HUMORFORSCHUNG (HUMOUR RESEARCH)

The REIHE Zykan + ensemble under the direction of conductor Michael Mautner is dedicated to exploring whether there is such a thing as funny music – a scepticism that has driven composers from Schubert to Michael Gielen. This sonorous exploration of humour with four voices and electronics explores the boundaries between humour and anarchy, inspired by light-hearted poetry and the unmistakable works of Chaplin. The ensemble breaks with the traditional assumption that humour is the domain of men, thereby also honouring the work of the painter Maria Lassnig, who humorously criticises not only herself but also the male sex in her texts.

The programme includes a series of works that create a cascade of sounds, gestures and absurd poetry with humour and cheerful detachment. Highlights include the world premiere of the compositional realisation of two central monologues from Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”: the “fake German speech” and the emotive”peace speech”, both of which capture the essence of Chaplin’s mastery of satire and humanist message.

The works by Otto M. Zykan, Michael Mautner, Maria Gstaettner after Maria Lassnig, Ernst Toch, Otto Waalkes, Elfi Aichinger after Maria Lassnig, Kurt Schwertsik, HK Gruber and Ivan Eröd offer a diverse spectrum of musical reflections on humour, from the “Geographical Fugue” for spoken music to “The Bet” and the “Elixir of Life” after Richard Bletschacher. There is also a “Dupcheck” with the audience, who are directly involved in the humorous events.

__________

This project is made possible with funding from the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne. Thank you for your support!