Burleske Szenen
| finished | 24 August 1999 |
| dedication | Susy Ulbricht |
| movements | 1. »Ouverture«: Schnell – 2. »Danse«: Andante, Poco rustico – 3. »Nocturne«: Langsam – 4. »Finale«: ziemlich schnell |
| duration | 2:30 min – 2:20 min. – 3:00 min. – 2:30 min. |
| first performance | 6 November 2000 in the small hall of the Konzerthaus in Berlin |
| published at | Vogt & Fritz |
| recording | Ariane Lorch |
The title of the piece refers to its musical language: it moves between somewhat tonal sections and more free ones, that sometimes touch atonality.
The first movement uses an eight-tone scale formed of alternating semitone and whole tone steps. The prominent opening motive appears in many forms. In the middle section there is a calm melody that shows nicely the play with three voices on the mandola.
The second movement is a rustic dance. It works with full chords in the more tonal areas of harmony. The trio contrasts heavily, it uses mainly chromatic sequences that have a very exciting effect in piano.
The third movement with a chromatis scale descending. Then more and more notes are omitted, so that the results are first the diatonic, then the pentatonic scale. Four tones remain at the end and form the coda in ascending direction.
The final movement consists of five parts. The main parts uses a similar scale to the one in the first movement. The middle section shows various pentatonic scales. The movement is specially rhytmical interesting due to its many changes of time.
In 2000 the “Burleske Szenen” won the second prize in the competition “Jugend komponiert” (Youth composes).
Mandala
| finished | 24 September 2000 |
| dedication | Ariane Lorch |
| movements | 1. Frei, sehr langsam – 2. Lebhaft – 3. Leidenschaftlich bewegt – 4. Immer dasselbe Tempo |
| duration | 2:15 min – 2:10 min. – 2:15 min. – 1:40 min. |
| first performance | 6 November 2001 im Curt-Sachs-Saal des Musikinstrumentenmuseums Berlin |
| published at | – |
Mandalas (Sanskrit: “circle”) are pictorial or abstract illustrations used as meditation exercises in Tantrism.
“Mandala” is based on two contrasting dodecaphonic rows. The first movement exposes the first one, that moves downward in small intervals; the second movement shows the second row with a volatile character due to its fourths and tritones.
In the third movement both rows meet each other, which leads to dramatic break-outs.
In the fourth movement the rows learn to accept one another, so that their symbiosis results in a peaceful coexistence on an almost unhearable meta-level of music…
In 2001 “Mandala” won the first prize in the competition “Jugend komponiert” (Youth composes).
Miniaturen
| finished | 3 December 1997 |
| dedication | – |
| movements | 1. Prélude – 2. Sérénade – 3. Marche russe – 4. Elégie – 5. Cadence – 6. Toccata |
| duration | approx. 7:40 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
The first movement consists of two parts, the second of which is a varied and enriched version of the first one. Free tonal music with many chords, that breaks down into runs of semiquavers. These passages lead back to the note D which has opened the movement.
The second movement is a free prelude. Its arpeggio figure has a constant rhythm and only changes harmonically.
In the third movement a pentatonic melody meets a semiquaver impulse of the notes G-G sharp-A sharp. That leads to very interesting harmonic and rhythmic combinations.
The fourth movement has a parabola form and develops from parallel fourths a tritone motif. A lot of chords, flageolets and pianissimo tremolo form a misterious mood.
The fifth movement consisty mostly of different kinds of semiquaver runs. Towards the end the Shoatskovich monogram D-E flat-C-B (D–Es–C–H in German notation) appears.
The main section of the sixth movement offers note repetitions, sforzati and a quint motive, while the middle section reminds of the first movement and shows less tonal elements.
Sonata
| finished | 29 June 2007 |
| dedication | – |
| movements | 1. Allegro – 2. Sostenuto. Andante con variazioni – 3. Vivo |
| duration | 3:00 min – 4:30 min. – 2:15 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | Joachim-Trekel-Musikverlag |
The “Sonata” for mandola solo was written in 2006 and 2007. The piece tries to combine a catchy style appealing for the audience with the performer’s natural joy of playing. To achieve this the classical sonata form comes alive by use of syncopated rhythms, jazzy chords and effective mandoline techniques. Albeit written very mandoline-like, the piece is technically and conditionally demanding. The “Sonata” can be performed on both mandola and mandoline.