and internally. I have taken up this principle in my Shanghai …