On November 14, Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra "Desert Wind" premieres at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, oboist Kalev Kuljus and conductor Paavo Järvi.
Desert winds shape sand dunes and, over time, the movement of this sand forms peculiar sculptures from cliffs. If one imagines thousands of years of sculpting as happening in a short timespan, one can find similarities in the musical material of this oboe concerto – both in the dynamic between the soloist and the orchestra, and among the various instrument groups in the orchestra itself.
Desert Wind is a dialogue of the oboe with various solo instruments and instrument groups. The soloist is increasingly integrated into the overall orchestral sound. The oboe part performs motifs inspired by micro intervals, mirrored by the brass section introducing their own micro intervals to “bend the horizon”.
The composition is not programmatic – rather, the title should be interpreted as a small incentive to spark the imagination of the audience. Despite their eloquent titles, Tüür’s symphonies and instrumental concertos do not follow any specific narrative. There is always more than one story. In fact, there are as many stories as there are creative listeners.
For more information see Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
