Ingo Metzmacher conducts Zimmermann's swan song

Zimmermann specialist Ingo Metzmacher pays a grand tribute to the composer who died 50 years ago.

Apocalyptic

On August 5, 1970, Bernd Alois Zimmermann completed his Ekklesiastische Aktion Ich wandte mich. A dark, almost apocalyptic work about the worst in man, on texts from Ecclesiastes and excerpts from "The Grand Inquisitor of Seville" (Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov). It turned out to be his last musical act before his death five days later. The cross between opera and oratorio was premiered at the 1972 Olympics. Moments later, the murder of 11 members of the Israeli sports team would underscore what Zimmermann was talking about.

Zimmermann specialist Ingo Metzmacher

With his Viola Concerto written for Tabea Zimmermann, Zimmermann's student York Höller commemorated the 100th anniversary of his composition teacher in 2018. Both composers found much inspiration in the work of Anton Webern. The latter showcased his orchestral and analytical gifts in his arrangement of the Ricercata by the same Bach whose chorale Ich habe genug sounds painfully beautiful at the end of Zimmermann's Ekklesiastische Aktion. Interesting detail: Zimmermann specialist Ingo Metzmacher conducts.