Echo

composer: Enjott Schneider
translator preface (English): Lindsay Chalmers-Gerbracht

Konzert für Orgel und Streichorchester

Premiere: April 21, 2002 Landsberg, Stadtpfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (D) · Johannes Skudlik, Orgel · Conductor: Johannes Skudlik · Con Brio-Orchester
Orchestra instrumentation: Str. (16 · 14 · 12 · 10 · 8)
Publisher: Schott Music
Duration: 23' 0''
Year of composition: 2002
Material on hire
Delivery rights: worldwide

Hire title


Description

The atmosphere of Echo is inspired by the myth of the mountain nymph bearing the same name: her incessant chattering causes the goddess Hera to condemn her to silence and the mere repetition of others’ speech. Echo then falls in love with the youth Narcissus who however displays no interest for her and is only enamoured with his own beauty. Echo, stricken by lovesickness, subsequently wastes away alone in the forest… until nothing remains but her “echo”.
 
A line drawn from the joyfulness of Handel’s music via the charm of the melody and harmony of César Franck to the insistence of minimal music provides an accurate stylistic description of this unproblematic organ concerto. The pleasure of effortless virtuoso music-making stands clearly in the foreground – in a manner of speaking, naïve and nymph-like. The echo is integrated in various ways as a stylistic element (repeats, canons, etc.).

On a deeper level, the movements can also be seen as programmatic:
1st movement: Dance describes the mountain nymph Echo with her somewhat dance-like nature; the underlying rhythm here is characterised by the 11/8 time signature
2nd movement: Echo and Narcissus describes the nymph’s incandescent love, wooing and subsequent melancholy and is harmonically and melodically somewhat more profound (constructed on an eight-note modus and an eight-note motif series). A ritornello of a similar nature to J. S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor displays the affinity of the entire composition to the joyful music-making of the Baroque.
3rd movement: Finale (Presto) is a virtuoso movement with characteristics going beyond the characteristic melancholy of Echo, depicting intimations of her “chattiness”, “joviality” and “beauty” according to mythological tradition. Enjott Schneider

Content

I Tanz - II Echo und Narziss - III Finale

Performances

Show past performances

Basket

There are currently no products in the basket.

Nearest vendors


Advanced Search

If you still have not found what you were looking for
try our
Advanced Search 
 We accept

Help

Further questions?

Have a look at our help section for answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter