Instrumentation:

Duration: ~15:00

Premiered: 08.07.2023

Orchestra: Baden-Baden Philharmonic

Conductor: Heiko-Mathias Förster

Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont(FR)

Musée de Débarquement

This piece was commissioned by the Baden-Baden Philharmonic and premiered in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (at Utah Beach, to be precise) during a concert commemorating 60 years of the Élysée Treaty and the enduring German-French relationship.

In the aftermath of World War II, numerous extraordinary stories emerged. This piece draws inspiration from one such story: that of John Steele, a paratrooper with the Allied forces who participated in the landing operation to capture Utah Beach on D-Day. Steele's remarkable story is commemorated to this day by a memorial at the church of Sainte-Mère-Église.

Through this piece, I sought to capture the emotions Steele might have experienced before and during his parachute jump, to reflect on the horrors of war, and, most importantly, to illuminate the post-war period. The composition explores themes of sadness, grief, and pain, while also highlighting the slow emergence of optimism and the ultimate resurgence of humanity that prevailed even in those challenging times.

Blogpost(GER)

Interview with ClassiqueNews(FR)

RadioFrance about '24 concerts with Philharmonie Baden-Baden(FR)