After the Jan Garbarek concert, the Markus Stockhausen Group filled the T2 the next day.
One might think the large footsteps left behind by the saxophone icon would be difficult to fill – but concertgoers were quickly proven wrong.
Stockhausen is a musical cross-border artist who is difficult to categorize into a single genre. He is internationally considered one of the most versatile musicians of our time, at home in jazz, contemporary music, and classical music.
His trumpet playing is characterized by its bright, clear tone, borrowed from classical music, as well as its incorporation of electronics.
While his father, Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007), was considered a pioneer of electronic and new music, as well as one of the most important composers of the 20th century, his son Markus is more moderate in this regard.
He explores electronic boundaries with less dissonance in favor of beautiful sounds. And it seems as if he has dedicated himself more to a spirituality that makes him a musical wanderer through the spheres. And therein lies the parallel to Garbarek.
Markus Stockhausen relies on string accompaniment with his current formation, as did the saxophonist in 2004 on his “In Praise of Dreams” album, where Kim Kashashian plays the viola.
Jörg Brinkmann is the cellist at his side. He plucks his instrument like a double bass or strokes it with a flugelhorn, either tenderly or with powerful intensity.
The two can safely be called the protagonists of this formation, with Christian Thomé on drums and Jeroen van Vliet on the Steinway grand piano subordinating themselves to the overall sound.
Floating through distant galaxies
The nearly two-hour concert opens with a Stockhausen classic, “Far into the Stars”; floating through distant galaxies must feel something like this.
As with the other pieces, this isn’t about rapid solo licks that are then met with appreciative applause; the focus is on the soundscape that gets under your skin.
The baroque-inspired follow-up piece, “Ein Lächeln,” with breaks and drum fills, also sounds simply harmoniously round and beautiful—definitely capable of bringing a smile to your face!
The journey continues with “Falling Stars”—through flugelhorn/cello duos, delicate melodies with a radiant sense of optimism, driving beats to lighten the mood, and a broad, yearning piano solo.
Having landed again, Stockhausen says a few words about space, where the nearest galaxy, Andromeda, is two and a half million light-years away. “We only inhabit this small Earth! Let us keep it in peace,” is Stockhausen’s wish.
Applause from the audience, which Stockhausen has already reached long ago. “Warmlicht” (Warm Light) is in triple time, introduced by a piano, followed by a beautiful flugelhorn melody, surrounded by delicately bowed cello notes.
“Better World” adorns the finale of a magnificent concert, not without expressing the confidence that this better world in cosmic dimensions holds good prospects for development.
An oriental-sounding plucked cello solo, garnished with chords, is arguably the jazziest piece of the evening, with the brass rising well into the high note range.
The four charming gentlemen are happy to oblige encore requests with “Encoeur,” rounding off a unique fantasy journey.
Markus Stockhausen (flgh, tp, electronic)
Jeroen van Vliet (p, keys)
Jörg Brinkmann (cello, electronic)
Christian Thomé (dr)
