ICH DENKE DEIN… Lisa Larsson Rolf Martinsson

Swedish soprano Lisa Larsson started Rolf Martinsson is one of ’s leading composers. His trumpet concerto “Bridge”, written her career as a flautist and later studied for Håkan Hardenberger, led to an international breakthrough and has to date been performed singing in Basel. Her first engagements more than 60 times worldwide. Martinsson collaborates with top soloists such as Lisa Larsson, followed at the Zürich Opera House, Anne Sofie von Otter, Martin Fröst and Christian Lindberg, with conductors such as Alan Gilbert, where she performed with conductors Andris Nelsons, Manfred Honeck, Vassily Sinaisky and John Storgårds and with the major Nordic such as and orchestras as well as the BBC SO, CBSO, Vienna RO, Bamberger Symphoniker, NDR Hamburg, Franz Welser-Möst. Cleveland O, Detroit SO in venues such as Musikverein/Konzerthaus Vienna, Philharmonie/ Konzerthaus Berlin, Concertgebouw, Salzburger Festspielhaus, Royal Festival Hall and Carnegie Following her debut at La Scala di Hall. As of today, Martinsson has composed some 130 works, including orchestral pieces, solo Milano in “Die Zauberflöte” under concertos, chamber music and choir music. His work list also includes pieces for solo voice with Riccardo Muti, she swiftly developed various ensembles, most of which dedicated to soprano Lisa Larsson. an international opera career, in particular as a Mozart singer with guest Martinsson has been featured composer at the Stockholm International Composer Festival, appearances at renowned opera houses Composer in Residence (CiR) at Concertgebouw with the Netherlands PO/CO 14-15 and CiR and festivals such as the Bavarian State with the Helsingborg SO 14-17. His highly acclaimed trumpet concerto has been performed at the Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Tanglewood Music Festival by Hardenberger/Boston SO/Nelsons. The soloist and conductor also Garden, Teatro La Fenice, Grand performed the piece at the Nobel Prize concert with the Royal Stockholm PO. Théâtre de Genève, Opéra de Monte Carlo as well as at the Salzburg Festival, Future highlights include three CD recordings with Lisa Larsson and a world premiere by Larsson/ Lucerne Festival, Glyndebourne Festival Malmö SO, following the two successful co-commissions with Larsson – “Ich denke Dein...”, co- and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. commissioned by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Philharmonia O, Netherlands PO, Helsinki PO and Gothenburg SO, and “Garden Lisa Larsson is also known as a remarkably versatile concert singer. In recent years she has constantly of Devotion”, co-commissioned by expanded her broad repertoire with works by Mahler, Richard Strauss, Brahms, Berlioz, Britten and the Netherlands, Scottish, Stuttgart Stravinsky. Conductors she has performed with include , Sir Colin Davis, David and Swedish chamber orchestras and Zinman, Vassily Sinaisky, Edo de Waart, Louis Langrée, Sir Roger Norrington, Vasily Petrenko, Staatsorchester Weimar along with some John Storgårds. This with orchestras such as the Berlin PO, Frankfurt Radio SO, Munich PO, Zürich major Swedish orchestras. Ms. Larsson/ Tonhalle Orchestra, Vienna SO, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Netherlands PO, Malmö SO gave the world premiere of Bergen PO, Hong Kong PO, NHK SO (Tokyo). “Into Eternity” at the inauguration of Malmö Live 2015. In 2020 Martinsson’s Most recent additions to her substantial discography: a Haydn album with the Combattimento opera, commissioned by the Royal Consort Amsterdam, followed by a Berlioz recording respectively a Mahler programme with the Swedish Opera, will be premiered in Arnhem PO. Previous major recordings include Strauss’ “Vier letzte Lieder” under Douglas Boyd, Stockholm. Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 under David Zinman, the Mozart operas “Don Giovanni” under Daniel Harding, “Mitridate” under Adam Fischer and “Il sogno di Scipione” under Gottfried von der Goltz, Martinsson serves as professor of Händel‘s “Jephta” under David Stern, numerous Cantatas, Magnificat as well as the Christmas and composition at the Malmö Academy Easter Oratories by Bach under respectively Sir John Eliot Gardiner. of Music. He is a Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music from which Lisa Larsson maintains close collaboration with the Swedish composer Rolf Martinsson, who has he recently received the prestigious dedicated several compositions to her. Her next CD release will be Martinsson’s “Orchestral Songs Christ Johnson Prize for his “Orchestral on Poems by Emily Dickinson” in collaboration with the Royal Stockholm PO together with Andrew Songs on Poems by Emily Dickinson” Manze for BIS. – dedicated to and internationally performed by Lisa Larsson. www.lisalarsson.info www.rolfmartinsson.com Reviews Performances – by Lisa Larsson – Ich denke Dein… “ (...) Like the famous tune of your favourite operetta, this melody (1st movement) remained with the listener long after the concert (...) Larsson gave life to this magnificent natural scene (4th movement) with quiet, very pure voice. Without the use of vibrato and exaggerated dynamics, she effortlessly filled the hall with her brilliant soprano. The resplendent colour of her voice carried easily, yet was never obtrusive – a 2015-01-14/15/16 World premiere musical reflection of the vivid, admiring image in Eichendorff’s words: even the most quiet of pianos were Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich / John Storgårds full of suspense, her lines always focussed. The sheen of the blossoms, the wide fields and quiet woods made Tonhalle Zürich, Switzerland audible in this song may have caused the souls of many in the hall to spread their wings (...) As Lisa Larsson sang “her” new Martinsson songs, it wasn’t mere performance, but a precisely fitting nestling of the work 2015-01-28/29 Finnish premiere to her voice. Her considerable contribution to the creation of the songs was obvious in every note, be it Helsinki PO / John Storgårds breathed, spoken or in brilliantly bright heights. Her perfect, accent-free German allowed a deep insight into Musiikkitalo, Helsinki, Finland the development of music with text (...) The reaction of the audience and the warm embrace of Larsson and Martinsson had me hope for future collaborations of this Swedish duo (...) ” 2015-03-07/10 Dutch premiere Katharina Hogrefe / Bachtrack (English translation by Hedy Muehleck) Netherlands PO / Marc Albrecht Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands “ (...) unusually expressive and full music (...) Martinsson accurately captured the exciting relationship between soprano soloist and orchestra, and the duo with solo cellist Tomas Nuñez-Garcés was most certainly 2015-09-09/10 Swedish premiere one of the highlights. Martinsson’s songs stand and fall with the Swedish soloist Lisa Larsson, who in this Gothenburg SO / case has a hauntingly beautiful voice. She sang melodically and focused, her language was beautiful and her Concert Hall, Gothenburg, Sweden voice carried above the orchestra throughout the entire performance. These songs (...) are already booked for performances in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Gothenburg, Milan and London, just to name a few (...) 2015-10-01/02/04 Italian premiere An unusually successful commission of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (...) ” Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi / Gustavo Gimeno Auditorium, Milano, Italy Wilhelm Kvist / Hufvudstadsbladet

“ (...) The varied concert offered two big surprises: that someone dares to write so unashamedly enjoyable, 2016-06-09 Icelandic premiere sinfully sexy music as the Swedish composer Rolf Martinsson (b. 1956)! And luckily he does not only dare to Iceland SO / Eivind Aadland but he also can do it (...) Martinsson is so skilful in his orchestration (...) melodicism and silken harmonies, Harpa, Reykjavik, Iceland that you need to prick your ears for the second time: can this even be true? When the shockingly good soprano Lisa Larsson performed Martinsson’s brand new song cycle “Ich denke Dein...” and John Storgårds 2016-10-06 created an “überschön” orchestral background, the listener felt as if he was being led into an enchanted Helsingborg SO / Stefan Solyom garden, where an angel had fallen from heaven. Larsson’s soprano radiated and floated, and was sublime in Konserthuset, Helsingborg, Sweden the pianissimos. It soared effortlessly and entwined playfully with Pekka Kauppinen’s intoxicating violin and Tomas Nuñez-Garcés’s alert cello in the highest spheres/registers (...) ” 2017-05-04 Malmö SO / Stanislav Kochanovsky Veijo Murtomäki / Helsingin Sanomat Malmö Live, Sweden

Work Note 2017-11-26/27 Australian premiere Melbourne SO / John Storgårds (...) In Lisa Larsson the composer found his muse (...) “Ich denke Dein...” contains a choice out of Hamer Hall, Melbourne, Australia the German poetry: Goethe, Eichendorff and Rilke. Their joint theme is love (...) Liebeslied (Rilke) is written in the first person singular. That person wonders how he can lift his soul over his sweetheart 2018-05-23/24 Stockholm premiere ‘zu andern Dingen’ (towards other things). He realizes that it will not be successful. He and the Royal Stockholm PO / Gustavo Gimeno beloved lady are caught in the stroke of a bow, which out of two strings, jointly stricken, let sound Concert Hall, Stockholm, Sweden of one voice. The poem ends with a sigh: ‘On what instrument have we been bend? And which player holds us in his hand? O sweet song’. Can a composer wish a more musical text? (...) In the 2017-05-29/30/31 Premiere recording throat of Larsson the sweet song merges to one sound by the two trifling voice muscles (...) “Ich Malmö SO / Paul Mägi denke Dein...” grew in close cooperation with Lisa Larsson, to whom the piece is dedicated. For each Malmö Live, Sweden poem Martinsson searched a suiting musical form of the song line and in combination therewith CD recording, BIS label he developed the orchestration. During 2017 Lisa Larsson will record the piece with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra/Paul Mägi at the BIS label in the beautiful acoustics at Malmö Live (...) 2018-02-15 Spanish premiere Balearic SO / Pablo Mielgo Extract from a work note by Heinz Köhnen. Auditorium, Palma de Mallorca, Spain Poems by Rilke, Goethe, Eichendorff

4. Mondnacht - Eichendorff 5. Nähe des Geliebten - Goethe 2. Blaue Hortensie - Rilke 1. Liebes-Lied - Rilke Es war, als hätt der Himmel Ich denke dein, wenn mir der Sonne Schimmer So wie das letzte Grün in Farbentiegeln die Erde still geküßt, vom Meere strahlt; Wie soll ich meine Seele halten, daß sind diese Blätter, trocken, stumpf und rauh, daß sie im Blütenschimmer ich denke dein, wenn sich des Mondes Flimmer sie nicht an deine rührt? Wie soll ich sie hinter den Blütendolden, die ein Blau von ihm nun träumen müßt. in Quellen malt. hinheben über dich zu andern Dingen? nicht auf sich tragen, nur von ferne spiegeln. Ach gerne möcht ich sie bei irgendwas Die Luft ging durch die Felder, Ich sehe dich, wenn auf dem fernen Wege Verlorenem im Dunkel unterbringen Sie spiegeln es verweint und ungenau, die Ähren wogten sacht, der Staub sich hebt; an einer fremden stillen Stelle, die als wollten sie es wiederum verlieren, es rauschten leis die Wälder, in tiefer Nacht, wenn auf dem schmalen Stege nicht weiterschwingt, wenn deine Tiefen schwingen. und wie in alten blauen Briefpapieren so sternklar war die Nacht. der Wandrer bebt. Doch alles, was uns anrührt, dich und mich, ist Gelb in ihnen, Violett und Grau; nimmt uns zusammen wie ein Bogenstrich, Und meine Seele spannte Ich höre dich, wenn dort mit dumpfem Rauschen der aus zwei Saiten eine Stimme zieht. verwaschenes wie an einer Kinderschürze, weit ihre Flügel aus, die Welle steigt! Auf welches Instrument sind wir gespannt? Nichtmehrgetragenes, dem nichts mehr geschieht: flog durch die stillen Lande, I’m stillen Haine geh’ ich oft zu lauschen, Und welcher Spieler hat uns in der Hand? wie fühlt man eines kleinen Lebens Kürze. als flöge sie nach Haus. wenn alles schweigt. O süßes Lied. Doch plötzlich scheint das Blau sich zu verneuen Ich bin bei dir, du seist auch noch so ferne, in einer von den Dolden, und man sieht du bist mir nah! ein rührend Blaues sich vor Grünem freuen. Die Sonne sinkt, bald leuchten mir die Sterne. O, wärst Du da!

3. Die Liebende schreibt - Goethe

Ein Blick von deinen Augen in die meinen, ein Kuß von deinem Mund auf meinem Munde – Wer davon hat, wie ich, gewisse Kunde, mag dem was anders wohl erfreulich scheinen?

Entfernt von dir, entfremdet von den Meinen, führ ich stets die Gedanken in die Runde, und immer treffen sie auf jene Stunde, die einzige; da fang ich an zu weinen.

Die Träne trocknet wieder unversehens: Er liebt ja, denk ich, her in diese Stille – und solltest du nicht in die Ferne reichen?

Vernimm das Lispeln dieses Liebewehens; mein einzig Glück auf Erden ist dein Wille, dein freundlicher zu mir – gib mir ein Zeichen! Instrumentation

2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo) Harp (the two lowest strings should be tuned 2 Oboes (2nd doubling English Horn) in C and D) 2 Clarinets in Bb (2nd doubling Bass Clarinet in Bb) 2 Bassoons (2nd doubling Contrabassoon) Piano (doubling Celesta)

4 Horns in F Solo Soprano 2 Trumpets in C (mutes: harmon) Trombone (mute: straight) String Orchestra (Double Basses: with extension Bass Trombone (mute: straight) to low C) Tuba

Timpani Percussion (2 players) I Glockenspiel, Metal Wind Chimes, Suspended Cymbal, Tam-Tam II Vibraphone (motor)

Duration 26 minutes

YouTube clip Lisa Larsson sings Martinsson at Concertgebouw, Amsterdam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KglXjQbQFg

CD recording BIS label Lisa Larsson / Malmö SO / Paul Mägi Malmö Live, Sweden

Soprano Composer Lisa Larsson Rolf Martinsson [email protected] [email protected] www.lisalarsson.info www.rolfmartinsson.com

Agency Publisher Impulse Art Management Gehrmans Musikförlag Martijn Jacobus Kristina Fryklöf, promotion manager +31 20 626 69 44 +46 8 6100 617 [email protected] [email protected] www.gehrmans.se

Photo Merlijn Doomernik Larsson

Photo Mats Bäcker Martinsson

Design & Layout www.louisemartinsson.se 2017-01-01