Commission to Eres Holz

The vocal ensemble AuditivVokal sets selected poems by Paul Celan to music in the form of a madrigal book. The texts represent central themes of Paul Celan’s oeuvre—war, destruction, and lack of empathy—and are transformed by Eres Holz’s composition into a new, sonically condensed context. The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation has made this composition commission to Eres Holz possible.

The choice of the madrigal genre was deliberate. This art form, which flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries, is known for its precise recitation of text and emotionally charged musical language. It offers a suitable medium for translating the semantic density and emotional complexity of Celan’s poetry into sonic structures. Eres Holz’s compositions are characterized by an expressive musical language that combines aesthetic complexity with existential urgency. His “soundscapes” give rise to structures that are both fragile and powerful, which—analogous to Celan’s poetic work—explore the limits of the human experience. By combining Celan’s texts with the polyphonic structure of the madrigal, a work emerges that opens up a new, contemporary form of reception and makes Celan’s exploration of humanity and inhumanity tangible through a collective listening experience.

Further information:
auditivvokal.de

Date

November 23, 2026
Concert Hall of the Dresden University of Music