the non bthvn project - composition 18/25

To pay homage to Ludwig van Beethoven in the anniversary year through a large number of compositions is one way to celebrate his 250th birthday. Why not, against all expectations, take a different approach to the proven one? The point of departure is a not insignificant legacy from the great composer's everyday life: when Beethoven was not even 30 years old, the first signs of a hearing problem appeared, which eventually led to the composer's complete deafness. In order not to be cut off from all communication, he created the so-called conversation books, of which up to 400 are said to have accumulated over the years. They contain significant information about the reactions of his environment to what Beethoven said. The more than 130 surviving booklets form the basis of the confrontation of a total of 25 composers with Beethoven. They were commissioned by KölnMusik for the "non bthvn project" to mark the Beethoven Year. This concert features a new work by Unsuk Chin.