Groove / Harmony

Currently, there are some rather loud and bombastic pronouncements coming out of the USA. Yet reduction is actually part of the identity of American culture. The "New York School," which included Morton Feldman and Earle Brown, is a prime example of this "less is more" approach. Here, the smallest fragments of motifs are varied and minimal structures are designed, meticulously transformed in time, form, and space.

Both Feldman and Brown would have celebrated their 100th birthdays in 2026. Reason enough for a tribute complete with some minor sensations: Feldman's "Dirge" and Brown's "The Kind of Bird I Am" will be presented for the first time – two rediscovered works from the Basel-based Paul Sacher Foundation. "Dirge" has not been performed since its world premiere with Feldman conducting. When Feldman composed the work in 1943, he was still in school.

This piece has nothing in common with Feldman's later personal style, but rather with Stefan Wolpe. Feldman became Wolpe's student in 1944. "Episode" from 1949 dates from his student days. Here, his personal style is already more evident, while "Orchestra" from 1976 is a mature work. The composer's development can be traced through these three Feldman pieces, forming a fascinating portrait. The Brown piece from 1957, on the other hand, is a cheeky rebuttal to Max Ernst.

“What kind of bird are you?” the famous painter is said to have asked him. The result is a 20-second miniature, now being performed as a posthumous world premiere. John Adams’ “Harmonielehre” (Theory of Harmony) is an American response to Arnold Schoenberg’s eponymous treatise from 1910/11. It combines Mahlerian romanticism with the striking drive and shimmering timbres of 1970s “Minimal Music”—an energetic, highly explosive firework display.