Gisle Kverndokk (NO) – Gott! Welch' Dunkel hier!
GIsle Kverndokk about his piano piece “Gott! Welch’ Dunkel hier!”
“The Act 2 opening of Beethoven’s opera Fidelio has inspired this work for piano solo. Here the music describes the dungeon of the prison where Florestan is being kept. His first words in his aria are: „Gott! Welch’ Dunkel hier!“ A desperate cry from a suffering man, imprisoned for his beliefs. When I was writing this piece, I heard on the radio about the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, and along with other horrible events in the last months I really felt that it is very dark in the world right now. The world today needs to be reminded of the freedom message in Fidelio; the humanity that Beethoven fought for.“
Sheet Music Edition Vol. 1 – available here: SHOP
Piano piece “Gott! Welch’ Dunkel hier!” – in concert:
22. April 2015 – world premiere – Rheinhotel Dreesen, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
18. May 2015 – Villa Prieger, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
23. August 2015 – Studio der Beethovenhalle, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
7. September 2015 – Post Tower Lounge, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
29. September 2015 – Speicher am Kaufhauskanal, Hamburg – Susanne Kessel, piano
21. November 2015 – Bonner Kunstverein – Susanne Kessel, piano
25. February 2016 – Klavierhaus Klavins, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
26. March 2017 – Johanneskirche, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
About Gisle Kverndokk (*1967)
Gisle Kverndokk (1967) is a Norwegian composer. He is mainly known for his work as a composer of operas and musicals. But he has also written a wide range of music, from chamber music, songs, church music, vocal music and music for dance, theatre and film. His opera “The Fourth Watch of the Night” (2005) and “Around the World in 80 Days” (2010) have had successful productions at The Norwegian National Opera. The opera “Easter” was produced by Opera Sør and toured Norway in 2014. His musicals, among them “Sophie’s World” (1998), “Homeless” (Frendelaus) (2003) and “Martin L.” (2008) have been performed extensively in Norway and Germany. His latest cd “Fuge der Zeit” with music written for and performed by the vocal ensemble Nordic Voices has received wonderful reviews and was nominated for a Spellemann Award. Website Gisle Kverndokk
Gisle Kverndokk about Ludwig van Beethoven:
“Beethoven is one of the greatest geniuses of all time. He was corageous, experimental and crazy! His music has everything; from the most unexpected to the most beautiful of melodies, from the most over the top dramatic, to the simple and lyrical. Beethoven is always with me.”
Photo gallery: Gisle Kverndokk in Bonn at “250 piano pieces for Beethoven”
