The scenic version of "Rahel und Pauline" premiered at the Lucerne Festival in 2007, commissioned by Pro Helvetia.
Instruments
The instrumentation for "Rahel und Pauline" includes two string instruments (guitar and cello for Rahel) and two wind instruments (accordion and saxophone for Pauline), complemented by percussion.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Roland Moser's extensive body of work often centers on a re-examination of the Romantic era, with a particular interest in the relationship between music and language.
Composition History
Roland Moser's "Rahel und Pauline" is based on the extensive correspondence between Rahel Levin Varnhagen, a salonnière, and her closest friend Pauline Wiesel, an astonishing woman who lived on the fringes of society.
Compositional Technique
The work features two vocal roles: Pauline, portrayed by a concert singer, is allowed to be extravagant, while Rahel, leaning towards straight theatre, maintains a more rigid spoken and sung idiom.
Historical Context
Pauline Wiesel, one of the central figures in the work, was the lover of Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, a composer who died in battle against Napoleon.
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