Frieder Nagel and the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester

Posted By Sea Ansley on Aug 23, 2018

We love the classy mashup of electronica and classical orchestral music here at DigitalNomad.Blog. Recent posts explore the work of David August, and Marc Romboy, with respective German orchestras.

This week, we look at another classic piece, featuring a concert from Frieder Nagel and the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester.

Who is Frieder Nagel?

True to Berlin low key style, Frieder Nagel stays under the radar. It’s difficult to find a biography, interview or any other factual resources online.

Nagel has long experimented with classical music collaborations, fused with the imagination of electronic music. From basic research, we believe he may be the son of jazz musician, Norbert Nagel.

We are keeping tabs on Frieder Nagel and will attempt to find more detailed information!

For now, he remains a music mystery and prodigy.

OSTINATO – A new approach to orchestral music

“The OSTINATO project by Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin (DSO) was initiated by Frieder Nagel to integrate synthesizers like the Prophet, DX7 or Juno – by now already classics – into the orchestra. OSTINATO recalls the transition period from Renaissance to Baroque when shifting formations or orchestrations, premieres – as well as (unknown) new instruments playing solo – characterized the creative process of writing and performing music. A spirit of discovery which is well known today in the global underground of the electronic music scene.
Where others try to deconstruct or experiment, the approach of OSTINATO is straightforward: to integrate electronic instruments into the orchestra without breaking its tradition. This genuine attempt could alter the perception of symphonic music by understanding new methods of instrumentation not as an exception but as the origin of the genre.”
From FriederNagel.com

Without further ado, here is the magnificent performance of Frieder Nagel and the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester. Recorded at concerts in 2016, and produced by Boiler Room.