BOKEH
| instrumentation | two mandolins |
| finished | 6 September 2010 |
| dedication | Caterina Lichtenberg and Mike Marshall |
| movements | – |
| duration | approx. 4 min. |
| first performance | 7 November in the Bundesmusikakademie Trossingen by Caterina Lichtenberg und Mike Marshall |
| published at | Joachim-Trekel-Musikverlag |
“Bokeh” is a Japanese word meaning “blurry, diffused”. It it used to describe those areas of a photography that are intentionally blurred for artistic reasons.
BOKEH for two mandolins plays with this meaning. Many structures appear, which interfere with each other and make the music sound “blurry”. Motives arise from this, like the motif of a photography stands out against the blurry background.
BOKEH uses pentatonic elements found in Japanese music, and jazzy elements belonging more to the music of America. The borders in between are sometimes sharp, somtimes blurry, which adds yet another meaning to the title.
Canyon
| instrumentation | mandolin and mandola |
| finished | 30 June 2004 |
| dedication | Christian Laier and Takaaki Shibata |
| movements | 1. Vivo. attacca: – 2. Lento. attacca: – 3. Allegro |
| duration | 2:30 min – 2:10 min. – 2:20 min. |
| first performance | 19 September 2004 in the evangelic church in Wickenrode by Christian Laier and Takaaki Shibata |
| published at | Joachim-Trekel-Musikverlag |
| recording | Christian Laier and Takaaki Shibata |
The title refers to the musical language of the piece: the sudden changes of register and dynamics, the unisons and rests are inspired by craggy mountain forms. In between there are more plane sections like the theme of the second movement.
The harmony is based mainly on three elements. 1. tonal chords, freely put next to each other. 2. chromaticism and whole-tone scales. 3. stacks of fifths and tritones.
The first movement starts after a “musical full stop” a chromatic theme that is exposed in unisono and then repeated in each instrument. A second theme follows, free chords played by the mandoline and accompanied by the mandola with a prominent rhythm. Both themes are developed afterwards showing mainly their rhythmical and harmonical dimension. The movement ends after striking enmeshments more quietly with a recapitulation of the second theme.
A lying tone of the mandoline introduces the second movement. A cantilena with a slow harp arpeggio of the mandola appears. The cantilena is repeated less accompanied. Its second repetition divides the melody between both instruments, while the other one adds the missing tones to dodecaphony. A recitative follows and leads to the return of the opening melody. The movement ends with a syncopated flageolet of the mandolin.
The third movement begins turbulently with semiquavers in both instruments. The spirited rondo theme shows a little A major, that disappears quickly to make room for freer chords. The first by-section is a recapitulation of the main theme of the first movement. The rondo theme returns slightly changed. The cantilena of the second movement appears as a second by-theme in a shimmery bitonal version. At the end the rondo theme forms a coda that closes the piece virtuously.
Duetto Mobilé
| instrumentation | flute and guitar |
| finished | 7 August 2000 |
| dedication | Michaela Heberer |
| movements | 1. Mäßig bewegt – 2. Recht zügig – 3. Wiegende Achtel, alla Siciliana – 4. Andante. Heiter, wie ein Tanz – 5. Ruhig |
| duration | 2:40 min – 2:15 min. – 2:30 min. – 2:15 min. – 2:35 min. |
| first performance | 17 June 2001 music school “Leo Spies” in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg with Ariane Zernecke, mandoline (playing the flute part) |
| published at | – |
The opening movement is a moderato in ABA form. The main section refers somehow to C major, while the middle section moves through the whole circle of fifths. An important feature is the uniform accompaniment of the guitar in semiquavers with its many different changing notes.
The second movement is a lively scherzo, also in ABA form. The main part with its off beats and syncopes modulates from A minor to E flat major. The middle section follows, where the dotted rhythms of the flute are accompanied by the arpeggios of the guitar.
In the third movement, a siciliano in the characteristic 6/8 beat, an expressive melody develops while the guitar plays harmonies changing chromatically.
The main section of the fourth movement shows the unusual 7/8 beat. The middle section beginning in F sharp minor is more quiet and produces an elegant mood with its grace notes and inverted mordents.
The final movement is an andante in 3/4 beat, that has an ABA form as well. The main part plays a lot with changes between minor and major chords. In the middle part the guitar comes to the fore and presents a romantic melody that is discreetly accompanied by the flute and then adopted and expanded.
Four love songs after texts of Erich Fried
| instrumentation | soprano, three recorders and guitar |
| finished | 25 October 2007 |
| dedication | Angela Bertus and Mareile Busse |
| movements | 1. Nur nicht – 2. Aber – 3. Erwägung – 4. Was es ist |
| duration | 8 min. |
| first performance | 27 April 2008 in the Magdalenen Church in Berlin-Neukölln |
| published at | – |
The “Four love songs after texts of Erich Fried” originated from a suggestion of my good friends Angela Bertus and Mareile Busse.
The four pieces are based on different harmonic principles to give each song the contemplative, longing or glorifying mood that is described in the poems.
The first song “Nur nicht” often uses the whole tone scale along with diminished and augmented chords. Their use reflects the contrast between fiction and reality in the poem.
The second song “Aber” shows with its various parallels between the different parts the life’s journey of the two individuals and their changing relationship to each other.
In the third song “Erwägung” several sixth, seventh and ninth chords are used. Their shimmering colours reflect the consideration of different alternatives and their irrelevance shown in the text.
The fourth song “Was es ist” focuses with its chords of fourths, fifths and tritones on the ambivalence and fascination of love as the highest human good.
Kleine Machnower Musik
| instrumenation | mandolin, mandola and guitar |
| finished | 26 December 1999 |
| dedication | Eva Frommbach |
| movements | 1. »Die Hohe Kiefer«: Poco allegro – 2. »Das alte Forsthaus«: Andante brokato – 3. »An der Schleuse«: Andante fluente, Allegro giocoso |
| duration | 2:20 min. – 3:50 min. – 3:10 min. |
| first performance | 6 November 2001 in the Curt-Sachs-Hall of the Music Instrument Museum in Berlin |
| published at | – |
This composition focuses on charming melodies, not on strict development techniques, to meet the character of the dedicatee.
The first movement is a fresh allegro where several little themes move between the instruments. At the end after a mandola cadence everything merges into a little cantilena that forms the coda of the movement.
The second movement is characterised by a quiet melody shown in different moods and a polyphon middle section. The cantilene of the first movement enters this intimate mood (a bit extended and a half tone higher) to form a coda slightly ressembling a lullaby.
The third movement consists of a floating andante introduction followed by a bubbly main part. At the end again the cantilena of the first movement (another half tone higher), but this time in its complete form and in a very relaxed and triumphal version.
In 2001 the “Kleine Machnower Musik” won the second prize in the competition “Jugend komponiert” (Youth composes).
Quartet No. 1 C major
“Manfred-Quartett”
| instrumentation | two mandolins, mandola and guitar |
| finished | 17 July 1997 (revised: 2021) |
| dedication | Manfred Schmidt |
| movements | 1. Largo. Allegro – 2. Scherzo. Trio: Meno mosso – 3. Andante – 4. Rondo: Allegro scherzoso |
| duration | approx. 24:00 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
The Quartet No. 1 is a piece that I composed in 1997 on occasion of Manfred Schmidt’s 50-year membership in the Teg’ler Zupforchester (TZO) and his being awarded the honorary membership. Its style is based on the classic/romantic epoch. It was revised in 2021 and has now found its final form.
The first movement begins with a Largo introduction in C minor. A cheerful Allegro follows in sonata form, featuring a songful main theme in C major and a second theme in G major with cheeky dotted rhythms. The development is working with the material more episodically than developing. A regular recapitulation concludes the first movement.
The short second movement is a powerful scherzo In G major. The Trio in D minor presents a calm mandola melody that is varied a few times before the scherzo is repeated.
The third movement is an Andante in A minor. After the introductory bars an expressive cantilena begins and develops into a large forte climax. The middle section in D major is based on the introduction of the first movement. It is the calm anchor of the whole work. The main section returns somewhat shortened and the last bars already hint the theme of the finale.
The fourth movement is a rondo in five parts. The first mandolin introduces the main theme, which is rousingly accompanied by the others. The first couplet is in B flat major. The guitar presents a songful melody while the mandolins add calm syncopation. The music intensifies, chromatic neighbour notes and eighth note runs are introduced and prepare for the return of the rondo theme in E flat major. This is developed in a small fughetta and followed by the second theme, this time in E minor. The rondo theme returns one last time, but suddenly in dark C minor. Only the coda brings back the brightness of C major and finishes the movement with syncopation and jaunty eight note cascades.
Quartet No. 2 E minor
| instrumentation | two mandolins, mandola and guitar |
| finished | 23 December 2019 |
| dedication | Eulenspiegelquartett |
| movements | 1. Moderato – 2. Allegro vivo. Trio: Quasi più tranquillo – 3. Adagio |
| duration | approx. 17 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
The Quartet No. 2 is stylistically based on Dmitri Shostakovich. As in my Concerto No. 3 for mandolin and plucked string orchestra, its musical language is further developed and extended in my own personal manner.
The first movement in 9/8 time in E minor presents a large portion of the entire thematic material already in the first three bars: changes of fourths and fifths and minor seconds. The whizzing second theme contrasts in character, yet focuses on the same intervals. Later both themes experience dramatic outbursts, but finally the movement calms down and ends grimly in E minor with a large ninth.
In the second movement, a B minor Scherzo in 2/4 time, the main theme is accompanied by a chromatically descending line, which is an important construction element here. After a dramatically excited climax the Scherzo ends in major before the simple Trio in 3/4 time follows. The mandolins move mainly in quarters, the mandola occasionally adds eighth notes. These three voices stay mainly in F major while the guitar adds the Scherzo theme – in the original B minor.
The quartet ends with an Adagio in E minor in sonata form, the emotional center of the piece. The main theme is presented calmly in 3/4 time, again consisting mainly on fourths, fifths and minor seconds. The second theme – it had a brief appearance in the Scherzo already – contrasts with dotted rhythms. This movement features strong climactic tension in the development section as well, but here not hectic and excited like in the first movement, but tragic in character. In the recapitulation the dynamics do not go beyond the piano range; the themes are bathed in an enraptured light. In the final bars the mandolins end tremolo on the seventh E–D, while the mandola recaps last motives. The mode is undefined until the bell-like G sharp of the guitar. A positive ending? That remains questionable…
Rapsodie in Gelb
| instrumentation | two mandolins |
| finished | 8 November 2011 |
| dedication | – |
| movements | – |
| duration | 3:20 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | Vogt & Fritz (Aachener Mandolinenbuch Vol. 1) |
The “Rapsodie in Gelb” is a contribution to the Herbert Baumann Composition Competition 2011. It was chosen among other pieces to be published in the Aachener Mandolinenbuch, a collection of easy pieces for mandolin learners.
Romanze
| instrumentation | two guitars |
| finished | 5 July 2022 |
| dedication | Duo Jucorda |
| movements | – |
| duration | 5:40 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
I wrote the “Romanze” for two guitars for the Duo Jucorda. Since the two musicians love to play romantic guitar music, especially the pieces by Johan Kaspar Mertz, I tried to write something in this spirit.
The piece begins with a simple melody in C major, which unfolds in an expressive arc. After a short interlude, where the 2nd guitar takes over the melody part, the opening theme returns in E flat major, with the parts imitating each other canonically.
The middle section is in G major. The theme with its distinctive chromaticism is presented in two voices. When repeated, it is accompanied by triplet figurations in the 2nd guitar. A further intensification leads the theme to C major. Now there are imitations again in both guitars, as well as the accompaniment with broken chords in semiquavers. After a brief fortissimo climax, the music quickly calms down and leads back to the main section.
When it returns, the main theme is presented in A major and in two voices. The 1st guitar plays very tenderly in the highest registers. Only at the end does the music return to C major via a deceptive cadence. A coda with a brief flash of A flat major concludes the “Romanze”.
sarek
| instrumentation | three guitars |
| finished | 30 December 2020 |
| dedication | Judith Beschow, Erik Elias, Timon Jahn |
| movements | Lento rubato – Allegro vivo e marcato – Andante leggiero – Presto agitato – Lento rubato |
| duration | 9 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
Sechs Stücke
(Six pieces)
| instrumentation | mandolin and guitar |
| finished | 14 September 2016 |
| dedication | Duo Consensus |
| movements | 1. Vorspiel: Zart bewegt – 2. Sonatine: Lebhaft – 3. Romanze: Leicht fließend – 4. Fuge: Mäßig bewegt – 5. Rezitativ und Tanz: Redend, sehr frei im Tempo. Schwungvoll – 6. Nachklang: Stürmisch erregt |
| duration | 12 min. |
| first performance | 25 March 2017 Duo Consensus in Weimar |
| published at | Joachim-Trekel-Musikverlag |
The second Viennese school was a decisive model for this composition. It consists of six shorter pieces composed according to Schoenberg’s method of composition with twelve tones only related to one another, also called twelve-tone technique.
The suite begins with a “Vorspiel”, in which various melodic fragments create a continuous increase in tension. At the climax of the movement, the chordal element comes to the fore before the music calms down at the end.
The second movement “Sonatine” presents two contrasting thoughts: a lively idea in eighth notes opens the sentence, the second theme moves more quietly with triplets in the accompaniment. Both are briefly developed, the recapitulation works with swapped voices and inversions.
In the “Romanze”, lyrical gestures prevail. A dotted motif is presented and developed. The expressive middle section works with iridescent chords and quasi-sequences.
The “Fuge” is strictly in three voices. It does not work with dux and comes, but the tones of the 12-tone row set the pitch of the next theme.
“Rezitativ und Tanz” merge into one sentence: The recitative forms the introduction to the following dance, which reminds rhythmically to a coarse polonaise, but is mellowed by fast, almost appoggiatura-like runs of both instruments. In the middle section, standing chord blocks in pianissimo produce an ethereal mood.
The “Nachklang” begins at the moment of extreme excitement. The music calms down more and more in a free rhapsodic manner, until the piece and work find a peaceful conclusion.
Small Sonata in A
| instrumentation | mandolin and guitar |
| finished | 12 September 2003 |
| dedication | Edith Telschow |
| movements | 1. Allegro moderato – 2. Serenade: Andante sostenuto – 3. Allegro ritmico |
| duration | 2:30 min. – 2:45 min. – 2:05 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
The sonata makes use of a post classical or post romantical style. Formally and gesturally it radiates simple elegance.
The piece begins with a sonata movement which captivates with its straightforward, almost aphoristic shortness. In the second movement the dreamy mandoline theme is accompanied only sparely at the beginning but later enriched with arpeggios. The middle section shows a theme in G major and a slightly faster tempo. The form of the third movement lies between a final rondo and a five part scherzo. It begins with a motor theme in the 7/8 beat, that shows suddenly the whole-tone scale. The middle section in 4/4 beat morphs the chords of the rondo theme and moves through the cycle of fifths, almost as freely as the first movement did.
Sonatine in G minor
| instrumentation | two mandolins |
| finished | autumn 1995 |
| dedication | Marianne Schmidt |
| movements | 1. Moderato, non troppo allegro – 2. Intermezzo: Adagietto – 3. Vivace |
| duration | approx. 8 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
String quartet
“Kleines Requiem”
| instrumentation | two violins, viola, violoncello, tubular bells |
| finished | August 1999 |
| dedication | Kinderkrebsstation des Berliner Virchow-Klinikums |
| movements | 1. Introduction – 2. Passacaglia |
| duration | ca. 22 min. |
| first performance | – |
| published at | – |
The piece is based on experiences I made during my civil year at a Berlin hospital. The tubular bells and the mostly polyphone structure of the main movement represent the sacral character of the quartet and remind of the fact that some children are given strength not only by their parents and the hospital staff, but also by religion during their last difficult weeks.