musical works, poetry books

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main portal to the official website of composer and poet Rozalie Hirs (*1965, Gouda, The Netherlands) with introduction, music, poetry, lists of publications and musical works, research, software, media (interviews, reviews, essays), biography, distinctions, press photographs, external links

2023, calendar, musical works, news

adonis blue (2023)

17 May 2023. adonis blue (2023) is a new string quartet composed by Rozalie Hirs, commissioned by the Ruysdael Quartet. The new work owes its title to the adonis blue, a butterfly species (Latin: Lysandra bellargus; English: Adonis blue; French: le Bel-Argus, l’Azuré bleu céleste, l’Argus bleu céleste, l’Argus bleu […]

2023, calendar, musical works, news

bee sage (2023)

7 May 2023. bee sage (2023) is a new composition by Rozalie Hirs for cello and (contra) bass clarinet. The new duo was composed at the kind request of cellist Katharina Gross and bass clarinetist Fie Schouten. The first performances by Gross and Schouten of bee sage (2023) are scheduled […]

2022, calendar, musical works

list of musical works

List of musical works by Rozalie Hirs. Orchestral scores. Works for ensemble. Chamber and solo works. Instrumental works with or without electronic sounds. Works for spoken voice, based on own poetry, with or without electronic sounds. Electroacoustic or electronic music.

2020, calendar, musical works

hand in hand (2020) for string quartet and soprano

Rozalie Hirs composed hand in hand (2020) for soprano and string quartet, based on her own poetry. This commission from Kulturkreis für Neue Musik Heilbronn is inspired on the life and ideas of the German poet Hölderlin. The world premiere takes place on his two-hundred-and-fiftieth birthday, a day later followed by a performance next to his birthhouse in Lauffen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

2019, calendar, installations with poetry or music, musical works

ways of space (2019)

The intermedial architectural sound installation Ways of Space (2019) by architect Machiel Spaan and composer Rozalie Hirs was developed in close collaboration during their artist-in-residence at Van Doesburg House, Meudon, France, from September through December 2019. The work is inspired by the concept of the “open floorplan” (Dutch: open plattegrond) Theo Van Doesburg (1883-1931) developed for his architectural work, including his own residence at rue Infroît, Meudon, France. In addition, the colors of Theo Van Doesburg and his De Stijl contemporaries inspired Hirs towards new musical harmonies.

2019, calendar, musical works

lightclouds (2019)

→ Nederlands contents 1. programme notes, review 2. technical details: orchestration, other technical requirements, duration, publisher 3. performances programme notes Rozalie Hirs: lightclouds (2019) lightclouds (2019) is inspired by so-called noctilucent clouds (Deutsch: leuchtende Nachtwolken; Nederlands: lichtende nachtwolken; Français: nuages noctulescents), a metereological phenomenon of high clouds, that seem to […]

2023, calendar, musical works

press photographs

Press photgraphs of Rozalie Hirs by Sara Anke Morris, Bianca Sistermans, Marco Borggreve, Richard Ayres, Patrick Post|Hollandse Hoogte, Philip Mechanics. All rights reserved by the photographers ©1998-2018.

2018, calendar, musical works

dreams of airs (2017-18)

dreams of airs (2017-18) is a cycle of poetry and music by Rozalie Hirs. Its sound world features eight musicians, a singer who speaks, and electronic sounds. The new full-length composition by the Netherlands-based composer/ poet Rozalie Hirs offers a unique listening experience. The listener is guided through mesmerizing accelerandos and rallentandos in a lounge-like environment. The combination of spoken word, music, and visuals serves to stimulate various senses at once. The visual artists Boris Tellegen and Geert Jan Mulder designed a live video installation for the performance. The duration of the performance is around 60 minutes.

2018, calendar, musical works

parallel sea [to the lighthouse] (2018)

parallel sea [to the lighthouse] (2018) by Rozalie Hirs, commissioned by ASKO|Schönberg with support of the Dutch Performing Arts Fund, is scored for flute, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, 2 harps, 2 percussionists, electronic sounds, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.

2017, calendar, musical works

meditations (2017)

contents 1. program notes 2. technical details: orchestration, technical requirements, duration, publisher 3. performances program notes program notes [English; German below] meditations for piano and electronic sounds (2017) was premiered by Philip Thomas at the Dutch contemporary music festivals November Music (Den Bosch) and Sounds of Music (Groningen) in November […]

2017, calendar, musical works

parallel world [breathing] (2017)

parallel world [breathing] (2017) by Rozalie Hirs, commissioned by Concertgebouw Orchestra and University of Amsterdam, with support of the Dutch Performing Arts Fund, is scored for flute, clarinet, 2 harps, percussion, electronic sounds, violin, viola, and cello.

2015, calendar, musical works

the honeycomb conjecture (2015)

the honeycomb conjecture for large ensemble and electronic sounds (2015) by Rozalie Hirs is a commission by Philharmonie, Essen, Germany, for Festival NOW! Prismen. The instrumentation consists of 2 flutes, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, bass trombone, 2 percussionists, keyboard, piano, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass.

2015, calendar, installations with poetry or music, musical works

curvices amsterdam (2015)

Curvices Amsterdam (2013, 2015) is an interactive song cycle, a virtual poetry and music installation, for cell phones and mobile devices, that accompanies you on your walk around the concert venue Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. By Rozalie Hirs (music, poetry, voice), Cox & Grusenmeyer (design, animation), Yvan vander Sanden (software design, realization), Machiel Spaan (spatial design).

2015, calendar, musical works

atlantis ampersand (2015)

atlantis ampersand (music, text; 2015) by Rozalie Hirs is a composition for large ensemble and choir. Commissioned by Holland Festival for the world premiere performance by Klangforum Wien and Enno Poppe (conductor).

2014, calendar, musical works

lichtende drift (2014)

lichtende drift for string orchestra (2014) by Rozalie Hirs is a commission by Amsterdam Sinfonietta, dedicated to its artistic director Candida Thompson. With financial support of the Netherlands Performing Arts Fund.

2014, calendar, musical works

article 8 [infinity] (2014)

article 8 [infinity] (2014) by Rozalie Hirs is a microtonal composition for flute and electronic sounds. Its highly lyrical melodies are enveloped by electronic glissandi that move along in several large waves. article 8 [infinity] (2014) investigates the overtone realms of the solo works article 7 [ways to climb a mountain] (2012) and article 6 [waves] (2013) for bass clarinet and electric guitar respectively. The three pieces can be played either separately as solo works, or in conjunction, i.e. simultaneously, as the trio infinity stairs (2014).

2013, calendar, installations with poetry or music, musical works

curvices (2013)

Curvices (2013) is an interactive song cycle, a virtual poetry and music installation, for cell phones and mobile devices, that accompanies you on your walk around Klankenbos, Neerpelt, Belgium. By Rozalie Hirs (music, poetry, voice), Cox & Grusenmeyer (design, animation), Yvan vander Sanden (software design, realization), Machiel Spaan (spatial design).

2013, calendar, musical works

article 6 [waves] (2013)

article 6 [waves] (2013) by Rozalie Hirs is a lyrical, virtuosic composition for electric guitar and relatively simple electronic glissandi, synthesized from pure sine waves, employing binaural beatings and ring modulation only. The instrumental lines are enveloped by, or cut through, the glissandi moving in several large waves. article 6 [waves] (2013) is the sixth episode by Rozalie Hirs in a series of solo compositions with or without electronic sounds. article 6 [waves] (2013) investigates the overtone realm of article 7 [ways to climb a mountain] (2012) for bass clarinet and electronic sounds. In addition it served as the starting point for article 8 [infinity] (2014) for flute and electronic sounds. The three pieces can be played separately as solo works, but were also conceived to be played in conjunction, i.e. simultaneously, as the trio infinity stairs (2014).

2010, calendar, musical works

venus (2010)

Venus (2010) by Rozalie Hirs is a spatialized music composition for six percussionists and six-channel electronic sounds. It consists of three movements [evening star], [invisible], and [morning star]. Venus (2010) was commissioned by Slagwerk Den Haag, with support from the Eduard van Beinum Foundation. It was first performed around the BACH Pavilion, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, at Holland Festival in 2010.

2010, calendar, musical works

zenit (2010)

“At the other end of history came the world premiere of Rozalie Hirs’ engrossing string quartet, Zenit, played by the superb new L.A.-based Formalist Quartet. Everything I might say about Hirs’ unsettled music I could also say the opposite. It is also quite settled. It forges ahead with tentative sounds and silences. It stops and starts yet flows. It has a hint of hard-hitting Dutch Minimalism, yet it offers a feast of radiant string harmonics, pulsating outside of rhythm.” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times)

2007, calendar, musical works

platonic id (cd, 2007)

Platonic ID (Amsterdam: Attacca Productions, 2007) is the first full-length portrait CD of Rozalie Hirs (*1965) with instrumental works: works for solo instruments (violin, piano, percussion) and for ensemble. The works for ensemble were commissioned by Asko|Schönberg, formerly known as Asko Ensemble. All works were financially supported by Netherlands Performing Arts Fund.

2003, calendar, musical works

logos digital (2003)

Logos interactive website (map: Noëlle von Eugen; design, programming in Flash: Matt Lee; poetry: Rozalie Hirs; 2002) was the first interactive online website of a full length Dutch poetry book. Available online September 2003 – November 2012. Available for download now as a standalone digital application [Mac OsX].

2003, calendar, musical works

article 1 to 3 (2003)

article 1 to 3 for solo piano (2003) by Rozalie Hirs investigates the resonance properties of the grand piano, its body, and strings. It consists of three movements, [the], [aleph], and [a] respectively. The first movement [the] serves as an opening, emerging from the depths of the piano register. The center movement [aleph] is a meditation on the relative positioning of the piano keys, and on weightlessness. The large, virtuoso leaps render a light, transparent character, that offers space for reflection. The third movement [a] serves as an after-thought, exploring the possibilities of fireworks in the higher piano register. [a] employs an impressionistic piano technique and lyricism, that is reminiscent of Feux d’Artifice (Préludes book II) by Claude Debussy.

musical works

identity kit

Rozalie Hirs – info Born 7 April 1965, Gouda Nationality Netherlands Profession composer, poet Lives in Amsterdam Books Locus (1998), Logos (2002), [Speling] (2005), Geluksbrenger (2008), gestamelde werken (2012), Curvices and Musicles (2013), život mogućnosti (2014), ein tag (2014), gestammelte werke (2017), verdere bijzonderheden (2017), ein tag, ahora es una […]

calendar, musical works

Sacro Monte (1997, CD 1999)

Contents 1. Program notes, review 2. Listen 3. Technical details 4. Past performances Program notes Sacro Monte was commissioned by La Nuova Arca, Turin, for the concert series ‘Il Suono dei Parchi’ by the ensemble Antidogma, touring seven natural reserves in Piemonte, northern Italy, in the fall of 1997. Seven […]