CHORAL

Markus Stockhausen

CHORAL

for jazz trio, brass and strings

The theme was written for the late “Jazz Pope” Joachim Ernst Berendt, on the occasion of his 75th birthday. It has now become a movement for brass in this version with orchestra.

The piece has been played as a trio with Arild Andersen and Patrice Héral and myself in many concerts, usually being followed by a rhythmically intense bass improvisation. That is the case here too – double bass and drums begin, but the trombones soon join in with a ‘riff’, followed by the trumpets and strings.

Following this, the solo trumpet plays a second theme in a triplet rhythm together with the strings before continuing the improvisation. The piece ends with the ostinato bass-percussion figure which introduced the bass improvisation earlier on. Only a static sound in the violins and basses remains, leading into the next piece.

Markus Stockhausen, Arild Andersen and Patrice Héral with the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra at the concert in Saarbrücken, Germany.

We have produced a double CD from the live recording of the concert that has been released on 5th of june, 2009 under the title SYMPHONIC COLOURS

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Reviews:

• “Dream music takes ears and hearts by storm: The audience [was] torn from their seats, with rapturous bravos and cheers, and moved to ten-minute ovations.” Remscheider Generalanzeiger 22.03.2003 ... read more ...
• “In the equally interesting pieces Choral and Sehnsucht, Stockhausen succeeded in composing an organic and faultless development of the Bruckner-like choral melody. The arrangement for brass instruments was excellent, the double bass and drum solos breathtaking. It seemed here as if Stockhausen's trumpet provided a conciliatory harmonic resolution of the musical tension. Stockhausen's compositions are all ingeniously arranged. They make full use of all timbres and broad textures.” Reiner Henn, April 2008 ...read more...