divisio spiralis

Divisio Spiralis revolves around the relationship between sound, perception, and space—the subtle transitions between sound and silence, light and shadow, presence and transformation. Lamb’s music emerges from an intensive engagement with microtonal systems and just intonation. Her compositions unfold as open sonic spaces in which harmonic structures slowly shift and overlap, revealing new acoustic phenomena such as difference and combination tones.

Drawing on mathematical and natural acoustic principles, she develops radically decelerated sound spaces that unfold continuously and profoundly transform the perception of hearing. Her music demands patience, presence, and openness—while simultaneously creating an atmosphere of rare poetic density. Lamb’s compositional thinking is grounded in an integral understanding of space, time, and interaction.

With the cycle Divisio Spiralis, she has created a work that deconstructs the classical form of the string quartet and reimagines it as an evolving harmonic field. The work was originally composed for the JACK Quartet and ranks among Lamb’s central compositions of recent years. Lamb employs microtonal tunings based on the overtone series of a 10-Hz fundamental tone, which slowly descend in a spiral motion.

To mark its 20th anniversary in 2026, the soloist ensemble Kaleidoskop will present new projects that consistently continue its collaborative approach and reflect the ensemble’s artistic development. They showcase the central strands of Kaleidoskop’s practice since its inception: its longstanding engagement with various forms of music theater, chamber music research, and transdisciplinary collaborations. Together, they form a triptych that highlights both the ensemble’s roots and its current direction and future openness.

A project by the Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop. Funded by the LOTTO Foundation Berlin.

The Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop receives institutional funding from the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.

Program

Catherine Lamb

divisio spiralis (2019) – for string quartet

Cast

Violins:

Mia Bodet, Anna Faber, Malin Grass, Mari Sawada, Grégoire Simon, Paul Valikoski

Violas:

Ildiko Ludwig, Yodfat Miron, Thomas Nicholson

Cellos:

Kornelia Jamborowicz, Isabelle Klemt, Sophie Notte

Composition + Musical Direction:

Catherine Lamb