SKU: HL.49045022

ISBN 9790001154277. UPC: 841886027794.

The formal structure of this organ chorale with solo clarinet follows a Jewish death prayer. The solo clarinet represents the chant of the traditional prayer leader while the organ plays the response of the congregation of the synagogue. The piece ends with a cadenza of the solo clarinet to which an optional organ improvisation can be added.Barbara Heller dedicated this chorale to the memory of Elke Mascha Blankenburg (1943-2013). Talking about her before the first performance, the composer said: 'She was open-hearted with a really tender soul, very trusting. Her creativity knew no limits; she was also an almost fanatical campaigner for music by women. In the music you will hear now I have attempted to convey some aspects of her personality: charming, loving, obstinate, committed, volatile, tragic, crazy, untamed, tender and anguished.' The various sections of this chorale may be performed in a correspondingly contrasting manner: searching, hesitant, visionary, focused, volatile, accusatory, hopeful, etc., with use of rubato and powerful contrasts in dynamic and tone quality.