Asko|Schönberg has a long history of performing Klaas de Vries’ music, including the premieres of many of his major compositions, such the Spiegelpaleis cycle in 2017, which had taken the composer years to complete, and the grand and awarded oratorio A king, riding, which premiered in Brussels in 1996. On the programme this time is De Vries’ magnificent Sub nocte per umbras, which he dedicated to the Schönberg Ensemble and its founder, Reinbert de Leeuw. It is flanked by work by two composers from younger generations.
De Vries’ Sub nocte per umbras is a masterpiece with ‘brilliant instrumentation full of surprising colour contrasts’ (Erik Voermans, Het Parool). After minutes of whisper-soft music the near-silence is broken with a fiery fanfare, developing into a breathtaking arc.
Silvia Borzelli (1978) studied in her native Italy, in Sweden and in The Hague. She now lives in Amsterdam. Composers such as Brian Ferneyhough, Beat Furrer and Yannis Kyriakides have aided in her development as a creator of sophisticated sonic worlds. Asko|Schönberg premiered Borzelli’s new composition for cello and large ensemble, Earthbound, during the Amsterdam Cello Biennale in November 2024.
When he was seven years old, Jasper de Bock (2003) found a dusty old keyboard in the attic. He quickly developed into one of the greatest compositional talents of his generation. His drama-laden pieces have already earned him several awards and at present he studies in The Hague with composer Jan van de Putte, who in turn is a former student of Klaas de Vries. I walk is a new work for percussion soloist and ten-piece ensemble.