Creator in Residence: Nahre Sol

Music can express or evoke feelings that can hardly be put into words. With which music do we associate which emotions? And why?

»Actually, Liszt presents us with the material from which he develops the entire work on the very first page«, explains Nahre Sol in a »Elbphilharmonie Explains« video about Franz Liszt's famous B-minor-Sonata. At the piano, she shows how the composer succeeds in creating an entire world from individual basic melodic ideas. The sonata is a key work in Liszt's oeuvre with its thoughtful and emotional breaks - and poses many questions for both performers and musicologists ...

What is the secret behind John Williams' legendary soundtracks? What makes them so successful and why are they so unforgettable? Searching for his genius secret formula, Nahre Sol dives deep into the scores of the famous film music composer. She also talks to star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who has been working closely with John Williams for many years.

As loud as an airplane during taking off, with thousands of pipes and a weight of tonnes: the organ is an instrument of superlatives – in many ways. But how does this unique instrument actually work? What are its extras? And how does it teach musicians to listen? Nahre Sol gets to the bottom of the secrets of this »queen of instruments«, talks to the famous organ builder Philipp Klais – and, of course, takes to the keys herself.

From the lumber yard to the Elbphilharmonie stage: pianist and YouTube sensation Nahre Sol pays a visit to the Steinway factory in Hamburg and gets shown around the various production lines and department. Countless steps of craftmanship and decades of experience go into the approximately three-year process from the wood store to the finished instrument. During this time there is plenty of bending, gluing, screwing and hammering, varnishing and, of course, a lot of careful listening.

Why is the famous Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony such an incredibly much-loved work? Is it because of the great freedom for interpreters? Is it because of the beautiful and touching tonal combinations? Nahre Sol gets to the bottom of the mystery of this music.

In ihrem begleitenden YouTube-Video erklärt Nahre Sol, wie sie dabei vorgegangen ist. Sie lässt auch die Musiker:innen zu Wort kommen, die ihr ehrliches Feedback geben und ihre Variationen – mit einem Augenzwinkern – jeweils von eins bis zehn bewerten.