MKO Songbook | Michael Moerane, Della

MICHAEL MOERANE
„Della“ (1938)
arranged for strings by Xandi van Dijk

A very special "MKO Songbook" under the direction of South African violist and conductor Xandi van Dijk was dedicated to modern and contemporary South African music. Under the title "Inner life sings", the programme included works for string orchestra, chamber music and electronic sounds that showcased the spectrum of South Africa's diverse art music in search of new paths between tradition and modernity. Performed at the Schwere Reiter as part of the Munich Chamber Orchestra's "Songbook" series on 25 May 2023.

Michael Mosoeu Moerane (1904-1980) was the most important composer in southern Africa writing in tonic solfa and staff notation and using predominantly African language texts. Moerane’s legacy in the field of choral music hinges on pieces such as Della, Sylvia, Ruri (Truly), and Morena Tlake (King Vulture). These works for unaccompanied choir have been prescribed countless times for African choral competitions, and sometimes been arranged and recorded. This arrangement for strings was done by Xandi van Dijk.

Münchener Kammerorchester
Xandi van Dijk, conductor

Sound: Asparuh Tashev
Video: Bettina Sandhäger

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Xandi van Dijk, born in Cape Town in 1978, has been passionate about South African music since childhood. Growing up in a family of musicians, he received his first violin lessons at the age of four before switching to the viola in 1990. Even as a student, he commissioned compositions and premiered numerous South African works, whether as a conductor, soloist or chamber musician. Around 40 works were premiered by him during his time with the Sontonga Quartet (2002-2006), including Kopeng's "Komeng" and Khumalo's "Umangunqel' indawo". During this time, van Dijk discovered the music of Priaulx Rainier, in particular her string quartet and viola sonata. With his current quartet, the Signum Quartet, of which he has been a member since 2007, he is working on the release of a CD with South African works, including compositions by Rainier, Koapeng and Matthijs van Dijk. Xandi van Dijk has been principal violist of the Munich Chamber Orchestra since the 2017/18 season. In 2005, Xandi van Dijk made his debut as a conductor with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the performance of Michael Moerane's only symphonic work "Fatse la Heso".

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Xandi van Dijk, geboren 1978 in Kapstadt, setzt sich seit seiner Kindheit leidenschaftlich für die Musik Südafrikas ein. Aufgewachsen in einer Musikerfamilie erhielt er im Alter von vier Jahren seinen ersten Geigenunterricht, bevor er 1990 zur Bratsche wechselte. Bereits als Student vergab er Kompositionsaufträge und brachte zahlreiche südafrikanische Werke zur Uraufführung, ob als Dirigent, Solist oder Kammermusiker. Rund 40 Werke wurden von ihm während seiner Zeit beim Sontonga Quartet (2002-2006) uraufgeführt u.a. Kopengs’s „Komeng“ und Khumalo’s „Umangunqel‘ indawo“. Während dieser Zeit entdeckte van Dijk die Musik von Priaulx Rainier für sich, insbesondere ihr Streichquartett und die Bratschen-Sonate. Mit seinem aktuellen Quartett, dem Signum-Quartett, dem er seit 2007 angehört, arbeitet er an der Veröffentlichung einer CD mit südafrikanischen Werken, u.a. mit Kompositionen von Rainier, Koapeng und Matthijs van Dijk. Seit der Saison 2017/18 ist Xandi van Dijk Solobratscher des Münchener Kammerorchesters. 2005 gab Xandi van Dijk sein Debüt als Dirigent mit dem Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra und der Aufführung von Michael Moerane’s einzigem symphonischen Werk „Fatse la Heso“.

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