Mátyás Wettl is Hungarian. Male. He studied in Budapest and Amsterdam. He is interested in making music, first names, and syrup. Not cars. That’s all we need to know. “I hate talking about myself or my music.”
“If you’re interested, visit a concert or download the music. Why talk? Music should speak for itself. Or you can read the score. A surgeon does not reveal what knife he uses to remove your appendix.”
Nevertheless, there are programme notes for Wettl’s nominated composition, My Former Band (2012). He wrote, “I used to have a band. It was nice for a while but they always ended up playing out of tune and could never maintain the tempo. So I quit.” Sounds plausible, I say. He laughs. It is pure fake, made up at the ensemble’s request.
However, he has no problem talking about Béla Bartók. “His Mikrokosmos was written as a piano method for children but he discusses every basic composition problem – form, counterpoint. That score was my bible.”
Wettl is fascinated by classical music. “Jorrit Tamminga taught me there are three ways to attend a concert. Sitting down, standing up, or while dancing. You listen to my music while sitting down.”
Photo © Anna van Kooij