Version for Soprano and Piano. BKA-Theater, Unerhörte Musik. Berlin. 2022.

Yvonne Friedli, Sopran
Martin Schneuing, Klavier

When I was looking for a suitable text by Hölderlin, I read several of his poems. Without having known this writer beforehand, I discovered his Hyperions Schicksalslied and found this poem not only beautiful in terms of content but also rhythmically, as the content and form complement each other in a fantastic way. It was no surprise when I later found out that this very musical poem had been set to music multiple times. However, this fact had no influence on the resulting piece (I didn't get any inspiration from Brahms or Fortner); rather, the text exerted a certain influence on the music. This influence was present not only in terms of content but also in combination with the suggestive rhythmic element that is noticeable in the poem. Musically, and in relation to the text, the stanzas and the music don't seem to be symmetrical when compared. As an example: the word “blühet” (blooms) in the second stanza, which follows the word “Knospe” (bud)—a sound constellation that is overall quite airy and explosive—musically marks the beginning of the second part.

Originally, this piece was conceived for soprano and double bass. However, the piano version highlights even more the strong harmonic foundation on which the piece is built.