John Cage: Organ2/ASLSP; Toshio Hosokawa: Cloudscape; Sen IV

John Cage approached the music from Japan from its roots in Zen Buddhism and its intent to imitate nature. One important element in this context is the interpretational freedom of the performers, who can adjust the musical text to their own inner state or rhythm. “ASLSP” stands for “As Slow aS Possible.” Other than this, the interpreter is free to choose the tempo, as well as the registration and dynamics.

Toshio Hosokawa employs Japanese aesthetic principles using both Western and traditional Japanese instruments and ensembles, in the process bringing the sounds of the two traditions into closer proximity.

Dominik Susteck creates bridges to the otherwise very different music of Cage and Hosokawa on behalf of three improvisations in the church “Kunst-Station Sankt Peter” in Cologne/Germany, pieces that are conceived spatially, first of all through the literal movement of the sounds throughout the performing space, but primarily because the progression of sound impulses suggests various sound spaces, sonic landscapes, and a distinct sense of foreground and background.

Contains first recordings

Production: Deutschlandfunk within the forum neuer Musik 2015