Sheet music in detail
Three Christian Morgenstern songs
About the composer
Bernhard HoelscherBernhard Hoelscher (1923-2015) was one of the first students after the Second World War, who studied piano, organ and composition in Cologne. He got inspiration from the atonal music which was forbidden in Germany until 1945.
In 1948 Bernhard Hoelscher won the first prize at a composition competition in Cologne with his Cello sonata, which was published in 2005 in Musikverlag Hauke Hack. More pieces of Mr. Hoelscher are published here. His personal style which is familiar with church modes is recognisable throughout his works.
About the composition
Bernhard Hoelscher: Three Christian Morgenstern songs for soprano and 4 cellos
This original composition was first performed in 2002/2003 as part of the cello ensemble concert “frisch gestrichen” in which all works were given their first performances. The composer from Solingen, Bernhard Hoelscher, (1923-2015) set to music the Morgenstern poems “Die Priesterin - The Priestess”, “Die wiederhergestellte Ruhe - The Calm Regained” and “Tertium Gaudens” in a partly atonal style which present a challenge for both the soprano and the cello ensemble. There are various challenges presented in the cello parts. The first cello often moves in very high registers and the second movement requires rhythmic security from all players. While cello 3 and 4 play an ostinato 7/8-motive in 4/4 time cellos 1 and 2 weave a canon. The 3rd. movement is built in the form of stanzas. The three movements last altogether about 9 minutes (4+2+3).
The score, the piano reduction for the soprano and the 4 cello parts (with the soprano part for guidance) comprise 60 pages printed on high quality paper.