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Introduction by Thea Derks
In modern music circles, Georg Friedrich Haas is regarded as one of the most important composers of our time. However, he is still largely unknown to the general public in the Netherlands, ...
In Solstices a grand piano plays the leading role. It is in the so-called ‘just intonation’, which means that all intervals are microtonal. The ten musicians have to listen intensively to the piano and to each other, to be able to react without any visual support. The piece opens with turbulent, acerbic chords from the piano, intersected with shrill screams of trombone and other wind instruments. The exciting swirls at times evoke the atmosphere of in vain.
After about five minutes Haas shifts to a lower gear. The musicians build harmonies of elongated lines, the piano places loose tones in the space.
This creates a process of in-depth listening, in which we are almost literally sucked into the wonderful microtonal sound world. This reminds us of the minimalist pieces La Monte Young composed in just intonation in the 1970s.
Haas divides Solstices into segments, which he himself considers to be games and which are introduced by the pianist. The other musicians play fragments learned by heart, but are also allowed to improvise. Together they work towards an immense climax. Building on this, they hold on to a chord for almost five minutes towards the end. Then the light gradually returns; the stronger the light, the softer the music, after which it dies out into thin air. .... more
