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Schubert’s Octet, composed in 1824, is a truly singular work: scored for five strings and three winds, it oscillates between the character of a divertimento and that of a profound, highly personal chamber music utterance, and lasts for approximately an hour. It is therefore not surprising that it served as an inspiration for other works using the same instrumentation. Texture by Toshio Hosokawa, one of Japan’s most important contemporary composers, was commissioned by the Philharmonisches Oktett Berlin and written in 2020. And Hans Abrahamsen’s arrangement of Schubert’s Moment musicaux also owes its inspiration to the unique sound of the Octet, D 803. Before, between and after the works, projections of selected pictures by Quint Buchholz, known for his dreamlike, touching book illustrations, will open up additional associative spaces.
Schubert’s Octet, composed in 1824, is a truly singular work: scored for five strings and three winds, it oscillates between the character of a divertimento and that of a profound, highly personal chamber music utterance, and lasts for approximately an hour. It is therefore not surprising that it served as an inspiration for other works using the same instrumentation. Texture by Toshio Hosokawa, one of Japan’s most important contemporary composers, was commissioned by the Philharmonisches Oktett Berlin and written in 2020. And Hans Abrahamsen’s arrangement of Schubert’s Moment musicaux also owes its inspiration to the unique sound of the Octet, D 803. Before, between and after the works, projections of selected pictures by Quint Buchholz, known for his dreamlike, touching book illustrations, will open up additional associative spaces.
Ten winners of the Bavarian Young Composers’ Competition, in interaction with the BRSO, have developed miniature solo pieces, each for a single instrument. Together with the orchestra members, the young composers explore the rich technical and timbral possibilities of their respective instrument. The miniatures will be played by members of the BRSO in the orchestra’s colourful concert format “Watch This Space”.