2023 SONIC MATTER_RADIO COMMISSION
DAS GEKLAUTE GEHÖR (THE STOLEN HEARING)
A RADIO FEATURE BY ENSEMBLE METANOIA
Ensemble metanoia engages with the true story of composer Mamoru Samuragochi through various formats and formations. For SONIC MATTER_radio, they have produced a radio feature that brings together research, intermediate products (Zwischenprodukte), and stage drama in the form of a radio soap in six episodes.
Mamoru Samuragochi is hailed as the "Japanese Beethoven," achieving great success despite being deaf, composing romantic music for tsunami victims or in remembrance of Hiroshima. However, his ghostwriter, Takashi Niigaki, eventually comes forward to the public...
In collaborative authorship, the ensemble delves into this drama and continues its narrative. What role does the one-armed violinist Miku Okubo play? The story satirizes myths surrounding artistic production. "The Stolen Hearing" counters this with a play of different voices and moods. What historical connections led to Beethoven's immense significance in Japan, and how does it relate to the atomic bomb?
The radio features meander between interviews, soap opera, soundscapes, and improvisations. Throughout, they remain attuned to the emotional techniques of the artists and the often intertwined authorship of the works.
Made possible by the kind support of SRKS - Foundation for Radio and Culture Switzerland and Swissperform | 