instruments solo trumpet and brass quintet

year of production 2006/07

commissioned by Svenska Rikskonserter

dedication Håkan Hardenberger and Stockholm Chamber Brass

duration 17‘   

first performance
June 30th 2007

Båstad Kammarmusikfestival 2007

Apelrydsladan, Båstad

Håkan Hardenberger
Stockholm Chamber Brass

work comments

Confrontation was composed on commission from Svenska Rikskonserter and is dedicated to Håkan Hardenberger and Stockholm Chamber Brass.

The trumpet soloist works as a transmitter and the brass quintet like a receiver.
They are confronted and changing roles in between during the course of the journey were the soloists moves from noise towards pitch while the brass goes right the opposite, from pitch to noise. The work is divided into three movements that is played without a break.

Reviews on Confrontation:

Apelrydsladan, Båstad

Håkan Hardenberger/Stockholm Chamber Brass

[…] ”tillsammans med Stockholms Brasskvintett genomförde han ett fullkomligt lysande uruppförande av den unge tonsättaren Benjamin Staerns (född 1978) ”Confrontation”. Ett verk som fick mig att i snabb följd associera till Stravinskij, Ligeti, storbandsjazz och fusion innan jag bara gav mig och insåg att det här är en musik som inte går att rama in utan som spränger fram från en helt ny och egen källa. En sprudlande vettvillig musik, som samlar ihop sig och bryter samman, med den mest rasande dialogiska kraft. Och vars allra sista krasch känns som ett språng ut i – ja, ut i vad?

På väg från Båstad åkte jag ut till Hovs Hallar, udden en bit västerut, bara för att se horisonten. Och jo, den linjen låg kvar. Men sådana försäkringar behöver nog inte Benjamin Staern – som i mina öron kan bli hur stor som helst.”

”a completely brilliant world-premiere by the young composer Benjamin Staern (born 1978) ”Confrontation”. A work that for me in rapid succession associated with Stravinsky, Ligeti, bigbandjazz and fusion before I just gave up and realized that this is music that you cannot frame into but it explodes from a new and original source. A gushingly frenzied music, that collects itself together and breaks apart, with its utmost raging dialogical power. And its very last crash felt like a leap into - yes, into what?

On the way from Båstad I drove out to Hovs Hallar, the headland on the west coast, just to see the horizon. And yes, that line was still there. But with these assurances won’t be needed for Benjamin Staern - that in my ears can be as big as possible.” […]

Martin Nyström, Dagens Nyheter, July 2nd 2007

other performances

2015

May 16

De Spil   BELGIAN PREMIERE!
Roeselare, Belgum

Jeroen Berwaerts
Stockholm Chamber Brass

2018

Grünewaldssalen, Konserthuset, Stockholm
STOCKHOLM PREMIERE!
May 6th
Håkan Hardenberger
Stockholm Chamber Brass

Stockholm Chamber Brass warming up in Apelrydsladan during Båstad Kammarmusikfestival 2007, June 30th.