»Good art changes something in the recipient«

What does orchestral music of the 21st century sound like? The »Elbphilharmonie Visions« 2025 festival explores this question in seven concerts. In collaboration with NDR, the Elbphilharmonie presents a kaleidoscope of contemporary music in the Grand Hall. The spectrum ranges from lavish melodiousness to the very limits of noise, from refined conceptual art to unrestrained instinctive music, from delicate miniatures to grand cinematic soundscapes. Once again, leading radio orchestras from Germany and Austria are headed to Hamburg for the festival. Most concerts are planned in a compact format without intermissions, complemented by engaging artist talks on stage.

What can audiences look forward to? Why is a festival like this important? And why don’t you have to know anything about new music to be a fan? An interview with Christoph Lieben-Seutter (General Director of the Elbphilharmonie & Laeiszhalle) and Barbara Lebitsch (Artistic Director).

Helmut Schmidt once said, »If you have visions, you should see a doctor.« But does this apply to concert hall directors too?

CLS: Nothing against Helmut Schmidt, who was a great statesman and a Hamburg idol. But I would argue instead that anyone lacking vision in the arts might be the one who needs to see a doctor.
 

So what is the vision behind »Elbphilharmonie Visions«?

CLS: Hamburg has invested a great deal of money in a breathtaking concert hall by the harbour, whose spectacular architecture embodies a kind of promise: that extraordinary things happen here, at the highest level. While classical music is central to the programme, the repertoire boldly ventures across genres and stylistic boundaries. This is where the »Elbphilharmonie Visions« festival comes into play, spotlighting recently composed, often experimental orchestral music.

BL: And the Elbphilharmonie is an exceptional venue for this. Not only does its inspiring architecture complement the character of the music, but the Grand Hall’s acoustics are remarkably clear and spacious. You are really right in the middle of the music and can virtually hear it in 3D – every subtle contribution from the violinist in the third desk or every intricate effect crafted by the composer, details that might otherwise be lost in the reverberation of historic halls. This is especially true for contemporary music, with its delicate soundscapes and softest tones, which are beautifully captured in this space.
 

For many listeners, though, this music presents a particular challenge.

CLS: If you assume that music must always have a melody, harmony, and rhythm, it can feel difficult to engage with. But if you’re willing to embark on a listening adventure, it becomes incredibly exciting. The audience at the Elbphilharmonie often joins us on this journey with more open-minded expectations than those in a traditional concert hall. The regular concert programme already features a relatively large amount of new music, often as part of mixed programmes. We often find that modern pieces receive applause just as enthusiastic as that for classical or romantic works.

BL: At the premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony almost 200 years ago, nobody knew what it would sound like. Of course, back then, the tonal language was more predictable, and listening habits were more defined. That is certainly different nowadays. Audiences are often exposed to unfamiliar listening experiences, but that doesn’t mean these should be dismissed outright. Whether a work is ultimately perceived as exciting and enriching or rather demanding remains subjective in any case. The brief conversations with the composers, most of whom are present at the concert, can offer valuable insights and help listeners connect with these new sounds, making the music feel more tangible and personal. Unfortunately, this opportunity is no longer possible with composers like Brahms and his contemporaries.

CLS: But we certainly don’t want to come across as lecturing anyone. You don’t need to understand what a fugue is to appreciate Bach, nor do you need any prior knowledge to enjoy contemporary music. That said, as with any area of life – be it painting, wine, cooking, or football – the more knowledge and experience you have, the deeper your appreciation can be. This is why highlighting contemporary music in the framework of an entire festival is so beneficial.

So, it’s about embracing openness and setting aside prejudices.

BL: Exactly. Our focus is very much on reaching a broad audience, not just contemporary music aficionados. Incidentally, many of the festival’s guests such as Arabella Steinbacher, Lawrence Power, Ryan Bancroft and, of course, Alan Gilbert are not exclusively associated with new music. This underlines the idea that it should not be treated as something out of the ordinary, but rather as a regular part of the repertoire.

CLS: Good art changes something in the recipient. I want to be moved, inspired, impressed and, of course, entertained by a concert. That’s why curiosity is essential; it’s something I think we should all have as human beings. The concerts that have stayed with me for decades are the ones where something unexpected and entirely new, at least to me, unfolded musically. This sometimes opens up new worlds. Of course, this is more likely to happen at a festival for new music than at the umpteenth performance of Tchaikovsky’s 5th.
 

What trends are you noticing in contemporary music?

BL: Unlike the rigid dogmas of the 1950s, when you could only perform within a specific school or movement, today’s musical landscape is much more expansive. One composer might create noise music, another might focus on serial atonal compositions, a third might explore traditional triads, and a fourth could incorporate live electronics. This freedom doesn’t equate to randomness though. Rather, it reflects diversity, and the festival programme aims to reflect this diversity.

Helmut Lachenmann’s »My Melodies«, written by the 89-year-old master, features intense noise and extreme density, yet lacks melodies in the conventional sense. Similarly, Mark Andre, one of Lachenmann’s students, invites us to experience the most delicate fading away of individual motifs in space. Clara Ianotta’s »Moult« requires attentive listening with open eyes to realise that these intriguing sounds, though seemingly electronic, all originate from the orchestra. The full impact of contemporary music, even more so than in classical works, comes to life in a live setting, within the concert hall and engaging all the senses. This is also true for the two percussion concertos by Francesca Verunelli and Johannes Maria Staud, which incorporate both unconventional objects and traditional instruments. Likewise, Alex Paxton’s new work, one of the two world premieres at the opening concert alongside Bernd Richard Deutsch’s large choral symphonic work, will likely share this immersive quality.

Short interviews with some of the composers of the »Elbphilharmonie Visions« festival.

Speaking of which – why aren’t there more world premieres at »Elbphilharmonie Visions«?

CLS: Because world premieres are a bit of a double-edged sword. Of course it is very important, commendable and always a little glamorous commissioning and launching new works. That’s what we are doing at the opening concert. But many premieres don’t always happen in the ideal conditions. Often, the score is completed too late, leaving insufficient time for the conductor to prepare, or the orchestra doesn’t have enough rehearsal time for the new work. Historically, many masterpieces have been failures at their premieres. Conversely, some works are met with great acclaim at their debut but then fade into obscurity. This is where we come in, aiming to offer a curated selection of the best works from the past 25 years.
 

Who actually decides which works are performed at the festival?

BL: We make these decisions together with Alan Gilbert, who acts as the guiding force, and Hervé Boutry, the music curator. Hervé, having managed the Ensemble Intercontemporain for many years, remains closely connected to new and cutting-edge works. We collect ideas and pass them on to each other: a mixture of personal preferences, our own experiences and recommendations from others. Of course, we also collaborate with the artists and representatives of the guest orchestras who will be performing the programmes at their respective venues. While not all our initial wishes come to fruition, other interesting suggestions arise, leading to valuable synergies. In the end, it is important that everyone involved is fully committed to the programme.
 

How did the festival come about in the first place?

BL: We were looking for a successor to »Greatest Hits«, our festival for contemporary music, which had been held four times at Kampnagel before the opening of the Elbphilharmonie. Then, in 2019, Alan Gilbert, who had just become the chief conductor of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra after leaving his position at the New York Philharmonic, brought with him the concept of a biennial festival he had created in New York. We sat down together and from that meeting »Elbphilharmonie Visions« was born – a collaborative project between NDR and the Elbphilharmonie.

Why is it that only radio orchestras perform alongside the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra under Alan Gilbert? Is it because they play a relatively large amount of new music in their regular programming?

CLS: Yes, that’s part of it. »Elbphilharmonie Visions« aims to advocate for radio orchestras, which are considered by some to be an endangered species. The original purpose of these orchestras – to perform live on the radio – has largely become obsolete. Nevertheless, they remain a vital part of our musical landscape and are crucial for performing new works. The majority of orchestral works created after the Second World War were premiered by radio orchestras. The fact that Germany still has around a dozen of these orchestras, thanks to its federal structure, is a cultural treasure of global significance.
 

The Claussen Simon Composition Prize will be awarded again during the festival, with the recipient receiving a commissioned work to be performed at the opening concert. This year’s winner is Alex Paxton. How does the selection process work?

BL: As was the case in 2023, an open call was issued, inviting nearly 200 composers from around the world to submit a score sketch along with a brief description. The submissions were completely anonymised to ensure equal opportunities. A jury comprising Alan Gilbert, the composer Matthias Pintscher, the previous prizewinner Lisa Streich, and the composition professors Reinhard Flender and Fredrik Schwenk from the local music academy then reviewed the submissions using a four-eye principle, narrowing them down to 25 works. From these, the jury selected four finalists, who were invited to rehearse with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra under Alan Gilbert, where the developed sketches were performed and discussed.

In the end, the jury selected the winner, who was commissioned to complete their work for the festival’s premiere. With Alex Paxton, we have someone who is truly succeeding across the board. It was incredible, as no one knew who had composed the four pieces that made it to the final selection until the secret was revealed.

For the first time, there will be post-concert happenings in the former Störtebeker restaurant next to the panorama window at the top of the Tube escalator. What can we expect there?

CLS: We’ve set up a pop-up bar, working together with the RIAA Bar, which was previously located in Hamburg’s Altona district. There will be drinks and curated DJ sets featuring artists from London, Brussels and Hamburg. The concept embraces the global trend of »listening bars«. It’s a great chance for us to experiment with ideas we’re developing for the future of the former restaurant space while connecting with Hamburg’s club culture. After all, it’s all about music of the present.

Interview: Clemens Matuschek, Januar 2025