MEDIA
December 2, 2023
Atelier neuer Musik
Christoph Maria Wagner, artistic director
Martin von der Heydt, piano
Delphine Roche, flute
Anja Schmiel, oboe
Yoshiki Matsuura, trombone
Michael Pattman, percussion
Joachim Striepens, clarinet
Kalina Kolarova, violin
Burkart Zeller, cello
Petteri Waris, accordion
Leon Focker, text projection
Robert Schneider, tonmeister
The composition initially exposes psychosis, formulating nightmares in a kind of nocturne. At the acoustic climax, "madness" erupts, followed by a collapse, silence, and the confession of deeds. Everything converges on the quote from Wehrmacht soldier Reinhard G., which bestowed the title upon this opus premiered here. The ensemble music commissioned by Deutschlandfunk, titled „Ein Mensch erkennt, dass er nie Mensch war“ ("A human realizes that he was never human") is inspired by Svenja Goltermann's publication "Die Gesellschaft der Überlebenden" (The Society of Survivors), focusing on German war and camp returnees. The piece was recently premiered by the E-MEX Ensemble at the "In der deutschen Nachkriegszeit" (In the German post-war period) Forum neuer Musik 23. The composer aims to explore traces of war-related traumatic experiences in the human psyche. Eres Holz, born in 1977 near Tel Aviv in Rechovot, is interested in the double perspective on this subject, acknowledging that perpetrators can simultaneously be victims and psychologically damaged.
Schuld ohne Sühne (engl.: Guilt Without Atonement)
Sounds of disturbing beauty name the unspeakable, the unimaginable: softly plaintive woodwind lines fill the space, merging with accordion, cello, and violin to create dense soundscapes, subtly solidifying in electronic continuation. Menacing undertones add piano bass, percussion, and muted trombone, harsh accents escalating into fortissimo strikes that startle. Chaos ensues, decay, where only a microtonal whimper remains. Eres Holz composes the psychosis, the paranoia, the disorientation, the loss of meaning. His work, commissioned by Deutschlandfunk, for nine instruments, electronics, and text projection, explores the experiences of violence by Wehrmacht soldiers in World War II.
Forum neuer Musik 2023
NZM - Neue Zeitschrift für Musik
#1_2024
Post-war music at the „Forum for New Music“ of Deutschlandfunk Cologne
Holz does not absolve the German war crimes but imparts an enduring and essential humane message: Rather than succumbing to rigid friend-enemy dichotomies, we must endeavor to comprehend why individuals differ in their thoughts and actions. This comprehension serves as a prerequisite for democracy, freedom, and peace.
December 2023
Das hat mein Heimatgefühl hierzulande tief verletzt
The Israeli-German composer Eres Holz on terrorism, trauma, and apathy
[...] I wish that people, especially those who are not directly involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, would truly strive for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In this dreadful time, I hope they come together with them, show compassion, and express solidarity, instead of favoring one side while the other is still burying their dead.
December 2023