Photo: Anonymous, "goat of the devil", 1926 or earlier ©Prinzhorn collection
[FR]
[EN]
From the early 20th century onwards, psychiatrist Hans Prinzhorn contributed to the recognition of what would later be called, in the words of Jean Dubuffet, ‘art brut’ (art of the self-taught and marginalized, often referring to artwork by his own patients). His collection (‘Sammlung’ in German) gave rise to a museum near Heidelberg University Hospital. Composer Frédéric Durieux returned to the collection several times, fascinated by the texts, particularly those of soprano Malwina Schnorr von Carolsfeld, who had created the role of Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde but fell into a deep depression after the death of her husband.
The score is written for mixed vocal ensemble (performed here by Schola Heidelberg) and an ensemble of nine instrumentalists, and features live electronics operated by IRCAM.
In this concert, Sammlung is juxtaposed with medieval vocal music performed by Schola Heidelberg, as well as another commission written by Académie Voix Nouvelles laureate Nathaniel Otley. His piece As I cry out, across, this whispering garden, commissioned by Fondation Royaumont for Semblance, invites listeners into a slowly-shifting, introspective sonic space, where sounds emerge from the shadows of a world that is – seemingly – not quite our own.
The concert was recorded on 5 October 2025 at the Royaumont Abbey, and broadcast by FranceMusique’s Concert du soir on 22 October 2025.
From the early 20th century onwards, psychiatrist Hans Prinzhorn contributed to the recognition of what would later be called, in the words of Jean Dubuffet, ‘art brut’ (art of the self-taught and marginalized, often referring to artwork by his own patients). His collection (‘Sammlung’ in German) gave rise to a museum near Heidelberg University Hospital. Composer Frédéric Durieux returned to the collection several times, fascinated by the texts, particularly those of soprano Malwina Schnorr von Carolsfeld, who had created the role of Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde but fell into a deep depression after the death of her husband.
The score is written for mixed vocal ensemble (performed here by Schola Heidelberg) and an ensemble of nine instrumentalists, and features live electronics operated by IRCAM.
In this concert, Sammlung is juxtaposed with medieval vocal music performed by Schola Heidelberg, as well as another commission written by Académie Voix Nouvelles laureate Nathaniel Otley. His piece As I cry out, across, this whispering garden, commissioned by Fondation Royaumont for Semblance, invites listeners into a slowly-shifting, introspective sonic space, where sounds emerge from the shadows of a world that is – seemingly – not quite our own.
The concert was recorded on 5 October 2025 at the Royaumont Abbey, and broadcast by FranceMusique’s Concert du soir on 22 October 2025.