Claus-Steffen MAHNKOPF
Instrumental music for
flute, oboes, clarinets, violin, guitar and piano.
Baldreit-Edition
Baden-Baden (SWF) 79'15".
Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf, based in Freiburg, is a prominent new music
academic in Germany and co-producer of the journal Music &
Aesthetic. He was a featured composer at the Munich Bienniale [reviewed
in
S&H,
May 2000] and organised a concert there with Ensemble SurPlus, several of
whose players can be heard on this useful CD of Mahnkopf's music released
by SudwestFunk Baden-Baden 1995
It is framed by Illuminations du brouillard played by the oboist Peter
Veale and pianist Sven Thomas Kiebler, both featured in the concert. Die
Schlangen der Medusa (1991) rings the changes on four sizes of clarinet
(David Smeyers). The flautist Carin Levine has a solo flute piece
succolarity, and there are striking solos for guitar (Jurgen Ruck)
and Dora Entcheva (violin). A rarity is Solitude-Nocturne for
piccolo-oboe.
The whole lasts nearly 80 mins and is a good example of late 20 C. 'cutting
edge' German instrumental music; British contemporary music concert organisers
and players might do well to explore these pieces for various instruments.
The cover graphic by the composer is, I suspect, not intended to be played,
but gives a good impression of what you would be in for!
[email enquiries to CSmahnkopf@t-online.de ].
Reviewer
Peter Grahame Woolf
