New music with entertainment value can be found in the works of Benjamin Scheuer. On the surface, his music surprises with humorous, crazy sounds and playful elements. In the background, Scheuer shapes his compositions, which often consist of various miniatures, in a very precise and complex way. “His preference for whimsical sounds, dislocated vocals and weird gestures is, of course, evidence of a wild sense of humour, but at the same time it demonstrates an indestructible musicality and, yes, seriousness,” says booklet author Gordon Kampe. In the song cycle “Impulsive Lieder”, which gives the album its title, Scheuer illuminates an idea, a particular sound or a process in each track, dissecting and exaggerating them. The use of the simplest electronic means lends the pieces a lo-fi-aesthetic and often leads the listener astray. In addition to three ensemble works, two solo pieces, interpreted by Vanessa Porter and Nikolai Rosenberg, complete the portrait both as audio and video. Here it becomes clear that Scheuer makes use of a broad palette of sounds: rubber pig, kazoo or unrolling party horn can be heard as well as traditional instruments. And last but not least, his compositional focus lies on people and their voices, as in “Lachtherapie” (Laughter Therapy), in which the pianist amazes with crazy nuances of laughter.

Artists

Andreas Fischer, Delphine Grataloup, Margit Kern, Pedro Pablo Cámara, Vanessa Porter, Schola Heidelberg, Peyee Chen (soprano), Dorothea Jakob (mezzo-soprano), Barbara Ostertag (vocalist), Gabriel Sin (tenor), Luciano Lodi (baritone), Konstantin Paganetti (baritone), Walter Nußbaum (chorusmaster), Ensemble Risonanze Erranti, Nikolai Rosenberg, Peter Tilling