related works
Fêtes à tensions: (les) eaux marchent : for 20 players / Luc Brewaeys
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Large ensemble (12 or more players)
Scoring:
fl(picc, fl-a) ob cl cl-b fg h trp trb 2perc hp pf 3vl 2vla 2vc db
Harpzang van koning David : XLI / woorden: J. van den Vondel, [Henk Bijvanck]
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Voice and orchestra
Scoring:
alt/sopr-m 2223 4322 timp perc 2hp str
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Voice and orchestra
Scoring:
sopr-m str
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Voice and orchestra
Scoring:
vn-solo sopr-solo sopr-m-solo picc 2fl 2ob eh 2cl cl-b 2fg cfg 2h 2tpt 2trb tb 3perc pf str
composition
Réquialm : for soprano and chamber orchestra / Luc Brewaeys; text Hans Helms
Other authors:
Helms, Hans
(Text writer/Librettist)
Brewaeys, Luc
(Composer)
Description:
"Réquialm" for soprano and small orchestra was commissioned by deSingel in 1989. The text is an excerpt from the album "Fa:m ' Ahniesgwow" (1959) by the German poet Hans Helms. The work is dedicated to Harry Halbreich. The first performance took place on April 27, 1989 at deSingel in Antwerp with Mireille Capelle, soprano and the New Ensemble of the Gent Conservatory conducted by Roland Coryn. There are four parts : an introduction, Réquialm 1, Arie de Bett and Réquialm 2. The two title parts are (exception made of the start and ending) identical, but number 2 is to be performed quite faster. The introduction is a kind of invention on the note D and its overtones while the soprano (des)articluates the text (as far as one can consider this a real text) with whispering voice. The Arie de Bett is the most important (and longest) part and can be understood as a kind of study about Mahler-gesturing. This part may be performed separately. This was my first vocal work and it was my intention at that time to use the voice for what it's supposed to be used : to sing. My collegue and friend Frank Nuyts sent me this "text" by Helms, because I told him that I needed something where I could feel totally free for a first vocal piece. This "no-nonsense" was exactly what O was looking for. On the other hand there are words which can be interpreted (in different languages), and I have been trying to do something with it. There is not so much to be told about the music, except maybe that it builds further on the esthetic and the tone-colour elements of my previous works. Music finally mainly serves for being listened to...