Description
Despite the fact that the basic structure was always very clear and distinct, “Ramai” was composed under quite precarious circumstances. My previous two compositions dealt more with a formal design of various sets characterized by special instrumentation and sound textures with central tones. “Ramai” however, goes back to an aspect of “Kammermusik III” and the idea of individual “dialects” or spoken like playing by the performers. Whereas “Kammermusik III” referred to special players and their respective characters, “Ramai” creates “virtual” persons with individual characters and brings them in mutual correspondence like a busy market place. All this refers to the title: “Ramai”, which is an Indonesian word meaning busy, hectic or a situation where a lot is going on at the same time.
My composition is a similar “tour-de-force” where things start to develop, only to be suddenly stopped (suff ocated, suppressed etc.); where breathless actions are confronted with an utmost serenity. Compared with the first sketch, the piece only deviates from the compositional process at the end. Originally, the end was to be constructed with a hanging and blaring unison with all the instruments. During the work process it soon
became obvious that the constant fluctuations in the piece would have been weakened in their effect by such a blatant ending. It may have appeared to be a confirmation or conclusion of something. I therefore changed the ending. The last outburst of the percussion player is a mere “resignation” after so many attempts to become independent.
