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Chordofonia
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Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 7:15 p.m. / Westfälische Zeitung
The Chordofonia ensemble with its conductor Annika Hinsche.
Westphalian Newspaper
Ensemble Chordofonia performs at Haus Marck An exquisite highlight Tecklenburg – Musically expressive and technically extremely precise, the Ensemble Chordofonia thrilled its audience. By Sunhild Salaschek Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 7:15 p.m.
The Ensemble Chordofonia, under the direction of Annika Hinsche, received sustained applause. What concertgoer, upon hearing the term "chamber orchestra," spontaneously thinks of mandolins and guitars?
But these were precisely the instruments played by the Ensemble Chordofonia on Sunday at Haus Marck to conclude the Münsterland Castles and Palaces Day 2022. The Euregio Music Festival once again succeeded in offering an exquisite highlight with the orchestra, which was only founded in 2019.
Chordofonia sees itself as embedded in centuries-old, changing traditions of plucked string music, but, according to its own statement, wants to "shape visions" and thereby "explore new paths on an artistic and pedagogical level." The musically expressive and technically highly precise interpretations of the internationally acclaimed musicians captivated the audience, who were hardly familiar with plucked string music, surprisingly quickly.
Under the experienced direction of Annika Hinsche, herself a mandolin player and conductor specializing in plucked string instruments, the nine-member orchestra played an impressive program that, in the best sense of the word, pedagogically introduced the audience to the unfamiliarity of the music.
Chordofonia opened the concert with three movements from "Le Tombeau de Couperin" by Maurice Ravel, which—in its traditional orchestral version—remains well-known and beloved today for its melodic and dance-like music. Thus, the listeners were immediately receptive to the unfamiliar sound spectrum. A concise yet highly informative introduction to the pieces performed further enhanced their understanding. From there, it was a short step to the Italian composer Raffaele Calace (1863-1934), the son of an instrument maker, who was not only a mandolin player himself but also contributed to the improvement of the Neapolitan mandolin. Calace, in turn, sparked a boom in mandolin music in Japan. With this background, it was almost second nature for the captivated listeners to discern, in the composition "Novemberfest" by the highly esteemed Japanese composer Yasuo Kuwahara (1946-2003), both the autumn storms and the force of a life force renewing itself from these tumultuous elements.
With works by Lars Wüller (born 1975), Balz Trümpy (born 1946), and Koray Berat Sari (born 1990), the unfamiliar style already seemed much more familiar after the intermission. One effortlessly identified changes in mood and enjoyed new rhythmic elements such as different types of percussion or the additional timbres presented by two guest soloists.
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Photo K. H.
Monday, June 12, 2023 Wuppertal Culture by Daniel Diekhans
Westdeutsche Zeitung
Audience celebrates Bachmann's "Cicadas"
Ingeborg Bachmann's "Cicadas" as a live performance – Gunda Gottschalk deserves credit for this idea.
The Wuppertal-based musician (Partita Radicale) proved on Friday the suitability of the radio play, which was first broadcast in 1955, for the stage.
The story centers on a group of dropouts on a Mediterranean island. With its blend of concise scenes and subtle irony, "The Cicadas" still holds its own alongside the poetry and prose of the Austrian writer.
For the premiere at the "Codeks" coworking space on Moritzstrasse, Gottschalk assembled a large cast. Director Jakob Fedler brought together performers who alternated between recitation and song, instrumental soloists, and the ten-member plucked-string orchestra Chordofonia.
150 guests celebrated the participants with thunderous applause. The second performance on Sunday in the Mahler Hall of the town hall also garnered enthusiastic applause.
Even in the original broadcast of the radio play, text and music were combined; at that time, the music was composed by Bachmann's close friend Hans Werner Henze. "The Cicadas" find a new, contemporary form through the music by Gunda Gottschalk and Carl Ludwig Hübsch.
On stage, the "wild, frenetic song" of the cicadas came to life. The composed framework allowed the soloists room for improvisation. Gottschalk's violin brought the buzzing and chirping of the cicadas to life, as did live electronics artist Florian Zwißler.
The Chordofonia Ensemble (directed by Annika Hinsche) gave the insect song an eerie quality by distorting the tremolo of the mandolins with dissonances and noisy interjections.
Even when Davide Campisi—the Sicilian is a virtuoso on the tambourine and other frame drums—introduced a Mediterranean flair, tuba player Hübsch interjected with unrestrained solos.
The musicians convincingly filled the role that Bachmann's radio play, with its reference to the myth in Plato's dialogue "Phaedrus," assigns to the cicadas: Singing, they disturb the protagonists' midday rest as a constant reminder that no one can escape reality. The motives for the escape are understandable. Jochen Bauer, for example, appeared as a father who lost his son in the war, while Miriam Vanneste played a woman who wanted to escape aging on the island. Her antagonist was islander Antonio.
In this role, Luise Kinner (Schauspiel Wuppertal) gave the dialogues their decisive twist. When the others insisted on the fulfillment of their dreams, working themselves up into dramatic song with the support of the musicians, Kinner countered them with a firm "No!" Narrator Bernhard Glose then made the island idyll clear at the end as pure fiction.
The author herself had also drawn her own conclusions from "The Cicadas": In 1957, she rejected a life with Hans Werner Henze on the island of Ischia.
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Photo: Axel Engels
By Axel Engels,
Music journalist, photographer, musician.
With a concert of exceptional quality, the Chordofoni Chamber Orchestra celebrated its fifth anniversary on Saturday afternoon, November 16, 2024, in St. James' Church in Rheine.
The ensemble, dedicated to plucked string music at the highest level, offered the audience not only an impressive demonstration of its skill but also a musical cross-section of tradition and modernity.
The artistic direction of Annika Hinsche lent the concert a clear structure and a special emotional depth.
The evening began with the impressionistic sounds of Rudolf Leber, whose movements from the "Suite op. 143" gently introduced the audience to the world of plucked string music. In these pieces, the ensemble's delicate technique and subtle interplay were particularly evident. One of Chordofoni's outstanding qualities is undoubtedly its ability to convey even the softest notes with the utmost precision and expressiveness.
Following this, the ensemble presented a captivating musical narrative with Joaquín Turina's "La Oración del Torero." The dramatic prayer of the bullfighter, imbued with Spanish temperament and melodic melancholy, allowed the audience to experience the multifaceted storytelling capabilities of plucked instruments.
The tonal balance between the individual instrument groups lent the composition a rich palette of sound colors.
A first highlight of the evening was the performance of Lars Wüller's award-winning work "One Small Step." With cinematic allusions and surprising sound effects, the piece unfolded a veritable soundscape, ranging from futuristic expanses to intimate moments. In a brief introduction, Lars Wüller explained his approach: "The music should evoke images." Chordofonia brought this intention to life in a fascinating way.
The second part of the concert was entirely dedicated to Wüller's composition "The Wizard of Oz." The concert performance of this musical interpretation of the famous children's book transported the audience to an enchanting world. Each movement—from the overture to the finale—was characterized by clear character sketches: from Dorothy's childlike innocence to the mischievous liveliness of the Scarecrow's theme. The finale, in particular, which artfully intertwined the themes of all the characters, captivated the audience with its dynamic energy.
Annika Hinsche's musical direction combined technical perfection with artistic expressiveness. With this concert, Chordofonia not only impressively demonstrated that plucked string music is a modern and versatile art form, but also that it is possible to bring tradition and innovation into harmonious dialogue.
Axel Engels
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Photos: Schütze/Heinze
Cityring Concerts is here:
Friedensplatz.
September 1, 2024 Dortmund
An unforgettable family concert:
The Wizard of Oz.
Somewhere over the Rainbow lies the magical world of Oz. And that's where the family concert on Sunday morning transported us. In a staged adaptation of L. Frank Baum's well-known story, masterfully directed by Lars Wüller, the audience experienced the exciting adventures of Dorothy and her loyal companions up close.
The Chordofonia Chamber Orchestra brought the story to life musically. Every note and every scene ignited the imaginations of listeners of all ages. The stage transformed into the colorful wonderland where Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion, and the Scarecrow prove their courage and make the impossible possible.
This was more than just music – it was a journey into a world of wonder, accompanied by a brilliant musical performance and captivating acting. Something like this simply stays with you!
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Neue Westfälische - Gütersloher Zeitung Edition of March 12, 2024 / Page 18
"The Wizard of Oz"
It fascinates not only kids
The scenic family concert freely adapted from the children's book by Lyman Frank Baum with actors from the Dortmund Children's and Youth Theatre and the plucked string orchestra "Chordofonia" thrills young and old alike.
Edwin Rekate
Gütersloh
When the internationally renowned plucked string orchestra "Chordofonia," conducted by Annika Hinsche, struck up the popular evergreen "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," the older members of the audience had tears in their eyes, while the younger ones whispered expectantly, "Look, the magician is coming!"
Even 125 years after the publication of Lyman Frank Baum's novel and 85 years after the premiere of the film adaptation starring Judy Garland, the story continues to delight young and old alike. This is also true of the current production, which was largely created by musicians and performers from Gütersloh and actors from Dortmund.
However, it seems to have started off with a hitch: No sooner had the play begun in the nearly sold-out theater than a problem arose. “We have some not-so-good news. We're usually a trio, but now it's just two of us. We waited until the very last second, but our colleague isn't here!” At that moment, a girl in the audience drew attention to herself. “Would you like to say something?” asked the presenting duo, Bianca Lammert and Andreas Ksienzyk. “I know the play from school,” Ida assured them.
She was promptly given the role of twelve-year-old Dorothy and wired up with a wireless microphone. Now that the acting troupe from the Dortmund Children's and Youth Theatre was complete again, the fantastical story began.
In her dream, Dorothy (alias Ida Lammert) is swept by a tornado from the sandy state of Kansas to the magical land of Oz. To get back home, the kind Witch of the North advises her to seek out the Wizard of Oz.
Children were captivated by Dorothy for an hour during the performance.
Since the clattering house has flattened the Wicked Witch of the East, who had ruled the Munchkins until then, Dorothy can exchange her sneakers for the magical, shiny red witch's ballet flats that will guide her to the green Emerald City. With these, Dorothy sets off on her adventurous journey and first meets the Scarecrow (Andreas Ksienzyk), who would like a brain instead of straw; the Rusty Tin Woman (Bianka Lammert), who desperately wants a real heart; and the Cowardly Lion, who wishes he were braver.
With her three companions, Dorothy must now overcome many exciting adventures to reach the Wizard.
The legendary Wizard of Oz (portrayed by director Peter Kirschke in a pink glitter dress and matching top hat), who also generates all the sound effects and computer-generated scenery, isn't a real magician at all.
His tricks are exposed by Dorothy and her companions when they cheekily unplug his extension cord. Having successfully completed their task, everyone gets what they wished for.
"The magician was the best part," six-year-old Emma and four-year-old Greta from the third row declared in unison. The two sisters, along with all the children in the audience, were captivated throughout the 60-minute show. Every neck turned with interest whenever there was action on the stage or in the two stairwells.
As a thank you for the final thunderous applause, "Chordofonia" played two encores. Mandolins, mandoloncellos, liuto cantabiles, guitars and a double bass roared through the theater with the polka "Suite Mexicana" and sparked a great clapping concert, which ended with the successful advertising jingle "Palladio".