A Chorus of Nightingales (2023)
(Re-composing Schumann´s Dichterliebe)

Art developes via reflection of and on preceding art, where”reflection” signifies both a ”mirroring” and a ”re-thinking”.
George Steiner: Real Presence

In theater, classics are brought to life and updated with each new production—whether it's Ibsen, Strindberg, or Shakespeare. When staging "Peer Gynt" today, it often diverges significantly from Ibsen's original. Text is added, removed, and scenes are reordered, a common practice to update and reveal the essence of these plays in a contemporary context.

Contrastingly, classical music performances are considered interpretations rather than radical reinterpretations. We do not add or rework parts of the music. After the baroque period we have lacked radical reinterpretational traditions. Exceptions exist, such as German composer and conductor Hans Zender, who reimagined classical works like Schubert's "Winterreise" and Schumann's Fantasy. Zender's orchestrations, like his versions of Debussy's piano compositions, offer a fresh perspective on familiar music.

A Chorus of Nightingales, commissioned by Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, revolves around composed interpretations of nine songs from Robert Schumann's "Dichterliebe." Henrik Hellstenius initially crafted a version for the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015, and later adapted it for mezzo-soprano with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Tora Augestad in 2022. The collaboration showcased Augestad's unique vocal qualities and Hellstenius's compositional skill, resulting in a symphonic fantasy that dynamically combines new orchestral music with Schumann's songs. The interplay intensifies the emotional power of the songs, creating a strong musically dramatic narrative. Hellstenius, inspired by Zender, brings a renewed perspective to the old material, accentuating the drama within. The piece unfolds as a meticulously composed interplay between newly written music and Schumann's original melodies. Sometimes it is raw and violent, sometimes painful and transparent. Hellstenius stretches Schumann's material, drawing inspiration to compose and accentuate the textual, harmonic, melodic, and gestural dimensions of this remarkable music—inviting us to experience it with fresh ears in our contemporary era.