February 24, 2022, marks the original sin. Russia attacks Ukraine in order to destroy it. No major power has dared to do so since 1939. The world order, peace, security, democracy, and the rule of law have been challenged and questioned. Since then, the whole story has been at stake. Two further events followed. On September 16, 2022, Zhina Masha Amini is killed by police in Tehran; the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) movement breaks out to liberate Iran. On October 7, 2023, the Jewish state of Israel is attacked, the largest pogrom against Jews since the Holocaust; since then, an unimagined anti-Semitism has shaken the Western world.
In this situation, I, as a composer, cannot remain silent, and so I begin to compose "political works." Two of them appear on this CD (Ukraine Triptych, Iran Lamento); the other two belong to the "Void" cycle, which addresses the breakdown of civilization during the Shoah.
February 24, 2022, marks a turning point in my life as well. I recognize the fundamental rift in history and its geopolitical dimension. It's not just about this war, but also about defending the West, democracy, and all the values we hold sacred. We artists, we musicians, indeed we Germans, have a special responsibility; we must confess, show solidarity, and "say" something with our means of expression. As a composer, I can only respond with my music. Therefore, it was a great honor for me, but also a duty, to write a work dedicated to the free people of Ukraine.
Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf