Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music

Author(s): John Warnaby

Source: Tempo, New Series, No. 213 (Jul., 2000), pp. 12-19
Published by: Cambridge University Press
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/946541
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John Warnaby

Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music

Following Ian Pace's excellent introduction to not only to composers, but also to extra-musical
the music of Helmut Lachenmann,' hopes were stimuli beyond the Central European mainstream.
entertained that similar articles might appear Yet to many listeners his pieces sound more
introducing the work of other contemporary characteristically German than those of any
German composers, in particular Wolfgang other contemporary composer. This is as true of
Rihm. The problem is that any article on Rihm the works influenced by the theatrical precepts
is out of date before it is published, even with of Antonin Artaud as of those inspired by the
respect to general trends that have emerged in example of Luigi Nono, and it may well stem
his recent output. Unlike most composers, Rihm from the intensity Rihm invests in each compo-
has avoided a mid-life creative crisis, not least by sitional gesture.
devoting groups of works to particular issues: This does not imply that Rihm's output has
thus an initial impression may well encourage been uniformly successful - such a rate of pro-
the belief that his creative personality has several duction is bound to include scores of variable
distinct manifestations. This fact alone indicates quality - but he has recently developed a high
that Rihm has little in common with level of consistency and his finest achievements,
Lachenmann. While Lachenmann's music is especially his contributions to some of the main
underpinned by the principles of dialectic, andof the Austro-German tradition, exhibit a
genres
striking
his rich fantasy tends to be contained within the individuality. Thus it is not always clear
whether Rihm should be classified as a modernist
intellectual framework governing his composi-
tional processes, Rihm's spontaneous approach
or a post-modernist, or whether he transcends
such considerations (on the continent, indeed,
suggests an uninhibited absorption of influences
from every quarter, past and present. We he need
is sometimes termed a neo-Romantic). This
look no further than some of the items in the inability to place him within an easily identifi-
recently published two-volume collection able of category has probably contributed to a lack
Rihm's lectures, discussions, and introductions
of recognition in Britain.
to various works, which include reflections on This too prompts comparisons with
composers as unlikely as Louis Spohr.2 Lachenmann, especially as regards their association
with the music of Nono. Whereas Lachenmann
Yet it is always apparent that a sharp intellect
is at work, and that much of Rihm's vast output responded to Nono's rhetorical scores, written
is concerned less with spontaneity than with at histhe height of the post-war avant-garde (he
reactions to compositional issues which arise transformed their political gestures into his own
from his own creativity, or are triggered by sound-world,
his conceived as a critique of the
Austro-German symphonic tradition with its
appreciation of the achievements of others. More-
bourgeois associations), Rihm identified with
over, his creative impulse has always involved
the late works, in which Nono created both a
addressing a problem from various angles; this
microcosm
has certainly - not least in his recent scores - and a macrocosm of his earlier music
by revealing the inner life of individual sounds,
encouraged a tendency to write cycles of works.
Rihm's output also embodies an intriguing and projecting them into a new spatial dimen-
paradox. It reflects an open-minded response,sion. Significantly, however, Rihm has rarely
employed electronics, preferring conventional
''Positive or Negative, 1. Ian Pace introduces the musicsonorities
of and concentrating on the spatial aspect
Helmut Lachenmann', Musical Times, Volume 139, No.1859,
by distributing his vocal or instrumental forces
January 1998, pages 9ff. 'Positive or Negative 2. Ian Pace
concludes his Introduction to the Music of Helmut throughout the auditorium. Many of the more
Lachenmann', Musical Times, Volume 139, No.1860, striking gestures resonate with Nono's influence,
February 1998, pages 4ff. but they are invariably presented in a different
context - even in those works of the early 1990s
Wolfgang Rihm: Aus Gesprochen: Schriften und Gesprdche.
Winterthur, 1997. specifically written in Nono's memory.

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 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music 13

Also Rihm, like Nono, has always tried to and orchestral work, he abandoned the title, but
avoid repeating himself, or relying on obvious not the ambition to create large-scale structures.
cliches. When the opportunity arose for him to Various scores, such as Subkontur and Diskontur,
write an orchestral score for performance in St both from 1974-5, displayed symphonic tenden-
Mark's, Venice, he rejected the spatial approach cies which culminated in the three sections of
adopted by earlier composers, even though this Klangbeschreibung, composed 1982-87; these can
has always been one of the main characteristics be performed independently, but collectively
of his larger works. Instead, he attempted to comprise a work of Mahlerian scope. Thereafter,
'outwit the church's echo',3 by creating an illu- Rihm concentrated on opera - including his major
sion of space within the music. Two contrabass collaborations with Heiner Miiller - exploring
bassoons in their lowest register generate con- the full gamut of theatrical expression, ultimately
reducing the vocal component to wordlessness
stantly resonating sonorities onto which the rest
of the orchestral material is 'inscribed'. Hence
in Seraphin, completed in 1994.
the title, In-Schrift: a work whose monumental At this stage, Rihm's literary preoccupations
and sculptural qualities are an accurate reflection
turned from the theatre to the novel, as he began
of the cathedral's atmosphere. to formulate the concept of a 'Symphonie
In-Schrift (1995) was the second Rihm piece Fleuve', or flowing symphony.4 The novel and
to be included in the 1998 season of Promenade the symphony have historically pursued parallel
courses since they assumed their definitive
Concerts - a possible sign of growing appreciation
in Britain - and it proved equally appropriate forms towards the end of the 18th century: the
for the Albert Hall. It belongs to the non-'sym- principal expressions of bourgeois values in the
phonic' strand of Rihm's orchestral output, and 19th century, they have subsequently been
transformed by the advent of modernism. Thus,
is pervaded by a strong sense of ritual. In essence,
it is a study in sonority, concentrating on lowerRihm's formulation stemmed from an
brass and woodwind, supported by mainly encounter with the writer Hubert Fichte, w
pitched percussion, including bells, plus harp.
had developed the principle of the 'roman fleu
The ritual aspect is also enhanced by recurring
as well as with the book by Jahnn, entitled Ri
gestures, but these are never allowed to degen-
without Banks. A further stimulus was prov
erate into mere minimalism. Nevertheless, theby Adorno's text, 'Vers une Musique Inform
except that the concept of the sympho
work is essentially static in character, with only
the occasional hint of harmonic development.replaced the notion of informality.
On the other hand, the contrast between quiet By establishing a symphonic model in term
and more assertive episodes imparts a dramatic of a river, Rihm could create flowing, or mob
forms which had not previously existed. T
intensity to the music bordering on 'expression-
idea is ultimately to combine the 'imagin
ism'. It is this aspect which underpins any style
sound-streams' into the flowing symphony,
Rihm adopts, transcending formal considerations;
and it gives his music its distinctly 'German' so far, four 'tributaries' have been composed,
character, irrespective of whether the works progressively larger than its predecessor. The f
reflect Artaud's theatre of cruelty, the composi-
two items in the Vers une Symphonie Fleuve se
tional procedures of Debussy or Varese, reveal or some aspects of Rihm's new approach,
various aspects of the German tradition. Itit is is in the more expansive Nos.3 and 4 that
usually at its most intense in those scores influ-
full extent of the change of direction becom
enced by Nono and highlighting the relationshipclear. Both scores are organic in construction,
between sound and silence. In-Schrift does not
essentially developmental - showing how,
other contemporary composers, Rihm has co
belong to this group, but it shares similar obsessive
features. Accordingly, comparison with a more
to appreciate the true significance of Sibelius.
'symphonic' approach is instructive. In Vers une Symphonie Fleuve III (1992-95), i
As the most radical compositions of Lachen-
possible to trace the evolution of Rihm's s
mann have demonstrated, the Austro-German from the manner associated with In-Schrift to
'symphonic' tradition continues to exercise a
approach featuring a greater emphasis on harmon
powerful hold on the creative imagination, and rather than individual gestures.
Initially,
Rihm has never denied its continuing influence.prominence of the clarinet family in their lo
After completing three symphonies in his early registers establishes a brooding atmosphe
twenties, of which No.3 was a substantial choralredolent of Sibelius; but when the flutes are

3 Introduction to performance of In-Schrift at BBC RadioIntroduction

3 to Vers une Symphonie Fleuve: Rihm, op.
Promenade concerts, 28 August 1998. Volume 2, pp.402-403.

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14 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music
presented as a group, it is apparent that the links
with In-Schrift are still quite strong. Indeed, the
expressive character of Rihm's language means
that they are never entirely eradicated, but as the
horns and strings assume greater influence during
the second half of Vers une Symphonie Fleuve III,
the discourse becomes much less fragmented.
They are also largely responsible for the work's
main climax, which stems primarily from an
expansion of the harmonic dimension, but is
equally notable for its expressive intensity. The
brief conclusion is ambiguous, indicating further
developments, though it does not provide the
starting-point for the fourth work in the series.
The introductory note to Vers une Symphonie
Fleuve IV (1997-8) poses the question whether
the concepts of flow and of a unified whole can
co-exist? Moreover, given that Rihm professes
not to rely on a standard compositional method,
there is considerable uncertainty as to how unity
is achieved within a single score, let alone an
extended cycle. Rihm's solution to this problem
- which is not confined to the Symphonie Fleuve
cycle - is to allow some elements of a work to
infiltrate the next one, but to overlay them with
completely new material, so that the original is
pushed progressively further into the back-
ground, until hardly a trace remains.
In Vers une Symphonie Fleuve IV, the influence
of Sibelius is more thoroughly explored, but in
conjunction with new material. A whirling figure
establishes the work's momentum, and quickly
acquires the status of an ostinato. Drones and
pedal-points are then introduced, together with
unexpected flourishes on the strings, so that even
more than in the early stages of its predecessor,
Symphonie Fleuve IV is imbued with a 'Nordic'
atmosphere. No less significantly, the sustained
opening paragraph is unified textually, as well as
through the coherence of the musical argument.
By the time it is superseded by a quieter episode,
it has assumed the role of an 'exposition', insofar
as it has established the style of the whole work.
In subsequent paragraphs, the distinctive
blending of horns and strings provides a further
echo of the previous Symphonie Fleuve, and there
is a comparable expansion of the harmonic
aspect. An important factor in this process is the
way the discourse is impelled by a gradually
increasing momentum, achieved through the
fluidity of the orchestral writing, rather than
clearly defined rhythms. Nevertheless, Rihm
introduces rapid figurations in the foreground to
create an illusion of speed leading up to the first
major climax (though in reality, the underlying
pulse of the music does not change). Hence the
most intensely expressive passages tend to unfold
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slowly, despite frequent bursts of surface activity.
There follows a quiet, relatively extended coda,
restoring a measure of stylistic unity; yet in the
concluding bars, Rihm adds an element of
ambiguity with a trace of the work's initial
motif, thereby alluding to cyclic form.
However, although the compositional method
has close affinities with otherwise unrelated
works, the narrative tendencies of Vers une
Symphonie Fleuve IV, in conjunction with a
strong sense of goal-orientation, make it one of
the most 'symphonic' scores Rihm has so far
conceived.
Parallel with Vers une Symphonie Fleuve III
and IV, Rihm wrote Ernster Gesang (1996) for
Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Philadelphia
Orchestra, in commemoration of the centenary
of Brahms's death. The work not only attempted
to capture the essence of Brahms's style in the
late 20th-century terms, but was also tailored for
a conductor and orchestra who are most familiar
with the 19th-century 'symphonic' repertoire.
Nevertheless individual gestures are redolent
of Rihm, and can be traced to other aspects of
his oeuvre - even while, as the title suggests,
Brahms's late works, particularly the Four Serious
Songs, provided the fundamental background,
enabling Rihm to identify with the Brahmsian
ethos. Thus the combination of clarinets, horns
and lower strings captures the sombre aspect of
Brahms's style, and the harmony alludes to
Brahmsian procedures; yet individual gestures,
especially for the clarinets, can equally be heard
as a reinterpretation of elements of Seraphin in a
different context. Perhaps there is also a sense in
which Rihm imbues the Brahmsian sensibility
with an expressive impact that Brahms could not
bring himself to deliver. The piece has an addi-
tional autobiographical significance in that
Rihm establishes a link between Brahms as a
musical father-figure, and his own father, to
whose memory it is dedicated.
Ultimately, everything in Rihm's vast output
reveals an ability to empathize with performers,
as well as with the aesthetic outlook of earlier
composers; and this is invariably combined with
the need to explore new realms of experience,
so that even the smallest pieces are associated with
hitherto uncharted byways. These characteristics
are frequently extended to the technical
domain, and they allow him to move freely
between a 'modernist' and 'post-modernist'
standpoint, but he preserves his compositional
identity by ensuring they do not undermine the
coherence of his creative imagination.
Equally impressive is Rihm's penchant for
running several compositional sequences simul-
 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music 15

taneously; thus it is hardly fortuitous that the

first ideas for Vers une Symphonie Fleuve coincided
with the completion of Rihm's latest music-
theatre creation. Besides the fact that Seraphin
was presented in more than one version, there was
clearly considerable potential for developing ideas
from the work in a non-theatrical context. As in
Symphonie Fleuve, Rihm applied the principle of
deriving each new score from its predecessor.
The salient characteristics of Seraphin are the
reduction of conventional language to vocal
gestures - because any text would dilute
Artaud's concept - but then the elucidation of
its substance through the addition of music and
theatrical action. Among the satellites are
Seraphin-Spuren, for electronic tape, based on a
recording of the original, plus flute, trumpet,
cello, double-bass, and three percussion; and
particularly Etudes d'apres Seraphin, for four
trombones, two each of harps and double-basses,
three percussion and tape - based, in turn, on
Seraphin-Spuren. Both works partake of the
atmosphere of Seraphin, insofar as they are distil-
lations of its content, but they are equally Wolfgang Rihm in 1996 (ploto: Frank Helmrich)
products of the opportunities Rihm had to
experiment with the latest technology at the facets of Rihm's creative personality, though
studios of the ZKM in Karlsruhe, with the there are few exceptionally violent outbursts.
electronics replacing the vocal component and As the title indicates, the work is divided into
the broader instrumental palette. The Etudes, several sections and these are outlined in the
especially, now available on disc,' constitute one of accompanying booklet, complete with detailed
the composer's most ambitious ensemble works. diagram. The emphasis is on massive sonorous
Instead of the metaphor of streams coalescing blocks, rather than conventional themes, or
into a river, however, the Seraphin scores are developmental procedures. Yet the harmony is
conceived in terms of geological strata. The music distinctive, with occasional references to the
possesses a three-dimensional, sculptural quality tritone; the tempo typically fluid; and the over-
and retains the element of ritual, characteristic of all impact, not least at an emotional level,
Seraphin itself. As Rihm points out in his intro- undeniable.
duction to the work, the style is more akin to Rihm's output of String Quartets remains his
such orchestral pieces as Subkontur, In-Schrift, La most extended 'family' of works, stretching back
Lugubre Gondola: Das Eismeer, and analogous to the outset of his career. Within the apparent
works, where he attempts, step by step, to enter limitations of the genre, Rihm has achieved
into instinctive, atavistic regions." Furthermore, remarkable variety. After the terse Eighth Quartet
the self-generating aspect of the music emphasizes (1985), Nos.9 and 10, completed in recent years,
the organic structure of the Seraphin scores, so are more expansive, and embody the maxi-
that the 45-minute Etudes are notable for their mum amount of contrast. Yet underpinning
overall cohesion. The role of the tape is signifi-
the differences are certain parallels that are not
cant in this respect. Though it is associated with
precise, and even ambiguous, but strong enough
the spatial dimension, and even follows its own to imply the works complement each other.
path within the overall conception, its principal The Ninth Quartet (1993) reflects Rihm's
function is to extend the range of the instru- increasingly sustained attempts to write genuinely
ments, thereby establishing a continuum which quick music, and though the passages of high
velocity alternate with slower episodes, the
descends to unusually low registers. The resulting
sound-world is generally rather sombre, inwork conveys a feeling of immense energy,
keeping with the elemental and 'expressionist'
stemming from the tension generated by the
repetitions of the initial motif. On the one hand,
5 ZKM Edition 5: Wergo WER 2055-2. the opening bars appear tentative, yet at the
"Notes to Wergo 2055-2. same time, their 'expressionist' ambience

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16 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music

responsible for the propulsive character of the a symphony of searching, finding and keeping'.
music. However, the rapidity of the discourse is It is envisaged that they will ultimately belong
largely associated with the proliferation of surface to a 'concert of my compositions from which
detail and only has a marginal influence on the there will be no escape. It will have an end, but
underlying rate of harmonic change. Moreover, there will be no coming and going, no star
the instrumental writing is relatively conven- appearances, no taking of a bow, no applause,
tional, though there are occasional glimpses of and no posturing'.
the different approach Rihm was to adopt in his Gejagte Form, for 21 players, outlines some of
subsequent Quartet. The Tenth Quartet (1997) is the main preoccupations of the cycle. Many of
characterized by a variety of pizzicato and percus- the gestures, including the manner of using the
sive effects, rendering the style is more kaleido- percussion, are familiar from Rihm's earlier scores,
scopic. Moreover, unlike its predecessor, it is where the element of ritual is more apparent,
not cast as a single span, but in three clearly but in Gejagte Form they are presented in a new
defined sections. Nevertheless, these differences context. The work attempts to develop a
tend to mask the similarities. Both Quartets dynamic approach without relying on speed of
have a comparable duration, but they differ in harmonic movement. Repetition is a significant
their treatment of time. In contrast to the Ninth
factor, but (although the style is very different)
Quartet, the Tenth does not open with an easily Rihm possesses Feldman's intuitive grasp of how
recognizable motif, but the first section is equally much repetition a particular figure can bear.
if not more tentative, with a preponderance of There are also traces of Rihm's earlier exploration
widely-spaced pizzicato figures. The central of the relationship between sound and silence.
section is unusually polyphonic for Rihm, and The title contains contradictory features. Gejagte
by specifying particular playing techniques forsuggests speed, or movement, whereas Form
each instrument, the four 'voices' are clearly implies stillness, and a measure of permanence;
identifiable. There is also a distinction between but Rihm has also transformed the image of
foreground and background, the latter revolving
'pursuing' into a metaphor for hunting an illusive
around a tonal, or modal, centre ofD. As such,
form. As with the latest string quartets, and in
it establishes the context for various melodic keeping with its title, Gejagte Form begins by
fragments that allude to typical gestures fromestablishing
the an impression of momentum, but
standard repertoire. More decisive, however, without
is defining a clear direction. There are
the extent to which the central section carries
echoes of In-Schrift in the chattering flutes and
the main burden of the musical argument, clarinets, supported by harp, but otherwise the
thereby reflecting the transformations of thestyle is completely different, and even reminiscent
of Donatoni. This is confirmed when the rest
basic material in the main body of the preceding
Quartet. Hence the final part of Quartet No.10
of the ensemble is introduced, especially as the
returns to the mood of the opening, but with discourse is based on continously varied patterns
the original material considerably modified, which
so characterize the pitch material, as well as
that its character occasionally borders on the propulsive rhythm. The expressive content,
ethereal. It provides a convincing conclusion,
together with the constant interplay between
foreground and background, are always typical
however, by revealing the essential unity of the
score through the allusion to cyclic form. of Rihm, however, and towards the conclusion,
Mixed ensembles of various sizes have proved
a powerful climax is generated by crystallizing
an equally fruitful source of inspiration forthe various elements, including the harmony.
Rihm, especially his long-standing collaborationThough theJagden und Formen and Symphonie
with Ensemble Dreizehn. The most striking Fleuve cycles reflect different facets of Rihm's
example is the eight-part Chfre series, whichcreative
he imagination, there is a parallel in that they
subsequently arranged into a continuous cycle,
represent a quest for a formal, or a symphonic
'ideal'. The essential difference is that whereas the
plus associated scores: Bild (1984) for nine players,
and the large-scale Kein Firmament (1988) forVers 14 une Symphonie Fleuve scores evince a strong
players. More recently, he has produced a varied feeling of continuity, the members of theJagden
collection reflecting the paintings of Kurt und Formen series so far completed are strongly
Kocherscheidt, culminating with the Third contrasted. Thus, Gedrdngte Form is substantially
Violin Concerto, and since 1995 has embarkeddifferent
on from Gejagte Form. It is somewhat
briefer, but within its limited time-span displays
another important cycle, entitledJagden und Formen.
definite concertante tendencies: a cor anglais
The three pieces so far completed - Gejagte Form,
features
Verborgene Formen, Gedrdngte Form - involve 'a both as soloist and in dialogue with a
viola. There is also a distinct impression of
form derived from forms, a composed concerto,

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 Wolfgarg Rihm's Recent Music 17

development, as the possibility of other instru- Marsyas, for trumpet, percussion and orchestra
ments becoming soloists is explored, and this (1998-9) is somewhat smaller in scale. Less
leads to Rihm's recent exploits in the sphere of obviously virtuosic than the earlier Gebild, for
the full-scale concerto. high trumpet, two percussionists and 20 strings
Rihm regards all music as a form of theatre, (1982-3), it is generally less dramatic than Styx
and consequently he has drawn on aspects ofund Lethe, and predominantly lyrical, but with
Greek mythology for his latest concertos. Thesome forays into 'expressionistic' realms. Again,
myths are not enacted by the soloists, but theyprogrammatic features are few, but there is a
impart a certain atmosphere to the works con- similar stylistic range, and the influence of jazz -
cerned. For instance, the title of Styx und Lethe, already suggested at the outset by the use of a
for cello and orchestra (1997-8), refers to two ofmute - assumes considerable significance during
the rivers of the Underworld. Besides establishingthe concluding pages. Above all, the percussionist
an obvious connection with the idea of a flowinghas a major solo role, complementing the trumpet
symphony, this helps to explain the subterranean in various way. Thus, whereas the percussion writ-
sounds resulting from the soloist's energetic ing in Marsyas can be interpreted as a distillation
activities in the lower registers, frequently sup-of the percussion parts in Gebild, the trumpet
ported by equally low and dark orchestral timbres.writing can be regarded as altogether more
There are no programmatic elements, but the expansive. In contrast to Gebild, where the
interplay between soloist and orchestra gives thetrumpet only appears in the second half of the
work a narrative structure in keeping with thepiece, yet immediately assumes the role of
conventions of concerto-form. Accordingly,undisputed soloist, in Marsyas it is present
unity is established, even though the score throughout, but its role is more ambiguous. At
includes various facets of his style. the start, it is 'shadowed' by the percussionist,
Styx und Lethe opens with characteristically who thereby assumes the status of 'alter ego'.
'expressionist' gestures, especially for the soloist. Subsequently a dialogue is established - which
The cello writing hints at the momentum that occasionally erupts into open conflict - and the
will ultimately be achieved, but initially its percussionist is ultimately responsible for termi-
progress is restrained by the static harmonies ofnating proceedings.
the orchestra. As the composition unfolds, how- The work opens with trumpet and vibraphone
ever, the soloist's energy is gradually transmitted (which may remind some listeners of Birtwistle's
to the orchestra, which begins to work with Endless Parade) but there is no clearly recognizable
more varied material. As so often, Rihm generates motif for the soloist, and no hint of tonality: in
tension through carefully judged repetitive a recent article Rihm has argued that there is
elements for soloist and ensemble, and a form ofno such thing as tonality, only harmony.
rhythmic modulation ensures that the longishAccordingly, the strings, treated much less
opening section evolves into a more dynamic experimentally than in Gebild, soon establish a
passage. An orchestral piano emerges as the firm harmonic basis, while significant structural
principal 'commentator' on the soloist's dis- landmarks are characterized by changes of
course, punctuating the rhythmic regularity ofinstrumentation. For instance, the solo trumpet
the cello line and reinforcing the impression ofdispenses with the mute at the point where the
increasing velocity. full orchestra is introduced, and it soon becomes
A decisive moment is reached when a solo clear that both soloists are echoed by orchestral
trumpet, in conjunction with the piano, reveals
brass and timpani, respectively. The next stage
a variant of the cello's rhythmic material which
involves a brief, sparsely accompanied cadenza
is soon extended to the rest of the orchestra. for the trumpet in the highest register, heralding
The result is one of the more exciting examples
the start of the conflict with the percussionist -
of Rihm's orchestral writing: relatively conven-
now playing a wide variety of drums and timps -
which constitutes the main substance of the work.
tional in many respects, while echoing the more
hedonistic episodes of Messiaen's Turangallla In this episode, the trumpet functions as the
Symphony. The soloist responds by adopting a of the orchestra, while the percussionist
'leader'
attempts to disrupt the discourse. However,
more lyrical approach, but the intense virtuosity
associated with the concluding pages ensures unaminity is restored when the solo trumpet
that the lyricism has an 'expressionistic' tinge.
again resorts to a mute and is followed by his
Hence, although there is no suggestion of cyclic
orchestral colleagues. The percussionist reverts
form as regards the music argument, the work to an accompanimental role, but, when a solo
ends by restoring the tempo and mood of harp the offers a possible continuation, concludes
opening. the work abruptly with a single rim-shot.

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18 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music

Rihm produced three works which were pre- for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra during
miered by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 1999. The character of the score, commissioned
during 1999. The first also commemorated to celebrate 50 years of German democracy,
Heiner Miiller, who would have celebrated his was substantially determined by the fact that its
70th birthday that year. In contrast to their ear- initial performances were paired with Mahler's
lier collaboration, Drei Spate Gedichte nach Heiner Third Symphony. Rihm responded by choosing
Muller, for contralto and orchestra, is a reflective Marinus van der Lubbe's fractured poem - which
score, reminiscent of Rihm's earlier Mein Tod - not only raised the spectre of the Nazi era, and
also written for contralto. The Drei Spate Gedichte the fact that the Nazis gained power through a
refer as much to the songs of Mahler as Ernster general election, but also reflected the poet's
Gesang echoes Brahms: it is no wonder that imprisonment for his (unspecified) role in the
commentators still regard Rihm as a 'neo- burning of the Reichstag in 1933. The score is
romantic'. Yet he also appreciates, and can genuinely symphonic, with the orchestra again
identify with the tenets of 'classicism' sufficiently amplifying and dramatizing the text. Moreover,
to be able to write a work for piano and orchestra amongst various references to the music of Bach
which responds, in late 20th-century terms, to and Brahms, Rihm concentrated on the Mahler
Mozart's unique understanding of balance and era, in which romanticism was superseded by
proportion. Sotto Voce: Nottumo for piano and small moderism, and particularly by 'expressionism'.
orchestra, is designed for Daniel Barenboim to Thus he was returning to a phase of music history
perform as soloist and conductor, and has been which has provided the main focus for his creative
tailored to his particular brand of pianism. It is imagination, in the process of formulating a
replete not only with the gestures of'classicism', musical language capable of integrating the various
but also a good deal of its harmonic vocabulary, facets of his style.
reinterpreted in contemporary terms. This does On the one hand, Rihm's dramatic scores are
not imply that Rihm has created a pastiche of a tending towards greater abstraction, especially
Mozart Concerto. Sotto Voce could not have been when their compositional substance is reworked
written at any other time than the present, simply in a non-theatrical context; on the other, the
because Rihm makes considerable use of the 'symphonic' works - particularly those involving
soloists - are becoming more gestural. Add to this
contemporary principle of recontextualisation;
but the dialogue he establishes between piano
the example of Sibelius as a means of generating
and orchestra is fully in keeping with the extended
spirit structures, and it is possible to envisage
and substance of a Mozart slow movement. that Symphonie Fleuve could assume the character
Rihm has recently completed two substan- of an epic novel, capable of encapsulating the great
tial vocal scores with orchestra, commemoratingdiversity of Rihm's output. In the meantime,
the various cycles demonstrate his continuing
significant historical events. Both are concerned
with the concept of democracy, as mediated ability to 'make it new', without relying on
through a variety of poetic texts, and eachexperiments with extended instrumental or
vocal techniques, and only occasionally with
involves two singers. Deutsches Stuck mit Hamlet,
for mezzo-soprano, baritone and orchestra, was electronics. It is this aspect which reinforces the
completed in 1998, for the 150th anniversary contention that Rihm is a 'modern', rather than
of the 1848 revolution in Germany. The work a 'post-modern' composer, and ensures that any
allusions to other styles are made from his own
comprises eight settings of broadly political texts,
but presented without pause to create a single, recognizable standpoint. So at least one of the
organically conceived entity. The poets include most recent additions to his oeuvre, unveiled
Goethe, Heine, Heiner Muller and Holderlin during
- the closing weeks of 1999, and at the
start of 2000, involves a quite radical extension
as well as the political activist, Georg Herwegh
into new territory.
whose phrase, 'Deutschland ist Hamlet', suggests
the link with Rihm's first opera Die Hamlet- Musikfur Klarinet und Orchestra: Uber die Linien
maschine in Section 5. The orchestra provides II,
a commissioned for the 1999-2000 season of
Musica Viva concerts in Munich, was written
commentary, usually amplifying the text, but in
some instances undermining the poetry tofor Jurg Workidmann, who besides being an
engender ambiguity. outstanding instrumentalist is one of the leading
German composers of the younger generation
In Doppelter Tiefe, for two mezzo-sopranos
(and one of Rihm's composition students). So the
and large orchestra, is based on a single text, and
adopts a more ambiguous attitude to the theme work can be interpreted not simply as a typical
concerto, emphasizing technical virtuosity, but
of democracy. Lasting about 22 minutes, it was
the most ambitious of the three works written
equally as a 'dialogue' between composers, con-

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 Wolfgang Rihm's Recent Music 19

taining a corresponding measure of intellectual affinities with the idea of a Symphonie Fleuve. The
virtuosity. The technical challenge is associated work is cast as an extended slow movement but
with exploring the various facets of the instru- it is also cyclic, thus reinforcing its status as a
ment's different registers, rather than mere display, self-contained entity. One of its most distinguish-
while the compositional aspect explores generative ing features is its contemplative character, allied
procedures analogous to those developed in the to a strong vein of lyricism. Though it is set in
Symphonie Fleuve scores. Thus the soloist can be motion by a sequence of pulses on woodblock,
regarded, on one level, as dramatizing the percussion play an unusually peripheral role in this
compositional process: stimulating ideas, and work. On the other hand, the prominence of the
responding to the orchestra's reactions. clarinet family, and a tendency to emphasize the
The work is cast in a single movement, and lower registers, create a brooding atmosphere.
its distinctive character is immediately apparent. Equally important is its melodic content, the
The soloist begins with an unaccompanied continuous flow of which is supported by rich
sequence of sustained pitches in different registers, harmonies. After approximately a third of the
before the strings gradually begin to fill in the work's total duration, the discourse is interrupted
harmony. The melodic material begins to by a return of the woodblock sequence, but is
emerge with the clarinet provoking a brief then resumed in considerably expanded form.
response from one or two other instruments, The strings achieve greater prominence than
notably the cor anglais; but then the soloist has a hitherto: there are even echoes of Richard
more extended cadenza, based partly on the initial Strauss. Subsequently the harmonization, and its
sequence. At first, he is again unaccompanied, association with wind instruments, is suggestive
but as other instruments are added, it becomes of early Messiaen. Unpitched percussion play a
clear that this is an expanded variant of the more significant role at the climax of the work,
original material, ultimately leading to a crystal- when an element of 'expressionism' is intro-
lization of the harmony. Only then does the duced, but this is a relatively brief phase, and the
sparse texture thicken, and the music begins to music reverts to the prevailing mood long
develop a discernible measure of fluidity. before the woodblock closes the circle, bringing
Henceforth, there are echoes of the Vers une the work to a conclusion.
Symphonie Fleuve cycle in the way that momentum Some critics may well argue that Spiegel und Fluss
is established without relying on a strong rhythmic is one of Rihm's more self-indulgent creations, in
profile, culminating in a short episode in rapid view of its many stylistic allusions: but it should
tempo. The prominence of the clarinets at the be stressed that in many respects it is a very refined
start of Symphonie Fleuve III should also be borne score. The orchestra is used sparingly for much
in mind, and the preoccupation with large-scale of the time, and the music is often reduced to
structures has enabled Rihm to write his most small groups of instruments or solo contribu-
extended concerto thus far. However, this tions. Moreover, Spiegel und Fluss is a good
concerto has its own identity, largely because the example of the extent to which Rihm has been
soloist is constantly in the foreground, rendering influenced by a keen awareness of music history,
the orchestra's role rather accompanimental in and of tradition. It has not yet been possible to
character. Moreover, when the orchestra hear his latest orchestral score, Im Anfang, but he
achieves greater prominence in the second
has never been a formulaic composer, nor prone to
half of the work, it reflects the 'expressionist',
repetition. He is invariably inclined to question,
rather than the 'symphonic' aspect of Rihm's or even contravene, convention rather than rely
creative imagination. Thus, while tranquility ison it, even in his most 'symphonic' creations.
finally established, it stems from the resolution
Hence the originality of his compositional
of a dramatic confrontation, rather than a sym-
thought, which should enable a good proportion
phonic discourse. of his oeuvre to withstand the test of time. In
However the recent Spiegel und Fluss, for view of Rihm's considerable reputation, there
orchestra, explores a facet of Rihm's creative is surely a case to be made for more adequate
personality which had not previously received representation on disc. Only then will the extent
such concentrated attention. The title suggestsof his achievement be fully appreciated.

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