Trompeten, Nachts und Untergang: Trumpet(s) & Other Instruments

This is a rare opportunity to program a substantial contemporary work that pairs a virtuosic trumpet soloist with SSAATTBB choir and genuinely deepens the experience of all participants. The Trakl texts ground the piece in European Romantic literature, making it a natural fit for concert programming that integrates poetry, voice, and instrumental color rather than treating them as separate concerns.

Atmospheric and introspective, moving through landscapes of decay and memory evoked by distant trumpet calls and shimmering choir textures. The work inhabits a soundworld of late Romanticism reimagined for modern ears, with moments of luminous beauty offset by darker, more unsettled passages.

Ensembles with access to an advanced trumpet soloist and a skilled choir capable of handling substantial contemporary repertoire with mixed meter, tonal ambiguity, and extended techniques. This is ideal for concert series that commission or curate new music with depth.

• Study the premiere recording (Tine Thing Helseth with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir) to understand Matre's intentions for trumpet timbre and phrasing across the 26 minutes; the sustained control required is considerable.
• Balance the trumpet line carefully in relation to the choir. The trumpet is a soloist throughout, not a doublet, so ensemble work demands precision from all singers to avoid overwhelming the brass voice.
• Attend to the German text setting closely; Matre's handling of Georg Trakl's imagery benefits from singers who understand the text's symbolism and can shape phrases around the poetry rather than simply hitting rhythmic marks.

Feature this as the centerpiece of a concert exploring contemporary approaches to Romantic poetry and song. Its 26-minute span makes it substantial enough to program alone or paired with one other major work, allowing audiences to settle into the piece's reflective pace.

• Sustained solo playing across an extended work with orchestra/choir accompaniment
• Ensemble listening and balance between a solo wind instrument and eight-part mixed choir
• Interpretation of contemporary composed music informed by literary sources