Stille und Umkehr

This is the final orchestral work composed by Bernd Alois Zimmermann. In 1968, the city of Nuremberg commissioned Zimmermann to write a large-scale orchestral work to commemorate the Dürer anniversary in 1971. Zimmermann requested a series of additional instruments for his orchestral forces: ’[...] a partic ularly good organ (with 4-5 manuals), a Hungarian cimbalom as well as contrabass trombone and bass trumpet [...].’

The size of the orchestra would probably have been similar to that of Photoptosis. However, during the actual period of composition in March and April of 1970, Zimmermann was confined at the University Hospital in Cologne for his depressive illness, and he drastically cut down the original orchestration, most notably the string section, leaving the final instrumen- tion with a conspicuously cold and colourless sound. The pedal point on the note D is held consistently, decorated with minimal circling figures and illuminated by a variety of tonal colours, while a recurring blues rhythm on the drum attempts to make contact with the heartbeat of the music. The use of tonal elements and musical material is reduced to a minimum, only flaring up with great effort and then dying away in resignation. This sombre work has frequently been interpreted as a sobering recognition of complete helplessness, foreshadowing Zimmermann’s suicide on 10 August 1970.