Oratorio

Aus der Stille

 

Music by Johannes Stert

Text by Birger Sellin

 

Until August, 1990, when deaf and autistic Birger Sellin was able to type the first letters on his new computer keyboard, he was one of the most underestimated people on earth.   Furthermore, he was shrouded in loneliness so profound as to be scarcely imaginable to a “normal” person.  He had no verbal communication with other people, and his existence alternated between his parents’ home and various care facilities.

 

Since that turning point, he has become an author of worldwide significance, and one of the first autistic poets.  “Out of Silence” juxtaposes various texts of Sellin’s, and impresses moving visions of life, death, fear and hope upon the listener.

 

The premiere performance of the work took place in Altenberg Cathedral on December 3, 2006, with the participation of  young musicians and performers.  The goals were to afford the young performers the opportunity to come into contact with contemporary music, to recite texts and work with improvisatory elements—all with professional guidance and participation.

 

The soloist was the internationally active clarinetist and composer Claudio Puntin (www.claudiopuntin.com), who also led the aleatory sections of the work.

 

 

Aus der Stille

for Soprano, two Speakers, an Instrumental Soloist, Chorus and Orchestra

 

Structure:

 

prolog
A Man, a Woman

 

beginning
Orchestra

 

wunder wesen wirken
variation I

variation II

variation III

Chorus, Orchestra

 

einsame Raben

A Man, Orchestra

 

improvisation

Chorus, Orchestra

 

weinen muss ich lernen

A Woman, Orchestra

variation IV

Orchestra

 

theme, “that they protect you” from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”

tutti

 

finale

Orchestra