UNNA & NUUK

In autumn 2005 Rechberger produced together with the TEMPO MUSIC DESIGN the soundtrack to the movie UNNA & NUUK. Over a hundred ethnic instruments, drums, strings, throat singinging and strings create a unique soundscape to this shamanistic story. Nominated in 2007 for the best music in Finnish films (Jussi-ehdokas)

DAS OPERNSCHIFF

An opera for children after the libretto by Elke Heidenreichs "Am Südpol denkt man ist es heiß" won the 3rd prize in a composers contest arranged by the Opera Köln The score was chosen out of 37 entries.The 1st prize went to Germany, the 2nd prize to Austria.

SYMPHONY no. 3 ready

Called "Slavijanka" begins with an orthodox hymn, but developes into a cascade of sound colours and reminiscences of a slavonic soundscape. The work in two movements has a duration of 29 minutes and is scored for 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, harp & celesta, 4 percussionists and strings.The 3rd symphony is published by Fennica-Gehrman

TOBÁ HANYÉ AMONG THE 5 FINALISTS IN ST. PÖLTEN

Herman Rechberger is one of the finalists at the Zeitklang composition competition in Austria. The main aim of the competition organized by Niederösterreichishes Tonkünstlerorchester is to get new, interesting repertoire with strong rhythmic emphasis and in which contemporary music is combined with dance. Rechberger and four other finalists (two from Italy, one from Germany and one from Great Britain) were selected from 68 European entries. Rechberger's orchestral piece 'Tobá hanyé' (2004) is subtitled as "a tribute to the MAHI-tribe - Music for a ritual', and it is based on West-African Mahi language text and music. The chamber orchestra performs with an ensemble consisting of e.g. electronic guitar, alto saxophone and soprano soloist. Tobá hanyé' clearly reflects the esthetics Rechberger has been using in his works during the latest years. His life-long interest in languages and different cultures could be described as a highly individual and personal 'world music' in the confines of contemporary music. His latest works include pieces influenced by Arab ('Kahraba' cello concerto, 1996; 'Assahra', 1997/2000, for three accordions) as well as Turkish cultures ('Karadeniz', 1997, for three accordions; ballet 'Gobustan Rhythms', 2002, after Azeri poems and music). The jury consisting of wellknown composers gave the 1st prize of honour to the TOBÁ HANYÉ, after a concert performance of the five finalist s works. TOBÁ HANYÉ received also the prize of the public.

A book on Oriental rhythm

Herman Rechberger's second, revised edition book about The Rhythm in Arabian Music is now ready. It contains explanations, tables of rhythms in poetry and a listing with explanations of about 400 rhythmic cycles and patterns from classical to modern Arabian music. The second edition contains also a section on Turkish rhythms. The examples are written in Western notation, drummer's spelling and pulse-notation. The book is written in English and all terms are also presented in Arabic. Large indexes in English and Arabic as well as an English-Arabic glossary will help the user to find the items. A short version of the book (without Arabic script and musical notation) is presented in connection with this home page (click here). The book on Oriental rhythm is NOW PUBLISHED by FENNICA GEHRMAN FINLAND

...and from the editor

A large number of works are now finally published by Fennica-Gehrman-Finland, including VENEZIA, 1st and 2nd SYMPHONY, Clarinet concerto ALOVLAR, Double-violin concerto GIZA, Accordion works and others

AFRICA

Herman Rechberger visited Benin twice as a stipendiate sponsored by Villa Karo, which is a Fenno-african cultural centre in Grand-Popo, at the southcoast of Benin. The first visit took place in spring 2003, when the composer made aquaintace with local musicians and the fascinating language Mina (or Geng-be). Out of this experience he wrote a poem called "Voix des ancêtres" origially in French. Having it translated into German, English and - of course - Mina (a local language, related to Ewe, spoken in Togo and Ghana) he scored it for altosinger, 2 narrators, 3 flutes, 2 percussionists and 2 bass clarinets. During two months, Rechberger also studied exiensively african percussion and analysed the a geat number of local rhythms, including the very special patterns of voodoo rituals. The second visit took place in spring 2004, this time for three months. The composer deepened his studies in Djembe playing and other african percussion with his teacher Noël, who formed a fantastic group of agogos (gons) and drums called "Gongjazz". Another big project was the creation of a grammarbook and a multidirectional dictionary (Gen-gbe-Finnish-English-French) including over 1500 words in Mina. This work was very much appreciated by the local authorities, teachers and other people working in education. Why suddenly a language book by a composer??? Well, Gen-gbe is a very musical (tonal) and poetical language. He also started to compose the orchestral work TOBÁ HANYÉ, which he finished in autumn 2004. The work took part in a composers competition in St. Pölten, Austria (ZEITKLANG) and was chosen as one of the five finalists out of 68 scores. The final decision on the order of the winning composers will be made after a concert in March 5. 2005.

New work for percussion ensemble and darabuka solo

As a result of this previous research, Rechberger has written an extensiv percussion work, dedicated to the Finnish BREATH-ensemble. It is called Zinjîr (chains) and is actually based on a large number of oriental rhythmic patterns, mainly in the solo part.

Karadeniz on CD!

The work Karadeniz for accordion trio has been recorded on CD (ALBA ABCD 140). Karadeniz had its first performance at the Tampere Biennale 3.4.1998 by the accordion trio FRATRES and has been performed since that in numerous concerts of this outstanding trio. The new CD contains compositions of the finnish composers Juhani Nuorvala, Jukka Tiensuu and Kimmo Hakola.

Two new symphonies

The 1st Symphony, FROM DUSK TO DAWN is exposing musical styles and techniques from Azerbaidjani music. The 2ndSymphony, HAWWA, includes 3 vocalists (soprano, alto, baritone) and deals with poems by the Sufi-poet NESIMI

Working with puppets

A new cooperation has been born between the Azerbaidzani stage director KAMRAN SHAHMARDAN and the composer HERMAN RECHBERGER. The first production, a synthesis of puppets, actors and music, called THE SONG OF KAMENGO (Kamengon laulu) has been performed in Imatra, Finland. The spectacle was received by the audience and the critics with enthusiasm.

In spring 2004 a new version of Hamlet with puppets and actors by the same stage director has been performed over 30 times at the Imatra Theatre. The music has been written for orchestra and historical instruments, but for practical reasons it was heard from CD during the performance.

THE SHAMAN and LOVE-SCENE

In summer 2004 a new production was released: CLASSICAL FOOTBALL. This is a combination of 2 men-high puppet-football-players accompanied by a collage of most wellknown opera . CLASSIC FOOTBALL was performed twice at the 27th International Puppet Festival in Mistelbach, Austria 2005 as well at the Finnish Embassy in Vienna.

OOP!

The Finnish National Oper has commissioned an opera for school performance. This is a new pilot project. The libretto of this 20 minutes stage drama with the name Black Sabbath (Noitasapatti) was written by Ilpo Tiihonen. The educational purpose is, to give school children the oppurtunity to work together with professional opera singers and get aquainted with the process of an opera production. During six weeks the school teacher rehearses with his/her pupils their part of the production. After this period the opera crew (one musician-synthesizer player, mezzo-soprano, baritone, stage director) meets the school group and put together the whole production. The school children are asked to make their own instruments. The dresses are provided by the National Opera. This co-production with the cities of Helsinki, Turku and Savonlinna has been until now (from spring 2000 to spring 2004) performed almost in 100 different schools throughout Finland. See also OPERAS

Work for 12 clarinets

The piece is called NEFES and has been commissioned by the Jyväskylä Clarinet Society. It is scored for 12 clarinets (2 Eb- and 5 Bb-clarinets, 2 bassetthorns, 2 bassclarinets and contrabass-clarinet). NEFES is a turco-arabic word and means Breeze. First performance in September 2003 in Lahti.

Commission from the Brucknerhaus in Linz/Austria

An orchestrawork has been commissioned for the opening of the Brucknerfestival in September 2003 in Linz. The work is called ...VIERZEHN! (14) and is based on several numerologic events and coincidences in the live of the composer. First performance on 14.9.2003 by the Bruckner-Orchestra Linz, cond. Denis-Russel Davies

GREETINGS FROM AZERBAIDJAN

The composer spent 10 days in Azerbaidjan. This caused a tremendous inspiration and the result is a composition for solo clarinet, string quartet, daff-framdrums and string orchestra. The work called ALOVLAR involves oriental style clarinet playing techniques and the scale material is drawn from several azerbaidjani styles, such as Tesnif, Reng, mugam-humayun, raqs and ashiq. The function of the string quartet is to symbolize a kemancha-ensemble. There is also a solo part for bass clarinet available. The first performance took place in August 2003, during the Crusell-week in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The solo was performed by the famous clarinetist Mikko Raasakka. Osmo Vänska conducted the Sinfionia Lahti.

VIA SONORA - an Installation project

The castle of Grafenegg in Lower Austria (near Krems, owned by the Metternich family) has commisioned a series of installations for the trees in the castle's large park. These Sound sculptures can be seen and heard from May 1st 2002 on. The Installation Project consists of 5 large sonic sculptures made of metal, wood, ceramics and glass (Grafenegger Gläut 1 - Grafenegger Gläut 2 - Klangkäfig - Vellikello - Tempus fugit). They all are hanging from large, very old trees. Originally there where 7 installations, but heavy storms and other nature forces have destroyed two of them!. In the same year there was an extended focus on mainly Finnish Art (Music and Painting) but also other Scandinavian countries took part. Under the guest performers from Finland were be amongst others, The Lahti Symphonic Orchestra and The Tempera String Quartet and the Fratres Accordion Trio playing Rechberger's ASSAHRA'

AZERBAIDJAN... ONCE AGAIN!

A second fruitful visit to Baku took place in November 2001. During his visit, the composer met various musicians and musical institutions, amongst others the State Academy of Music and the Bül-Bül music school, for which he composed to songs to poems by Tshingiz Alioglu (One of the most famous poets of Azerbaidjan, who also translated parts of the finnish epos Kalevala into Azeri). His tremendously powerful poem RHYTHMS OF GOBUSTAN is the base for a new composition (intended as a ballet) for rezitation, instrumental solos (flute, saxophon, electric guitar, electric bass, cello) 2 trombones, 4 percussion players and string orchestra. If you want to know more about Gobustan (South of Baku) with its estonishing, history visit http://www.travel-images.com/az-gobustan.html .The last two pictures represent possibly the oldest preserved musical instruments, stone tambourines, which are still sounding today.

Herman Rechberger has also organized the music part of an Azerbaidjani cultural festival (including film) with the aim of developing the cultural bridge between Finland and Azerbaidjan. The festival has taken place in Helsinki in the Easter week 2002.

DER WUNSCHPUNSCH/ THE NIGHT OF THE WISHES

see the opera

FIRST FINNISH PERFORMANCE OF TOBÁ HANYÉ IN TAMPERE

A renewed version of Tobá Hanyé was performed at the Tampere Hall in Finland at the 20th Tampere Biennale (7.4.2006) under the leading of Rolf Gupta from Norway.

This new version has an added Djémbe and Udu solo-part. Tobá Hanyé got a stormy applause from the concert audience and was broadcasted life on the Finnish Radio.

LA PIEDRA DE DON

Don Quijote by Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra is the second most read book of human literature. What is it, that attracts us to this "Errand Knight Of Sad Countenance? Maybe because in all of us lives a little Quijote, a romantic errand knight, who dreams of the past, or as we use to say "the good old times"), a fighter against invisible and giant windmills of bureaucracy. Do we not all have sometimes a Sancho Panza beside us in everyday's life, who does not understand at all, what we are dreaming about, what we are fighting against. n a neo-liberal world of economic idols, where white lies are the significant profile of managers and politicians, is such a figure, swimming against the main stream of high value. As a model for this work I took a man, who was for his contemporaries nothing else than a "fool", but whom should be forgiven after his dead. La piedra de Don (The tombstone of Don Quijote) is a scenic musical play. Three women gather around a fictional tombstone, paying their tribute to the errand knight, who was during his lifetime driven to seek adventures, last not least by madness of love. Through his actions, his beloved Dulcinea de Toboso becomes even more beautiful. But we meet also other figures, such as dance from a pre-Cervantian era, Rocinante and El Cid's famous horse Babieca, Señor Luis Milán, Señor Diego Ortiz, all embedded into poems by Federico García Lorca, Nazim Hîkmet, Cira Andrés, Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra and traditional Canto Jondo. Let this piece of music be a tribute to an ununderstood hero, who surely deserves a tombstone with a golden inscription. La piedra de Don is scored for three female singers (SS & MS), for a recorder player (piccolo, descant, treble, tenor), a guitar player with several instruments, (barock-guitar, classical guitar and if possible, flamenco-guitar), a treble viol and a bass viol. The singers have also to play the following instruments: tambourine, sistrum, handclapping, coconut shells, vibraslap, frame drums, cabasa. The work has been commissioned by the ensemble HI!BAROQUE of the Helsinki Conservatory STADIA. The first performance will take place in the Helsinki Conservatory on 26.2.2008

...à roue in Australia

The Finnish composer and viola player MAX SAVIKANGAS will give a first performance of Rechberger's solo piece "....à roue" on 3rd July 2007 at The 35th International Viola Congress, Adelaide, South Australia, University of Adelaide. Later this year the work will be also performed in Finland.

NEW COMMISSIONS

A piece for ambience sounds and instruments has been commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the Swedish Music School of the town of Vantaa, Finland.

Recently finished works

SYMPHONY no. 4 (Kaba). KABA means an improvised piece in the Albanian folk music tradition. The Kaba is Albania's distinctive version of a powerful recitative like instrumental form of vast territorial extent. Possibly originating in Persia, this musical form extends eastwards as far as Tibet and Cambodia (and westwards) to Albania and Algeria. In this Symphony a spectral drone runs through the instrumental sections as a fundament to improvisatoric melodic structures and fragments. The percussion sections emphazises the dramatic lament in certain places with momentary rhythmic outbursts.

LUMEN & OSCURA is a piece for 10 Instruments and has been commisioned by the Finnish Kalevala Socienty. This is part of a large project, involving 10 different composers and 10 painters. The works will be recorded in 2008. The first performance takes place in 2009. Lumen & oscura (Light and Dark) is inspired by the runes 45 through 49 of the Finnish National epos Kalevala. In 45, Louhi, hostess of Nordland, sends nine diseases to the people of Kaleva. Väinemöinen, the great singer and sorcerer rejects them with his spells. In 46, Louhi sends a bear to destroy the harvest of the Kaleva people, the bear is hunted down, but he is a sacred animal after all. After an extensive feast, in which he is begged for forgiveness, he is eaten and his bones are returned to the forest. In 47 Louhi steals the Sun and the Moon as well as the Fire from the Kaleva people. Ukko, the first of all creators, gives a new fire to the Kaleva people, but it escapes and causes large damage and desaster. Finally it falls in a large lake and is swallowed by a large fish. Rune 48 deals with the weaving of a large net and the capture of the fish. In 49, the blacksmith Ilmarinen tries to forge a new Moon ans a new Sun from gold and silver, but they won't shine. Väinemöinen travels to the North and tries to get the Sun and the Moon back. He fails. They are locked into a bug rock. Ilmarinen forges keys and other items. Louhi turns into a bird and visits Ilmarinen's workshop. Finally she is scared about Ilmarinen,s threats and the consequences of her theft, and she releases the celestial pieces to where they belong to, into the sky.

7 CAT SONGS between Christmas eve 2007 and 4.1. 2008 I wrote these songs, inspired by and dedicated to my hairy lovely companions TOSCA and CARMEN.