Composition Commission issued to Rolf Urs Ringger

Duo PRAXEDIS, Switzerland

A harp has 47 strings, a piano 88 sets of strings. Each string has its own individual tonal color, its own personality. It is like a whole instrument in itself. Therefore, in a piece of music for harp and piano the musicians in the duo PRAXEDIS transform a total of 135 instruments into sound.
Today a rare combination, the harp and piano were a popular line-up in the early classical era. In those times this exciting combination was often a source of inspiration for renowned composers. To revive this tradition the Duo PRAXEDIS, with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, commissioned the composer Rolf Urs Ringger with a new multi-movement work that uses both conventional and unusual playing techniques. For instance, ringing out in one piece are just two strings and yet in another all 135. In his work the composer drew inspiration from Marc Chagall’s “Sunset”.

April 24, 2015
Lavater-Saal, Zürich

May 25, 2015
Burg Kriebstein

June 4, 2015
Stella Matutina Weggis

Further Information:
www.praxedis.ch