Die Tiefe des Raumes. Ein Fußballoratorium
for large orchestra, four soloists, mixed choir and three speakers
Libretto by Michael Klaus (1952–2008)

DIE TIEFE DES RAUMES. A FOOTBALL ORATORIO

Moritz Eggert did not have much to do with sport until the end of 2004, when he was asked whether he would like to write a “Football Oratorio” for the Ruhrtriennale 2005. He finished the composition in only five months, working from the beginning of March until the end of July. After its premiere at the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum, the piece was also made a part of the cultural program for the 2006 World Cup, with two performances at the Komische Oper Berlin. Along with the Oratorio came further football-works, such as Ballack, du geile Schnitte (roughly: “Ballack, you cool cat”) or Am Ball – Ein Fußballett, which in 2008 caused a furore with its conservative audience at the Vienna Opera Ball. Overnight, Eggert became the “football composer” and is today one of the most well-known and, as he himself says, “adventurous” contemporary composers.

The piece consists of two 45-minute halves, with preliminary reporting and an overtime period, and it sonically binds the atmospheres of music and of the stadium. “Naturally, a theme such as football presents a great opportunity for a composer to reach an audience that he or she might not otherwise find for New Music. In view of the ‘Ivory Tower’ phenomenon, I find it also completely worthwhile for the music theatre to deal with material which lies outside the Paul Celan and Walter Benjamin circles. With Die Tiefe des Raumes, I have sought to write a piece in which people who are not necessarily connoisseurs of new music, but who are interested in football, can still find themselves. To give a point of access to this public was for me a primary concern.”

Inken Meents / Moritz Eggert