Take Death (2013)
(for 20 instruments and DJ)

Take Death was composed for Alte Oper Frankfurt and Ensemble Modern in 2013 to mark the 100th anniversary of “Le Sacre du Printemps” (Igor Stravinsky).
The narrative of my composition takes up the plot of the ballet “Le Sacre”, in which a virgin is chosen by the council of orphans and sacrificed to ensure the continued existence of the earth. In Take Death, the virgin returns to earth, seeks out the orphaned men who sacrificed her, and kills them.

Since virgins, children, or defenseless animals are sacrificed in some religions and pagan rituals, I was inspired to take (musical) revenge for the victims. There are no musical quotations from Stravinsky in Take Death, but the musical proximity to the composer is very clear. A DJ is included to emphasize the reference to dance and ballet.