Ukuzingela

The Hunt - Die Jagd

For Recorder Trio TBG

In February 1994, I wrote my first recorder trio, the African Suite No.1 DJABOUÉ, for Flutes en bloc, a recorder trio from Hamburg. Thirty-two years after the premiere of Djaboué, on March 1, 2026, Flutes en bloc premiered my latest and sixth work for recorder trio in the Epiphany Church in Hamburg: UKUZINGELA. Ukuzingela in Xhosa means “The Hunt.” The first movement depicts the hunt itself: over a forward-moving ostinato, the men chase down an animal. The second movement, Mourning, shows how the other animals grieve for their lost sister. The third movement, Homecoming, follows the hunters as they return proudly to their village with their prey and are celebrated. Mankind began as hunters, and in many regions of Africa, hunting remains crucial for survival.
Anja Micheely recommends using the fingering Ø 12345 + 6 half for the A♭ in the bass part (T 35–44) – a helpful trick to survive that passage!
My heartfelt thanks go to Corinna Fröhlich, Anja Micheely, and Ebba-Maria Künning-Zeijl for the wonderful premiere, which you can already watch on YouTube!
Here is the second movement, MOURNING:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AnbnPWvjFM