Meteoritmo

The title of this composition was inspired by the Steinheim/Albuch Community Band. Their annual musical highlight in spring bears the title “Meteoritmo” – and this word creation perfectly suited a commissioned work.

“Meteoritmo” describes Steinheim’s unique scenery, a fascinating natural phenomenon formed by a meteorite impact about 15 Million years ago. The Steinheimer Becken (Steinheim basin) is the best preserved crater world-wide. I had the opportunity to explore this unique scenery, to wander the hill and parts of the crater rim, enjoying its natural impressions. With all those visions of the Steinheim crater in mind, I wrote this composition. Rather than the extreme violence of the actual impact, I wanted the music to bring the evolution of an exceptional natural spectacle to the fore. From a destroyed wasteland there developed over millions of years a fascinating natural phenomenon. We first hear a powerful tutti fortissimo, followed by a quiet and barren atmosphere, describing the stony and brittle landscape after the big impact. The music condenses when more and more instruments join in, presenting an 8-measure theme, which is steadily repeated and grows evermore. A large tutti shows the breathtaking beauty and splendor of its natural maturity after millions of years of development. The following allegro seizes this idea and makes us think of the enormous power and diversity of nature. We should always be conscious of its importance in our lives.

Thiemo Kraas, spring 2014