“One does not go into exile for pleasure”

So wrote Alfred Kerr in his diary on July 1, 1933.

Living in exile means standing between two cultures – that of one’s homeland and that of a new place of refuge. Over time, these cultural influences begin to merge and shape a new, unique identity. My composition Exile reflects this process musically. The violist Yossi Gutmann – who sadly passed away far too soon – once gave me three volumes of Hassidic Tunes by Joachim Stutschewsky. This collection contains Hebrew folk and religious melodies with roots in the Orient. I was immediately fascinated by their sonic depth and expressive power. Not only do they hint at the origins of European music, but surprisingly, they also reveal parallels to ancient Japanese folk songs.

In Exile, two of these melodies are set in counterpoint: Anekomosa, an old folk song from northern Japan, and Haben Yakir Li Efrayim from Stutschewsky’s collection. The original version of the composition was written for viola and piano. I created a new arrangement for alto saxophone and piano, and shortened the piece in the process.

KLUSA-Duo: https://klusa-duo.com/konzerte/