Premiere in Concertgebouw Amsterdam

On 29th of October 2025 the superb Italian/Slovene Alinde Quartett presented the Dutch premiere of my - thus far - only string quartet: 'Traum, Lenz, Verwandlung' in the Concertgebouw. The Alinde Quartett belongs to the international top level of chamber music ensembles, with great performances and recordings of the classics but also including new works into their programs. They are 'Ensemble in Residence' of the Philharmonie in Cologne and draw an enthusiastic audience to their concerts in various European venues.

 https://www.alindequartett.com/

I feel deeply honoured by the serious dedication of these young players, who have added the quartet to their repertoire, and who have asked me to write a short piece for one of their Schubert concerts - 2028 is the memorial year of the death of this great composer who worked in the shadow of Beethoven and yet found his own, authentic voice.

The concert in the Concertgebouw - the Alinde's debut in the country - was recorded for national radio, and was, in total, a success. There was no review, in the Netherlands such concerts don't draw much attention, and since I do not have a particular high opinion of Dutch criticism of classical music concerts I'm quite happy with that.

'Traum, Lenz, verwandlung' (1997) was written in a period of almost total isolation, without any performance or players in mind, and the result of finding a short sketch of years earlier for a film project of a young filmmaker (which did not come to fruition). The material invited for further elaboration and thus, the music wrote itself, so to speak, unhindered by any conscious consideration as to the musical world. Some 10 years later a Romanian immigrant quartet tried to play it in the chamber music series of the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum (museum for modern art) but that did not go well, and they complained (!) that the music was 'like late Beethoven'. A couple of years later a young British quartet tried it at a concert in London's Kings Place chamber music series but failed; I was not present but friends' stories reported something like a public rape. Later attempts to interest Dutch quartets all failed - no interest. What a contrast to find a quartet at an international top level who could manage their parts in a very impressive way and with great musical insight.... only now the music came into its own.

The music of the quartet, although not easy at all to play, is not 'difficult on the ear' and draws inspiration from the existent classical quartet repertoire, but transforms these influences into a language a bit reminiscent of early 20C music of the Germanic cultural sphere. I remember having thought at the time: what would Schoenberg have written if he had renounced his ideas of atonality and progress, and simply had followed his inclinations? All speculative of course, but I found it a fascinating idea which has stimulated me oftener.