Phoenix & Hornroh

A co-production between the Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet and the Ensemble Phoenix Basel

German composer Georg Haider, who hails from Bavaria, writes about his piece «Morpheus' Atem» (Morpheus' Breath), 3 Metamorphoses for 4 alphorns:
As the subtitle suggests, there will be 3 movements that resemble each other. In the first metamorphosis, all 4 players play alphorns in F, so that even very close chords (quasi clusters) sound harmonious, as there is no beat due to the same tuning. In the second metamorphosis, two of the four players switch to alphorns in G flat, so that we have alphorns in both F and G flat. This results in sounds with beats, making it sound much more dissonant. In the last movement, the other two players also switch to alphorns in G flat, and we return to the harmonious sounds. The idea behind this is that the first part represents the state of nature before humanity. In the second part, humans appear and «subjugate» nature like a tyrannical ruler [...]. The third part describes nature after humanity. It returns to a transformed state, but one that is once again left to its own devices. (Georg Haider – 2009)

Enno Poppe has become one of the most frequently performed German composers and is attracting attention worldwide as a conductor. As crazy, chaotic and yet orderly as Poppe's finished musical structures may sound, they always reveal what they are made of: a few, almost inconspicuous threads or elements («motifs»), whereby the listener's attention is focused on the transformative processes that can be experienced. The titles and sounds of his works are mostly simple, direct and at the same time cryptic. This is also the case with the composition «Stoff» for nine musicians. Perhaps this refers to the textile structure of the threads that make up a fabric, but also to «reading material», because threads that appear and disappear again are also a feature of the literary «Nouveau Roman».

Joey Tan writes about her new work, which she composed for the Ensemble Phoenix:
«I don't understand.» «What don't you understand?» «It can't be that once sounds have been brought into the world, they disappear one day. But where are they when they are no longer with us?» (Yoko Tawada – «Opium for Ovid») . In the line-up of the Ensemble Phoenix Basel [...] and the Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet, I see 13 individual musical personalities. In the Ensemble Phoenix, the impulses and preferences of the individual musicians are always taken into account and implemented. The musicians of Hornroh also have diverse musical backgrounds, coming from classical music, jazz and the wind orchestra scene [...]. Despite the differences in their musical personalities, both ensembles achieve the highest level of performance, because what brings the musicians together is mutual respect for each other and for different perspectives. In music, as in society, diversity of thought and preference is a strength – it enriches the group, the ensemble playing and the work. That is why I decided to create a musical situation of mutual appreciation. Just as a chef extracts the best from each ingredient, I also want to highlight the inherent qualities of the musicians, their playing styles and their instruments, as well as their preferences and backgrounds in my new piece.
The biggest difference between the two ensembles is modernisation. The alphorn [...] is a primitive instrument and can only play pitches from its overtone series, whereas the modern instruments of the Ensemble Phoenix Basel have been modernised over the years. They are louder, stronger and can also play chromatically; their timbres are polished and refined. But for everything we gain, we also lose something. What have we lost by polishing the instruments? The clear difference between the two ensembles calls this into question.
I will explore these questions through melody, single long notes and loops.
As a composer from Singapore, I learned classical music [...] like a mother tongue, yet the roots were always missing. [...] I am searching for the origins of the notes, how they were used in the beginning, how they communicated across time and space, and most importantly – how I hear and understand them, and how I want to communicate through these notes.» (Joey Tan – 2025)

With

Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet; Ensemble Phoenix Basel; Jürg Henneberger (Musical Director)

Program

Martin Jaggi (*1978): New Work (2026, world premiere, Mission EPhB/Hornroh) for Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet and Ensemble

Georg Haider (*1965): «Morpheus» Atem» (2009, world premiere, Mission Hornroh) 3 metamorphoses for 4 Alphorns

Enno Poppe (*1969): «Stoff» (2015) for 9 players

Joey Tan (*1997): Neues Werk (2026, world premiere, Mission EPhB) for Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet and Ensemble

Co-production with Hornroh

Info

7:00 p.m. Concert introduction with the composers and Jürg Henneberger

Duration

60 minutes, no break

Links

→ ensemble-phoenix.ch