Happ'nings

Fascinated by the counterpoint between cello and speaking voice, Graham Waterhouse has already composed several works for this instrumentation. In this piece, the eight cello voices have now been expanded with eight speaking voices, so that a total of 16 voices form a diverse structure and harmony.
The work is based on a bizarre and somewhat surreal poem, dominated by black humour, written by the Russian poet Daniil Charms. Comedy and tragedy are closely linked and the audience is both amused and shocked. The rich imagery meets varied writing and calls for a lively and imaginative performance.

A video of the premiere with the Cologne cello octet ‘Celli con Carne’ can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gbeSsENNJU