P-ILION, nine fragments of an eternity

Composer's Notes

I. breath in, 7:19 pm - II. breath out, 8:12 pm - III. tettix, 10:15 pm - IV. jasmine, 10:22 pm

V. secret, 10:55 pm - VI. once upon a time, 11:17 pm - VII. wind, 11:47 pm

VIII. a dance, 12:00 pm - IX. nightflower, 1:11 am

P-ILION, nine fragments of an eternity was commissioned by the Kasseler Musiktage 2007 to write a string quartet for the Athener Quartet. The piece was planned to be performed between two Beethoven string quartets.

Often, an outstanding event does not last long: like the time of breathing in or breathing out. Nevertheless, this short period might feel like an eternity. These are the moments that keep us alive. I observed that today the flow of time is very fast, so there is a risk to not listen to our heartbeat.

PILION is a region in Greece characterized by pristine nature. I was there when I started composing this piece. The Greek capital letter “P” is the P (Pi), interpreted in ancient Greek as a symbol for gate or door. ILION derives from Greek ILIOS, meaning sun or light. Thus, the title refers to a kind of „Gate to the Light“ – and at the same time it reflects my view on PILION, as I experienced it.

These nine miniatures are reflecting moments, that lead to the light. Some of them are very short. Still, I feel that they are longer than the music itself. They force me to experience time with a higher intensity and to be able to feel the echo differently. The numbers in the titles of the miniatures are times of the clock. The time stands still in a specific moment because the intensity of what is happening changes the perception of time.