The program “Stars of Heaven” focuses on two Dutch premieres: “Riflesso sull’aria” by Richard Rijnvos and “woord” by Piet-Jan van Rossum. Both composers share the same artistic starting point: their new work is inspired by “Trois Poèmes de Mallarmé,” a song cycle for soprano and ensemble by the much-admired Maurice Ravel. Rijnvos and van Rossum strive to create a contemporary and authentic reflection on this masterpiece. Therefore, there will be no Ravel pastiches. A special feature of “Stars of Heaven” is that, alongside the new works, the Ravel cycle will also be performed: a thrilling confrontation between old and new.

At this point, only the outlines of the premieres can be discussed. In his Riflesso sull’aria, Rijnvos connects with Trois Poèmes de Mallarmé by adopting its instrumentation. Based on this, he arrives at 12 songs that will sound like vintage Rijnvos and offer a more contrasting atmosphere than the serene, impressionistic Ravel cycle. He draws inspiration in part from Igor Stravinsky’s aphoristic Trois Poésies de la Lyrique Japonaise, a work that shares its instrumentation with the Ravel cycle and was composed around the same time. Van Rossum chooses a slightly different approach in terms of instrumentation in his new ‘woord’. He adopts the instrumental scoring of the Ravel cycle but omits a role for the soprano. Whether this will result in a kind of Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words) remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that Van Rossum’s admiration for Ravel will resonate at most in a veiled way; His music, like that of Rijnvos, is characterised by an unmistakably unique signature.

In “Stars of Heaven,” there will be performed  both premieres and the Ravel cycle, as well as the Stravinsky cycle. This creates a program that transcends time boundaries. To complete the program, we will also hear two late 20th-century works that serve as a bridge between new and older repertoire: Aldo Clementi’s tranquil Impromptu for clarinet and string quartet, and Franco Donatoni’s spectacular “Het” for flute, bass clarinet, and piano. Finally, the vocal part of the program will be provided by the acclaimed soprano Keren Motseri.

Program:

* Maurice Ravel – Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (1913) 

* Piet-Jan van Rossum – woord (2025) 

* Franco Donatoni – Het (1990)

Intermission

* Igor Stravinsky – Trois Poésies de la Lyrique Japonaise (1912-1913) 

* Aldo Clementi – Impromptu (1979) 

* Richard Rijnvos – Riflesso sull’aria (2025)