Matre FREUDE

MATRE

Freude for Choir (offstage), Gran Cassa (offstage) and Orchestra

Full Score

ØRJAN MATRE

Freude

for Choir (offstage), Gran Cassa (offstage) and Orchestra

(2025)

Full Score

Choir – SSAATBB (Offstage) Strings

Transposing score

Duration: approx. 7:30

ORCHESTRA

2 Flutes

2 Oboes

2 Clarinets in Bb

2 Bassoons Contrabassoon

Freude – a note from the composer Freude was commissioned by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, which was set to open its 2025/26 season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and requested a new work that could, in some way, relate to it.

4 Horns in F

2 Trumpets in Bb

Alto Trombone

Tenor Trombone

Bass Trombone

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.

Timpani

The choir and gran cassa are positioned offstage and must follow the conductor via video monitor. Alternatively, an additional offstage conductor may be used, following the main conductor on screen. If space does not allow for the entire choir to be placed offstage, it may instead be distributed throughout the hall, surrounding the audience. The gran cassa must in any case be placed offstage.

Gran Cassa (offstage)

Choir – SSAATBB (offstage)

Strings

Transposing score

Commissioned by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

Duration: approx. 7′30″

First performance on September 4, 2025, by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Bergen Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend.

Performance notes

PERFORMING NOTES

 Quarter tone flat

 Quarter tone sharp

 Three quarter tone sharp

Strings: Bow directly on the bridge to produce a toneless, airy sound. Ensure all strings are dampened with the left hand to prevent any unintended pitches.

Dynamic markings enclosed in quotation marks signify the intensity of the performance action, rather than its resulting absolute volume.

PROGRAMME NOTE

Freude was commissioned by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, which was set to open its 2025/26 season with Beethoven’s 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, covering 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.

The choir and gran cassa are positioned offstage and must follow the conductor via video monitor. Alternatively, an additional offstage conductor may be used, following the main conductor on screen. If space does not allow for the entire choir to be placed offstage, it may instead be distributed throughout the hall, surrounding the audience. The gran cassa must in any case be placed offstage.

Commissioned by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

First performed on 4 September 2025 at Grieghallen, Bergen by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Bergen Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend.

(Individual bowing) (Individual bowing) (Individual bowing) (Individual bowing)

Bow on the bridge. Toneless, airy sound. unis.

Bow on the bridge. Toneless, airy sound. 4 soli (like a distant rumbling)

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

Two or three singers in each voice group softly whistle high pitches, avoiding unisons. The result should resemble a strange, distant sound of uncertain origin.

B. Tbn.

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

(See instructions on page 7)

(triumphant) (triumphant) (triumphant) (triumphant)

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

To the conductor: Conduct only the onstage musicians At no point should you indicate the intensity or timing of the offstage gran cassa entries These entries must not be predictable from your conducting gestures

The conductor stops conducting and leaves the ending to the percussionist (offstage) It is crucial that the tension is maintained, and that the conductor, even without actively conducting, somehow continues to embody the music until the nal fermata bar

Edition Peters

For more than 200 years, Edition Peters has been synonymous with excellence in classical music publishing. Established in 1800 with the keyboard works of J. S. Bach, by 1802 the company had acquired Beethoven’s First Symphony. In the years following, an active publishing policy enabled the company to expand its catalogue with new works by composers such as Brahms, Grieg and Liszt, followed in the 20th century by Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and John Cage.

Today, with its offices in Leipzig, London and New York publishing the work of living composers from around the world, Edition Peters maintains its role as a champion of new music. At the same time, the company’s historic and educational catalogues continue to be developed with awardwinning critical and pedagogical editions.

Seit über 200 Jahren steht die Edition Peters für höchste Qualität im Bereich klassischer Notenausgaben. Gegründet im Jahr 1800, begann der Verlag seine Tätigkeit mit der Herausgabe von Bachs Musik für Tasteninstrumente. Schon 1802 kamen die Rechte an Beethovens erster Sinfonie hinzu. In der Folgezeit wuchs der Katalog um neue Werke von Komponisten wie Brahms, Grieg und Liszt sowie – im 20. Jahrhundert – Richard Strauss, Arnold Schönberg und John Cage.

Als Verleger zahlreicher zeitgenössischer Komponisten aus aller Welt ist die Edition Peters mit ihren Standorten Leipzig, London und New York auch weiterhin Anwalt neuer Musik. Zugleich wird das Verlagsprogramm im klassischen wie im pädagogischen Bereich kontinuierlich durch vielfach preisgekrönte Ausgaben erweitert.