Wassermusik Suite No.2
(Water Music Suite No. 2)

Composition for the ceremonial reception of a river as it meets the sea
Version for the Warnow River with five trombones

2016
In collaboration with Matthias Kranebitter

The collaboration with composer Matthias Kranebitter was inspired by the idea of honoring a river at its arrival in the sea. At the river’s mouth, it has reached its fullest extent—and at the same moment, it dissolves and merges into something else. On this occasion, a brass ensemble performs a composition specially written for the river. In Western traditions, brass bands are symbols of honor—playing at funerals, processions, and even state receptions. Here, they play for the river, “humanizing” it and making it more tangible. This lighthearted gesture allows us to connect more easily with the river, with nature—avoiding theatricality and heaviness. However, the musical composition does not simply depict the river nor is it merely a tribute. Rather, the work is a translation back into the river’s own logic. On one level, the aesthetic qualities of flowing water—its dependence on temperature, flow rate, salinity, and so on—are reflected in the composition. Additionally, some brass instruments are placed directly in the water, meaning the piece literally “speaks” the river’s language.