The aural magic of opposites. Christian Jost has composed a contemporary classic for the Konzerthausorchester and Iván Fischer

When composing a new work, Christian Jost is always on the lookout for magic moments. His music is frankly topical, poetic and associative – it tells stories for people and about people. That places him firmly in the tradition of premieres last presented in grand style by the likes of Gustav Mahler and Giacomo Puccini, and within that context suggests the use of concert halls and opera houses as venues for confronting the present and current events.

The peg for the works on Christian Jost’s Neue Meister debut is the magic of opposites.
“When in the second part of the BerlinSymphony the saxophone emerges from a pulsing orchestral sound and then gradually withdraws ever further into aural isolation, the atmosphere is established in which the entire work moves,” is how Christian Jost explains the work dedicated to his native city, premiered and recorded in 2015 with the orchestra of the Berlin Konzerthaus under the baton of Iván Fischer. Scored for vibraphone, piano, harp and large orchestra, the work reflects the energy-laden overall sound of the city, interfused with the repetitive rhythms of Berlin’s night life. The saxophone roams this vibrant sound landscape for the listener as it were, questioning the relationship of the self to the constantly changing urban way of life.