First Incarnation: Hiruda 1983, Final Version 2017, The

Ulrich Kutschera (b. 1955) is a leading evolutionary biologist, Chair of the Dept. of Evolutionary biology at U. Kassell, Germany and a Visiting Scientist at Stanford (2016-). He also composes neoclassical music. Produced in Freiburg, Germany, this set responds to paintings shown in the booklet and done by his father, Alfred Kutschera (1928-2004). The strong impression of the six songs (recorded in 1983) is one of electronic “space-music,” with a basically tonal syntax and a thick sound. The combination of piano and synthetic keyboards allows for symphonic effects, some of which evoke the theremin (an early electronic musical instrument) and/or the music for the movie Forbidden Planet. “Bazarella” and "Bolero" have a military cast; the rest are lyrical. “Bolero” utilizes Ravel’s opening snare drum motif. “Cyrillus” evokes evening fireworks outside a country church. “Avocado” is essentially a waltz. The title-piece has ceremonial and processional aspects befitting its religious subject matter. At moments, its rhetorical, voluminous sound reminds us of organ music at a theater, by way of organist Virgil Fox.