Composer in the Spotlight: Hanna Kulenty

A field of waving grass brings to light hidden forces. The swaying of the grass reveals waves appearing and spreading in whirling meanders, expanding stretches, in lines that fall apart and merge again. These changing patterns of interweaving and unravelling draw so much attention that you become one with them.

Similar forces also propel the cello and the accordion in Preludium, Postludium and Psalm by Hanna Kulenty. The work that dates from 2007 has been nominated for the Toonzetters Award. The two instruments work their way through time; the route they should take has been decided beforehand, but it is rarely predictable. They go their separate ways, revolve around each other, support each other, merge and then diverge again. Together they explore the boundaries of a mutual balance that keeps them together with natural flexibility.

The movements in Kulenty’s music follow rules that are intuitive rather than rational. It is not the harmonic or rhythmic structures that are complex, but rather the experience from which they emanate and which they evoke in the listener’s mind. These are movements that invite you to listen and become part of them. Hesitation is at your own risk. Sooner than you expect the force will subside, all the revolving will have come to a halt and the sounds will have risen beyond the borders of your perception.

 René van Peer

Current events and premieres:

Zaterdag 31 augustus 2008: 

Preludium, Postludium and Psalm for accordion and cello. Eneasz Kubit and Jan Skopowski. Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Toonzetters Competition 2008

Woensdag 3 September 2008: String Quartet No. 4 (A Cradle Song), world premiere by Kronos Quartet, Ravinia Festival in Chicago (USA).

Zaterdag 20 September 2008: Brass No. 4 for tuba solo, world premiere by Melvyn Poore in Cologne, Germany

Friday 14 November 2008: Trumpet Concerto. Marco Blaauw and Sinfonietta Cracovia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Tzigane, Fourth Festival of Polish Music in Cracow, Poland

November/december 2008: Lost & Found for ensemble and six dancers (15 performances). World premiere at the CaDance Festival in The Hague (a remarkable 90-minute dance theatre production that brings an ode to the imagination and the absurd). Choreography by Andrea Boll. Music by Hanna Kulenty. Performed by ensemble ‘de ereprijs’.

A concise personal portrait

Hanna Kulenty’s interests:
Her children.
Eating tapas at the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona.
Observing people in Oxford Street.
Seeing Greenland from the air.

Hanna Kulenty’s heroes and inspiration:
Bach, Einstein, Paulo Coelho’s philosophical message.

Three characteristic statements by Hanna Kulenty:

• After searching for a long time I have found a language with which I can express everything, and that is music. Why should I say anything about my music? Listen to it from the beginning to the end, that is what I have to say.
• Intuition is most important. The intellect is only needed to become aware of things, but without intuition this is impossible.
• Keeping a balanced life. When everybody has mastered this, there will be an honest world.