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Program Notes for Später Winter – for wind quartet, accordion, soprano and stereo playback by Nora Hoffmann, ©2003
Spaeter Winter was inspired by the poem by my friend Uli Reik, a young artist who died rather tragically at the age of 23. I wrote the music to explore if and how I could, through my musical work, express and transform my feelings - which had remained stuck in me for many years - about his death.
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Später Winter Bevor ich meine eigenen Unwahrheiten in Stein haue oder in die gefrorene Erde säe: Dein Haus steht am Weltrand. Ich gehe durch seinen leeren Garten. Das Fenster brennt rot. Das Fenster brennt rot! Und weiss ist der Schnee. Soo weiss ist der Schnee. Uli Reik, 1972-1996 |
Late Winter Before I carve my own untruths into stone or sow them into the frozen earth: Your house stands by the world’s edge. I walk through its empty garden. The window burns red. The window burns red! And white is the snow. Soooo white is the snow. Uli Reik, 1972-1996 Translation by Nora Hoffmann |
The breath that permeates the entire piece relates to spirit as the “breath of life,” and also to my friend’s spirit that remains trapped in between worlds as I keep my feelings trapped. The piece reintegrates this spirit into my physical experience, while releasing it to continue on its own in the worlds of its choosing.