portfolio: most important works
O P E R A
2006 Die Bestmannoper [The opera on the best man]
in 13 scenes for 14 singers, male and female choir, orchestra and theremin (≈ 135 mins); premiere 8 April 2006, Theatre Osnabrueck; librettist: Ralph Hammerthaler, conductor: Hermann Bäumer, director: Immo Karaman.
Addressing the question why Nazi criminal and mass murderer Alois Brunner was never brought to court, the opera unveils the stages of his life as well as the breathless chase by French lawyer Serge Klarsfeld.
Trailer of the premiere production recorded during dress rehearsal:
https://vimeo.com/98128085.
in 13 scenes for 14 singers, male and female choir, orchestra and theremin (≈ 135 mins); premiere 8 April 2006, Theatre Osnabrueck; librettist: Ralph Hammerthaler, conductor: Hermann Bäumer, director: Immo Karaman.
Addressing the question why Nazi criminal and mass murderer Alois Brunner was never brought to court, the opera unveils the stages of his life as well as the breathless chase by French lawyer Serge Klarsfeld.
Trailer of the premiere production recorded during dress rehearsal:
https://vimeo.com/98128085.
2013 Traumnovelle [Dream novella]
opera in 16 scenes for 7 singers, 14 musicians and fixed sounds (6 channels) adapted from the novella with the same title by Arthur Schnitzler (≈ 90 mins); premiere 3 February 2013, State Theatre Brunswick, Germany; libretto: Maxi Obexer, conductor: Sebastian Beckedorf, director: David Herrmann.
Trailer of premiere production:
https://vimeo.com/65957343.
opera in 16 scenes for 7 singers, 14 musicians and fixed sounds (6 channels) adapted from the novella with the same title by Arthur Schnitzler (≈ 90 mins); premiere 3 February 2013, State Theatre Brunswick, Germany; libretto: Maxi Obexer, conductor: Sebastian Beckedorf, director: David Herrmann.
Trailer of premiere production:
https://vimeo.com/65957343.
V O C A L P E R F O R M A N C E A R T
(including the use of custom gesture-controlled live electronics)
(including the use of custom gesture-controlled live electronics)
2023 In the Thicket of the Invisible Wires
for voice and live electronics (strophonion [version 2]) extended, revised version (≈ 30 mins.), performer: Alex Nowitz. Premiere during the festival ‘Digital Care: Evening of the Hands’ at V2_Lab for Unstable Media, Rotterdam.
Unabridged video documentation of a performance in 2024:
https://vimeo.com/924306822.
for voice and live electronics (strophonion [version 2]) extended, revised version (≈ 30 mins.), performer: Alex Nowitz. Premiere during the festival ‘Digital Care: Evening of the Hands’ at V2_Lab for Unstable Media, Rotterdam.
Unabridged video documentation of a performance in 2024:
https://vimeo.com/924306822.
2018 Moving Tongues: Playing Space
multimedial music theatre for one vocal performance artist, live electronics (strophonion [version 2]) and video (≈ 95 mins); premiere 13 December 2018, Reaktorhallen Stockholm; interpreter: A.N.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere production:
https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/492687/559744/0/0.
multimedial music theatre for one vocal performance artist, live electronics (strophonion [version 2]) and video (≈ 95 mins); premiere 13 December 2018, Reaktorhallen Stockholm; interpreter: A.N.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere production:
https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/492687/559744/0/0.
2009 Studies for a Self-Portrait
theatrical concert performance for a male singer, live electronics (stimmflieger), piano, toy piano and turntables (≈ 60 mins); premiere 21 November 2009, Schaubuehne am Lehniner Platz (Studio), Berlin; interpreter A.N.
Trailer of premiere production:
https://vimeo.com/10254612.
More information on custom, gesture-controlled live electronics visit this page:
https://nowitz.de/gesture-controlled-live-electronics
https://nowitz.de/gesture-controlled-live-electronics
O R C H E S T R A
2022 Vom Glühen der Glut
eine kleine Nachtszene für Orchester und Smartphones [On the Glowing of the Embers: A nocturnal scene for orchestra (38) and smartphones] (≈ 7 mins.), premiere: 2 April 2022, commissioned and interpreted by the Kammerakademie Potsdam conducted by Antonello Manacorda. Recording of live broadcast by rbbKultur:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/vom-gluehen-der-glut.
2021 Ich bin das Volk [I am the people]
a study for full orchestra (≈ 6 mins.), recording: 27 April 2021, interpreters: Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg [Greman Film Orchestra Babelsberg], director: Klaus-Peter Beyer, conductor: Christian Köhler. Publication in January 2023 as part of the CD "Brandenburg – NEUE MUSIK orchestral" a project by DFOB and the Brandenburgian Association for New Music (BVNM) to present orchestral works by composers from the Land Brandenburg:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/ich-bin-das-volk.
eine kleine Nachtszene für Orchester und Smartphones [On the Glowing of the Embers: A nocturnal scene for orchestra (38) and smartphones] (≈ 7 mins.), premiere: 2 April 2022, commissioned and interpreted by the Kammerakademie Potsdam conducted by Antonello Manacorda. Recording of live broadcast by rbbKultur:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/vom-gluehen-der-glut.
2021 Ich bin das Volk [I am the people]
a study for full orchestra (≈ 6 mins.), recording: 27 April 2021, interpreters: Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg [Greman Film Orchestra Babelsberg], director: Klaus-Peter Beyer, conductor: Christian Köhler. Publication in January 2023 as part of the CD "Brandenburg – NEUE MUSIK orchestral" a project by DFOB and the Brandenburgian Association for New Music (BVNM) to present orchestral works by composers from the Land Brandenburg:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/ich-bin-das-volk.
C H A M B E R M U S I C
2024 Die erweiterte Kammer
[The expanded chamber] for voice, live electronics (strophonion), clarinet, accordion and double bass (≈15 mins.) premiered by the ensemble "klarinette-akkordeon plus" with Matthias Badczong (clarinet, voice), Christine Paté (accordion, voice), Alex Nowitz (voice, strophonion) & Matthias Bauer (double bass, voice) as part of the concert performance "Die erweiterte Kammer" at the St. Matthäus-Kirche Berlin.
2024 Unfrei im Raum
[Unfree in Space] for saxophone quartett (≈10 mins.), second quartet for saxophone, premiered by the sonic.art saxophone quartet (Berlin) – Adrian Tully (Ss), Alexander Doroshkevich (As), Taewook Ahn (Ts), Annegret Tully (Bs) – as part of the annual festival intersonanzen 2024 organized by the Brandenburgian Association of New Music (bvnm) at the museum FLUXUS+ Potsdam, Germany.
Documentation of the premiere performance:
https://youtu.be/b-nu1vFW2Ps?feature=shared.
2022 Doubles and Drones from the Desert
[Unfree in Space] for saxophone quartett (≈10 mins.), second quartet for saxophone, premiered by the sonic.art saxophone quartet (Berlin) – Adrian Tully (Ss), Alexander Doroshkevich (As), Taewook Ahn (Ts), Annegret Tully (Bs) – as part of the annual festival intersonanzen 2024 organized by the Brandenburgian Association of New Music (bvnm) at the museum FLUXUS+ Potsdam, Germany.
Documentation of the premiere performance:
https://youtu.be/b-nu1vFW2Ps?feature=shared.
2022 Doubles and Drones from the Desert
for voice/live electronics (strophonion [version 2]), piccolo/alto flute and video (≈ 33 mins.) commissioned by the ensemble 'work-in-progress' Berlin under the artistic direction of Gerhardt Müller-Goldboom. Flutes: Katrin Plümer, voice and live electronics: A.N. Premiere Klosterscheune Zehdenick, 20 Nov. 2022.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://vimeo.com/1046125557.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://vimeo.com/1046125557.
2016 Kaspar
a musical scene for cor anglais, piano and violoncello (10:44); premiere: 23 April 2016, new music festival ’intersonanzen’ fabrik Potsdam; interpreters: Simon Strasser, Ernst Surberg und Mathis Mayr (Ensemble Mosaik Berlin).
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://vimeo.com/169242106.
2012 A Few Euphemisms
music for voice, live electronics (strophonion [v1]), sound objects, flute, violin, violoncello, piano and conductor (≈ 14 mins.); premiere 1 June 2012, ‘intersonanzen’ Großer Friedenssaal Potsdam; interpreters Curious Chamber Players Stockholm and A.N.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gACD-b4z1FU.
a musical scene for cor anglais, piano and violoncello (10:44); premiere: 23 April 2016, new music festival ’intersonanzen’ fabrik Potsdam; interpreters: Simon Strasser, Ernst Surberg und Mathis Mayr (Ensemble Mosaik Berlin).
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://vimeo.com/169242106.
2012 A Few Euphemisms
music for voice, live electronics (strophonion [v1]), sound objects, flute, violin, violoncello, piano and conductor (≈ 14 mins.); premiere 1 June 2012, ‘intersonanzen’ Großer Friedenssaal Potsdam; interpreters Curious Chamber Players Stockholm and A.N.
Unabridged video documentation of the premiere performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gACD-b4z1FU.
2011 Chimères [Chimera]
music for voice (countertenor and kargyraa), violin, clarinet, double bass, piano and percussion (14:30) with a text by Jean-Jacques Rousseau; premiere 10 February 2011 'KAP Modern' Nikolaisaal Potsdam, interpreters: Jan Gerdes (piano), A.N. (voice) and Kammerakademie Potsdam.
music for voice (countertenor and kargyraa), violin, clarinet, double bass, piano and percussion (14:30) with a text by Jean-Jacques Rousseau; premiere 10 February 2011 'KAP Modern' Nikolaisaal Potsdam, interpreters: Jan Gerdes (piano), A.N. (voice) and Kammerakademie Potsdam.
2010 Tante Marianne [Aunt Marianne]
music for female voice and four loudspeakers (10:40), referring to the same-titled painting by Gerhard Richter; 23 September 2010 Villa Elisabeth Berlin, interpreter Ariane Jessulat and the Maulwerker Berlin.
More information incl. video excerpt:
http://www.maulwerker.de/repertoire/R-nowitz.html.
music for female voice and four loudspeakers (10:40), referring to the same-titled painting by Gerhard Richter; 23 September 2010 Villa Elisabeth Berlin, interpreter Ariane Jessulat and the Maulwerker Berlin.
More information incl. video excerpt:
http://www.maulwerker.de/repertoire/R-nowitz.html.
2005 Venusfalle [Venus fly trap]
music for flute solo and piano resonance (12:30); premiere 12 November 2005, ‘intersonanzen’ Altes Rathaus Potsdam; interpreter: Sabine Vogel.
music for flute solo and piano resonance (12:30); premiere 12 November 2005, ‘intersonanzen’ Altes Rathaus Potsdam; interpreter: Sabine Vogel.
2003 Musik für neun Instrumente [Music for nine instruments]
flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass (≈ 18 mins.), premiere 7 November 2003, 'intersonanzen' Nikolaisaal Potsdam, interpreters: Kammerakademie Potsdam.
flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass (≈ 18 mins.), premiere 7 November 2003, 'intersonanzen' Nikolaisaal Potsdam, interpreters: Kammerakademie Potsdam.
2000 Unruhe ist in den Gräsern [Unrest is in the grasses]
string quartet (≈ 25 mins.), referring to the same-titled poem by Thomas Bernhard; premiere 2 December 2000, ‘intersonanzen’ Altes Rathaus Potsdam; interpreters: Persius Ensemble Potsdam.
string quartet (≈ 25 mins.), referring to the same-titled poem by Thomas Bernhard; premiere 2 December 2000, ‘intersonanzen’ Altes Rathaus Potsdam; interpreters: Persius Ensemble Potsdam.
E L E C T R O A C O U S T I C M U S I C
2013 Labyrinth
for eight loudspeakers and no light (14:22); composed and produced at the EMS Stockholm in 2010/2013 (on the basis of Minotaurus for voice and live electronics [stimmflieger, 2009] receiving the first prize of the European Conference of Promoters for New Music [ECPNM]); premiere 14 September 2013; 'intersonanzen' fabrik Potsdam. Swedish premiere 30 October 2015, Audiorama Stockholm as part of the solo performance Tongues and Ghosts.
Full-length audio (stereo mix):
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/labyrinth.
for eight loudspeakers and no light (14:22); composed and produced at the EMS Stockholm in 2010/2013 (on the basis of Minotaurus for voice and live electronics [stimmflieger, 2009] receiving the first prize of the European Conference of Promoters for New Music [ECPNM]); premiere 14 September 2013; 'intersonanzen' fabrik Potsdam. Swedish premiere 30 October 2015, Audiorama Stockholm as part of the solo performance Tongues and Ghosts.
Full-length audio (stereo mix):
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/labyrinth.
M U S I C F O R S P O K E N T H E A T R E
2008 Die Stadt und Der Schnitt [The city and the cut]
theatre music, sound installation, music and voice performance with gesture-controlled live electronics (stimmflieger) and fixed sounds for ten channels; premiere 21 March 2008, Schaubuehne at the Lehniner Platz/Berlin; text Martin Crimp (The City) und Mark Ravenhill (The Cut); director: Thomas Ostermeier.
Audio excerpt from the opening performance with text fragments of sonnet 66 by W. Shakespeare: Musik für einen Sänger mit Live-Elektronik und Zuspiel für zwölf [Music for a singer with live electronics and fixed sounds for 12 loudpseakers]:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/musicfor1singer_4.
theatre music, sound installation, music and voice performance with gesture-controlled live electronics (stimmflieger) and fixed sounds for ten channels; premiere 21 March 2008, Schaubuehne at the Lehniner Platz/Berlin; text Martin Crimp (The City) und Mark Ravenhill (The Cut); director: Thomas Ostermeier.
Audio excerpt from the opening performance with text fragments of sonnet 66 by W. Shakespeare: Musik für einen Sänger mit Live-Elektronik und Zuspiel für zwölf [Music for a singer with live electronics and fixed sounds for 12 loudpseakers]:
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/musicfor1singer_4.
M U S I C F O R D A N C E
2004 Screaming Popes
for four male voices, percussion, piano and fixed sounds (≈ 80 mins.); premiere 3 September 2004, fabrik Potsdam; interpreter A.N. and the dancers Michael Sean Marye, Sven Till and Danny Wild, choreographer Toronto-based Marie-Josée Chartier.
Audio excerpt from the composition for the playback, A Solo for Amplified Bass Clarinet and Fixed Sounds interpreted by Robert W. Stevenson (Array Music, Toronto):
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/sets/a-solo-for-bass-clarinet-and-fixed-sounds-in-memory-of-danny-wild.
for four male voices, percussion, piano and fixed sounds (≈ 80 mins.); premiere 3 September 2004, fabrik Potsdam; interpreter A.N. and the dancers Michael Sean Marye, Sven Till and Danny Wild, choreographer Toronto-based Marie-Josée Chartier.
Audio excerpt from the composition for the playback, A Solo for Amplified Bass Clarinet and Fixed Sounds interpreted by Robert W. Stevenson (Array Music, Toronto):
https://soundcloud.com/alexnowitz/sets/a-solo-for-bass-clarinet-and-fixed-sounds-in-memory-of-danny-wild.