Inspired by Bruckner 0 + 4

Rick van Veldhuizen has a brilliant renovation in mind for Bruckner’s Symphony No. 0. Bruckner himself declared the symphony invalid because he believed that the first theme was not recognizable enough. This is precisely the theme that plays an important role in Van Veldhuizen’s work. In Spiri II: Sheltered Ritual, Seung-Wong Oh on the other hand, ‘Brucknerianizes’ her own language. Ensemble Klang and the New European Ensemble forge structures from these hybrid worlds, with Bruckner ever present as an indispensable shadow. 

The young Dutch composer Rick van Veldhuizen has already amassed a remarkable list of accomplishments. In 2019, for instance, he wrote mais le corps taché d’ombres for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. A modern soundscape infused with the echoes of romanticism, creating a dreamlike experience. Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant recognised the talent of Seung-Won Oh (who hails from South Korea) years ago, calling her ‘a name to remember’. The way she ‘plays with layered structures and transparency’ is also impressive in combination with a dash of Bruckner.