infotext:
THE DEPTH OF SPACE. A FOOTBALL ORATORY
Moritz Eggert didn't have much to do with sport until the end of 2004 when he was asked if he wanted to compose a football oratorio for the 2005 Ruhrtriennale. He created the composition in just five months from the beginning of March to the end of July. After the premiere in the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum, the piece was also part of the cultural program of the 2006 World Cup with two performances at the Komische Oper Berlin. In addition to the football oratorio, other football pieces such as Ballack, you hot cuts (2007) or On the ball - A soccer ball for the 2008 Vienna Opera Ball, which caused a stir among conservative audiences at the time. From one day to the next, Eggert became, so to speak, the »football composer« and is today one of the best-known and, as he says himself, »most adventurous« contemporary composers.
However, his favorite football piece remained The depth of space. Traditionally, in the sense of an oratorio, it tells the story of the ordeal of a kicker who makes it to the god of football: »The depth of space is a kind of passion play," says Moritz Eggert, "in which the focus is not on the figure of Jesus, but on a soccer player and his path to the decisive World Cup goal. But as in the baroque passion play, it is accompanied by allegorical figures such as virtue and vice. The journalist takes on the role of the evangelist of the classical oratorio. Three speaking roles complete the matter: an older player who has already taken part in a number of world championships, a coach and a sports reporter.«
The piece consists of two 45-minute halves with a preliminary report and injury time, and the music and stadium atmosphere are linked in terms of sound. »Of course, a topic like football is a great opportunity for a composer to reach an audience that one would otherwise not necessarily have for new music. In view of the ivory tower phenomenon, I think it's definitely worthwhile for musical theater to deal with subjects that are outside the Paul Celan and Walter Benjamin circles. With The depth of space I tried to write a piece in which people who are not necessarily connoisseurs of new music but are interested in football can still find themselves in some form. It was my concern to give this audience access.«
Inken Meents / Moritz Eggert
program:
Moritz Eggert (* 1965)
The depth of space. A football oratorio
for large orchestra, four soloists, mixed choir and three speakers
Libretto by Michael Klaus (1952–2008)
Premiere Recording Live
CD 1
54:03
FIRST PART First Half
[01] 1. In the catacombs: the fighting cocks paw 03:09
[02] 2. Germany is shaking even before kick-off 04:30
[03] 3. Let's go lo-os! Let's go lo-os! 02:21
[04] 4. A radio reporter falls in love with himself and for lust digs up a dead classic 03:23
[05] 5. But the reality is different: lame fighting cocks / a shitty game 03:57
[06] 6. »Us Uwe« says something... 00:29
[07] 7. And virtue immediately catches on, becomes very solemn and even religious when it thinks of the memory of the past ushered in by “Us Uwe”. Of course, the glorified past cannot harm the vice! 06:56
[08] 8. To howl: zero to one 02:55
[09] 9. You blind whistle, you! 01:29
[10] 10. That was clearly offside! 04:17
[11] 11. After the argument: Reflection on the essentials. Hymn to the ball 08:10
[12] 12. Earlier! Deep in the East... 02:54
[13] 13. Your sloppy memories of old times only give birth to "shaky feet!" 02:32
[14] 14. The tin can 02:46
[15] 15. "Look! Look! What a miracle! How? A swan?” One on one, balance 03:05
[16] 16. Don't have a watch with you?! Finally whistle half time! 01:00
CD 2
61:08
SECOND PART · Second half and stoppage time
[01] 1. A new Zidane, a new Figo better than Beckham that you almost don't get the kick-off in the second half 05:18
[02] 2. The new Zidanefigobetter than Beckham misses a penalty – in return, the opponent scores 1:2 03:56
[03] 3. Orgy of insults OR Lohengrin with swan and barge into the bin! OR Where does the guy actually come from? 02:59
[04] 4. He only thinks about the money now! 06:51
[05] 5. A 17-year-old seeks shelter under the wing of the truck 03:28
[06] 6. He only thinks about women now! 04:01
[07] 7. Pier Paolo Pasolini tells a strange story 05:00
[08] 8. Chorus of pregnant women brought to justice by chorus of suffering men 03:16
[09] 9. Aria (Trappatoni's Transfiguration) 03:06
[10] 10. The bastard son of God better than everyone scores the equalizer 2-2 04:48
[11] 11. Who is the real mother - virtue or vice? 06:43
[12] 12. Final 11:34
Ania Vegry, virtue (soprano)
Ruth-Maria Nicolay, Vice (mezzo-soprano)
Simon Bode, player (tenor)
Hans Christoph Begemann, journalist (baritone)
Peter Geisberg, Alt-Internationaler (Speaker)
Daniel Herzog, reporter (speaker)
Wowo Habdank, coach (spokesperson)
Choir and Orchestra of the Music Academy of the German National Academic Foundation
Christian Jeub, choir director
Moritz Eggert, conductor