Rihm - Gejagte Form for orchestra

1. Gejagte Form - Pursued Form?

Pursuit: Movement? Form: Equilibrium?

There is a moment in which the pursuit of (a) form turns into (its) form. But this moment can neither be frozen nor stored; at best it can be conjured. Repeatedly. Shortly before and shortly afterward. But you cannot pin it down. Hunting forms: flying, fleeing forms (Fuga?) Malevich squares are rectangles in flight. A corner is drawn out - have you seen that already? But: it cannot be heard...

2. Pursued Form is a piece of music, written to be heard for instruments; the score was completed on 12 February 1996 (completed?) The composition is perhaps 15 minutes long? short? high? wide? deep?... aha, we understand: Where would the fulcrum be?

It is true I dedicated the piece to my friend Helmut Lachenmann for his 60th birthday. He also hunts. For forms. They sound different - as any fool can hear.

3. At the very moment that I look out of the window, a bird flies through my field of vision. I identify "Magpie". Why do I write that here? Someone has asked me for "an introduction to the work" for the "American presenters". I cannot imagine that there is anyone in America who is not interested in birds which fly through my field of vision and happen to be magpies. Or does anyone perhaps still seriously believe in Santa Claus who also attempts to illustrate on the blackboard the existence of the Christ-Child using formal logic? And then gobbles up the chalk?

4. The same holds true: the only guides towards the understanding of the effects of music (in a positive or negative sense) are the ears of the listener. Based on sheer liberalism, I plead for a great variety of ears. On each head should be installed at least two completely different channels linked to at least two completely differently-conditioned auditory mechanisms. Is that possible?

One shouldn't define any immutable conventions at this point. Everyone perceives differently anyway. A composer who must first invent a kind of listening for his music is a sad case, but also immensely fortunate.

5. There is no justice in Nature: it exists quite well despite us. We do not want to know all its details. Thank God it is kept secret from us. Have I already mentioned that Gejagte Form (Pursued Form) is a piece of music? It is definitely not a bird. Outside it is getting dark. "Music is always something completely different", says someone at the next table.

There/suddenly/bursts/the/window/the/walls/fly/away/it/happens/...

(To be continued - as is always the case in music.)

Wolfgang Rihm