Composition Commission issued to David Philip Hefti

Schweizer Kammerchor, Zurich, Switzerland

In 1997 Fritz Näf founded the Swiss chamber choir Schweizer Kammerchor in collaboration with TonhalleGesellschaft Zürich and its Chief Director, David Zinman. After 14 successful years as Artistic Director of the only professional philharmonic ensemble in Switzerland he is now to give his farewell concert in the form of a "self-made" project without orchestra. The concert comprises two musical works that are interwoven with each other: one is the Johannes Brahms’ Requiem in the London version for soloists, choir and four-hand piano; and the other a work by Zurich composer David Philip Hefti for string quartet commissioned with the support of the EvS Music Foundation. This is the agenda pursued by Fritz Näf and his choir: the combination of the old and the new, sorrow and hope (Brahms), choir and instrumental music. The London version of the Requiem indeed offers ideal opportunities to develop the qualities and finesse of this choir: purely for this reason alone the juxtaposition with the string quartet is not intended as a stark contrast but as aesthetic and musical enrichment that leads to a deeper understanding of the content.

The two farewell concerts will be held in Fritz Näf’s two most important cities of activity - Basel and Zurich.

 

April 16^th 2011

Peterskirche, Basel, Switzerland

 

April 17^th 2011 

Kirche St. Peter, Zurich

 

Further Information:

www.schweizer-kammerchor.ch