»for Rainer Küchl, in true friendship«

for solo violin
Duration: 3'30''

Published by Edition Contemp Art (Verlagsgruppe Hermann),
Obtainable via www.schott-music.com
Product number: VGH 2367-70

About the composition:

One of my closest friends and colleagues dating back to the time of my studies is Rainer Küchl, who retired in the fall of 2016 after serving 45 years as concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. This memorable occasion and our friendship of more than 50 years led to the composition of a short, three-part piece for solo violin.

The first part (»Name«) is based on a mixture of French and German musical letter names that reflect the name of the dedicatee: Re-A-E-Re E-C-H (the second E is part of the alternate spelling KuECHl), with its variants, transpositions, and inversions. A fanfare-like sequence of double stops signals the awakening of the latent talent (»Signal«), and the parodistic arrangement and interpretation of famous violin etudes, some fragments from the classical solo and chamber music literature designate the »path« of the violinist.

A special moment in my own life was Küchl’s interpretation of my composition Time Recycling op. 22n during seven performances by the Vienna Philharmonic in 2014.

This small piece for violin is also an expression of my gratitude for my friend’s commitment to my music. (René Staar, 2017)