Video of “Freude”

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra has released the video from the world premiere of “Freude” for orchestra, offstage choir and gran cassa. The piece is performed by the orchestra, Edvard Grieg Choir and Bergen Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend.

Freude was commissioned by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, which was set to open its 2025/26 season with Beethoven Ninth Symphony and requested a new work that could, in some way, relate to it. I chose to use the same orchestration as Beethoven (excluding vocal soloists). Whereas he set the entire text of Schiller’s ode to joy human unity, freedom, and brotherhood, I use only the first word: Freude. The piece was written during a time of global unrest and uncertainty, and my Freude is not a cry of celebration, but rather a distant and open question. The brass and winds play a single, ominous chord — the fate-laden opening of the fourth movement of Beethoven’s symphony.