related works

The Lost Border Dances : for double string quartet and electronics / Yannis Kyriakides

Genre: Multimedia
Subgenre: Mixed ensemble (2-12 players) with multimedia
Scoring: 4vln 2vla 2vc tape

Improperia : voor contralto solo, dubbel gemengd koor en instrumenten / Karel Goeyvaerts

Genre: Vocal music
Subgenre: Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring: contralto 2SATB fl ob/ca cl timp vla vc

Cantico di Frate Sole : for mixed choir and violoncello / Luc Van Hove; text Francesco d'Assisi

Genre: Vocal music
Subgenre: Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring: GK4 vc

Koude teratologie : voor kamerkoor, piano en slagwerk, opus 4, 1962-1963 / op teksten uit 'Een winter aan zee' van A. Roland Holst, Jos Kunst

Genre: Vocal music
Subgenre: Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring: GK4 pf 2perc

composition

Ein Schemen (A Recomposition of Ein Deutsches Requiem) : for harp, electronics and choir / Yannis Kyriakides

Author(s):
Brahms, Johannes (On a theme by)
Kyriakides, Yannis (Composer)
Description:
This composition is a reworking of Ein Deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms. The seven movements, which flow seemlessly from one another, are each based on the corresponding movement from the original Brahms Requiem. The music focuses on a small number of elements from the original material and stretches it out into a landscape. Time is suspended and the listener can navigate in the space, moving through traces of Brahms. The music of the harp which frames the choir parts, is an encoding of the original texts from the Requiem. It creates a perspective on the static flow of the choir and electronic parts which changes gradually through the piece.
The title of this recomposition is a quote from a line in part III: ' Sie gehen daher wie ein Schemen.' 'Ein Schemen' is an old German word for shadow or apparition, probably derived from the Latin word 'Schema'. I find it an apt word to use in this context because it reflects the nature of this piece. It is both about the connection of the living to the dead, and at the same time, it says something about the relation of this piece to the original work of Brahms. It is composed in its shadow and it is permeated by his notes as ghostly presences.
Yannis Kyriakides