Cristóbal Halffter: World première of Ritual in Grafenegg

Music Festival Grafenegg

“It is important to have a ritual in life,” says Cristóbal Halffter, composer in residence at the Grafenegg Music Festival in Austria this summer.

His new 20-minute orchestral work, Ritual, consists of two parts, linked by a moment of silence – in which the conductor continues conducting. Halffter does not develop the work from one theme, which is then worked on routinely. Instead, he allows Ritual to grow slowly from a pianissimo, taking advantage of the great potential of a large orchestra and using it to create sound organically. Ritual therefore resembles a living cell, which divides and constantly produces new forms.

The composer conducts the world première on 5 Sep with the Tonkünstler Orchestra.