Reiko Füting: Mechthild

Füting rises astutely to the challenge of stripping yet enlarging language in order to interrogate meaning – without compromising ritualistic eloquence or directness of expression. Indeed there are passages of breathtaking beauty, the whole elegantly rendered in fractured vocal utterances and sung sounds interwoven with softly breathy instrumental clacks and shuffles, thumps, chords and melodic motifs.

Most potent are Act I ‘Verwunden, vereint’ (Wound, United) and Act II ‘Die Gottesfremde’ (The Alienated), in which Mechthild fends off illness, lust and demonic accusers – while Act III ‘Nacht Gott’ (After God) sees her embracing the paradox of ‘The God who does not exist’.

With an excellent cast including Olivia Stahn and Hanna Herfurtner as Mechthild’s body and soul respectively, AuditivVokal Dresden and Ensemble Adapter prove eloquent collaborators under conductor Olaf Katzer.

— Steph Power, 7.11.2023

As many times as I’ve listened to this musical theater piece about the 13th Century mystic, Mechthild von Magdeburg, I continue to be unable to penetrate its craft. Obviously, composer Füting and his collaborators, most notably librettist and theologian Christian Lehnert, brought a tremendous amount of skill, talent, research, and passion to the project. As did those who bring it to vivid life on this stunning recording, including sopranos Hanna Herfurtner and Olive Stahn, who embody Mechthild’s soul and body respectively, narrator Susie Wirth, the singers of AuditivVokal Dresden, the musicians of Ensemble Adapter, and conductor Olaf Katzer. But the piece just seems to exist, as wondrous and impenetrable as the carved stone of the church where it premiered. The instrumentation is spare - flute, clarinet, celli, harp, percussion, and organ - and every sound is perfectly placed in relation to the vocals, sometimes doubling long vowel sounds or providing points of juxtaposition or emphasis. The vocal writing is layered, those gleaming sopranos weaving around the whispers of the chorus, the occasional baritone cutting in like a presiding judge. In some ways Füting’s combination of Medieval and modern not only unmoors Mechthild from time but makes a nearly alien past more present. Maybe one day I’ll search up the libretto but somehow I think the feelings and conflicts are as clear to me as they need to be, leaving me content to immerse myself in it like a dimly recalled ritual made bright, sharp, and new once again. From whatever angle I observe it, Mechthild is a flat-out masterpiece.

— Jeremy Shatan, 6.23.2023

The music of Reiko Füting is far from being easily accessible. If anything, his self-declared aim to “explore the psychological nature of memory” makes the music seem more cryptic or, conversely, less ascribable to a given style or even school. There are in fact a lot of isms: punctualism, serialism, minimalism, etc. which fit under the postmodernist umbrella. Each describe elements of Füting’s music and wide-ranging oeuvre, from his chamber music to a cappella compositions and operatic hybrids.

His latest release, Mechthild, on New Focus Recordings, falls into the latter category. Based on the life and writings of the Beguine mystic Mechthild of Magdeburg, it is neither an oratorio nor an opera, properly speaking. I would rather call it a cantata in the vein of the Medieval Mysterienspiel or mystery play. It is almost liturgic in its repetitive nature and involving non-musical constituents like dance and art installations which, naturally, are not transferable to CD.

This brings me to my only regret. Mechthild, which premiered at the Monastery of Our Lady in Magdeburg in 2022, is missing some of its potential by being confined to music only. For even a cursory glance at the documentary to its Magdeburg premiere, available on YouTube, reveals the piece’s overall conception as some sort of a Gesamtkunstwerk. Heaven and Hell “Mechthild” is divided into three acts retracing the spiritual growth and the tribulations of its title-giving character.

In his libretto, Lehnert relies on the historical Mechthild’s own words. He uses text passages from the seven books of “The Flowing Light of Divinity,” a hallmark of 13th century mysticism with its tortuous visions of Hell and the embrace of the Divine. The main role is doubled, with Olivia Stahn and Hanna Herfurtner singing the parts of her Body and Soul. The narrator’s spoken lines create some sort of commentary or meta-level to Mechthild’s inner drama. Susi Wirth, as the narrator, is haunting and for who understands German the third scene from Act two will prove even more terrifying thanks to the sternness with which she narrates Mechthild’s experience of Hell.

is, however, hard to judge the performances individually. For the most part, they are built around a central pitch which is repeated extensively and with only small variations. As contemporary mystery play, this is how the fragmentary character of Mechthild has an effect. The “psychological nature of memory,” as mentioned before, may best be understood as a mnemonic rehashing of phrases or parts. Whether individually or with the chorus, they form a soundscape of ethereal, yet also challenging beauty. The inclusion of material attributed to Pérotin and Machaut, both active in the 13th and 14th centuries respectively, further bridges the gap between the experimental and slightly dissonant harmonies of postmodernism.

The Medieval context of Christian worship. Füting, in the press release, more ambitiously calls this melodic palimpsest a “compositional device of musical quotation (…) in the entire musical spectrum of assimilation, integration, dissimilation, disintegration, and segregation.” No doubt this intellectualist approach, Füting teaches at the Manhattan School of Music, translates to his compositional language which very much owes to semiotic theory and semantics.

“Mechthild” transpires as a feeling of awe for the spiritual legacy of Mechthild of Magdeburg. Both in the music and in Lehnert’s libretto, this is Mechthild’s spirituality. However, we are indeed far away from the late Romantic gestures of Dvořak, in “Ludmila,” or Respighi in “Maria Egiziaca.” The harmonic texture, at times, seems almost diaphanous and might vaguely remind one of Olivier Messiaen’s “Saint François d’Assise.” Conceived as a multimedia experience, however, “Mechthild” stands unique. It has moments of near-transcendent beauty, contrasted with the disquieting pulse of the percussion which, among its very reduced orchestra, has all the characteristics of physical weight or gravity when dragging the protagonist into her vision of Hell.

In short, “Mechthild” requires some preparation in order for its music to unfold its tantalizing effect. It is not a casual listen, but it is well produced. Both the soloists and the ensemble, under conductor Olaf Katzer, deliver a flawless performance. Aficionados with a taste for the scarce will hopefully find plenty to cherish.

— Bob Dieschburg, 8.03.2023

(Spanish original below; English translation via Google Translate)

What excites us most about the composer Reiko Füting are his interests: the sound architecture of the piece, the division of the whole into parts, its proportions, its interrelationships and its meanings.

Füting, born in 1970 in Königs Wusterhausen (German Democratic Republic), usually publishes his works mainly on the label New Focus Recordings in New York City, published exclusively by Verlag Neue Musik in Berlin.

On May 5, the New Focus label launches his chamber opera in two acts, Mechthild, with a libretto by the poet and theologian Christian Lehnert, which is inspired by the mystical work of the medieval Christian saint from Magdeburg (Germany). Mechthild's criticism of Church dignitaries and her claims to theological understanding earned her fierce opposition, to the point that some called for her writings to be burned. One of his most relevant phrases was: "How many times do we sacrifice freedom and truthfulness in exchange for security?"

Füting composes music for a minimally informed general audience who can be drawn to the story of a nun who has become one of the most impressive examples of German female mysticism. The composer, based in New York, discreetly hints at a certain density in the sound textures. In this sense, the sequential passages and his exploration of the psychological nature of memory through the use of musical quotations—from Pérotin, Guillaume de Machaut and Neidhart von Reuental—to connect different eras of artistic expression, as well as the his musical connections—which appear as fleeting memories of musical themes—whether based on pre-existing musical structures or referring to non-musical ones, are, to be precise, the axis of his writing.

The distinguished vocal ensemble AuditivVokal Dresden, rigorous, disciplined and perfectionist in its interpretations with extended vocal techniques, puts its experience at the service of this work with soloists of a high international level, such as the enchanting voice of soprano Hanna Herfurtner, the expressive Olivia Stahn and the excellent narrator Susi Wirth, all under the direction of Olaf Katzer.

The instrumental part is performed by Ensemble Adapter, a prodigious experimental music group based in Berlin and Reykjavík. Choir director Olaf Katzer's contributions rest on wide-ranging readings, resolved with admirable mastery.

Füting, who has dedicated Mechthild to his father, Dieter Füting, is the architect of a meticulous work that reflects on current music and contemporary art.

(Spanish original)

El que més ens apassiona del compositor Reiko Füting són els seus interessos: l’arquitectura sonora de la peça, la divisió del tot en parts, les seves proporcions, les seves interrelacions i els seus significats.

Füting, nascut el 1970 a Königs Wusterhausen (República Democràtica Alemanya), sol publicar les seves obres principalment al segell New Focus Recordings a la ciutat de Nova York, editades en exclusiva per la Verlag Neue Musik de Berlín.

El 5 de maig el segell New Focus llança al mercat la seva òpera de cambra en dos actes, Mechthild, amb llibret del poeta i teòleg Christian Lehnert, que s’inspira en l’obra mística de la beata cristiana medieval de Magdeburg (Alemanya). Les crítiques de Mechthild als dignataris de l’Església i les seves afirmacions a la comprensió teològica li van valdre una ferotge oposició, fins al punt que alguns van demanar la crema dels seus escrits. Una de les seves frases més rellevants fou: «Quantes vegades sacrifiquem llibertat i veracitat a canvi de seguretat?».

Füting compon música per a un públic general mínimament informat que pugui sentir-se atret per la història d’una monja que ha esdevingut un dels exemples més impressionants del misticisme femení alemany. El compositor, establert a Nova York, insinua, amb discreció, una certa densitat en les textures sonores. En aquest sentit, els passatges seqüencials i la seva exploració de la naturalesa psicològica de la memòria mitjançant l’ús de citacions musicals —de Pérotin, Guillaume de Machaut i Neidhart von Reuental— per connectar diferents èpoques de l’expressió artística, com també les seves connexions musicals —que apareixen com records fugaços de temes musicals—, ja sigui basant-se en estructures musicals preexistents o fent referència a d’altres no musicals, són, per concretar, l’eix de la seva escriptura.

El distingit conjunt vocal AuditivVokal Dresden, rigorós, disciplinat i perfeccionista en les seves interpretacions amb tècniques vocals esteses, posa la seva experiència al servei d’aquesta obra amb solistes d’alt nivell internacional, com l’encantadora veu de la soprano Hanna Herfurtner, l’expressiva Olivia Stahn i l’excel·lent narradora Susi Wirth, tots sota la direcció d’Olaf Katzer.

La part instrumental va a càrrec de l’Ensemble Adapter, un prodigiós grup de música experimental amb seu a Berlín i Reykjavík. Les aportacions del director de cor Olaf Katzer descansen en lectures d’ampli ventall, resoltes amb un mestratge admirable.

Füting, que ha dedicat Mechthild al seu pare, Dieter Füting, és l’artífex d’una obra meticulosa que reflexiona sobre la música actual i l’art contemporani.

— Carme Miró, 4.29.2023

The chamber opera Mechthild by Reiko Füting (born 1972) asks more of listeners and is less likely to resonate with a wide audience. This is partly a matter of the topic, partly the reality of contemporary opera’s appeal or lack thereof, and partly tied to Füting’s compositional techniques. The title refers to Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1207-c. 1282), the first mystic to write in German: her book Das fließende Licht der Gottheit (“The Flowing Light of Divinity”) contains prayers, visions and dialogues. Theologian Christian Lehnert created for Füting a libretto about faith, the ascetic life, and the balancing act between freedom and security. These are weighty topics, to be sure. But here they are tackled in bits and pieces rather than head-on. The Middle and High German words, which will scarcely be familiar to most audiences, are often given in pieces rather than their entirety: much of Mechthild is a work of fragments. Common contemporary vocal techniques – whispering, electronic modification, the use of breathing as vocalise, the layering of voices on a kind of cloudlike background sound – are integral to the opera, as is extensive repetition. The work is in three acts and a total of nine scenes, some of whose titles may help guide listeners to and through what would otherwise be obscure sounds: “In the Room of Divinity,” “Dumped,” “Where Will You Be Then?” Melisma, Sprechstimme and Sprechgesang create a sonic environment from which occasional individual words emerge with surprising clarity, their meaning and the purpose of their clarity, however, not always being clear. Readily audible narration above a choral background is used from time to time, as in “Descent into Hell,” and there are occasional touches of lyricism, whose presence contrasts strongly with the material surrounding them. In truth, the score is a very rich one stylistically, and certainly Füting capably uses a wide variety of vocal and instrumental techniques to highlight different elements of Lehnert’s libretto. But the philosophical and frequently obscure elements of Mechthild’s writings and their presentation here, along with the requirement that the audience in effect know everything in the opera’s purview before hearing it (since the presentation itself is far from straightforward), make this (+++) CD a frequently fascinating but equally frequently frustrating listening experience. A staged version with surtitles would make some of the material easier to follow and understand, but not all of it. This is a piece on which the librettist and composer clearly worked diligently and with appreciation of Mechthild’s visions and the language in which she communicated them. But the piece is fraught with more weight than it is really able to bear, and more than it is reasonable to ask most listeners to bear on its behalf. It is a very rarefied experience, something of a contemporary Passion Play for an audience that is highly committed both to the subject matter and to the verbal and musical techniques used to explore it.

The German native and current New York resident Reiko Füting creates a contemporary opera set to Libretto by the theologian Christian Lehnert, and it surrounds Beguine Mystic Mechthild von Magdeburg across these 3 very expressive acts.

“Act I: Verwunden, vereint/Wound, United” opens the listen with much attention to mood, where spoken, sung and gestured voices are met with flashes of bright instrumentation that allows for a mysterious landscape.

The middle portion, “Act II: Die Gottesfremde/The Alienated”, brings dreamy bouts of prettiness, firm conversational tones and much unpredictable sound manipulation that’s highly creative.

The final pieces, “Act II: Nach Gott/After God”, exits with a radiant intimacy that twinkles amid much beauty, but can also find itself in atypical versions of operatic ideas.

A body of work inspired by the Medieval ‘mystery play’, the players on hand include the sopranos Olivia Stahn and Hannah Herfurtner, actress Susi Wirth, AuditivVokal Dresden, Ensemble Adapter and the New York rooted New Chamber Ballet, which includes Olaf Katzer as conductor. Together, they illustrate a inimitable approach to both the space of language and the space of sounds, where vocals and instruments serve as an expansion of the space language in a very theatrical presence.

— Tom Haugen, 11.04.2023

It might seem paradoxical for New Music to reach deep into the Christian past, but here is a striking example. Hildegard von Bingen is the best-known medieval female mystic, but the first mystic to write in German was also a woman, Mechthild of Magdeburg (her name is an archaic version of Mathilde and means “power in combat”). Born to a noble Saxon family in 1207, Mechthild’s biography is scarcely documented outside hints she left in her book of visions and prayers, The Flowing Light of the Godhead. She had her first religious visions at 12 and by her early twenties left home and renounced the world. She never took holy orders but joined a lay community of Christian semi-monastics in Magdeburg, where she lived to an advanced age, dying either in 1282 or 1294.

Using her writings as a primary source, Reiko Füting has composed a chamber opera in Mechthild’s name—Füting denotes it as a “composition for musical theater.” Two sopranos represent Mechthild, her Soul, and Mechthild, her Body. There is a narrator and chorus along with a chamber ensemble. All the smaller roles are sung by chorus members, ranging from worldly figures (Mother, Physician, Patient) to disembodied ones in the form of two Dämons. In sharp contrast with Hildegard’s monophonic idiom, here we get the full panoply of contemporary gestures, in which sounds are as important as musical notes. Conventional operatic writing isn’t in the picture, not even with the assignment of named characters. It is hardly possible without the libretto to discern who is singing or speaking at any given moment. Fragmentation is the order of the day, both verbally and musically.

Yet for all that, Mechthild was created with a serious regard for its medieval roots as transposed into a postmodern idiom. To turn her visions into a storyline was the aim of librettist Christian Lehnert, but that is somewhat misleading. Much of Mechthild is couched in a New Music equivalent of mystical vision. As Lehnert notes, “In Mechthild’s work, she moves toward the border of what is utterable.” In itself, it isn’t unusual for liturgical music to convey a sense of divine mystery, but to quote Lehnert, “Ultimately, it is only possible to speak of God’s secret through images that depict while they disguise, and through images that are in flux and tentative, much as Mechthild was herself.”

Experience taken to the vanishing point has inspired Füting’s use of shards as a kind of spiritual mosaic, because the divine whole, the Godhead, is secret, unfathomable, and beyond human cognizance. Mechthild is divided into three acts (“Wound, United,” “The Alienated,” and “After God”) comprising nine scenes. Unfortunately, only the German text is provided, which makes the complex libretto with its many characters unintelligible to non-German speakers. Lehnert provides a sketch of each act, beginning with the dying Mechthild’s return home, which is a space of erotic union with the divine. Act II depicts the opposite state, godlessness, and act III finds Mechthild in a monastic setting, finding God in the people she serves as caregiver.

Normally, I’d hold that an opera whose words can’t be understood disqualifies it for consideration, but Mechthild yields a viable listening experience due to its fragmentation. It’s a little like viewing the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle with only a dim sense of the picture it represents when assembled, but that’s essentially what Mechthild amounts to unless you have German and can follow the text.

I think any listener, however, will find Füting’s musical collage beguiling. Sustained tones have a faintly medieval liturgical ring; the percussion effects of tapping and rattling are gentle for the most part, as is the vocal writing, which isn’t to discount dramatic passages that feature shouting and vocal slides. The performances are exemplary, and to judge by a booklet photo, there are dancers to augment the musical theater aspect.

Füting was born in East Germany in 1970, and after international studies in several countries, including South Korea, he became a teacher at the Manhattan School of Music in 2000, now occupying a dean’s position. He displays an individual voice and serious musicality in Mechthild, which contributes a unique creation to the lineage of modern chamber operas.

— Huntley Dent, 5.03.2024