Aribert Reimann (1936-)
Spiralat halom, pour grand orchestre
Eingedunkelt, d'après Paul Celan (version pour contre-ténor seul)
Neun stücke, pour orchestre

Tim Severloh, contre-ténor
Orchestre Symphonique de la NDR
Christoph Eschenbach, direction

To mark the 80th birthday of Aribert Reimann, an unusual combination of pieces has been chosen for the present CD: a cycle of unaccompanied songs for solo voice is framed by two orchestral pieces, with a song serving as compositional idea, which is the connecting element. Written originally for Brigitte Fassbaender, the cycle "Eingedunkelt“ (Endarkened) after nine poems by Paul Celan is sung here by the countertenor Tim Severloh. Thus, the interpretation of the song-cycle is based on a completely different tone colour. Reimann, without further ado, rewrote this cycle of poems for orchestra without the voice... which resulted in "Nine Pieces“: orchestral pieces that take an entirely different direction than these nine poems by Paul Celan and even the setting for voice. Reimann's "Spiralat Halom“ (Dream Spirals) is based on the song "Zomtei Halom“ (Dream Knots), a composition after a Hebrew poem by David Rokeaj. The title "Spiralat Halom" suggests a calm, epic approach, but the tonal image is reminiscent of a nervous and uneasy dream: "a dream [that] turns and turns and consistently ventures into completely different spheres and colours.“ (Reimann)