Johannes Maria Staud (1974)

Lagrein (2008)

for violin, clarinet, cello and piano

  • General information
    • Composition date: 2008
    • Duration: 13 mn
    • Publisher: Universal Edition
    • Commission: Weinguts Alois Lageder et Swarovski tourism services gmbh
Detailed formation
  • 1 violin, 1 clarinet, 1 cello, 1 piano

Premiere information

  • Date: 23 May 2008
    Location:

    Italie, Margreid, Weingut Alois Lageder


    Performers:

    Viviane Hagner : violon, Martin Fröst : clarinette, Peter Wispelwey : violoncelle, Thomas Larcher : piano.

Program note

As a composer, people often ask you to write a programme note for an already existing or almost-finished piece. In this case, however, I have tried the exact opposite: as an artist, I am always trying to question "proven" or familiar approaches with every new work I create. So, in this case, I wanted to write a piece which could be described as follows:

Medium garnet colour with ruby hints. Rich, quite pronounced, spicy aroma with a chocolate character, floral impressions (violets), red fruit and prunes. Soft, smooth taste, full bodied with hints of leather and tar. Firm, dry and somewhat earthy finish.

This synesthetic approach was my driving force whilst composing the piece. The tasting of sonorities; the description of light reflexes in sound; the translation of a soft, smooth taste, full bodied with hints of leather and tar into musical textures and structures – all of this fascinated me during my work on the piece.

Johannes Maria Staud.