What happens when there is too much of an expanding energy? Miroslav Srnka seeks to reflect musically on a physical process.

To mark the occasion of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 100th season, Miroslav Srnka has been commissioned to write an ensemble work for the experimental concert series “Green Umbrella”. “Overheating” takes as its starting point a consideration of anniversaries in general. “In a day of commemoration one can also be aware of the time span which embraces social, political or ecologically changeable outcomes”, says the composer.

The musical concept of “Overheating” is based on dynamic processes: sound objects which emerge from nothing are combined, culminate and ultimately transform themselves. Srnka develops a kind of kinetik sonorous objects: “What happens when there is too much of an expanding energy? What happens with pure musical means in such circumstances?”  Srnka considers another ensemble structure in which moveable objects alter their physical states. One element loses expression from the beginning when it overheats. “Flags, for example, are a proud symbol of anniversaries which, newly hung, begin to flutter from a starting point of total stillness, and perform their movement seemingly out of nothing. They have no hard edges, yet they can tear to pieces in storms. The flag becomes a torso, it changes its physical state irreversibly. Time past is inscribed in it. This also happens with the dynamic objects of the piece.” The transformation of material in “Overheating” is a powerful musical process and at the same time a characteristic of time – as it elapses after the anniversary for which this composition was written.    

Marie Luise Maintz
(from [t]akte 2/2018 – translation: Elizabeth Robinson)