Double Concerto

Commissioned by Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, Wim Henderickx began working in 2022 on a new work for trumpet, percussion, orchestra and electronics.

The Double Concerto was conceived as a contrasting work in which powerful tribal passages alternate with poetic and meditative moments. At the time of his sudden death in December 2022, the structure of the work and the main musical textures had been carefully established. The work consists of eleven sections, built from seventeen components.

In its formal design, Wim Henderickx was inspired by the great masters of Baroque and Classical music. For the development of the musical textures, his sketches reveal inspiration from shamanistic musical practices and mantras from the Hindu tradition, translated into refined rhythmic patterns. The work opens with energetic music in which a ritornello returns in different variations, alternating with strophic passages without interrupting the driving momentum. In the following sections, soft sound fields contrast with sudden sonic explosions, eventually leading to a large cadenza for the soloists.

At the request of and with the support of the Wim Henderickx Foundation, the work is being posthumously realised by Diederik Glorieux, Jorrit Tamminga (electronics) and Hannes Vanlancker (assistant and music engraver). Together, they further develop the existing sketches and musical ideas into a complete score, with respect for Wim Henderickx’s artistic intentions.