Friedrich Cerha

Zwei Szenen ('Wohlstandskonversation' und 'Hinrichtung')

Title
Zwei Szenen ('Wohlstandskonversation' und 'Hinrichtung')
Subtitle
for seven vocalists
Category
Vocal Music
Vokalensemble
Duration
14:00
Number of performers
7
Instrumentation
2 sopranos · 1 mezzo soprano · 1 countertenor · 1 tenor · 1 baritone · 1 bass
Composition year(s)
2011
World premiere
2011-02-11
ECLAT Festival Neue Musik Stuttgart · Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart
Extra title
Auftraggeber: Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart
Commissioner
WDR
Comment of the composer on the work

The composition started with two numbers from my theatre-piece Netzwerk (Network), for which I invented a construed, artificial language, notated in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

“Prosperity Conversation” suggests the image of an infinitely bored society, in which only occasional, short discoveries suddenly excite resistance, which then quickly sinks back into lethargy, monotony and ultimately complete torpor.

By contrast, “Execution” initially features the vain, self-aggrandising figure of the countertenor, juxtaposed with six people, dominating them; their increasingly aggressive behaviour unnerves him more and more, despite his pathetic attempts at self-defence, until he is finally forced to his knees to beg for discernment until only the sound of his groaning is left, before it dwindles to nothingness.

Friedrich Cerha

Publisher