composed 2015
for viola, cello, double bass and percussion 

Ensemble KonsTellation
recorded 05.05.2015 in ORF Landesstudio Tirol

Hypnagogia (2015) - for low string trio and percussion

Soliloquy - for solo violin 

composed 2015
recorded at ORF Kulturhaus 03.05.2016

Programme note:

Soliloquy is a special kind of dramatic monologue which allows the characters in a play to describe and reflect their emotional state by conversing with themselves in front of an an imaginary listener. Just like in its literary equivalent this music is shaped by a consistent inner turbulence. The main motif circles chromatically around minor and major third, resembling a sigh-like gesture. It is presented in various atmospheres, used both as a doleful outcry in extremely high pitches as well as an introspective resigning. The ongoing fight between these two conditions of being chased and wanting to strive against it is what drives the piece.

Soliloquy (2016) - for solo violin

Nebel - Lyrics by Christian Morgenstern

Schwere Nebel dunkle Lasten
Sinken von dem Schnee der Kämme
über öde Herdenrasten
in des Tannichts finstre Stämme

Nur des Baches bleibe Brandung
rauscht und leuchtet noch gerettet
bis die düstre Dunkstgewandung
endlich ihn auch überbettet. 

recorded 04.02.2015

Piano Vol. 8, 2015

Nebel (2015) - for mezzo-soprano and piano

Performed by Ensemble konstellation
composed 2014

Text by Stefan George:

DER MENSCH UND DER DRUD

Der Mensch
Das enge bachbett sperrt ein wasserfall –
Doch wer hängt das behaarte bein herab
Von dieses felsens träufelnd fettem moos?
Aus buschig krausem kopfe lugt ein horn ..
So weit ich schon in waldgebirgen jagte
Traf ich doch seinesgleichen nie ... Bleib still
Der weg ist dir verlegt · verbirg auch nichts!
Aus klarer welle schaut ein ziegenfuss.

Der Drud
Nicht dich noch mich wird freun dass du mich fandst.

Der Mensch
Ich wusste wol von dir verwandtem volk
Aus vorzeitlicher märe – nicht dass heut
So nutzlos hässlich ungetüm noch lebt.

Der Drud
Wenn du den lezten meiner art vertriebst
Spähst du vergeblich aus nach edlem wild
Dir bleibt als beute nager und gewürm
Und wenn ins lezte dickicht du gebrochen
Vertrocknet bald dein nötigstes: der quell.

Der Mensch:
Du ein weit niedrer lehrst mich? Unser geist
Hat hyder riese drache greif erlegt
Den unfruchtbaren hochwald ausgerodet
Wo sümpfe standen wogt das ährenfeld
Im saftigen grün äst unser zahmes rind
Gehöfte städte blühn und helle gärten
Und forst ist noch genug für hirsch und reh –
Die schätze hoben wir von see und grund
Zum himmel rufen steine unsre siege ..
Was willst du überbleibsel grauser wildnis?
Das licht die ordnung folgen unsrer spur.

Der Drud:
Du bist nur mensch .. wo deine weisheit endet
Beginnt die unsre · du merkst erst den rand
Wo du gebüsst hast für den übertritt.
Wenn dein getreide reift dein vieh gedeiht
Die heiligen bäume öl und trauben geben
Wähnst du dies käme nur durch deine list.
Die erden die in dumpfer urnacht atmen
Verwesen nimmer · sind sie je gefügt
Zergehn sie wenn ein glied dem ring entfällt.
Zur rechten weile ist dein walten gut ·
Nun eil zurück! du hast den Drud gesehn.
Dein schlimmstes weisst du selbst nicht: wenn dein sinn
Der vieles kann in wolken sich verfängt
Und staub und strahl und sterben und entstehn
Nicht mehr im gang der dinge fassen kann.

Der Mensch:
Wer sagt dir so? dies sei der götter sorge.

Der Drud:
Wir reden nie von ihnen · doch ihr toren
Meint dass sie selbst euch helfen. Unvermittelt
Sind sie euch nie genaht. Du wirst du stirbst –
Wess wahr geschöpf du bist erfährst du nie.

Der Mensch:
Bald ist kein raum mehr für dein zuchtlos spiel.

Der Drud:
Bald rufst du drinnen den du draussen schmähst.

Der Mensch:
Du giftiger unhold mit dem schiefen mund
Trotz deiner missgestalt bist du der unsren
Zu nah · sonst träfe jezt dich mein geschoss ..

Der Drud:
Das tier kennt nicht die scham der mensch nicht dank.
Mit allen künsten lernt ihr nie was euch
Am meisten frommt .. wir aber dienen still.
So hör nur dies: uns tilgend tilgt ihr euch.
Wär nur dein geist am werk gewesen: längst
Wär euer schlag zerstört und all sein tun
Wär euer holz verdorrt und saatfeld brach ..
Nur durch den zauber bleibt das leben wach.

Musik im Studio - 13.05.2014

Der Mensch und der Drud (2014) - for mezzo-soprano, baritone, bass clarinet & string quartet

Helix. Composed 2016.
performed by Ensemble Neue Mozik

Helix (2016) - for flute, saxophone, accordeon & piano

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol3rTfxuJQY

comissioned by Klangspuren Schwaz 2017
funded by the Hilde-Zach scholarship Innsbruck for young composers 
performed by ensemble konstellation at Silbersaal Schwaz

soprano: Heidrun Mark
e-guitar/growls: Thomas Wieser
drumset: Stefan Bodner
percussion: Fabian Kluckner
direction: Ivana Pristasova

Programme note:

The title „Rhapsody in Black“ is an homage to George Gershwin’s 1924 piano concerto “Rhapsody in Blue”. By combining the newly arising subculture of Jazz music at his time with the tradition of western symphonic music and solo concertos, Gershwin - among others - disconnected Jazz from its previous association with low-class entertainment music and paved they way for the concert art-music that Jazz is regarded as today. In other terms, this can be seen as an early example of “crossover”: The practise of intermixing completely different musical styles and traditions that may seem incompatible at first glance, with the aim to tear down the borders between “E-Musik” and “U-Musik”, that actually never existed in the first place.

Also “Rhapsody in Black” can be understood as such an attempt that explores the tension field between the stylistic pluralism of New Music and the countless subcultures and sub-subcultures of contemporary “Popular Music”, whose idioms often overlap with those of the former quite broadly in many ways - only emerging from a completely different background. Just as Gershwin did this in his Rhapsody with the newly forming Jazz, “Rhapsody in Black” takes its inspiration from the myriad of experimental subcultures found in today´s Metal scene. Especially it draws from newer streams of this genre that have been developing since the early 2000´s in USA and Scandinavia and are known as Deathcore, Technical Death Metal, Progressive, Mathcore or Djent. These styles are characterized by extremely fast tempi, high virtuosity, frequent changes of often complex time signatures and maximal density of material, but also slowish, heavy parts called “break-downs”. Another stylistic device is the “blast-beat”, a rapid interplay of snare-drum and double-kickdrum that sounds like gunfire. This expressive, violent maximalism finds its completion in the raw, brute vocal style of screaming and growling that gives this genre its archaic energy, but at the same time creates an enriching field of experimentation for sound, noise and new vocal techniques.

The text of “Rhapsody in Black” is selected from different kinds of media set around the world press photo of 2017. The picture by Turkish photographer Burhan Ozbilici shows the assassination of Andrej Karlow, Russian ambassador to Turkey, who was shut by a twenty-two-year-old Turkish policeman in public while holding a speech at an art exhibition. The photo was chosen for the award with the words “an explosive picture, that expresses the hatred of our time”. Two text fragments are press quotes that describe said image.

Another text fragment is taken from an article published on “zeit.de” in 2017 by German sociologist Armin Nassehi, in which he analyses and dissects the political function of violence in society. He states, that violence has at least two functions: to harm the victim, but even more to demonstrate force and absolute power towards third parties. According to him, it is hereby largely irrelevant if this implies violence against objects or against people.

The first text fragment in the piece is a French poem by Tunisian Singer-Songwriter Emel Mathlouthi, entitled “Ma parole est libre“ („my word is free”). Written 2012 during the Arab Spring, it poses a strong message of self-affirmation and hope, calling upon the importance of freedom of speech, expression and art.

www.klangspuren.at
https://www.facebook.com/VirialBand/
https://rachetbronco.bandcamp.com/releases

Rhapsody in Black (2017) - for strings, e-guitar, percussion, growl-vocals and soprano

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iphE_6FVYHw

Instrumentation: String Quartet, Contrabassoon, Bass Clarinet, Bass Flute, English Horn, French Horn, Percussion

performed by Esbjerg Ensemble
at Det Kongelige Musikkonservatorium
13/04/2018
PULSAR Festival Copenhagen

// programme note:

"Inflection Point" consists out of two main ideas that are strongly connected and appear throughout the piece on both a large (formal) scale as well as on a smaller (motivic) scale: The first idea is the shape of an ascending mathematical curve, hence the title "Inflection Point” which in calculus is the infinitely small point where a curve changes its turning direction. The second idea is the physical gesture of a ball that bounces back after being dropped: every bounce is a little lower than the previous one, at the same time the impulses are getting faster and faster while the ball progressively loses its energy. This process can be mathematically described with the graph mentioned above, thus connecting both ideas as being two sides of the same coin: An outstretched transition from a high level of energy to a low level of energy.

The piece is inspired by Salvador Dalí´s last painting, called "La queue d'aronde — Série des catastrophes", that is based on the mathematical catastrophe theory of René Thom and shows several mathematical curves, as well as an iconographic game with the mathematical integral sign and the f-holes of a string instrument. 

http://esbjergensemble.com/
https://www.reimunakata.net/about
https://english.dkdm.dk/Whats-On/Whats-On/2018/03-2018/PULSAR-2018-Esbjerg-Ensemble

Inflection Point (2018) - for ensemble

comissioned by Sterzinger Osterspiele 2017 with the support of Südtiroler Künstlerbund.
Premiered 09.04.17

// programme note:

The piece describes two stations from the "14 Stations of the Cross", the suffering of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.

The first part (Ptosis, grk. "downfall") depicts station III - "Jesus falls for the first time", and tries to make audible the slow, burdensome marching of crippled Jesus under the heavy cross, stumbling and finally collapsing under its weight. The second part (Apantesis, grk. "encounter") represents station VI, "Jesus meets his mother, Mary". In contrast to the abyssal sounds in the first part, the music now features a pure overtone-scale and natural intervals, depicting the visitation of Mary giving comfort to Jesus. On top, a lamenting flute-melody resembles the grief over her crippeled son, inspired by the microtonality of arabic threnodies. This is finally disrupted by the sound of nails being hammerd in wood, foreshadowing the final crucifixion.

Ptsosis/Apantesis (2017) - for flute, bass-clarinet, viola, cello & percussion

premiered in 2016 at Tiroler Landeskonservatorium

// programme note:

In elementary geometry, a polygon is any closed shape with multiple edges. Like walking around a polygonal sculpture that seems to change its appearance depending on the point of view, this piece explores one and the same abstract figure from different angles. The shape results from the interval structure that the open strings of the retuned double bass produce. By connecting the edge-points of the shape (=pitches of the chord) in different ways, various patterns emerge from the object, each creating specific gestures and expressions - despite all being shadows of the same origin.

Polygon (2016) - for retuned double-bass and piano

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZpr4lFT7hQ

Comissioned and performed by ensemble Sonarkraft
Piano: Josef Haller

Programme note:
I. Prologos
II. Mitosis
III. Organismos
IV. Nekrosis

Diamerismoi (greek "divisions") describes the emergence of a living cell (I. Prologos), its devision (I. Mitosis), the formation of a breathing organism from many cells (III. Organismos)and finally their decay (IV. Nekrosis) as a musical journey starting from noise textures (I.), forming a single note that spreads symmetrically into a five-octve-cluster (II.), transforming into minimalistic rhythmical patterns (III.) and lastly collapsing back to noise (IV.). The piece explores different stages and transformations of sound and rhythm as an analogy to the the living and dying of cells and organisms: increasing vs. decreasing states of entropy, order vs. disorder.

Diamerismoi  (2016) - for string ensemble and prepared piano

Josef Haller is an Italian pianist and composer. He studied piano and composition in Innsbruck (Austria) and Aarhus (Denmark) and currently lives in Austria.

Youtube: http://bit.ly/2up8ZPL

Josef Haller

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