Mystic - Sungji Hong

Mystic (2013)
For chamber ensemble and two male voices

Es Spielt das Arcis Ensemble (con. Ulrich Nicolai)

Mystic is a setting of a text by Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) who wrote some of the most extraordinary poetry in the French language. His visionary prose poem, Mystic, contained in Les Illuminations of 1872 depicted a surrealistic world of dreams and subconscious thoughts. His style in this poem, meandering through a landscape of symbolics, dreamy associations, and utopic images.

The work opens with striking expression on high notes that is followed by a descending gesture on piano. Soon this descending melody is heard on male voices, with its long melismatic phrases, that functions as structural material throughout the piece. The two male voices imitate each other constantly and sometimes each one gets its share of the long lines. Their timber enriches the color of the ensemble while undertaking as low instruments in the piece.

It lasts about 8 minutes and is scored for six instruments and two voices: flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, violoncello, tenor and baritone. Mystic was written in between 2012 and 2013. Mystic was awarded to the First Prize at Franz Josef Reinl-Stiftung in 2013. It was first performed by Es Spielt das Arcis Ensemble under the direction of Ulrich Nicolai at Gasteig Munchen in Munich, Germany.