German-French composer Mark Andre features prominently in the German concert season this autumn with dual orchestral premieres scheduled in Munich and Essen.
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Performs Im Enthüllen in Munich
On October 9, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra delivers the German premiere of Im Enthüllen in Munich. Matthias Pintscher conducts the performance as part of the musica viva new music series. The composition forms part of the Genesis project, for which Pintscher commissioned seven different composers to set the seven days of creation to music. Pintscher led the world premiere with the Kansas City Symphony on May 29. Im Enthüllen represents the seventh day of creation, marking the moment God rests and sanctifies the day. Mark Andre stated that in this piece, the most fragile and unstable sound phenomena reveal themselves as potentially the most intense moments of transience.
Philharmonie Essen Hosts NOW! Festival Portrait Concerts
In November, the NOW! Festival Essen dedicates a thematic focus to Mark Andre’s music across two concerts. On November 6 at the Philharmonie, the Essen Philharmonic performs the German premiere of Im Entsiegeln for soprano and orchestra. Vimbayi Kaziboni conducts the performance, featuring soloist Ilse Eerens. The piece draws inspiration from Chapter 8 of the Book of Revelation, specifically the half-hour of silence in heaven when the Lamb opens the seventh seal. Andre explores unstable vocal-instrumental space-time signatures to capture the final traces of music as it fades away.
Ensemble Modern Performs Spiritual Opus Magnum rwḥ 1 – 4
Earlier in the festival schedule on November 1, Ingo Metzmacher leads the Ensemble Modern, SWR Experimentalstudio, WDR Radio Choir, and the Essen Cathedral Girls’ Choir in a performance of Andre’s spiritual opus magnum, rwḥ 1 – 4. The title derives from the Armenian language, translating to breath, air, scent, and wind, while also serving as a term for the Holy Spirit. The composition merges orchestral textures, choral singing, and electronic music. Mark Andre noted that the title creates an interface between earthly, existential elements like breath and supernatural, spiritual dimensions.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Mark Andre Concerts
Who commissioned the Genesis project featuring Im Enthüllen?
Conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher commissioned seven different composers, including Mark Andre, to set the seven days of creation to music for the Genesis project.
What biblical text inspires Im Entsiegeln?
The composition references Chapter 8 of the Book of Revelation, which describes the silence in heaven for about half an hour after the opening of the seventh seal.
What does the title rwḥ mean?
Taken from the Armenian language, rwḥ means breath, air, scent, and wind, and is also understood to mean the Holy Spirit.