PORTRAIT FOR TARA

Markus Stockhausen

PORTRAIT FOR TARA

for basset horn
and ensemble

This piece is based on Tara for Solo Basset Horn which the composer wrote in 2001 for the Dutch clarinettist Tara Bouman. She has performed the original piece over 30 times since then and recorded it on her CD “Contemporary”, published by the Cologne label Aktivraum in cooperation with the German radio station Deutschlandfunk. The magazine “Neue Zeitschrift für Musik” reviewed Tara as follows in February 2004: “Things which are often missing in new music happen here: Lightness and effortlessness, playfulness and a tongue-in-cheek humour.” The seven movements are described in the score as “energisch, männlich” (energetic, masculine), “weiblich, zart, sehr ruhig” (feminine, gentle, very tranquil), “kindlich, heiter” (childish, buoyant), “der Bär” (The Bear), “Bös! – versöhnlich” (angry! – conciliatory), “Tara's Flug” (Tara's Flight) and “Tara's Zugabe” (Tara's Encore).

Portrait for Tara for solo basset horn and ensemble, was commissioned by the FuseLeeds04 festival, and was premiered on 3rd March 2004 in Leeds by Tara Bouman and the London Sinfionetta, conducted by Martyn Brabbins. The piece is an 18-minute suite having varied timbres and moods. “I have further refined the original character of the seven movements and composed connecting passages between them. It is the most detailed composition that I have worked on till now.”

Markus Stockhausen (02/02/2004)

Tara Bouman and the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Christoph Poppen 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:

• “At the beginning, the instrumentalist Tara Bouman introduced a rarity: the basset horn, which emerged around 1760 and is actually an alto clarinet. This instrument has been used by composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Richard Strauss. As the choice of this solo instrument indicates, Stockhausen wants to connect tradition and innovation in this piece. Compositionally he managed to create a synthesis between the late-romantic Klangideal, or “sound-ideal”, and jazz elements laced with experimental sound techniques.

  Long held notes seem to produce melodies in this piece, but they are often infused by jazzy episodes which allow the soloist to display her playful brilliance. Exciting dialogues between her and the various sections of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (Saarbrücken, Kaiserslauten) testified to the chamber music spirit of this appealing music.”
  Reiner Henn, April 2008 ...read more...