Contemporary Composers Confront a World of Disquiet in WDR 3 Studio New Music
Cologne, Germany – November 30, 2025 – A new broadcast from WDR 3 Studio New Music delves into the sonic landscape of contemporary classical music, reflecting a world grappling with anxieties surrounding climate change, geopolitical conflict, and the pervasive influence of technology. The 58:16 program, available until November 30, 2027, presents works by six composers-Ligeti, Spahlinger, Gander, Zimmermann, Wang, and Bauckholt-that explore themes of dystopia and bleak outlooks, mirroring a post-war tradition of musical responses to societal unease.
While optimism feels increasingly distant, the featured compositions aren’t solely expressions of hopelessness. They represent philosophical and political responses to current events, and, crucially, aesthetic counterpoints to overwhelming negativity. Hosted by Torsten Möller, the broadcast offers a space for challenging, contemporary soundscapes, accessible to listeners through WDR 3 radio, the WDR 3 app, and on-demand via wdr3.de and the ARD Audiothek.
The program features:
* György Ligeti – Mysteries of the Macabre (1974) performed by Sibylle Ehlert (soprano) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.
* Mathias Spahlinger – Furioso (1992) performed by Ensemble Modern,conducted by Hans Zender.
* Bernhard Gander – Totenwacht (2017) performed by the SWR Vokalensemble, conducted by Marcus Creed.
* Bernd Alois Zimmermann – Requiem for a young poet (1967-1969) performed by the SWR Symphony orchestra Baden Baden and Freiburg, conducted by Michael Gielen.
* Ying Wang – 432 Hertz (2022) performed by the SWR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gregor A. Mayrhofer.
* Carola Bauckholt – From the rubble (2023) performed by Dirk Rothbrust (percussion) and the WDR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lin Liao.
WDR 3 Studio New Music airs every Sunday at 11:03 p.m. and on fridays at 3:15 p.m. on the WDR 3 app, offering a platform for approachable, innovative, and often unheard music.
