CHORAL and SEHNSUCHT

CHORAL

The theme was written for the late “Jazz Pope” Joachim Ernst Berendt, on the occasion of his 75th birthday. It has now become a brass choral in this version with orchestra. CHORAL has been played as a trio with Arild Andersen and Patrice Héral and myself in many concerts, usually being followed by a rhythmically intense bass improvisation. This is the case here too – after the brass intro, double bass and drums begin, but the trombones soon join in with a ‘riff’, followed by the trumpets and strings. Room for rhythmic, fiery bass-drums improvisations.
Following this, the solo trumpet plays a second theme in a triplet rhythm together with the strings before continuing the improvisation. The piece ends with the ostinato bass-percussion figure which introduced the bass improvisation earlier on. Only a static sound in the violins and basses remains, leading into…

SEHNSUCHT (Longing)

The passacaglia-type theme of this piece suddenly occurred to me. I was looking for a touching melody, something that didn’t scream and shout. The title SEHNSUCHT describes the feeling I have myself when I hear the theme.
The piece develops slowly. This time it is the woodwinds that begin, accompanied by sensitive bass improvisations. The solo flugelhorn then, for a short time, leads to a first melodic theme, livening the atmosphere. It then plays a second theme, before increasing the tension in a fairly long improvisation which ends in a spirited passage for the whole orchestra in unison.
The climax is a drum solo fired on by short interjections from the orchestra. The solo flugelhorn then calms the music down in reverse order, presenting the shortened second theme followed by the first. The piece ends as it started, with longing passacaglia lines in the woodwinds, entwined with delicate improvisations from the solo instruments.
Many thanks go to my friends and colleagues, the great bassist Arild Andersen and the always lively, inventive percussionist Patrice Héral. It has been an honour to share some exciting times together. I also thank the Bergische Symphoniker under Romely Pfund for commissioning the works and playing two beautiful first performances in 2002. Many performances followed in Germany, Estonia, Switzerland and Norway.

  • Markus Stockhausen
  • Arild Andersen
  • Patrice Héral

A third composition, SONNENAUFGANG, written in 2004, completed CHORAL and SEHNSUCHT and in all following concerts preceeded them. The duration of all three works is about 45 min.

We have produced a double CD from the live recording of a concert in 2008 with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, conducted by Christoph Poppen with the title Symphonic Colours (Aktivraum 2009).

CHORAL (2002)

for jazz trio, brass and strings

Instruments:
Solo Trumpet in Bb
Solo Double Bass
Solo Drums
Trumpet in Bb 1/2/3
Trombone 1/2
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Violoncello
Double Bass

Duration: ca. 10 minutes

© copyright 2003 by
Aktivraum Musikverlag
ISMN: M-700233-01-3

SEHNSUCHT (2002)

for jazz trio and orchestra

Instruments:
Solo Flugelhorn in Bb
Solo Double Bass
Solo Drums
Flute 1/2/3
Oboe
Clarinet in Bb 1/2
Bassoon
Horn in F 1/2/3/4
Trumpet in Bb 1/2/3
Trombone 1/2
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Vibraphone
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Violoncello
Double Bass

Duration: ca. 15 minutes

© copyright 2003 by
Aktivraum Musikverlag
ISMN: M-700233-02-02

Choral and Sehnsucht are to be played in sequence.



Reviews:

“Dream music takes ears and hearts by storm: The audience [was] torn from their seats, with rapturous bravos and cheers, and moved to ten-minute ovations.” Remscheider Generalanzeiger 22.03.2003

“In the equally interesting pieces Choral and Sehnsucht, Stockhausen succeeded in composing an organic and faultless development of the Bruckner-like choral melody. The arrangement for brass instruments was excellent, the double bass and drum solos breathtaking. It seemed here as if Stockhausen’s trumpet provided a conciliatory harmonic resolution of the musical tension. Stockhausen’s compositions are all ingeniously arranged. They make full use of all timbres and broad textures.” Reiner Henn, April 2008

„It was an impressive performance and one that was awarded with thunderous applause. The trio MAP consisting of the composer (trumpets), Arild Andersen (bass) and Patrice Heran (drums), proved themselves to be the ideal interpreters of such a technically demanding composition, with each of the soloists being given ample opportunity to prove his skills. Stockhausen won over his listeners with a convincing command of his instruments. […] he managed to achieve a skillful synthesis of symphonic and jazz music […] the solo trio sent out a powerful drive which seemed to motivate the orchestra. Stockhausen shone with the high Bach trumpet, the muted trumpet and the flugelhorn in breathtaking solos. The bass player and drummer, however, could hold their own. It was astonishing what they managed to conjure out of their instruments. The enthusiasm of the audience knew no bounds.” (Aargauer Zeitung, 23.3.2004)

2009 - Symphonic Colours

Jazz meets Symphony – Markus Stockhausen is one of the most versatile musicians of our time, being equally at home as trumpeter, improviser and composer, in jazz, contemporary and classical music.

2003 - Sonnenaufgang

for jazz trio and orchestra It was early in the morning on the island La Palma in the Canaries. We were on the highest mountain, 2400 metres above sea level, and the splendour of the stars in the night sky was gradually fading into dawn.