‘From my studio in one of the last farmer’s houses on Utrecht’s outskirts, narrowly escaping our latest architectural outgrowths, I tender “Soft Song” for oboe and soundtracks. To me a melody wondering about the civilities of irreality anno 1974.’

With these words Ton Bruynèl describes the context in which he wrote “Soft Song” and the main idea behind his music in general. He criticized the fast urbanization and the dodecaphonic and serialist music written by his contemporaries. Bruynèl was inspired by nature and this is audible in the way in which the acoustic sound of the oboe blends with the artificially created nature sounds of the soundtrack. The melody of the oboe contains chicken-like sounds, expressing anger and frustration accompanied by a continuously changing soundscape. Bruynèl’s criticism on the relationship between humankind and nature is still relevant in the present time. It can be considered as both a warning and a glimmer of hope. The oboist Ella Botter will perform “Soft Song” together with visual art created by Robin Valster.

This performance is part of Ella Botter’s Master graduation recital from Codarts, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, Rotterdam. “Soft Song” will be performed alongside works by J.S. Bach, C. Schumann and M. del Aguila.

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