Heimweh

Heimweh (Homesick) is inspired by the eponymous Lied by Hugo Wolf (Morike-Lieder No 37) which underscores the whole composition; only just before the end does this melodic idea, used throughout the work, emerge liberatingly and nostalgically.

The opening vibraphone arpeggio creates a sound-world from which muted string harmonies derived from an elaboration of Wolf’s theme arise. The violins then emerge with the first theme, an expressive solo which concludes on a sustained D-flat repeated by the woodwind and lower-string harmonics in a controlled improvisation. Out of this note flows a cor-anglais solo which leads to the original string harmonies re-appearing but powdered in pizzicato, staccato, col legno and harmonics. Slowly, Wolf’s original themes rise to the surface culminating in the explosion which announces the end.