Towards Paradise (Widmann)

Towards Paradise
(Labyrinth VI)
Trumpet concerto by Jörg Widmann
The composer in 2006
PeriodContemporary
Commissioned by
Composed2021
Published2021 (2021): Mainz
PublisherSchott Music
Duration37:00[1]
Scoringtrumpet and orchestra, percussion
Premiere
Date23 September 2021 (2021-09-23)
LocationGewandhaus, Leipzig
ConductorAndris Nelsons
Performers
Soloist Hardenberger in 2021, News Øresund, Malmö, Sweden

Towards Paradise (Labyrinth VI) is a trumpet concerto by German composer Jörg Widmann. It was composed in 2021 and premiered on 23 September 2021 by soloist Håkan Hardenberger and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Andris Nelsons at Gewandhaus.[1]

Background

Widmann's second trumpet concerto[a] was commissioned by Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Boston Symphony Orchestra.[3] The composition is influenced by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis[b] and the lockdowns enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][3][6][c]

Widmann describes the work:

After my hypertrophic virtuoso concert piece ad absurdum 20 years ago, I now felt the urge to compose a large-scale, angelic lyrical trumpet concerto: Towards Paradise. The trumpet soloist sets off on a labyrinthine journey through a wide spectrum of psychological and tonal zones, also featuring wild and craggy orchestral abysses leading into the open—towards a utopian state of suspension.[1]

The concerto is part six of the Labyrinth (Maze) cycle, started in 2005.[4] The associations in a maze are "search for orientation" and "spatial perception".[7] Labyrinth VI also refers to the labyrinthine difficulties occurring during the process of composing.[8][9]

Labyrinth

Widmann and Hardenberger were in close collaboration, before and during the creation process of the concerto.[10]

Structure

The demanding[2] trumpet concerto is an "epic" large-scale one-movement work.[11][3][12]

The solitary solo trumpet[13] starts playing offstage right side in lowest registers, the hall at the beginning in darkness.[3] The melancholic melody played by the introverted, isolated trumpeter[2][d] can't be located exactly.[3] The soloist enters the stage and takes up contact and dialogue with an orchestral trumpet player.[1][e]

The soloist is embarking on a journey, with confrontative and fragile moments.[2][14] The stage setting provides in total nine solo positions facing different groups of the orchestra.[1][3] The music is varied: melancholy, assertive, mischievous, and reflective.[11] When looking for musical partners, the protagonist is rudely dismissed by the trumpet group.[2]

The sound of the trumpet is modified by following effects:[3][f]

  • player's back to the audience
  • pointing the trumpet bell towards the floor
  • toward the audience
  • mutes[4]

At the end, the light fades out and the soloist leaves the stage on the left side playing a "glimmering, ethereal high E♭", reaching an oasis.[16][2][1]

Instrumentation

Source:[1]

  • Woodwinds: 3 flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (2nd doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet, 3rd doubling contrabass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon)
  • Brass: 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones (3rd doubling bass trombone), tuba
  • Strings: 12 first violins, 10 second violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, 4 double basses
  • Percussion: timpani, percussion (5 players recommended) I. glockenspiel, crotales, xylophone, 2 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, sizzle cymbal, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, metal chimes, ratchet, wood block, waterphone; II. glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, tubular bells, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, Thai gongs, 3 tam-tams, water tam-tam, 2 high Brazilian tambourines, 2 bongos, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, flexatone, guiro; III. tubular bells, 3 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, sizzle cymbal, crash cymbals, Thai gongs, tam-tam, 2 Brazilian tambourines, 2 bongos, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, rain stick; IV. 3 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, sizzle cymbal, Thai gongs, water gong, 3 tam-tams, tambourine, bass drum, metal chimes, ratchet, mounted castanets, 3 temple blocks, metal block (with 2 hammers), rain stick, whip, flexatone; V. 3 tam-tams, ratchet
  • 2 harps, accordion, celesta

The orchestration is characterized by a vast percussion array.[3]

Premiere and Performances

Source:[1]

Soloist: Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet)

As of 2024, the trumpet concerto has been performed 15 times.

Reception

Reviewing the US premiere, The Boston Globe's A.Z. Madonna wrote: "In either case, after 40 minutes in Widmann's labyrinth, paradise was an intermission."[21] Jeffrey Gantz wrote in The Boston Musical Intelligencer: "Birth stage left, death stage right, and in between a lifetime of searching."[12] Kevin Wells in Bachtrack: "labyrinth of textures and layers"[16] Jonathan Blumhofer in Boston Classical Review: "The solo writing is highly virtuosic in register, timbre and articulation." and "Towards Paradise stands as one of the season’s most fascinating and original musical journeys. The audience sensed as much, rewarding Hardenberger with a fervent ovation."[11] Verena Fischer-Zernin (Hamburger Abendblatt): "The applause only breaks out after a delay." ("Erst mit Verzögerung bricht der Applaus los.") and "There is no better way for an audience to express their gratitude." ("Schöner kann ein Publikum seine Dankbarkeit nicht ausdrücken.").[18] Martin Blaumeiser from The New Listener wrote: "One of Widmann's best works".[22]

Films

  • Preuße, Holger (28 May 2023), Im Labyrinth – Der Musiker Jörg Widmann – Die ganze Doku [In the Maze – The Musician Jörg Widmann] (in German), Arte, Aired: 18 June 2023, 23:50[23] Deutscher Kamerapreis [de] (German Camera Prize) 2023[24][25]

The film Im Labyrinth – Der Musiker Jörg Widmann accompanies the composer during the writing of the trumpet concerto from the first drafts to the world premiere.[23]

Notes

  1. ^ Towards Paradise represents a counter-proposal to the first trumpet concerto ad absurdum (2002).[2]
  2. ^ Widmann had visited three Miles Davis concerts.[4][3]
  3. ^ Widmann: "I wanted to counter the sobering reality of the corona pandemic with something utopian."[4]
  4. ^ Similar to Widmann's Viola Concerto (2015).[2]
  5. ^ This sequence reminds of Charles Ives's The Unanswered Question.[12]
  6. ^ Playing positions of Miles Davis.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Towards Paradise (Labyrinth VI)". Schott Music. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Besthorn, Florian Henri (28 February 2023). "Ein Blick des Minotaurus – Zum Wandel des Virtuositätsverständnisses bei Jörg Widmann". In Scharfetter, Nadine; Wozonig, Thomas (eds.). Körper(-lichkeit) in der Musik des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts (in German). transcript Verlag. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-3-8394-5891-4.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kirzinger, Robert (2021). "Towards Paradise (Labyrinth VI), for trumpet and orchestra". BSO. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "Elbphilharmonie Visions, Biennale 2023, Guido Fischer" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Neu gehört: Jörg Widmann". Elbphilharmonie Mediathek (in German). 4 February 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  6. ^ Mischke, Joachim (13 January 2021). "Jörg Widmann: Ich hatte immer zu viele Ideen". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Joerg Widmann". Schott Music. 19 June 1973. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Im Labyrinth – Der Musiker Jörg Widmann". Berlin Producers (in German). 21 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  9. ^ Pieschacón Raphael, Teresa (8 November 2023). "Jörg Widmann im Interview". concerti.de (in German). Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  10. ^ "An American Premiere with Håkan Hardenberger and the BSO". CRB. 18 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Blumhofer, Jonathan (19 November 2021). "Boston Classical Review » Blog Archive » Andris Nelsons celebrates his birthday with BSO in compelling Widmann premiere". Boston Classical Review. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Gantz, Jeffrey (19 November 2021). "Paradise With Trumpets". The Boston Musical Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  13. ^ "London Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Harding". Barbican. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  14. ^ "musica viva: Jörg Widmann". Artelize. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Miles Davis, Jazz Legend and Innovator, Dies at 65 : Music: The trendsetting trumpet player worked in forms ranging from be-bop to 'cool' to rock 'n' roll". Los Angeles Times. 29 September 1991. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  16. ^ a b Wells, Kevin (23 November 2021). "Songs of the self: Hardenberger, Nelsons and the Boston Symphony". Bachtrack. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Widmann's World Premiere". HarrisonParrott. 17 September 2021. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  18. ^ a b Fischer-Zernin, Verena (5 February 2023). "Elbphilharmonie: Überwältigender Klangrausch für das große WDR Sinfonieorchester" [Overwhelming sound intoxication for the very large orchestra]. Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  19. ^ Kettle, Chris (28 March 2024). "Hardenberger peerless in Widmann's Towards Paradise, and a fine Mahler Fifth from Harding and the LSO – Seen and Heard International". Seen and Heard International. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Blicke in eine bessere Welt mit Mendelssohn und Widmann". NDR.de (in German). 6 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  21. ^ A.Z. Madonna (19 November 2021). "Andris Nelsons, BSO, and Håkan Hardenberger offer an evening that was extra and then some". BostonGlobe.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  22. ^ Blaumeiser, Martin (4 July 2024). "Jörg Widmann überzeugt bei der musica viva in Dreifachfunktion". The New Listener (in German). Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b "In the Maze – The Musician Jörg Widmann". IMZ International Music + Media Centre. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Deutscher Kamerapreis für BR-Koproduktion: "Im Labyrinth – Der Musiker Jörg Widmann"". BR-Klassik (in German). 30 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Medienpreise 2023 Der Bayerische Rundfunk hat gewonnen!". BR.de (in German). 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

Further reading