Superorganisms are forms of existence in which kindred living beings interact synergistically and self-organize. They are more than the sum of their parts: The individual members alone would hardly be viable, but in the community, they grow far beyond themselves—a “multiplication of the positive power of individuals,” as the Czech composer Miroslav Srnka puts it. Typical examples of superorganisms include ant colonies and swarms of bees. It is possible that humanity, too, is evolving in this direction, transforming into a new kind of species: moving away from the independent Homo sapiens toward a connected element within a larger group. One superorganism that has long existed in human culture is the symphony orchestra—and this is where Miroslav Srnka’s new piece comes in. His works are performed at major contemporary music festivals and are featured on the programs of classical orchestras and ensembles. This new orchestral work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic along with the Berliner Philharmoniker (which gave the world premiere), NHK Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, and Orchestre de Paris. Those involved quickly agreed: It should showcase the richness and versatility of the symphonic apparatus in a large orchestral setting. For the composer, it was also clear that his piece should address the nature of the orchestral organism—inspired by a concept borrowed from biology but equally influenced by social observation.

Superorganisms consists of four parts, each exploring different settings to examine how groups form and coalitions emerge, where the “clash of the individual and the collective” (Srnka) presents opportunities and risks: “Each orchestra member has an independent role; there are literally thousands of tiny points, lines, and pillars of sound. The strings are sometimes treated almost as soloists but come into their own only as a group.” While many short-lived moments flourish in individual instruments, they always arise from the organic whole. In the first part, for example, a sequence of exactly 1,351 four-part chords unfolds, each emerging from the other according to specific connection rules, as if vector forces were guiding the voices upward or downward. This applies to pitch as well as to the parameters of timbre, instrumental blend, and ensemble size. Occasionally, an element breaks away, as if a shark were darting into a school of fish—yet as soon as the danger passes, the group quickly calms down and collectively takes measures to return to its original state.

Is there a tendency toward harmony in nature? In Superorganisms, Srnka embarks on a search for consonance: on the one hand, for sounds that tend to linger and remain stable, and on the other, for ways to transform such chords into something fluid. “The more consonant the intervals are, the more resonance with which they flow into each other; thus virtual spots of consonance emerge in the carpet of sound.” The interplay of individual voices within their groups amplifies their effects. In the community, the individual does not become weaker, but stronger, and the world as a whole becomes more diverse.

—Malte Krasting

This text is an original contribution for the program booklets of Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker.