Tag Archive for: Jan Heinke

„Oh, du stille Zeit“ – Christmas Magic with Choir and Overtone Singing

In this special Christmas video, I invite you to discover a fascinating excerpt from Jan Heinke’s unique arrangement of “Oh, du stille Zeit”. The piece, performed by the renowned professional ensemble AuditivVokal Dresden under the direction of Olaf Katzer, is a real gem of sound – and I, Wolfgang Saus, had the pleasure of being part of this project as overtone soloist.

What makes this piece so extraordinary are the shimmering overtones that lend the music a spherical depth and create an almost enraptured atmosphere. The polyphonic overtone arrangement is particularly remarkable: fundamental and overtone melodies move independently in different directions. This technique, the highest art of Western overtone singing, requires not only vocal precision, but also masterful control over the resonances of the vocal tract.

Staves for the Magic of Polyphonic Overtone Singing

Here is a small excerpt from the score. It will show you the fascinating structure and magic behind the tone setting. Polyphonic overtone singing is written differently by composers.

Jan Heinke wrote the overtones of all the voices as a separate group of instruments in an accolade, which is an advantage for conductors because they form a sound group. However, in my experience and many experiments, it is much easier for singers to read if the overtone and fundamental parts are written as a two-line accolade, with the overtones at the top and the fundamental part at the bottom.

The indication of partial tone numbers replaces microtonal accidentals, which would again complicate the reading. Overtone singers “know” that a 7th harmonic is to be sung 31 cents lower and a 5th harmonic 14 cents lower.

Notenabschnitt von polyphonem Obertongesang aus Jan Heinkes Chorsatz "Oh du Stille Zeit".

Through the Darkness with the Power of Music

At the time of the performance in 2023, however, my life was not free of challenges: I only had less than 10% vision left, which made any kind of work and especially reading music a huge strain. Since June 2024, my sight has been fully restored thanks to successful surgeries. But it was precisely during this difficult phase that the music and the fantastic collaboration with the ensemble – which I was also able to teach overtone singing at a professional level during this time – gave me endless strength and confidence. Many thanks to Olaf Katzer and AuditivVokal!

I hope you enjoy listening, marveling and discovering – and perhaps you will feel a little of the quiet beauty of this special composition yourself!

Bild des Ringhefts von "Internationale Volkslieder" im Satz für Obertongesang Solo von Jan Heinke.

In memoriam Jan Heinke 3 – Interantional Folksong Collection

Dear friends of Jan Heinke,

Today I would like to tell you for the third time about this moving story, which continues to touch me deeply.

In April 2022, my friend and musician Jan Heinke passed away. Just a few hours before his death, he wrote me an email with a special attachment and a request. It was to be our last contact on this earth.

In this e-mail, Jan wrote to me that he felt that he was now dying and would no longer be able to complete his work and asked me to take on this task for him. Of course I took on the task. Attached was a huge collection of folk songs from all over the world that Jan had set for overtone singing – several hundred songs! Jan had already started the work in 2013 and had received a work grant from the Kulturstiftung Sachsen.

Together with Jan’s partner Claudia, we have now completed the third and final volume of the series with 196 international folk songs, children’s songs and classics for polyphonic overtone singing. On the occasion of the 1st Advent 2024, this volume will be published here International Folk Songs for Overtone Singing – by Jan Heinke 2022/2024 and on Jan’s website as a free e-book with a free Creative Commons license.

Jan’s nine years of work on these movements will now be made available to the public posthumously, thus fulfilling his wish. As stated in a factual report on the project, the starting point of the work project was the attempt to open up overtone singing as a possibility of voice use for performers and composers alike that has not yet been sufficiently investigated in Western culture. The song arrangements should help to promote the practical use of overtone singing in music.

I am grateful and proud to be able to carry on Jan’s legacy with his companion Claudia and present his work to the world. His music will live on and inspire people – just as he would have wanted.

Wolfgang

Jan Heinke’s Website

PDF Volume 3: International Folk Songs for Overtone Singing – by Jan Heinke 2022/2024

3D-Bild des Ringhefts von "Internationale Volkslieder" im Satz für Obertongesang Solo von Jan Heinke.

PDF Volume 2: Christmas Songs for Overtone Singing – by Jan Heinke 2022/2023

Foto des Notenbandes Weihnachtslieder im Satz für Obertongesang von Jan Heinke

PDF Volume 1: German Folk Songs for Overtone Singing – by Jan Heinke 2022

Foto des Notenbandes Deutsche Volkslieder im Satz für Obertongesang von Jan Heinke

Foto des Sammelbandes Weichnachtslieder von Jan Heinke

In memoriam Jan Heinke 2 – Christmas Song Collection

Dear fellow aficionados of Jan Heinke’s overtone music,

I would like to tell you again today about this moving story that touched me deeply. In April 2022, my friend and musician Jan Heinke passed away. But just a few hours before his death, he wrote me an email with a special attachment.

In this email, Jan told me that he felt he would no longer be able to complete his work and asked me to take care of it. I knew what to do. Attached was a huge collection of folk songs from all over the world that Jan had set for overtone singing – several hundred songs! Jan had already started working on this in 2013 and had received a work grant from the Kulturstiftung Sachsen.

Together with Jan’s partner Claudia, we have now completed the second volume of the series with 35 Christmas carol movements for polyphonic overtone singing. On the occasion of the 3rd Advent 2023, this volume will be published here and on Jan’s website as a free e-book with a free Creative Commons license.

Jan’s nine years of dedicated work on these arrangements will now be posthumously shared with the public, fulfilling his cherished desire. According to a report on the project, the initial objective was to explore the potential of overtone singing as a vocal technique for both performers and composers in Western culture, an area that had not yet been extensively investigated. These song arrangements were intended to encourage the practical application of overtone singing in music.

I am both grateful and honored to continue Jan’s legacy and share his remarkable work with the world. His music will live on and inspire others – exactly as he wished.

Warm regards, Wolfgang

Jan Heinke – Memories of Jan

Download: Christmas Songs set for Overtone Singing by Jan Heinke – ebook

Photo of the anthology Christmas Songs by Jan Heinke

Foto des Notenbandes Deutsche Volkslieder im Satz für Obertongesang von Jan Heinke

In memoriam Jan Heinke – German Folk Song Collection

Hello fellow aficionados of Jan Heinke’s overtone music,

I am eager to share with you an emotionally charged story that has profoundly touched me. In April of last year, my dear friend and talented musician, Jan Heinke, sadly passed away. However, just hours before his untimely departure, he sent me an email containing a very special attachment.

In the email, Jan confided that he felt he wouldn’t be able to complete his work and requested that I see it through. I instantly knew what I had to do. Attached was a vast compilation of folk songs from around the globe, meticulously arranged for overtone singing by Jan – several hundred songs in total! He had initially begun working on this project in 2013 and had received a grant from the Kulturstiftung Sachsen to support his efforts.

In collaboration with Jan’s life partner, Claudia, we managed to finalize the first volume of the series, featuring 126 German folk songs adapted for polyphonic overtone singing. To commemorate the anniversary of his passing on April 20th, 2023, this volume will be made available on Jan’s website as a free e-book, complete with a complimentary Creative Commons license.

Jan’s nine years of dedicated work on these arrangements will now be posthumously shared with the public, fulfilling his cherished desire. According to a report on the project, the initial objective was to explore the potential of overtone singing as a vocal technique for both performers and composers in Western culture, an area that had not yet been extensively investigated. These song arrangements were intended to encourage the practical application of overtone singing in music.

I am both grateful and honored to continue Jan’s legacy and share his remarkable work with the world. His music will live on and inspire others – exactly as he wished.

Warm regards, Wolfgang

Jan Heinke – Memories of Jan
Download: Deutsche Volkslieder arranged for Overtone Singing PDF

Foto des Notenbandes Deutsche Volkslieder im Satz für Obertongesang von Jan Heinke

What a sound! – Young Ensemble Dreden, Olaf Katzer, Jan Heinke

Such sounds cast a spell over me. Those who know me know how much contemporary choral music touches me. And as an overtone singer, I have been trying to bring overtone awareness to choirs for almost four decades. I am all the happier when composers who know something about overtone singing write choral music.

Jan Heinke is an absolutely exceptional musician. We have been friends for many years now, and Jan never fails to impress me with his deeply reflective worldview. His music is unique in the world, his playing on the steel cello he built, his ultra low bass and the virtuosity of his overtone singing. The Junge Ensemble Dresden under the direction of Olaf Katzer is one of the top chamber choirs in Germany and one of the select ones dedicated to contemporary classical music at the highest level.

You find the CD here: https://jungesensembledresden.de/cd

CD „Licht über Licht“
Performer: Junges Ensemble Dresden
Artistic direction: Olaf Katzer
Soloist overtone singing: Jan Heinke
Total playing time: 61:30

Jan Heinke: http://www.janheinke.de/, http://www.stahlquartett.de/

Tag Archive for: Jan Heinke

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