In vain (Haas)

in vain is a 2000 composition for 24 instruments by Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas. It was premiered on October 29, 2000 by Sylvain Cambreling and the Klangforum Wien and lasts approximately 70 minutes.^[1] The piece is one of Haas' best-known works.^[2]

in vain
by Georg Friedrich Haas
Georg Friedrich Haas in 2014
Period	Contemporary
Composed	2000
Duration	c. 70 minutes
Scoring	Orchestra
Premiere
Date	October 29, 2000 (2000-10-29)
Location	Funkhaus Wallrafplatz, Cologne
Conductor	Sylvain Cambreling
Performers	Klangforum Wien

Background and composition

in vain was commissioned by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk for Sylvain Cambreling (to whom the work is dedicated) and Klangforum Wien.^[1][3] Haas wrote the piece in response to the rise of the far-right in Austria.^[4][5]

The piece deals extensively with microtonality.^[1] The light levels in the hall are specified in the score; some sections of the piece are played in very bright light, and about twenty minutes are played in complete darkness.^[1][5]

Instrumentation

The piece is scored for the following ensemble:^[1][3]

Woodwinds 2 Flutes (1st doubling piccolo, 2nd doubling piccolo and bass flute) Oboe 2 Clarinets in B♭ (2nd doubling bass clarinet) Soprano saxophone (doubling tenor saxophone) Bassoon Brass 2 Horns in F 2 Trombones Keyboards Accordion Piano

Percussion Percussion 1: Marimba Crotales Glockenspiel Plate bell (E) Cymbal Tam-tam Percussion 2: Crotales Glockenspiel Vibraphone Plate bell (B♭) Chinese cymbal Tam-tam

Strings Harp 3 Violins 2 Violas 2 Cellos Double bass (five string)

Reception

Simon Rattle has hailed in vain as "one of the first masterpieces of the 21st century",^[4][5] and the Austrian newspaper Die Presse has called it a "classic".^[6] The piece was named the greatest work of art music since 2000 in a Classic Voice poll.^[7]

In his 2007 book The Rest Is Noise, Alex Ross wrote that the piece "may mark a new departure in Austro-German music, joining spectral harmony to a vast Brucknerian structure".^[8]