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<< -- 5 -- Robert Anderson SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
The conclusion of the work achieves at last the serenity and hope of a new
beginning, with the final Amens echoing those heard at the beginning of this
spiritual journey [listen -- No 24, 'Siehe, ich mache alles neu', 15:18-16:53].
Lutheran chorales were so often the basis of Bach's counterpoint, and Wagner devised
for his Nuremberg mastersingers a counterpoint that was both traditional and
contemporary. Torp, clearly conversant with presentday developments and with the
finest in mainstream musical tradition, has done likewise.
Bass Dariusz Siedlik (left), baritone Jürgen Linn, composer Martin Torp and conductor Matthias Ank with the Bach-Chor St Lorenz and Orchester Kontraste, sharing the applause at the end of the performance of 'Behold, I make all things new'. Photo © 2003 Arne Winkler
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The glorious church of St Laurence, completed in time for both Albrecht Dürer
and Hans Sachs to have paced its aisles, ending the Second World War as roofless as
my own parish church in Kensington, can rarely have resounded to a new score more
varied, insistent or gripping. Launched under the devoted and imaginative direction
of Matthias Ank, with accomplished soloists, precision choir and orchestra of
omniumgatherum skills, Martin Torp's most ambitious work to date deserves a hearing
from any organisation with the nerve and ambition to solve its problems as convincingly
as was done at the Nuremberg première.
The Lorenzkirche, Nuremberg. Photo © 2003 Arne Winkler
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Copyright © 18 January 2004
Robert Anderson, London UK
The German composer Martin Torp was born in Flensburg in 1957. He took his first steps in composition whilst at school, where he also studied piano, organ and cello. He visited India to study classical indian rhythm in Varanasi, and studied theology and church music in Heidelberg.
Since 1985, life in Berlin as a freelance composer also involves performing as a concert organist and pianist, and teaching piano at the Musikschule Charlottenburg. In 1998 Torp was awarded a composition scholarship by the Fritz-Berg-Stiftung (Hagen/Westfalen), and since 2002 he has been artistic adviser and booklet author to Universal Music (Decca, DG and Philips).
His music includes two large-scale symphonies, two chamber symphonies, works for choir, songs (with piano accompaniment), numerous chamber music works (including three string quartets) and compositions for cello, clarinet, piano and organ (solo and duo).
Martin Torp's oratorio Siehe, ich mache alles neu is published by Verlag Neue Musik (VNM). The sound extracts illustrating this review were recorded by Heinz Wildhagen at the first performance in St Lorenz, Nürnberg, Germany on 8 November 2003, given by baritone Jürgen Linn (Johannes), soprano Birgit Ströbel-König, contralto Bhawani Moennsad, tenor Reiner Geißdörfer, bass Dariusz Siedlik, the Bach-Chor St Lorenz and Orchester Kontraste, conducted by Matthias Ank.
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