Hands II (2025)
(Concerto No. 2 for Cello and Large Orchestra)

HANDS II Concerto for Cello and Orchestra is an ode to hands, to tactility, bodily intuition and the interdependency between human, nature and existence through touch. The Concerto investigates the importance and symbolism of the soloist’s and the orchestra’s hands being transmitters of sound and core medias for human expression as well as evolutionary development.

Humankind’s evolutionary development takes a quantum leap when man arises from the ground. This enables the species to use its hands for new purposes and quickly leads to the creation of tools. Along with the motor development of the hands, the human brain matures accordingly and results in the formation of refined systems, societies, cultures and expressions.

HANDS II Concerto for Cello and Orchestra reflects upon the balance and interdependency between hand and mind; reality and imagination, nature and culture and investigates the balances between these aspects in a modern world increasingly ruled by the computerized, brain-focused, digitized, accelerating and alienating systems, values and patterns for behavior.

HANDS II conceptually and dramatically unfolds as an evolutionary journey. The Concerto takes off in a primordial setting from the emerging of simple cells (I. LIFE); through the development into breathing, moving, conscious and imaginative beings, communities and societies (II. Adagio); then takes us on a ride down the unstoppable whirly trails of the mind (III. MIND) - from a glimpse of an idea to extreme action, acceleration and totalitarianism when ideas spread to several minds and is echoed eternally in cyber worlds - till the point where the waves of existence, expression and noise of one compromises the existence and expression of others - tools become weapons - apathy rules - order and meaning implodes (IV. WAVE). The fifth and last movement unfolds as an integrated choreographical and sonic hymn to heal the broken natural connections by calling for reconnection with body, tactility, intuition and simplicity - and thereby the ancient human heritage and nature (V. HYMN).

HANDS II Concerto for Cello and Orchestra will call for us to remember the importance and beauty of analogue expression and communities deriving from the evolution of hands, bodily manifestation, craftsmanship and discipline as a counterpoint to the detaching and lonesome digitized reality of today. By this HANDS II offers a countermovement to current time’s celebration of the individual emphasized by digital social communities' dominating focus on ‘faces’ and self fixation; the alienation, lonesomeness, loss of meaning and violence it eventually evokes. It suggests a conscious hands-on, conscious, collective shaping and creation of a sustainable and balanced future in stead of hollow talking, discussing, posing and opinionand war-making.