in vain (Haas)

in vain
	by Georg Friedrich Haas
Period	Contemporary
Composed	2000
Duration	c. 70 minutes
Scoring	Orchestra
Premiere
Date	October 29, 2000
Location	Funkhaus Wallrafplatz, Cologne
Conductor	Sylvain Cambreling
Performers	Klangforum Wien

in vain is a 2000 composition for 24 instruments by Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas. It was premiered on October 29, 2000 by Sylvain Cambreling and the Klangforum Wien and lasts approximately 70 minutes.[1] The piece is one of Haas' best-known works.[2]

Background and composition

in vain was commissioned by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk for Sylvain Cambreling (to whom the work is dedicated) and Klangforum Wien.[1][3] Haas wrote the piece in response to the rise of the far-right in Austria.[4][5]

The piece deals extensively with microtonality.[1] The light levels in the hall are specified in the score; some sections of the piece are played in very bright light, and about twenty minutes are played in complete darkness.[1][5]

Instrumentation

The piece is scored for the following ensemble:[1][3]

Woodwinds

2 Flutes (1st doubling piccolo, 2nd doubling piccolo and bass flute)
Oboes
2 Clarinets in B♭ (2nd doubling bass clarinet)
Soprano saxophone (doubling tenor saxophone)
Bassoon

Brass

2 Horns in F
2 Trombones

Harp and keyboards

Percussion

Percussion 1:
- Marimba, crotales, glockenspiel, plate bell (E), cymbal, tam-tam
Percussion 2:
- Crotales, glockenspiel, vibraphone, plate bell (B♭), Chinese cymbal, tam-tam

Strings

3 Violins
2 Violas
2 Cellos
Double bass (five-stringed)

Reception

Simon Rattle has hailed in vain as "one of the first masterpieces of the 21st century",[4][5] and the Austrian newspaper Die Presse has called it a "classic".[6] The piece was named the greatest work of art music since 2000 in a Classic Voice poll.[7]

In his 2007 book The Rest Is Noise, Alex Ross wrote that the piece "may mark a new departure in Austro-German music, joining spectral harmony to a vast Brucknerian structure".[8]

References

"Haas - in vain for 24 instruments". Universal Edition. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
"Subscribe to read | Financial Times". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2020-08-21. Cite uses generic title (help)
Haas, Georg Friedrich. in vain. 2000. Vienna: Universal Edition, 2000.
"Contemporary composer: Georg Friedrich Haas". Gramophone. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
"Interview: Sir Simon Rattle talks about "in vain" by Georg Friedrich Haas". Digital Concert Hall. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
Weidringer, 04 08 2020 um 15:15 von Walter (2020-08-04). ""in vain": Klangtreppen ohne Ausweg". Die Presse (in German). Retrieved 2020-08-21.
"A music referendum". Ricordi. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
Ross, Alex (2007). The Rest is Noise. New York, N.Y.: Picador. p. 590. ISBN 978-0-312-42771-9.

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[:0-1] "Haas - in vain for 24 instruments". Universal Edition. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[2] "Subscribe to read | Financial Times". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2020-08-21. Cite uses generic title (help)

[:3-3] Haas, Georg Friedrich. in vain. 2000. Vienna: Universal Edition, 2000.

[:1-4] "Contemporary composer: Georg Friedrich Haas". Gramophone. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[:2-5] "Interview: Sir Simon Rattle talks about "in vain" by Georg Friedrich Haas". Digital Concert Hall. Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[6] Weidringer, 04 08 2020 um 15:15 von Walter (2020-08-04). ""in vain": Klangtreppen ohne Ausweg". Die Presse (in German). Retrieved 2020-08-21.

[7] "A music referendum". Ricordi. Retrieved December 2, 2019.

[8] Ross, Alex (2007). The Rest is Noise. New York, N.Y.: Picador. p. 590. ISBN 978-0-312-42771-9.