Navid Kermani at the Bergson: Birth
Navid Kermani is one of the leading intellectuals in the German-speaking world. As a writer, he has been honored with numerous awards, including the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Kleist Prize, and the Thomas Mann Prize. At the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk, he will read from a selection of his own texts—chosen by him—in a four-part series, reflecting on the themes of birth, love, freedom, and death.
Just as in life, birth marks the beginning here as well. Navid Kermani’s meditations include texts from his latest book, *Sommer 24*, as well as from earlier works such as *Morgen ist da* and *Dein Name*. What unites them all—aside from the magnificent language—is a very personal tone that addresses the theme of birth both through very concrete, private experiences and by elevating it to a meta-level.
Piano works by Frédéric Chopin, Franz Schubert, Erik Satie, and Franz Liszt mirror the texts, thereby opening up a broader emotional and intellectual space for the meditation. The soloist is the multi-award-winning pianist Anton Gerzenberg, who most recently performed at the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk as part of the “Steinway Prizewinner” series.
The Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48, is considered Chopin’s most profound work, a fact foreshadowed by its contemplative opening. Schubert’s Impromptu No. 1 also begins very tenderly, then builds dramatically before returning to an almost conciliatory, peaceful calm.
The word “Gnossienne” doesn’t actually exist; Erik Satie presumably invented it himself. Its exact meaning is not recorded. However, we can safely assume that it was inspired by the ancient Greek word “gnosis,” meaning “knowledge.” The pieces, in which time seems to stand still, have unusual performance instructions: “With astonishment,” “Open your mind,” or “On the tip of the tongue.” These are more poetic ideas intended to create an atmosphere than concrete instructions—and thus foreshadow the character of the “Gnossiennes.”
Liszt’s “Dance of Death” is an immensely virtuosic and difficult piece for the pianist. Nevertheless, Liszt’s aim here is not brilliance, nor a display of technical skill, but rather a serious, existential exploration of transience. And this perspective, too, is part of a meditation on birth.
Additional dates:
February 14, 2027: Love (with Hanna-Elisabeth Müller and Schumann’s “Dichterliebe”)
May 2, 2027: Freedom (featuring the Bergson Phil’ and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5)
July 11, 2027: Death (with the Bergson Phil’ and Schubert’s string quartet “Death and the Maiden”)
Program
Music:
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1
Franz Schubert: Impromptus No. 1
Erik Satie: Gnossiennes 1–6
Franz Liszt: Dance of Death
Works by Navid Kermani:
Summer 24
Your Name
Alphabet through S
Tomorrow is here
Cast
Navid Kermani, Essays
Anton Gerzenberg, piano
Admission and Tickets
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Start: 7:00 p.m.
End: 8:15 p.m.
Support-Price Ticket: 56€
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Combined ticket for all four events: 140 euros