View from Leipzig

Foto: Jonas Asplund 2006

A story and thoughts from a visit in Leipzig and meetings with the composer Bernd Franke Through a grant from the foundation in memory of Alvar Kraft I got the opportunity to go to Germany and Leipzig to meet the composer Bernd Franke whom I met at a composition masterclass in 2004. On monday morning I took the tram from my hotel to the Augustus platz where I met Bernd in front of the opera house. We climbed the stairs to the ninth floor to his room in the Krochhochhaus overlooking both the Nikolai church and the Thomas church, tradition and history reminded me of its presence with every toll of the church bells. Of course I visited the Nikolai church where Bach premiered his St. Mathew Passion and which also played a part in the falling of the wall. Also the Thomas church was visited at a advent motett in a, as usual, full church. My week involved discussions with Bernd Franke about organisation of the orchestra in my work and about graphical and aleatoric notation. In my work I'm trying to develop such a notation which opens up for the musicians subconscious to play a part in the concert situation through a form of improvisation. In that way I wish to, in given moments, distance my own person from the music to make way for anothers to create a relevans for the listeners hopefully active process. But how to do this without loosing control of the result? Bernd Frankes notation in my opinion creates a depth in the music. He sometimes uses graphical notation to describe a musical gesture which I think creates a freedom for musicians but with retained control. I also got the opportunity to give lectures at the university for composition students and other interested people about my music and about swedish contemporary classical music in general. From the discussions and thoughts that came up during and after these seminars I got the feeling that the composers and musicians that are active in Leipzig are trying to find a way to relate to the tradition involving Bach and others, something that is more or less expected from a musician there. This heavy tradition can be both positive and negative, at best you use it but it can also inhibit creativity. I also met other composers, musicians and conductors, all open minded, interested och with burning engagement. Meetings that hopefully will lead to more exciting collaborations with this city of music. Jonas Asplund