Above the section titled "ein Gleiches" it states: "..., yet the actual harmonious effect only arises when all colors are balanced next to each other." (Goethe: Theory of Colors, Didactic Part, §885)

'ein Gleiches' was composed using the composition program "Project 1" by Gottfried Michael Koenig.

The string sextet 'Wanderer's Night Song' was premiered on September 12, 1999, in the Maria Magdalene Church in Marne by the Brahms Sextet (Stefan Wagner, Mayumi Shjimizu: Violin / Hirofumi Fukai, Jakob Zeijl: Viola / Jury Bertelmann, Michael Katzenmaier: Cello) and is dedicated to the Brahms Sextet.

ein Gleiches | Excerpt from 'Wanderers Nachtlied' for string-sextet (1999)

The section "Monaden" was inspired by some of Goethe's letters on musicological topics, such as a letter to Schlosser:

"My conviction is this: just as the major tone arises from the expansion of the monad, it exerts a similar effect on human nature, driving it towards the object, towards activity, towards the expanse. The same holds true for the minor tone; as it springs from the contraction of the monad, it also draws together, concentrates, propelling it towards the subject, and there, it knows how to find the most cherished nooks in which the dearest melancholy prefers to hide."
(Goethe to Schlosser, Weimar, May 5, 1815)

"[...] When the sound monad expands, the major tone emerges; when it contracts, the minor tone comes into being [...]"
(Goethe to Schlosser, Weimar, May 5, 1815)

The string sextet 'Wanderer's Night Song' was premiered on September 12, 1999, in the Maria Magdalene Church in Marne by the Brahms Sextet (Stefan Wagner, Mayumi Shjimizu: Violin / Hirofumi Fukai, Jakob Zeijl: Viola / Jury Bertelmann, Michael Katzenmaier: Cello) and is dedicated to the Brahms Sextet.

Monaden | Excerpt from 'Wanderers Nachtlied' for string-sextet (1999)

This composition has been inspired by Goethe's Fragments on his Tonlehre (theory of tones) - Paralipomena:


Becoming aware of
the inside
The outside
Identifying the respective.
Language, regularity, coincidence.
First raw attempts.
Coincidences
Culture.
Increase.
Rough ground.
Setting of (illegible word)
Some discomfort that cannot be bettered.
Really great inconvenience.
Different label.
Tones.
Relations of them.
Found.
Determine.
Named.
Series of tones.
Sound relationships.
First line starting from C
Second line starting from D
Inserting the so called half tones.
Each line in a different sequence.

_________________

Determine.
Five lines of the staff.
Four spaces.
Above and below the latter.
Sketches.

_________________

Going back to the first origins.
Determination according to current survey.


Fragmentarische Aufzeichnungen zur Tonlehre (Paralipomena)

Gewahrwerden
des Inneren
des Äußeren
Bezeichnen desselben.
Sprache, Gesetzmäßiges, Zufälliges.
Erste rohe Versuche.
Zufälligkeiten
Cultur.
Erhöhung.
Roher Grund.
Ansetzen des [unleserliches Wort]
Manche Unbequemlichkeit die nicht zu verbessern ist.
Sehr große Unbequemlichkeit.
Andre Bezeichnung.
Töne.
Verhältnisse derselben.
Gefunden.
Angegeben.
Bezeichnet.
Tonreihe.
Tonverhältnisse.
Erste Reihe von c an.
Zweite Reihe von d an.
Einschieben der sogenannten halben Töne.
Jede Reihe in anderer Folge.

_________________

Bezeichnen.
Fünf Linien.
Vier Zwischenräume.
Über und unter der letzteren.
Vorzeichnungen

_________________

Zurückgehen in die ersten Ursprünge.

Paralipomena | Excerpt from 'Wanderers Nachtlied' for string-sextet (1999)

Composition: Daisam Jalo
Recording: Christian Moser

Violin I: Arabela de Miguel Robledo
Violin II: Iulia-Andreea Smeu
Viola I: Emanuel Vots
Viola II: Ilinca Forna
Violoncello I: Josep-Oriol Miró Cogul
Violoncello II: Eszter Roza Haraszti

Cover photo by Gabriele Garanzelli on Unsplash

With the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia

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