ask the composer

"Beethoven-nummeret" (The Beethoven Number) is built on quotations from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Basically, most of the music played by the orchestra is taken directly from the original score, cut up, swapped and looped. The organ part is a counter-voice to the orchestra.

Øyvind Rimbereid wrote the text especially for this piece. The poem was recorded by the author himself and played back over loudspeakers during the piece.

On two instances, the audience are asked to take up their mobile phones and make calls according to instructions. Through the phone, the public can hope to get in closer contact with the composer and his work.

The piece is written for the Norwegian Cultural Council's annual conference. This year's theme was "The Critic".

During the piece, slides are projected on the wall behind the orchestra. These contain instructions to the audience, and also quotations from critics on Beethoven, from his own time.

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En halvt sammenskrudd Beethoven
og med løse forholdninger?
Som allerede blir avbrutt i 1. sats
av et publikum som er på vei til å reise seg
for å forsøke å telefonere hjem.
Hjem til fortiden og det store, varme Beethoven-huset
for å få høre det levende koret
som jo må finnes
et sted der inni dette nå halvt ødelagte?

Eller aller helst:
for å høre Beethovens egen stemme,
svakt nynnende
også når han sov, der inne
i det innerste kammerset.

Bare en finner det rette nummeret!