Drittes Labyrinth / Polyphone Schatten

Jörg Widmann is not only a composer, but also a conductor and clarinet player. This portrait album presents two works by the multi-talented universal musician, both of which are parts of longer cycles and combine (one or two) soloists with orchestral groups. Polyphone Schatten (Polyphonic Shadows, 2001), from the cycle Lichtstudie (Light Study), is a synesthetic attempt to combine the musical phenomenon of polyphony with natural laws. The colors of the two solo instruments - viola (played by Christoph Desjardins) and clarinet (played by Jörg Widmann himself) - are contrasted and combined with noise-like, atmospheric sounds from the orchestral groups. Drittes Labyrinth (Third Labyrinth, 2013/14) unleashes a mystifying, schizophrenic dialogue. The soprano soloist (Sarah Wegener) wanders through the concert hall in dialogue not only with the instrumental groups of the WDR Symphony Orchestra, but also with an imaginary partner. It is a journey to the inner worlds of the sounds themselves.