Ten works. Ten worlds of sound. One unmistakable voice.

With ‘Gefunden’, the Israeli-American composer Amos Elkana presents an extraordinary album that impressively reflects the diversity and depth of his work in contemporary music. The ten works, interpreted by outstanding soloists, move between poetic intimacy, virtuoso brilliance and electro-acoustic soundscapes.

The eponymous work Gefunden (2006) is a very personal homage to Elkana's grandmother, who recites Goethe's poem of the same name in German and Hebrew, captured with all the fractures, memories and nuances of her life. From there, the album spans an arc to radically different sound spaces: Cembalo Fractals and Cadenza unfold fascinating structures inspired by fractal geometry and rhythmic virtuosity, while Labyrinth explores the limits of pianism in a single minute.

With Zanshin for four double basses and Mushin for flute and electronics, Elkana delves deep into Far Eastern concepts of mindfulness and awareness and interweaves meditative silence with intense energy. Judgment Day, a powerful exploration of social tensions, is politically trenchant. Opus Focus and Prita combine instrument and electronics to create complex textures, and the duet Mostly Cloudy reflects the events of 7 October 2023 in a touching dialogue between two violins.

Amos Elkana, born in Boston in 1967 and raised in Jerusalem, is one of the most influential voices in contemporary new music. His works, performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, combine sound, language and memory to create an open, cosmopolitan dialogue.

‘Gefunden’ is more than a collection of pieces. It is an invitation to immerse yourself in ten very different, yet internally connected sound universes.