Categories
Ensemble Work

miroirs noirs

miroirs noirs | Klangforum Wien | Clement Power (conductor)

miroirs noirs
for ensemble (2016)

English

Within the silky matt black of a level surface, gestures and movements tumble about like lost moths against a glass wall. They are pale forms without contours whose outline can only be intuited as shadows. The silhouettes of these “dis-mirrored” objects, which have previously remained obscure, convey an intimation of their actual shape, appearing like blurred memories.In miroirs noirs such indistinct echoes are encountered in many moments. Figures that are instantaneously reflected seem closer, whereas the counter-image of more extended processes become discernible only in time.

In my piece I wanted to create a perspective of recollection. At the same time, the sea of past gestures and fragments forms a stream whose course follows a predetermined dramaturgical concept. In a striking plunge, the piece collapses at the zenith of a long, eruptive phase even before it has passed its midway point.

During the following sequences the piece repeatedly resumes its course directed towards the summit, but nonetheless it continually loses height. Informed by thoughts from the past and pulverised by the cataracts of time, it persistently takes its course towards a final low point – amidst a desert of dust the stream runs dry in the estuary of its memories.

miroirs noirs was written between January and June 2016. The piece itself is a blurred counter-image to my work Échos éloquents, which was created at the same time as miroirs noirs. Both pieces draw on their material – like two sibling volcanoes – from a single magma chamber. (Christoph Renhart, 2016)

This work was commissioned by Ailin Huang / Internationale Musikbrücke association.

German

Im seidenmatten Schwarz einer planen Oberfläche tummeln sich Gesten und Bewegungen wie verirrte Nachtfalter an einer Glaswand. Es sind fahle Formen ohne Kontur, deren Umrisse sich nur als Schatten erahnen lassen. Die Silhouetten jener zerspiegelten Objekte, welche davor im Obskuren verharren, vermitteln eine Ahnung ihrer eigentlichen Gestalt, einer unscharfen Erinnerung gleichend. In »miroirs noirs« begegnen wir diesen verschwommenen Echos in vielen Momenten. Figuren, die unmittelbar zurückgeworfen werden erscheinen näher, während das Gegenbild längerer Prozesse erst im Lauf der Zeit erkennbar wird.

Ich wollte in meinem Werk eine Perspektive der Erinnerung schaffen. Gleichzeitig formt sich aus dem Meer verflossener Gesten und Fragmente ein Strom, dessen Flusslauf einem vorgezeichneten dramaturgischen Plan folgt. Markant stürzt das Stück am Zenit einer langen eruptiven Phase in sich zusammen, noch bevor es seine Mitte überschreitet.

In den weiteren Abschnitten nimmt das Stück mehrmals den zum Gipfel weisenden Kurs wieder auf, verliert jedoch unaufhaltsam an Höhe. Durch die Gedanken aus dem Vergangenen geprägt und zerrieben in den Katarakten der Zeit steuert es unentwegt einem finalen Tiefpunkt zu: Inmitten einer Wüste aus Staub versiegt der Strom im Ästuar seiner Erinnerungen.

»miroirs noirs« entstand zwischen Jänner und Juni 2016. Das Stück ist selbst ein unscharfes Gegenbild zu meinem Werk »Échos éloquents«, welches parallel zu »miroirs noirs« entstand. Beide Werke schöpfen ihr Material, wie zwei verschwisterte Vulkane, aus einer Magmakammer. — ChR, E‘16

Dieses Werk entstand im Auftrag von Ailin Huang / Verein Internationale Musikbrücke.

INSTRUMENTATION:
flute, clarinet in Bb (bass clarinet), horn, percussion (1 player), piano, pipa, erhu (or: violin), violin, viola, violoncello

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS:
tubular bells, glockenspiel, gongs, vibraphone, timpani

DURATION:
12 minutes

PERFORMANCE MATERIAL:
info@chrenhart.eu

PREMIERE:
October 31, 2016 • Vienna, Konzerthaus • Klangforum Wien • Clement Power, conductor • Pai Ju Tsai, pipa

PERFORMANCE:
January 22, 2018 • Radio Ö1, Zeit-Ton • Klangforum Wien • Clement Power, conductor • Pai Ju Tsai, pipa

Categories
Ensemble Vocal Work

Erythraean Fields

Erythraean Fields
for mezzo-soprano and ensemble (2014)

The five songs for mezzo-soprano and ensemble were composed in 2014. Fragments taken from Jakob Reichsöllner’s poem Fieberträume — «deliriums» — form the textual basis of the songs. Erythraean Fields is an orchestrated version of my work Farben des Mohns for mezzo-soprano and piano, composed previously in 2014.

It was freely transformed for a broader orchestration, including the traditional Chinese instruments Sheng, Pipa and Erhu. I attempted not to make the ensemble sound particularly Chinese, but to aim at finding new shades of orchestral colours within my very own music.

The work was commissioned by Mrs. Ailin Huang and the association “Internationale Musikbrücke”.

INSTRUMENTATION:
mezzo-soprano, flute, sheng, bass clarinet, bassoon, percussion (1 player), piano, pipa, erhu, viola, violoncello

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS:
large tam-tam, bass drum, wood blocks (three pitches), crotales, tubular bells, vibraphone

DURATION:
14 minutes

PERFORMANCE MATERIAL:
info@chrenhart.eu

PREMIERE:
April 20, 2015 • Graz, Helmu List Halle • Shanghai Sinfonietta • Zhang Liang, conductor • Annette Schönmüller, mezzo-soprano

RECORDING:
ORF • info@chrenhart.eu