Klang der äste

Klang der äste was the outcome of a six month project with German artist Lilian Onstenk, who designed and built a brand new instrument for which I then composed a 7 minute piece.

In English the title means ‘sound of branches’ which was the key design inspiration for the instrument. A variety of tree branches were collected from Haagse Bos and used to create hollow ceramic replicas, then ten of the original wooden branches and ten of the replicas were fixed onto a ring-shape stand which allowed them to resonate whilst staying secure and upright.

Once the instrument had been completed I spent several weeks exploring all the possible sounds the instrument could produce with the intention of creating a score which could be performed by two percussionists. The challenge of creating a score for an entirely new instrument meant that virtuosity had to be kept to a minimum, but the wide array of sounds at my disposal made this task easier.

The piece was due to be performed as part of a showcase concert at Korzo Theatre in the Hague, but due to the pandemic it had to be cancelled.