Mario Bürki

Bricks in fire

Bricks in Fire tells the story of a brick factory in Böhringen, a district of Radolfzell on Lake Constance in southern Germany and the associated suburb of Rickelshausen. The title "Bricks in Fire" has two meanings. It refers to the burning of the clay bricks in the factory and to a major fire at the brickworks itself, which destroyed it in 1988. The work begins with a fanfare-like opening depicting Rickelshausen Castle, where the owners of the brick factory lived. Böhringen is home to one of the largest stork colonies in southern Germany. This becomes audible in the quiet interlude that follows. The musicians imitate the clattering of storks with wooden sticks. Then the brick factory is introduced musically. The rhythmic accompaniment is played by the percussionists on clay bricks. In the quiet middle section, the river Aach, which flows past the brickworks, is portrayed. Here you can imagine a very idyllic scene. Wild birds fly over the river at sunrise. This tranquillity is interrupted by the sudden outbreak of a major fire. This destroys the entire brick factory and ends the long era of brick production in Böhringen and Rickelshausen. After the destruction, the site is repurposed. Craftsmen, small businesses and artists set up shop. "Bricks in Fire" was commissioned by the Musikverein Böhringen 1905 e. V. and its conductor Marco Geigges and was funded by the German Minister of State for Culture and the Media as part of the nationwide IMPULS program.