CIRCLES

The corpus of modern and contemporary repertoire for solo mezzo soprano, in comparison to those of the soprano or alto, is strikingly modest in size. Its expressive potential—in a register whose tessitura is so closely related to that of spoken word—has, only in a handful of works, been significantly exploited. Within this modest body of repertoire, one work, Luciano Berio's Circles (composed in 1960, with texts by E.E Cummings), stands apart as a deeply-researched and comprehensive tour-de-force of the mezzo-soprano as an expressive vehicle. 
Springing from a long-standing mutual wish between neuverBand and Anne-May Krüger to undertake a collaborative project, and with the objective of making a real contribution to Swiss repertoire for mezzo soprano & chamber ensemble (of which virtually none exists), our Circles programme will present, alongside Berio's masterwork, the world premieres of new works by prominent representatives of two distinct generations of Swiss composers. Nicolas von Ritter (b. 1986) will compose a work adding string quartet and piano to Berio's unconventional notation, and taking up and developing some of the musical ideas contained within it. Mike Svoboda (b. 1960) will compose a series of miniatures exploring the various modes of interaction between voice and instrument. To complete the programme, neuverBand will present the Swiss premiere of fellow Italian, Stefano Gervoni's Due Poesie Francesi di Rilke (composed in 1995), a work which explores post-modernist pastiche and musical irony. 

-Paul Clift, neuverBand Artistic Director

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