When he was barely 18, Friedrich Hölderlin wrote the monumental poem The Books of the Ages . Based on the books of the biblical story of revelation, Hölderlin tells in three parts of the "atrocities of the earthly race", redemption through Christ, the achievements of humanity and the just reward for this. Mike Svoboda entrusts the proclamation of this apocalyptic vision to three female voices, thereby drawing a connection to mythological figures such as the three Norns. The three singers spin the text into inextricable sound structures and allow words from the biblical imagery to emerge. Man, we hear, can become equal to God through the greatness of his deeds. When Svoboda focuses on the tonal interpretation of the text, he expands the vocal trio to a quartet with the trombone and emphasizes the archaic nature of the poem in his sound language. This character is also reflected in several of the drummer’s sounds, which he uses as much dry birch branches as water and gravel.

Johanna Zimmer

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May 9, 2025

The Books of the Times · SWR Symphonieorchester

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