When band leader Sylvia Baratti-Mannsbart asked me to write a piece for the Atzenbach Community Band, I instantly realized that this piece had to be something special. One reason was a double anniversary: the 900th town jubilee and the 150th band anniversary. The other reason was that Sylvia is a conductor and commissioner knowing exactly what she wants. So I tried to find out in many conversations what makes the town of Atzenbach and its band so special. This led to an idea that became increasingly clear. Atzenbach was built in the German region of Baden by the river Wiese – or rather because of the river Wiese. Right from the beginning the river was the village’s vital line and an important situation for the local textile industry – a river that consistently flows, just like life and history. Thanks to Greek philosophy, Sylvia finally had the sparking idea: “Panta Rhei”, meaning “everything flows” became the title and central thought of my composition. What you hear in music versus what it actually means – in my opinion, this is one of the great misconceptions. Long explanations about the meaning of a piece do not correlate with my comprehension of music. Music should explain itself. Yet I can tell you a few things about this piece: similar to the Moldova in Bedr`´ich Smetana’s famous composition, the river Wiese begins as little creek, becoming larger and mightier. The majestic “Panta Rhei” theme stands for the river Wiese and for the flowing of time. Several periods in the town history are shown in the composition; an ancient dance symbolizes the foundation of the village. In “modern times” with the textile industry coming to Atzenbach, we hear unusual sound effects, imitating the spinning machines. The theme “Panta Rhei” reappears several times and leads to a glorious finale.
Markus Götz
Keywords
Baden
atemberaubend
RUNDEL Promo-Katalog 2014
dynamisch
kontrastreich
Classical Elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire)
Contest / Competition
German composers
German Contest List
German Contest List
Germany
Global Tour
Homeland
lively
Nature
Program Music / Programme Music
rapidly
River
RUNDEL YouTube Channel
SWA (Swiss Windband Association) List of Contest Pieces
Ein Dorf im Fluss der Zeit When band leader Sylvia Baratti-Mannsbart asked me to write a piece for the Atzenbach Community Band, I instantly realized that this piece had to be something special. One reason was a double anniversary: the 900th town jubilee and the 150th band anniversary. The other reason was that Sylvia is a conductor and commissioner knowing exactly what she wants. So I tried to find out in many conversations what makes the town of Atzenbach and its band so special. This led to an idea that became increasingly clear. Atzenbach was built in the German region of Baden by the river Wiese – or rather because of the river Wiese. Right from the beginning the river was the village’s vital line and an important situation for the local textile industry – a river that consistently flows, just like life...