Friedrich Jaecker (1950, Germany) studied composition, music theory, musicology, music education and piano in Detmold. From 1975 to 1977 he studied composition with György Ligeti in Hamburg. From 1980 to 2019 he was a professor of composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne. His compositions have been performed at international festivals, for example his opera Dir, immer nur Dir (1977–80) at the 1983 Music Biennale Zagreb, or the ensemble works in excelsis (1976) at the 1978 Gaudeamus Festival in Rotterdam and Ländler (2001) at the 2004 World New Music Days (ISCM) in Switzerland. Three portrait CDs have been released to date, most recently in 2019 on mode records in New York with the works paradis for two pianos (2013) and Harry’s Dream for 33 glasses and voices (2012). For more information, visit www.friedrich-jaecker.de.

About the work

Shallow sea coasts dry out at low tide and flood again at high tide. Such tidelands form a zone of transition between the mainland and the sea. Like the steady alternation of high and low tide, the sounds of Watt flow in and out, suspended by long pauses, as if listening. The vocal line moves through the tidal action like a wanderer. The sounds seem familiar and yet veiled, diffuse: like a fine mist the air noise of the bass flute, the bow noise of the strings. There is something intangible about the multiphonics of the flute. The natural harmonics of the strings also go beyond the usual tempered system, but they form rather hybrid aggregates than spectral sounds. Only when the piano enters a clear line outshines the opaque sounds.