Diaphonia (διαφωνια, “sounding apart”), Greek name of dissonance; dissonantia is the Latin translation of the Greek diaphonia, namely in contrast to the antiphonal and paraphonal symphonies, i.e. octave, fifth, fourth, the remaining intervals of the tonal system; so also still in medieval musicology: Cuius(symphoniae) contraria est diaphonia, id est voces discrepantes vel dissonae (Isidore, III, 20); dissonantia autem et diaphonia idem sunt (Marchettus of Padua, GS III, 80b).
(translated from the German original in: Riemann, Musiklexikon, Mainz 1967, p.223)
Diaphonia refers to harmony, motivic work, formal structure, instrumental placement in space, instrumentation, and the use of live electronics.
Commissioned by SWR Radio for Donaueschingen, 1995
Soli: fl.(Picc.)vln.Vc.bcl.(cbcl.)pno
Orchestera: 4.4.4.bcl.3(3cfag.).-6.3.3.0.-perc(4)-hp-MIDI-Keyboard-str.:11.11.9.9.8.
live electronics
40 min.
Michael Obst is a composer, pianist, and teacher. He began his successful composing career with electronic music and subsequently composed works for music theater, film and concert halls. His experience as a pianist with the Ensemble Modern, enriched his understanding of contemporary music. After 25 fulfilling years of teaching, he is now excited to once again concentrate on his own composition projects.