2016e
Clarinet and string quartet
5'
For the Bennewitz Quartet and Harry-Imre Dijkstra
On the ‘Dies irae’, and also referring back to the melodies of movement II.
The Dies Irae, a 13th century hymn that lived well into current Protestantism (Hymn 278 in the Dutch hymnal) has since had a long history of wonderful (ab)use to which I add this tango-inspired movement. It refers to II – Super ‘Mitten wir in Leben sind’ because I feel that indeed, in the middle of life we are surrounded by death and that therefore each day is our day of wrath. But instead of apocalyptic musical doom and gloom I hope the piece conveys a strong (albeit slightly desperate) sensuality en ‘will to live’.
