The period in which the three sonatas on this album were composed, particularly Jane Vignery's sonata, reflects the grief, despair, and helplessness caused by the Second World War.
Interpretation
The performers included Olivier Messiaen's 'Appel interstellaire' to connect with the album's theme of transformation, as its title 'Interstellar Message' evokes hope and belief in a greater power.
Compositional Technique
Paul Hindemith's alto horn sonata includes a short poem, 'Das Posthorn', written by the composer himself, which is meant to be recited between the third and fourth movements.
Composer Biography
Jane Vignery, born in 1913, faced challenges as a woman pursuing music and composition, and her career as a violinist was prematurely ended by illness, which led her to composition.
Album & Artwork
The album title, 'Transformations', reflects the idea of change, inspired by a poem in Hindemith's alto horn sonata and the historical context of the Second World War.
Performer Biography
Sibylle Mahni, the horn player on this album, began her musical training on piano at age four and later became a professor of horn at the Berlin University of the Arts 'Hanns Eisler', succeeding her former teacher.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Hindemith's poem 'Das Posthorn' reflects on the consequences of technological transformation, contrasting the horn as a signal of the past with the 'subdued lightning bolt travelling through wires' of modern haste.
