hr-Sinfonieorchester / Raschèr Saxophone Quartet / Matthias Pintscher

In Márton Illés’ »Saxotèr« four saxophones merge into a powerful super-instrument, whose air and key noises enter into a gripping contest with the percussionists. The musicians push the sonic possibilities of the saxophones to the extreme – until unused mouthpieces suddenly become singing, almost vocal instruments. In the interplay of percussion and winds, a fascinating sonic storm emerges, culminating in an electrifying finale and then fading away, like a final breath, into a delicate, floating moment.

Next, Vito Žuraj’s »Anemoi« sweeps through the hall like a musical wind. Eight ancient Greek wind gods – each with its own direction, its own temperature, its own force – appear one after another, shaped by changing sections of the orchestra. At times cutting and icy, at times shimmering, pressing, or heavy, they unfold their unmistakable characters. Archaic timbres flash up – echoes of the lyre, but above all the shrill, raw sound of the aulos, oscillating between animal howls and alarm signals. Invisible yet palpable, the music drives the currents forward and makes the power of the wind audible.