Originally commissioned as a concerto for clarinet and chamber ensemble, Martin Lichtfuss composed a half-hour work for solo clarinet and fifteen players divided into three groups: a woodwind section, a brass quintet, and — functioning as a kind of “continuo core” — percussion, piano, accordion, electric guitar/bass, and synthesizer. This instrumental setup may somewhat resemble the configuration of a concerto grosso.

The piece most clearly recalls the concerto type in terms of its formal structure: the three movements are clearly delineated, even though they are fused into a single continuous form. In terms of ensemble configuration, however, the solo clarinet is set against fifteen individual players who are no less ambitious in their instrumental roles and who occasionally challenge the clarinet’s prominence. The musicians are also invited to contribute creatively through improvisation. In any case, the ensemble members display a clearly emancipated attitude toward the solo instrument — although the clarinet repeatedly manages to reassert itself.

From a compositional standpoint, this work provided the opportunity to explore specific sonic expressions using a freely assembled instrumental ensemble. The inclusion of characteristic instruments (accordion, electric guitar) on the one hand, and the deliberate use of electronic sounds on the other, stemmed from a desire to broaden the sound spectrum of a classical instrumental setting by incorporating sound experiences from other contemporary musical genres. The encounter between musicians from the jazz scene and those from the so-called “serious music” tradition created, from the outset, a fertile ground for the development and expression of musical tension. One of the central aims of the work was to explore expressive realms — with a formation that at times may resemble a big band — that are rooted in both jazz idioms and contemporary classical music.