IMA
for mixed choir and orchestra
Commissioned by Westdeutscher Rundfunk Cologne
Description
First performance: 13 September 2002, Cologne, Germany
WDR Symph. Orchestra and Choir
Conductor: Sylvain Cambreling
Text: Sándor Weöres and Gerhard Rühm
IMA (Prayer) is a sequel to Peter Eötvös’ Atlantis, composed in 1995: a musical memorial commemorating a culture that, at the zenith of its brightest period, suddenly sank into the sea. But while Atlantis gives the impression of a slow exploratory journey into the past and in an underwater world, IMA contemplates the sunken continent from the present.
For the composition of IMA, Peter Eötvös used the verses of two poets, Gerhard Rühm’s poem entitled Gebet, and some lines from Sándor Weöres’ Silent music. Rühm imitates the gesture of prayer, for which he uses a language similar to “that of a litany, recitative chanted in a subdued voice”, as if, in the ancient culture, there existed a prayer addressed to ancient gods in an ancient language. Weöres on his part relates the beginning of the Creation, based on the Bible in a language of his own invention. According to Eötvös – who derives his own world of sound from “the meditative aspect and concentration of the prayers of various cultures” – this sounds like “a Polynesian language with some Latin influence”.
Ritualism comes naturally to me. Since ritualism is an original form in which gestures and sound appear in absolute unity, I could in effect call all my pieces ‘ritual’.
/Peter Eötvös/
Performances
Eötvös: IMA
National Philharmonic Orchestra
National Choir
conductor: Mátyás Antal
Venue: Academy of Music
Eötvös portrait concert
BBC London
Paris-Dakar
Octet Plus
Derwischtanz
Sonata per sei
Psalm 151
Guildhall Ensemble, cond. Richard Baker
zeroPoints
Psychokosmos (Miklos Lukács, cimbalom)
Levitation (Richard Hosford, John Bradbury clarinets)
IMA (BBCSC + BBC Singers)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, cond. Peter Eötvös
Films:
"The Seventh Door" - portrait film
"Three sisters" - opera film
Barbican Center
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation, Snatches of a conversation
Composer portrait
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation
Zappa: 3 Orch. pieces
Bartók: Choirs
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Orch. Philharmonic Radio France
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation, Snatches of a conversation
Composer portrait
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation, Snatches of a conversation
Zappa: 3 Orch. pieces
Bartók: Choirs
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Orch. Philharmonic Radio France
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation, Snatches of a conversation
Composer portrait
Eötvös: IMA, Seven, Levitation
Zappa: 3 Orch. pieces
Bartók: Choirs
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Orch. Philharmonic Radio France
Eötvös: IMA
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók Bluebeards (Kallisch,Gidon Saks)
Cond: Peter Eötvös
RFO
Eötvös: IMA
RFO Amsterdam
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: Bluebeards (Kallisch, Gidon Saks)
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Eötvös: Atlantis, IMA
Szeged Contemporary Dance Company
Choreographer: Tamás Juronics
BMC CD Playback together with "IMA" by Eötvös
Peter Eötvös: IMA
WDR Rundfunkchor, Köln
SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart
Göteborgs Symfoniker
Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Eötvös: IMA
Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
Eötvös: IMA
Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
Eötvös: IMA
Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
IMA - premiere
new piece for orchestra and choir
WDR Symph. Orch. and Choir
cond.: Sylvain Cambreling
Details
Publisher information
Schott Music Mainz
Orchestration
Singers: 3, 3, 3, 3 soloists + 8, 8, 8, 8 (or more) choir
and orchestra (3 fl., 2 ob., 2 cl.,1 basscl., 2 sax., 2 basson, / 3 hr., 3 tr., 3 trombone, 1 tuba / 4 perc., / 2 keyboard, / 2 vl., 2 vla., 2 vcl., 2 kb.)
Technical information
____________________________________________
The sound material is available for download
____________________________________________
Sound
Recordings
