Towards Paradise (Labyrinth VI) is a trumpet concerto by German composer Jörg Widmann. It was composed in 2021 and premiered on 23 September 2021 by soloist Håkan Hardenberger and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Andris Nelsons at Gewandhaus.
Background
Widmann's second trumpet concerto was commissioned by Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Boston Symphony Orchestra. The composition is influenced by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and the lockdowns enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Widmann describes the work:
The concerto is part six of the Labyrinth (Maze) cycle, started in 2005. The associations in a maze are "search for orientation" and "spatial perception". Labyrinth VI also refers to the labyrinthine difficulties occurring during the process of composing.
The work is dedicated to Håkan Hardenberger. Widmann and Hardenberger were in close collaboration.
Structure
The demanding trumpet concerto is an "epic" large-scale one-movement work.
The solitary solo trumpet starts playing offstage right side in lowest registers, the hall at the beginning in darkness. The melancholic melody played by the at this time introverted, isolated trumpeter can't be located exactly. The soloist enters the stage and takes up contact with an orchestral trumpet player, a dialogue develops.
The soloist is embarking on a journey. When looking for musical partners, the protagonist is sometimes rudely dismissed. The stage setting provides in total nine solo positions facing different groups of the orchestra. The music is varied: melancholy, assertive, mischievous, and reflective.
The sound of the trumpet is modified by following effects: player's back to the audience pointing the trumpet bell towards the floor toward the audience mutes
At the end, the light fades out and the soloist leaves the stage on the left side playing a "glimmering, ethereal high E", reaching an oasis.
Instrumentation
Source: Woodwinds: 3 flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (2nd doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet, 3rd doubling contrabass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon) Brass: 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones (3rd doubling bass trombone), tuba Strings: 12 first violins, 10 second violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, 4 double basses Percussion: timpani, percussion (5 players recommended) I. glockenspiel, crotales, xylophone, 2 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, sizzle cymbal, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, metal chimes, ratchet, wood block, waterphone; II. glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, tubular bells, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, Thai gongs, 3 tam-tams, water tam-tam, 2 high Brazilian tambourines, 2 bongos, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, flexatone, guiro; III. tubular bells, 3 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, sizzle cymbal, crash cymbals, Thai gongs, tam-tam, 2 Brazilian tambourines, 2 bongos, snare drum, 3 tom-toms, bass drum, rain stick; IV. 3 plate bells, triangle, 3 cymbals, Chinese cymbal, sizzle cymbal, Thai gongs, water gong, 3 tam-tams, tambourine, bass drum, metal chimes, ratchet, mounted castanets, 3 temple blocks, metal block (with 2 hammers), rain stick, whip, flexatone; V. 3 tam-tams, ratchet 2 harps, accordion, celesta
The orchestration is characterized by a vast percussion array.
Performances
Source:
Soloist: Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet) 23 September 2021, world premiere, Andris Nelsons, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Gewandhaus, Leipzig (further performances on 24 and 26 September) 18 November 2021, American premiere, Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Hall, Boston (further performances on 19 and 20 November) 4 February 2023, David Robertson, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
Reception
Reviewing the US premiere, The Boston Globes A.Z. Madonna wrote: "In either case, after 40 minutes in Widmann's labyrinth, paradise was an intermission." Jeffrey Gantz wrote in The Boston Musical Intelligencer: "Birth stage left, death stage right, and in between a lifetime of searching." Kevin Wells in Bachtrack: "labyrinth of textures and layers" Jonathan Blumhofer in Boston Classical Review: "The solo writing is highly virtuosic in register, timbre and articulation." and "Towards Paradise stands as one of the season’s most fascinating and original musical journeys. The audience sensed as much, rewarding Hardenberger with a fervent ovation." Verena Fischer-Zernin (Hamburger Abendblatt): "The applause only breaks out after a delay." ("") and "There is no better way for an audience to express their gratitude." ("").