hw23c_#1 The Grand Evening of the Swedish Ambassador

In “The Grand Evening”, international guests are regularly invited to design a concert with and for hand werk. For the first edition of this year’s concert series HW23C_, Swedish composer Johan Svensson has been given a carte blanche: he curated a program with works by swedish composers Joakim Sandgren, Hanna Hartman, Malin Bång and himself; Svensson and Sandgren will also both be present.

Joakim Sandgren: corps étrangers (2018) for Picc, BCl, Perc, Pno, Vln, Vc and eam
Hanna Hartman: The Boiler Room (2018) for BCl, Vc, amplified objects (Perc)
Malin Bång: Structures of Molten Light (2011) for amplified BassFl, amplified BCl, Peerc and Pno (incl. radio), Vln, Vc
Johan Svensson: animation (2020/21, UA) for Keyb, Vln, Vc, Light and Samples

In corps étrangers, Joakim Sandgren forms two contrasting groups regarding high and low registers. A tape runs in the background, a kind of electro-acoustic shadow as a reaction to what is played – distorted in length, sound quality, noise components. The piece is an example of Sandgren’s way of working: in recent years he has continuously developed a very specific way of including computer into his compositional work. Malin Bång‘s Structures of Molten Light goes international. Field recordings from Paris and Stockholm intersect with the acoustic fingerprint of Tokyo. Through analysis, structuring and instrumentation, Bång creates a new fictional world: the urban moment takes the stage. The Boiler Room by Hanna Hartman on the other hand, like the artist’s entire oeuvre, stands on its own – without a specific story or narrative. The work rather invites you to devote yourself completely to the listening impression. Johan Svensson, the evening’s curator, works in both acoustic and electronic music, exploring alternative ways of generating sound using electronic means. His artistic focus is the design of sound-generating electromechanical devices as well as exploring the relationship between musician and machine that can arise from a live situation. In addition, visual elements such as lights and coordinated movements can be included. His work animation was commissioned by the New York piano trio Longleash and will have its international premiere this March in the USA, parallel to the presentation in Cologne.

Funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science by Nordrhein-Westfalen and Kulturamt of City of Cologne.