Thomas Larcher: Symphony No. 2 "Kenotaph" & Die Nacht der Verlorenen

Featuring

Hannu Lintu
André Schuen
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Larcher

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Instruments

In 'Die Nacht der Verlorenen', Thomas Larcher's large ensemble includes all basic symphony orchestra instruments, plus accordion and prepared piano, which are common in his orchestral writing.

Composer Biography

Thomas Larcher, an Austrian composer, is also an accomplished concert pianist and was involved in founding and directing the Klangspuren and Musik im Riesen festivals.

Composition History

The song cycle 'Die Nacht der Verlorenen' by Thomas Larcher sets fragments by Austrian author Ingeborg Bachmann, which were posthumously published and likely never intended for publication by the author.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Thomas Larcher, the composer, aims to explore traditional musical forms in the context of contemporary human and musical developments, seeking a modern musical language while allowing old forms to resonate.

Compositional Technique

Thomas Larcher's Symphony No. 2, 'Kenotaph', originally began as a concerto for orchestra and retains concerto-like features such as occasional solo lines and virtuoso flurries in fast sections.

Historical Context

The subtitle 'Kenotaph' for Thomas Larcher's Symphony No. 2 refers to a monument for the deceased buried elsewhere, and in this work, it is motivated by the thousands of refugees who have drowned in the Mediterranean.

Composition History

Thomas Larcher's Symphony No. 2, 'Kenotaph', was commissioned by the National Bank of Austria for its bicentenary and premiered by the Vienna Philharmonic in June 2016.