Inner Life

The last work of composer Wim Henderickx (1962-2022) is both a composition and a recipe for musical experimentation. When Henderickx died suddenly in 2022, he was still working on it. Part of the score is meticulously detailed, while other sections are left open-ended, with graphically scored fragments. The entire piece functions as a musical laboratory, designed to be reinterpreted and brought to life anew with each performance. In this performance by the HERMESensemble, Nemø Ensemble and conservatory students, the audience follows a route through the Muziekgebouw along the different chapters of Inner Life.

An omnivorous interest in folk culture, electronics and the classical Western music tradition characterises Wim Henderickx. This is clearly reflected in Inner Life, which comprises seven chapters. Each chapter has a duration that is a multiple of seven minutes and is intended for a basic ensemble of seven players. Some passages are open to additional interpretations and give the performers creative freedom. The result is an exciting and fascinating happening that you experience while wandering through the Muziekgebouw.

‘Inner Life is a composition, an alchemical formula – or a play, a recipe for an artistic experiment in which all possible musical personalities and groups can participate.’ – Music Theatre Transparant