4. Schlagzeug (Penta Infinitum)

Penta Infinitum (from Greek and Latin: five - infinite) is a concerto for five percussionists and symphony orchestra composed by Oriol Cruixent on the occasion of the five-hundredth anniversary of the Bavarian State Orchestra (1523- 2023). The work is divided into three parts: I-Introitus regius (royal entrance), II-Invocatio ...Incarnatio (invocation ...incarnation, embodiment), III-Celebratio (celebration). While the first and third movements are conceived in a clearly festive character (the first on ceremonial, the last one popular), the central movement invites the listener to a journey that culminates in a sonic appearance of seven fragments of historical works: three fragments from compositions by Orlande de Lassus, two fragments from the opera Idomeneo by W. A. Mozart, and finally one excerpt from Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and one from Die Walküre. These quoted, historical compositions share the distinction of having been premiered in Munich by the orchestra being honoured.

Penta infinitum was commissioned by the Bavarian State Opera in 2023 and dedicated to ATTACCA Youth Orchestra of the Bavarian State Orchestra and to the Ensemble OPERcussion percussionists of the Bavarian State Orchestra. The premiere took place in July 2023 at the Prinzregententheater in Munich under the baton of Allan Bergius, with OPERcussion as soloists.