Tempus

The title of the piece comes from Latin, meaning “time” or “temporary,” and stands in contrast to the idea of the eternal. Unlike the classical tradition, where composers sought to immortalize their names, Tempus declares its transience: music is created for the “here and now.” In today’s overwhelming flow of information, it is no longer realistic to expect rediscovery centuries later — its meaning lies in the moment of performance.

This concept is also embedded in the musical language itself. In some passages, the musicians play in different meters, as if contradicting each other’s sense of time, creating a feeling of shift and polyrhythm. The second part of the piece, performed at the concert, develops this idea with particular clarity, though in a more subtle way.

The sources of inspiration for Tempus include Baroque music — Claudio Monteverdi, Jan Dismas Zelenka, and Johann Pachelbel. By referencing the past, the composition reinforces its central idea of temporality: every musical heritage sounds different in the present, and it is live performance that ensures its existence.