Big Bang

This extraordinary evening takes us into outer space: the program includes Gustav Holst's orchestral suite »The Planets«, composed between 1914 and 1918. Mark Gaal, bass trombonist with Phil Blech Vienna, has arranged it especially for organ, brass ensemble, percussion and women's choir for the occasion of the concert. How he thinks the birth of the universe must have sounded is demonstrated by Gerd Hermann Ortler in his work »Urknall« - a composition commissioned by the Vienna Konzerthaus. In his compositions, the South Tyrolean focuses particularly on the development and processing of motifs and textures, which he places in a narrative context by means of a genre-crossing tonal language in order to break down genre-specific associations and expectations, as well as to bring together elements of new music and jazz.
Phil Blech Wien are fifteen musical personalities from renowned Viennese orchestras, all trained in Vienna. Their declared goal is to preserve the Viennese brass and percussion tradition and to give it new impulses. The composition of the instruments corresponds to that of a Viennese orchestra; rotary valve trumpet, Viennese horn and Viennese timpani provide the harmonic, round and soft sound specific to this city. The organ is played by Olivier Latry, one of the most famous organists in the world. For some 35 years he has been one of three titular organists at the Great Organ of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. This post is one of the most prestigious in the organ world. Not only because the building of Notre-Dame also marks the birth – the big bang, so to speak – of European art music

Publications Program sheet 1
Program sheet 2