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Title	De Verschrikkingen van het ijs en de Duisternis  NEW!
Article no.	4123206
Category	Concert/wind/brass band
Subcategory	Contemporary Wind Music (1945-present)
Instrumentation	Ha (concert/wind band)
Format	PrtStm (full score and parts); Leihmtrl (rental)
Country of publication	Netherlands (nl)
Publisher *	Molenaar Edition
Publisher's article no. *	MOL 013729090
Composer	Janssen, Harrie
Difficulty level	6
Duration	35:00
Additional info/contents	The Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition (1872–1874), led by Carl Weyprecht and Julius von Payer, set out with the goal of exploring the Northeast Passage. After becoming trapped in pack ice, the crew discovered Franz Josef Land, disproving the theory of an ice-free Arctic Ocean and mapping parts of the Arctic for the first time. The expedition later inspired Christoph Ransmayr's novel "The Terrors of Ice and Darkness" (1984), which explores human hubris and the forces of nature, as well as Harrie Janssen's composition for wind orchestra, which musically depicts the dramatic events. Both works demonstrate how historical events can be reinterpreted through literature and music. (© musicainfo.net) European Parts free download
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Programme notes *: The Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition 1872–1874 and its Cultural Reception The Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition, led by Carl Weyprecht and Julius von Payer, is among the most significant, but also most dramatic, undertakings of polar exploration in the 19th century. In July 1872, the 24-member crew set sail from Bremerhaven aboard the steamship "Admiral Tegetthoff" to explore the Northeast Passage and verify the existence of a supposedly ice-free Arctic Ocean. While the expedition, which lasted until 1874, did not result in the discovery of a navigable route, its findings profoundly influenced the scientific exploration of the Arctic. The expedition was marked by extreme conditions. As early as August 1872, the ship became trapped in the pack ice north of Novaya Zemlya and drifted with the ice masses for months. During this time, on August 30, 1873, the crew discovered a previously unknown archipelago, which they named "Franz Josef Land" in honor of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. The first island they reached was christened "Wilczek Island" after the expedition's main patron, Count Wilczek. After two winters spent in the ice, the crew had to abandon ship in May 1874. They returned via an arduous 90-day sled journey followed by a boat trip to ice-free waters. The scientific significance of the expedition lay primarily in disproving the theory of an ice-free Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, the crew mapped parts of Franz Josef Land for the first time, and Julius von Payer reached Cape Fligely, the northernmost point of Eurasia. Carl Weyprecht, who upon his return emphasized the necessity of permanent research stations in the Arctic, thus initiated the International Polar Years, which, beginning in 1882, launched globally coordinated research projects in the polar regions. • Literary Reception: Christoph Ransmayr's "The Terrors of Ice and Darkness" Over a century later, the expedition inspired the Austrian writer Christoph Ransmayr to write his novel "The Terrors of Ice and Darkness" (1984). In it, Ransmayr intertwines the historical accounts of the expedition with a fictional narrative: The central character is Joseph Mazzini, an imagined descendant of an expedition member, who retraces the steps of the fateful journey. The novel explores human hubris, the unpredictable natural forces of the Arctic, and the psychological depths of an expedition that teetered between scientific ambition and an existential struggle for survival. Ransmayr's work is considered a literary exploration of the failures and myth-making surrounding polar exploration. It combines historical facts with poetic embellishment and reflects on the limits of human knowledge and control. Musical Adaptation: Harrie Janssen's Composition for Wind Orchestra The cultural reception of the expedition continues in music. Dutch composer Harrie Janssen created the composition "De Verschrikkingen van het ijs en de Duisternis" (Dutch for "The Terrors of Ice and Darkness") for wind orchestra. The work was composed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Gelders Fanfare Orchestra and is based on Ransmayr's novel. Janssen's composition translates the dramatic events of the expedition into musical imagery: the cold, the isolation, and the crew's struggle for survival are depicted through dissonant harmonies, rhythmic unrest, and atmospheric passages. The piece is designed for advanced wind orchestras and is particularly suitable for concert performances that address historical themes. • Connection between expedition, novel, and composition The Austro-Hungarian North Pole expedition thus forms the historical foundation for Ransmayr's novel and Janssen's composition. While the novel explores the psychological and existential dimensions of the expedition, the composition translates these into acoustic worlds of experience. Both works demonstrate how historical events can be reinterpreted through literature and music and made accessible to a modern audience. Shared motifs such as isolation, the forces of nature, and human limitations connect the expedition with its cultural reception. What was initially considered a scientific failure was transformed by Ransmayr and Janssen into a symbol for grappling with the unknown and the abysses of human existence. • The North Pole expedition of Payer and Weyprecht is not only a milestone in polar research, but also a cultural phenomenon whose impact is still felt today. While the historical accounts of the expedition provided scientific insights, Ransmayr's novel and Janssen's composition opened up new perspectives on the human and artistic dimensions of this adventure. Both works demonstrate how history remains alive through literature and music and is constantly reinterpreted. • Text: © musicainfo.net (KI) Quellen/Sources: Wikipedia: Österreichisch-Ungarische Nordpolexpedition Alfred-Wegener-Institut: Carl Weyprecht und das Internationale Polarjahr Eisexpeditionen-Blog / Fischer Verlage: Christoph Ransmayr – „Die Schrecken des Eises und der Finsternis“ Tags: Seafaring and ships Contemporary History and Historical Events

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