Sphäre um Sphäre / Frage

In Wolfgang Rihm's compositions, there is a continual energy inherent in the sound objects themselves that the composer senses and liberates. Rihm coined the term “vegetative composing” for this particular relationship to the material; elsewhere he has spoken of reacting "seismographically". By means of inscription, contrafacture and overpainting Rihm creates absolutely new works out of works composed earlier within a compositional row.
"Frage" stands out for its two essential design approaches from the visual arts - linearity and the planar, objectlike - and its use of two painting techniques: overpainting and inscription. More than that, however, the work is embedded into a network of references to the visual arts. Whereas in "Frage" elements of various ages were recombined into a montage, in "Sphäre um Sphäre" a model is completely reworked, namely, in the form of a contrafacture.
Both works of this CD were premièred by ensemble recherche, and "Frage" is also dedicated to this ensemble specialized in New Music. - First recording!

coproduction with Westdeutscher Rundfunk