The core repertoire of the New European Ensemble is the music of the 21st and late 20th century. The ensemble strives to reveal connections in expressivity between the musical works and styles of different generations of composers. The musicians collaborate with young composers by both performing and commissioning works in order to cultivate innovative musical thought for the 21st century. Works have been commissioned from up and coming young composers including Benjamin Staern, Justin Christensen, Hugi Guðmundsson, Ronald Boersen and Graham Flett.  The established generation of contemporary composers also forms an important part of the ensemble’s repertoire. The works by these composers are chosen because they represent both certain expressive traditions as well as renewals of those traditions whether they be romantic, impressionistic, expressionistic or mystic.  Regularly appearing on the ensemble’s concert programs are works by Henze, Maxwell Davies, Lindberg, Knussen, Jost and Saariaho. A third important part of the New European Ensemble’s repertoire is the work of the 2nd Viennese School composers Schönberg, Webern and Berg.  The expressionist repertoire derives from a unique moment in art history where a transition from romanticism to modernism took place. This repertoire stands with one foot in both worlds and allows the ensemble to create a unique connection through it from classicism and romanticism through to the work of the younger composers who are writing for the ensemble.

Program Examples

Serenades Past and Present

Works commissioned by young composers (including Ronald Boersen, Justin Christensen, Benjamin Staern).

-Intermission-

Arnold Schönberg – Serenade op.24

Arnold Schönberg created an ensemble combination, which includes violin, viola, cello, guitar, mandolin, clarinet, bass clarinet and voice when he composed his Serenade op.24.  The plucked instruments add to the old world serenade charm in a composition that blends 18th century form and style with modern harmony and an expressionist atmosphere. This little performed masterpiece is one of the highlights of the 20th century ensemble repertoire. The works commissioned by the New European Ensemble for this particular setting are meant to add to the repertoire for this unique, colourful and well-balanced combination of instruments.  The commissioned composers all come from different cultural and musical backgrounds.  The Swedish composer Benjamin Staern is consumed by his personal search for instrumental and harmonic colour while Canadian composer Justin Christensen explores the effects of the perception of musical speed and space in relation to harmonic gesture and rhythm. Ronald Boersen is a young Dutch composer with a background in improvisation and electronic music and seeks to expand the range of his music by incorporating influences from funk, blues and jazz.

Moonstruck Intoxication

Schönberg – Pierrot Lunaire op.21 (semi-staged)

-Intermission-

Peter Maxwell Davies – Miss Donithorne’s Maggot (semi-staged)

The program ‘Moonstruck’ showcases the theatrical possibilities of the New European Ensemble.  In the semi staged version of Pierrot Lunaire the protagonist confronts dreams and nightmares in a musical context that often resembles the 1920’s cabaret style. Pierrot is one of Schönberg’s groundbreaking masterpieces and contains within it a myriad of contradictory elements.  The work reveals a struggle between romantic and modern, expressionist and impressionist and between dreams and reality. The craziness that overcomes Pierrot who is rejected by Colombine who he yearns for is equivalent to the creeping, almost expressionist insanity, which overtakes Miss Donnithorne in Peter Maxwell Davies Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot. This mini opera is based on a true story about a bride who is left by her prospective husband at the altar. Her story unfolds in a dramatic and at the same time theatrical spectacle.