Master and Servant

‘Classical music is an art form in which the concept of hierarchy is deeply rooted. From the freely formed musical ensembles of the Renaissance to the bureaucratic structure of contemporary orchestras, music has come a long way toward establishing a structure of 'masters' (maestros or musical directors) and 'servants' (the tutti musicians). While these hierarchies are, at their best, overcome by a collective will to create an extraordinary musical experience, the many #metoo and abuse of power scandals in the world of classical music demonstrate that these structures also create many problems.
The traditional solo concerto is an interesting hybrid of this concept. We know that these concertos were originally conducted by the soloists themselves, but in modern performance practice, there are often, in fact, two masters: one who 'dominates' the soloist (the conductor) and one who 'dominates' the ensemble. ‘Who wins?’ is a question many listeners sometimes ask, and music history is full of droll anecdotes about soloists who competed with conductors in one way or another.
As a composer, I've long been interested in playfully exploring this interesting dichotomy. Percussion instruments have the ability, like no other instrument, to give precise 'commands.' But will the ensemble react as the soloist expects? Or completely differently? My piece therefore consists of two parts—one that explores the 'master' side of the soloist, another that simultaneously transforms him into a 'servant.'
Of course, none of these roles are set in stone, and for me, they exist only in a virtual 'wild space' of music creation; in the real world, in a hopefully free world, they would have to be continually renegotiated.’ (Moritz Eggert)