Work of the Week Archive - Schott Music (EN)

2022/05/16

Work of the Week – Elisabeth Naske: The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business

A digestion mishap causes an investigation: This is the starting point of Elisabeth Naske’s new children’s opera which will be premiered at Wuppertaler Bühnen on 20 May 2022. The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business (German original title: ‘Vom kleinen Maulwurf, der wissen wollte, wer ihm auf den Kopf gemacht hat’) only requires three performers on the stage: a singer, an actor and a viola player. Taking place in the German city of Wuppertal, Iris Marie Sojer plays the mole, Stefan Walz the gardener and with Sopie Rasmussen on viola. Ela Baumann is the director of the production, and Koji Ishizaka responsible for the musical side. We interviewed the composer about her new piece: Continue reading “Work of the Week – Elisabeth Naske: The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business”

2022/05/09

Work of the Week – Gerald Barry: Cello Concerto

“Cellissimo” is Music for Galway’s new international cello festival on the edge of Europe. It presents its first concerto gala with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra’s concert on 11 May 2022 at Leisureland Center in Galway. In this unique combination of aquatic and concert hall, Edward Elgar’s famous cello concerto is combined with the world premiere of Gerald Barry’s Cello Concerto. Cellist Adrian Mantu from Galway is soloist alongside conductor David Brophy. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Gerald Barry: Cello Concerto”

2022/05/03

Work of the Week – Fazıl Say: Violin Concerto No. 2

With his first violin concerto “1001 Nights in the Harem” from 2007, Turkish composer Fazıl Say wrote one of the most successful concertos of our time. The successor is his Violin Concerto No. 2 “Spring mornings in the days of quarantine”awaiting its world premiere this week on 6 May at Konzerthaus Berlin Friedemann Eichhorn (violin) will be accompanied by the Konzerthausorchester Berlin under Christoph Eschenbach. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Fazıl Say: Violin Concerto No. 2”

2022/04/26

Work of the Week – Thomas Larcher: The Living Mountain

A Tyrolean in Amsterdam: It’s the flattest of all European countries which is focussing on mountain climbing this week. The Akso|Schoenberg Ensemble is presenting Thomas Larcher’s The Living Mountain for soprano and ensemble on 30 April 2022. Soloist of the world premiere at the Concertgebouw is Sarah Aristidou, Gregory Charette conducting. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Thomas Larcher: The Living Mountain”

2022/04/19

Work of the Week – Julian Anderson: Exiles

Displacement and cultural longing – this is, according to Julian Anderson, the essence of his composition Exiles for solo soprano, chorus and orchestra. Over five movements, the composer thematises variations of exclusion and exile, ranging from corona-lockdown to national socialism. The work’s texts include French, Hebrew, English and Czech, as well as quotations from the Bible. The world premiere on 22 April 2022 at the Philharmonie Berlin sees Robin Ticciati conduct the Rundfunkchor Berlin and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin with soloist, Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg.
Continue reading “Work of the Week – Julian Anderson: Exiles”

2022/04/07

Work of the Week – Christian Jost: Die arabische Nacht

A tower block in summer and the water isn’t running. In the opera The Arabian Night by Christian Jost, the residents meet each other in their search for water, escaping their self-inflicted isolation. The first performance of the chamber opera The Arabian Night at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin will take place on 14 April 2022. Phlipp Armbruster will conduct the work, based on the play of the same name by Roland Schimmelpfennig, with original staging by Marcin Łakomicki. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Christian Jost: Die arabische Nacht”

2022/04/04

Work of the Week – Joerg Widmann: Viola Concerto

“The entire beginning is played without a bow. The conductor reacts slightly irritated.” Surprisingly, this is not a stage direction, but is taken from the score of Joerg Widmann’s Viola Concerto. The SWR-Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Theodor Currentzis, will perform Widmann’s work throughout their current European tour. Premiered in 2015 with Antoine Tamestit as soloist, the programme for this tour is one of German, Ukranian and Russian heritage, sending a message of unification and peace. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Joerg Widmann: Viola Concerto”

2022/03/29

Work of the Week – Valentin Silvestrov: Prayer for the Ukraine

The war in Ukraine continues to shock the whole world as millions of people are leaving their homes and communities in search of peace. Among them, the renowned Ukrainian composer, Valentin Silvestrov, who celebrates his 85thbirthday in September. Originally, Silvestrov did not want to leave Kiev, but as the war progressed he and his family were forced to flee to Berlin, where the composer has been living and composing since 8 March. His Prayer for the Ukraine, composed in 2014, is now seeing performances in concert halls around the world. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Valentin Silvestrov: Prayer for the Ukraine”

2022/03/21

Work of the Week – Katherine Balch: Illuminate

And just like that, we find ourselves exploring the first work of spring! Katherine Balch’s work Illuminate follows the seasons through a cycle of five movements, beginning and ending with spring. On 26 March 2022, Donato Cabrera conducts the world premiere of the work at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California. Sopranos Molly Netter and Alexandra Smither alongside mezzo-soprano Kelly Guerra are accompanied by the California Symphony Orchestra. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Katherine Balch: Illuminate”

2022/03/14

Work of the Week – Anno Schreier: Mina

An opera with only two performers – a rarity within which Anno Schreier has succeeded. Within his new ballad, fairytale mini-opera Mina “The journey to the sea”, we enter into the adventures of a young girl with mutism who discovers the magic of music. The opera’s premiere is set to take place on 20 March 2022 at the Theatre Bonn. Flautist Sally Beck alongside baritone Frederik Schauhoff will perform all 21 roles providing a ballad-like background to the play. Continue reading “Work of the Week – Anno Schreier: Mina”

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Category: Work of the Week