Your concerto for oboe pays homage to Heinz Holliger. Did you compose this work with having his peculiar way of playing in mind? Are there any “secret messages”?
This man can just play everything. I did not have the intention to write a catalogue of circus-like impossibilities, and Holliger does not need to prove anything to anyone. So I always reminded myself: you do not have to prove anything either, just stay true to yourself. And what about “secret messages”? Probably… Obviously there is a reference point, and there are in fact certain hidden anagrams.

What connects you to Heinz Holliger, who also is a conductor and a composer? What do you like about him?
When I studied conducting in Freiburg with Francis Travis, I used to wait for my lesson in the same room as Holliger’s students. So I am connected to him since I was a student. I have a great respect for Heinz Holliger’s work as composer (Siebengesang, Penuma, Cardiophonie…) and as a performer. Maybe that was also a motivation for me as a conductor and composer. In any case it is a particular honor and pleasure for me to stand on the same stage with him.

Blau, See (Blue, Sea) sounds rather like a description of a painting than a title for a piece of music; you immediately have a picture in mind. Is that your attention?
Yes, a picture… Even though it is multidimensional picture. This title evokes spatial imaginations about proximity and distance in me as well. And the “cold” color blue reminds me of the cold ecstasy of composing.

What is the function of the oboe in this work? Is this a brilliant virtuoso piece or does the instrument rather merges with the orchestra?
It is for sure not a virtuoso piece. In my opinion, this kind of concerto died in the 19th century. Today, each piece creates a new definition of the term “concerto”. When there is a scale between Berlioz’ Harold en Italie and Rachmaninov’s third piano concerto, I would… Well... Back in the days, when I presented several solutions to a mathematical problem in school, my teacher used to say: “There are two possibilities. Your majesty, choose the third one.” And so be it.

Polyphony and spatial music are your trade mark. Can we also hear that in Blau, See?
I would not be able to do it differently. The English horn is just one example…

You regard your work as a total work of art, as an organic process that integrates each individual work. What role does the oboe concerto play?
It is a part of this phonetic landscape. I work with very slow developments. For instance, I have not turned my attention to any double-reed woodwind instruments yet. Maybe I unconsciously saved that for later. Anyhow, my ideal was always the possibility to fade in the music from complete silence and to let the music disappear into that complete silence in the end. However, this is not possible with an oboe. In the context of my work, this composition provides a very special podium for Heinz Holliger and his instrument.


Published with kind permission of Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern. The interview was conducted by Dr. Beate Früh.

Robert HP Platz: work list