Eastman Showcase 2005
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In Friendship
Paul Miller is currently working on a PhD in theory and a Master of Music degree in viola. His musical interests converged last month, when he premiered a viola version of In Freundschaft (In Friendship) by Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928- ). The German composer is the subject of Paul’s PhD dissertation, and he has attended the summer school devoted to Stockhausen’s music in Kürten, Germany, for several years.
This piece was originally written in 1978 for clarinet, but Stockhausen has approved many different versions of it - for bassoon, cello, saxophone and more – each signifying friendship with a different musician. The composer sent an unperformed viola version of In Freundschaft to Paul last year; he played it in Kürten in August before an audience of 200 people, including Stockhausen himself.
In this 15-minute piece, the 7 sections contrast the high and low registers of the instrument. To distinguish the different musical lines, the player must move the instrument to different heights, often very rapidly. At the end, the musical lines converge, as the performer comes to rest.
“There were no major errors and altogether it went very well!” says Paul of his August performance on his website (www.theoryofpaul.net). “Stockhausen seemed quite happy afterwards too ...but I am sure the North American premiere will go better.”
That North American premiere will be at Eastman in the spring of 2006, in Paul’s MM degree recital (he is a student of John Graham). This won’t be the first time In Freundschaft will be heard in Kilbourn Hall: the first performance of the cello version was given in 1981 by Warren Stewart (BM ’81).