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Work of the Week – Christian Jost: Nocturnal Movements
- 21 Feb 2022
A nocturnal work through a dark, silent city. The name of Christian Jost’s Nocturnal Movements could assume this impression. Still, the auditory impression is different, showcasing a lively nightlife and a visit to a vibrant jazz club. On 24 February 2022 the composer conducts the world premiere of his work for piano and chamber orchestra at the Berlin Philharmonie. Pianist Michael Wollny, renowned in the international jazz scene, takes the stage, alongside the Kammerakademie Potsdam.
Jazz meets contemporary music in Nocturnal Movements by Christian Jost
A reduced version of Nocturnal Movements has already been performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Jost in 2019. The upcoming premiere presents a revised and completed version. Adding to the original two movements, the new version consists of three parts: the city, the play and the escape. Jost follows his passion for jazz, occasionally visible in his earlier compositions. While the ensemble part is through-composed in detail, Jost gives the soloist freedom for improvisation. Especially in the second movement, the soloist can demonstrate their skills in a large solo passage. This provides a finely balanced alliance between contemporary music and sophisticated Jazz styles, liberated from any genre-related constrictions. Jost describes this fusion:
"My pieces consist of certain germ cells, which I then develop organically and bring into just such a musical flow. The idea of musical freedom plays a big role in this, even though everything is composed, i.e. written down. It is a kind of fusion of the strict structure of new music and the freedom of jazz." Christian Jost
A second performance of Nocturnal Movements is due to take place on 25 February in Potsdam. The project was commissioned by the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation for the jazz pianist Michael Wollny and members of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
photo: THE CASE / Adobe Stock
