Rebecca Saunders (*1967 )

© Astrid Ackermann Rebecca Saunders (*1967 ) 1 Shadow ( 2013 ) study for piano 11:42 2 Dust ( 2017/18 ) for percussion solo 07:37 3 Solitude ( 2013 ) for solo violoncello 19:00 4 Flesh ( 2018 ) Solo for accordion with recitation 09:28 5 Hauch ( 2018 ) for violin solo 08:09 6 to an utterance – study ( 2020 ) for solo piano 11:16 Commissioned by Klangforum Wien and 1 Florian Müller, piano funded by the Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung 2 Björn Wilker, percussion 3 Andreas Lindenbaum, violoncello 4 Krassimir Sterev, accordion 5 Sophie Schafleitner, violin TT 67:16 6 Joonas Ahonen, piano 2 3 “Everything is already here. I simply provide a frame, cerned in her piece Shadow, a study for pi- monologue from James Joyce’s Ulysses, in- a context. The world is so saturated with noise. To filter ano, which explores the acoustic shadow in haling and exhaling the text in a half-whis- analogy to a mirage that appears in the light. per, almost silently or constrained by a out the nuances, or to exclude certain fragments, Similar to the shadows created by light, hand. Ceaselessly, it flows below the sur- stands at the beginning of my work process. But it’s not acoustic shadows emerge when sound face, barely intelligible. Rebecca Saunders the beginning of a piece.” waves impinge upon very dense struc- gives expression to the recondite depth Rebecca Saunders tures and are absorbed by them. Owing to of this monologue – a raw, sexual ener- the ensuing absence of echoes, almost the gy which cannot be contained by a narrow complete sound is reflected in the result- definition of gender. By the way – the works ing acoustic shadow. In her piece, Rebecca of James Joyce and Samuel Beckett have Saunders projects multiple sounds of vary- provided the Berlin-based composer with ing density and complexity on to the res- some of her most important literary stimuli. Solo pieces occupy an important place in the sounds, and to trace the essence of the onances of the previous gesture with the Rebecca Saunders’ oeuvre, since at least tone colours, raising dust and noise. Sur- help of a very detailed application of sos- If Rebecca Saunders’ oeuvre is like listen- during the preparation period, the compos- face, weight and touch form the parameters tenuto and legato pedals. In her newly com- ing to the voices inside the head, a deep er’s solitude is transformed into a dialogue of the performance – which aspects are in- missioned piece To an Utterance, also writ- drilling into a hidden inner world, the exis- with the soloists with whom she seeks a fluential? Is the weight of the percussionist ten for piano solo, she resoundingly dabs a tential aspect of solitude, which character- close collaboration; the sheer physicality transmitted to his stroke? How subtly dif- painting of acoustic timbres, together with ises the process of composition in general of their playing providing a source of last- ferentiated can the brush stroke the skin of pianist Joonas Ahonen, in order to arrive at and the solo-piece in particular, again being inspiration to the composer. She deeply the drum? What is the impact of the mus- a musical expression. comes manifest. Solitude speaks of it once explores the world of the sounds, offering a cular tension between the shoulder-blades more: Absence, silence, withdrawal. An in- declaration of love to the respective instru- of the player? Rebecca Saunders’ fascina- Klangforum Wien also participated in the ternal state of being with and at the same ment, soloist or to music in general. tion with the different elements of sounds piece Flesh – here, Rebecca Saunders time without oneself. A waste land, or a fer- is not limited to acoustics; she equally ex- worked together with Krassimir Sterev, de- tile wilderness, or, time and again, a rever- Dust is a solo for two, a homage to both plores physical phenomena of the instru- veloping a very specific sound-palette for sal to the filigree core which delicately en- Christian Dierstein and Dirk Rothbrust, be- ment and the musician, providing them with accordion in combination with the human velops the silence. cause each of them has created his own a fresh context in space. voice. Every change of direction of the bag version of this piece with and by Rebecca is minutely controlled; opening the bag is Sylvia Wendrock Saunders. She wanted to let the very weight Rebecca Saunders is very interested in accompanied by fast, rhythmic changes of of the sounds become palpable, to visual- the sculptural and spatial characteristics register, its closing by the human voice. It Translated from German by ise the fallibility of the physical body behind of organised sounds. This can also be dis- recites a fragment from Molly Bloom’s inner Dr Vera Neuroth 4 5 Klangforum Wien Open-minded, virtuosic in performance and tivals in Europe, America and Asia. In a mu- aurally perceptive, Klangforum Wien – one tually rewarding collaboration with many of of the internationally most renowned en- the world’s leading composers, the ensem- sembles for contemporary music – devotes ble has formed a great number of formative itself to the artistic interpretation and ex- artistic friendships. Since 2009, the mu- pansion of experiential space. A perfor- sicians of Klangforum Wien have devoted mance of Klangforum Wien is an event in themselves to sharing their comprehensive the best sense of the word; it offers a sen- mastery of playing techniques and forms of sual experience, immediate and inescap- expression with a new generation of artists able; and the novelty in its music speaks, in the context of their collective professor- acts and beguiles. ship at the University of Music, Graz. Ever since it was founded by Beat Furrer in Klangforum Wien is made up of 23 musi- 1985, the ensemble – which, over the years, cians from Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, has received a great number of awards and Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Austria, Swe- distinctions – has written music history: It den, Switzerland and the United States. has presented around 600 world premières At the start of the 2018/19 season, Bas of works by composers from four conti- Wiegers was appointed First Guest Con- nents; it boasts an extensive discography ductor, taking over from Sylvain Cambreling of more than 90 releases, appearing at the who, however, has maintained a close re- most important concert and opera venues, lationship with the ensemble as its First but also in the context of young, commit- Guest Conductor Emeritus. ted initiatives, and at the major music fes- 7 Rebecca Saunders With her distinctive and intensely striking sonic language, Berlin-based British composer Rebecca Saunders (b. 1967) is a leading international representative of her generation. Born in London, she studied composition with Nigel Osborne in Edin- burgh and Wolfgang Rihm in Karlsruhe. Saunders pursues an intense interest in the sculptural and spatial properties of organised sound. chroma I – XX ( 2003–2017 ), Stasis and Stasis Kollektiv ( 2011/16 ) are expanding spatial collages of up to twen- ty-fi ve chamber groups and sound sources set in radically diff erent architectural spaces. insideout, a 90-minute collage for a cho- reographed installation, created in collaboration with Sasha Waltz, was her fi rst work for the stage and received over 100 international performances. Most recently in 2017, Yes, an expansive 80-minute spatial installation composition, was written for Musik- fabrik, Donatienne Michel-Dansac and Enno Poppe for the extraordinary architectural spaces of the Berlin Philharmonie and © Astrid Ackermann © Astrid the St. Eustache Cathedral in Paris. 8 9 Since 2013, Saunders has written a se- Saunders’ music has been performed and sic. In 2015, Saunders received the Hans ries of solos and duos for performers with premiered by many prestigious ensembles, und Gertrud Zender Foundation Prize and whom she has collaborated closely over soloists and orchestras including Ensem- the prestigious Mauricio Kagel Music Preis. many years, including Bite ( 2016 ) for bass ble Musikfabrik, Klangforum Wien, Ensem- Accordionist Teo Anzellotti’s CD, …of waters flute, Aether ( 2016 ) for bass clarinet duo, ble Modern, Quatuor Diotima, Ensemble Dal making moan, which included Saunders’ dust ( 2017/18 ) for percussion, O ( 2017 ) for Niente, Asko|Schönberg, the Arditti Quar- eponymous work, won the German Record soprano, hauch ( 2018 ) for violin, and Flesh tet, Ensemble Resonanz, Ensemble Recher- Critics’ Award of the Year for 2016. ( 2017/18 ) for accordion. She has simultane- che, ICE, the Neue Vocalsolisten, Ensemble ously pursued her keen interest in works in Remix, SWRSO, WDRSO and the BBCSO, Saunders is in great demand as a composi- the concertante form, writing a double per- amongst many others. tion tutor and teaches regularly at, amongst cussion concerto Void ( 2014 ), a trumpet others, the Darmstadt Summer Courses concerto Alba ( 2015 ), and both Skin ( 2016 ) Her compositions have been recognised and at the Impuls Academy in Graz. She was and Yes ( 2017 ) for soprano and large en- with numerous international prestigious professor of composition at the Hannover semble. Alba and Void marked the close of awards, including the 2019 Ernst von University of Music, Theatre and Media. She a triptych of works which also includes the Siemens Music Prize ( following one of the lives in Berlin and is a member of the Berlin violin concerto Still ( 2011 ). In 2016, her ex- Young Composers’ Prizes of the Ernst von Academy of Arts and the Sachsen Academy tended violin concerto Still ( 2011/16 ) was Siemens Music Foundation in 1996 ), the of Arts in Dresden. performed in collaboration with the chore- ARD und BMW musicaviva Prize, the Paul ographer Antonio Rúz, the dancers of Sa- Hindemith Prize, four Royal Philharmon- Saunders’ music has been published by Edi- sha Waltz & Guests, Carolin Widmann, the ic Society Awards ( for Stirrings Still in tion Peters since 1997.

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