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

8 Mar, 2016
Budapest, Hungary

Eötvös: IMA

National Philharmonic Orchestra
National Choir
conductor: Mátyás Antal
Venue: Academy of Music

14 May, 2011
London, UK

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

15 Nov, 2009
Paris, 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

14 Nov, 2009
Paris, 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

13 Nov, 2009
Paris, 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

23 Oct, 2005
Brussels, Belgium

Eötvös: IMA

Eötvös: IMA
Bartók Bluebeards (Kallisch,Gidon Saks)

Cond: Peter Eötvös

RFO

22 Oct, 2005
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Eötvös: IMA

RFO Amsterdam

Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: Bluebeards (Kallisch, Gidon Saks)

Cond: Peter Eötvös

10 Mar, 2005
Szeged, Hungary

Eötvös: Atlantis, IMA

Szeged Contemporary Dance Company
Choreographer: Tamás Juronics

BMC CD Playback together with "IMA" by Eötvös

12 Feb, 2005
Dortmund, Germany

Peter Eötvös: IMA

WDR Rundfunkchor, Köln
SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart
Göteborgs Symfoniker
Conductor: Peter Eötvös

21 Jan, 2005
Stuttgart, Germany

Eötvös: IMA

Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin

Cond: Peter Eötvös

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

20 Jan, 2005
Stuttgart, Germany

Eötvös: IMA

Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin

Cond: Peter Eötvös

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

19 Jan, 2005
Stuttgart, Germany

Eötvös: IMA

Lutoslawski: Funeral music in memory of Bartok
Eötvös: IMA
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin

Cond: Peter Eötvös

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

13 Sep, 2002
Cologne, Germany

IMA - premiere

new piece for orchestra and choir

WDR Symph. Orch. and Choir
cond.: Sylvain Cambreling

Details

Genre:
Duration:
27 minutes
Date:
2002

Publisher information

Orchestration     

TITLE Dur. Soloists & choir fl ob cl bcl bn   hn tpt tbn tba   perc pf hp   vn1 vn2 va vc db Other Tech
IMA
Vocal - Vocal ensemble - Choir
27'3sop,​3alt,​3ten,​3bass,​ch32212 3331 400 202222sax,​2kbdamp

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

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The sound material is available for download

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