Noben follow-up
In one week time, Beyond, Harold Noben's concerto for the La Monnaie orchestra, will have its world premiere. How does the composer look at his finished score? And how has it evolved since his working sessions with our orchestra's soloists?
"Overall, the final form of the piece has not changed much from the original draft, but it has changed within the different parts and the way those are elaborated. A lot has to do with the fact that a composition is always a journey, during which there comes a moment when the work itself guides the composer and tells him - if he wants to hear it - which ideas will work and which won't, and that he has to let himself be taken by the hand to explore other possibilities than those initially planned. Working directly with the soloists from the orchestra also allowed me to better assess what would or would not be relevant to the piece, and for those who would perform it. So I tried to reconcile my wishes with the soloists, the piece and my ideas."