5th to 8th March 2009

"The image of intersecting spaces"

A Weekend with the Composer Beat Furrer:
Contemporary Music and the Flamenco´s Canto Jondo

The Swiss-born composer and conductor, Beat Furrer, has lived and worked in Austria for many years. "What always preoccupies me is understanding what keeps humans moving so aimlessly that they, as if in a blind fury, separate themselves from nature," says Furrer whilst discussing his attempt to "understand this great transformation that is on the verge of being executed without our understanding".
"It is the perception of space, the image of intersecting spaces," that leads to the correlating density of Furrer’s scores; movements that lead from noise to sound, from the inaudible to fortissimo, from breath to voice. Drawing on musical traditions, the composer, who often uses classical instrumentation, considers it a challenge "to destroy traditions, to gain something new".
That Furrer chose the flamenco as his "affinity" for this festival may surprise at first glance, as this popular Spanish folk music is often exposed to massive commercialization, and not considered particularly non-European. But if one examines its origins, one realizes that, since the Middle Ages, Jewish, African, Moorish, and particularly, in more recent times, "gypsy" music has influenced the development of the various forms of flamenco.
The "cante jondo" (deep song), which is particularly preferred by Furrer, is the music of the "Gitanos" and, in its construction and rhythm, its sad expression and ritual festiveness, is far removed from mere exotic folklore. The "cante jondo", with its sighing way of singing and its completely unsentimental expressiveness, can sound uncanny, strange, but also fascinating to Central Europeans.
In addition to Beat Furrer’s works, a piece by the Spaniard, Mauricio Sotelo, entitled "Krypta for Luigi Nono"” will be performed on the weekend. Sotelo studied in Vienna although his most significant "friend and maestro" was Luigi Nono, who also recommended Sotelo concentrate on flamenco – the "song of the oppressed". For this reason, we have decided to include Nono’s distinctive string quartet in the program.
György Kurtág is another master of terse textures and the music that grows out of silence. After each of the contemporary-music performances by OENM, the stadler quartet, and the Contrechamps Ensemble, as well as chosen Spanish flamenco musicians will perform original "cante jondo".
The University Mozarteum will contribute two exciting concerts with prize-winning, young and highly talented musicians and composers to this first Biennale weekend. These programs will feature contemporary vocal music with references to the overall concept of the Biennale.