EMERGED FROM NOTHINGNESS
Instrumentation:
| Flute 1 | Trombone 1 |
| Flute 2 / Piccolo | Trombone 2 |
| Oboe 1 | Bass Trombone |
| Oboe 2 / Englishhorn | Tuba |
| Clarinet in Bb 1 / Clarinet in Eb | |
| Clarinet in Bb 2 / Bass Clarinet | Timpani |
| Bassoon 1 | Percussion I/II/III |
| Bassoon 2 / Contrabassoon | Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Shaker, Tambourine |
| Sus. Cymbal, Piatti, Tam-Tam, Triangle, Anvil | |
| F Horn 1 | Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Xylophone |
| F Horn 2 | |
| F Horn 3 | Harp |
| F Horn 4 | |
| Bb Trumpet 1 | Violin I |
| Bb Trumpet 2 | Violin II |
| Viola | |
| Violoncello | |
| Contrabass |
Duration: ~15:00
This piece was commissioned by Baden-Baden Philharmonics and will be premiered in Sainte-Mère-Église(at Utah Beach to be precise) in a concert that honores both the success of D-Day and the ever-evolving German-French relationship.
There are many unbelievable stories that came to light after World War II ended. This piece was inspired by one of them, the story of John Steele, a paratrooper of the Allied forces. Steele was part of the landing operation on D-Day. His story is so unique, that to this day he is remembered in the form of a memorial hanging at the church of Sainte-Mère-Église.
I wanted to both portray the emotions of Steele before and during his jump off the plane, reflect on the horrors of war but also, and more prominently, shine a light on what happened after the war ended. The sadness, the grief, the pain but also the slowly emerging optimism and the ultimate revival of humanity that, even in the most difficult of times, would prevail.
Upcoming Performances:
| 30.06.2023 |
Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Heiko Förster |
Sainte-Mère-Église (FR) Musée de Débarquement |