Ophelia and the Words; Wald: Ein Deutsches Requiem; Kleine Geschichte der Zivilisation

Tracklist Hide Credits

1	Ophelia and the Words Effects – Henry KaiserSpeech – Sigrid Wurschmidt	22:47
2	Ein Deutsches Requiem Cello – Othello LiesmannChoir – Collegium Vocale KölnSpeech – Elisabeth Hartmann, Matthias PonnierSpeech, Piano – Gerhard Rühm	32:34
3	Kleine geschichte der Zivilisation Piano – Gerhard Rühm	16:55

Notes

1. "Ophelia and the Words "
2. "Ein Deutsches Requiem "
3. "Kleine geschichte der Zivilisation "

Under the title "Ars Acustica", Wergo publishes outstanding works of acoustic art in a long-term CD-edition, which have emerged in recent decades in particular for the "Studio Acoustic Art" of WDR. The latest CD is devoted to the work of Viennese composer and intermedia artist Gerhard Rühm.
"Ophelia and the Words" is based exclusively on the complete text of Ophelia from Shakespeare's "Hamlet". Ophelia speaks here only to imaginary partners, whose textual failure makes the situations concretized in the original dialogue into a reality which is remote from reality, are untraceable.
On the subject of forest dying, the work "Wald, a German Requiem" is being discussed. Naked facts are given as musical elements as accentuation; They thus provoke the listener without any additional comment on his own opinion.
"Little History of Civilization" - a piece of piano with a simultaneous echoing tape in the middle - is a radio play that does not require words whose "story" becomes immediately apparent in the confrontation of music and sound.

Recorded 1987, first broadcast May 12, 1987 (1st work); 1983, first broadcast December 6, 1983 (2nd work); and 1980, first broadcast April 14, 1980 (3rd work), Studio Akustische Kunst, WDR Köln.

Durations: 22:47; 32:34; 16:55.
Program notes in German and English (20 p. : ill.) included.
The 1st work was originally performed in German, performed here in English; the 2nd work performed in German.
The 1st-2nd works are radio plays; the 3rd work for piano and tape.
Wergo: WER 6306-2 (additional no.: 286 306-2).

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Barcode: 4 010228 630626
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Label Code: 0846