DeutschIncense of Music 70
A multisensory concert – Friday, 27th February 2026, 8 pm
Sophie Notte: cello, voice, performance
Georg Nussbaumer: composition, performance
Incense burning: propolis, peony
PANDA Platforma in der Kulturbrauerei, Knaackstr. 97, 10435 Berlin
A collaboration of Berlin based cellist Sophie Notte (cello/performance) and Austrian artist Georg Nussbaumer (composition/performance/installation): on the formation and decay of harmonies – flies and hair – echoes of music from the past – tiny cows and a dragon – egg – caterpillar (larva) – pupa – butterfly (imago) – pair – flock – swarm… and back to egg. A diptych (with side panels) consisting of two chamber music compositions for violoncello and other sound sources, based on major 19th-century compositions. However, these are not arrangements; rather, the originals are melted down and thus become formless material for new creations, while retaining their tone, their ‘smell’. In both pieces, the cello is a central carrier of unfolding arches and vaults, within which—expanded in dimension by enveloping sonic and installation-based elements—further spaces of association open up. An alchemical process with an open outcome. Goldless and ephemeral. Propolis and peony will be smoldered. For guests who are particularly sensitive to smoke, this event is not recommended.
Sophie Notte (*1991) is a cellist and performer. She grew up in Trier and studied cello in Saarbrücken, Berlin and Rostock. She now lives in Berlin and has been a permanent member of Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop since 2020, with which she feels deeply connected. Over the past few years, she has collaborated with artists and composers such as Achim Freyer, Georg Nussbaumer, Pol Pi, Wojciech Blecharz, François Sarhan, and Stefan Streich, and has performed at various festivals and venues, including Musiktheatertage Wien, MAERZ Musik, Musikinstallationen Nürnberg, Donaufestival, Athens Epidaurus Festival, Burgtheater Wien, Kampnagel, Berlinische Galerie, Auditorio de Tenerife, and Centre Pompidou. Besides working with Kaleidoskop, she is currently involved in a production of Schubert’s Winterreise arranged for three female performers and directed by Achim Freyer, as well as in a cello duo formation with Mathis Mayr focusing on contemporary repertoire.
Georg Nussbaumer (*1964) lives in Vienna and is regarded as a virtuoso “Gesamtkunstwerker” whose works are located between composition, installation art, performance and theatre. Large- format scenic works, which constitute multi-layered pictorial sound spaces and combine thematic and motivic stylistic elements to form large holistic structures, are juxtaposed with reduced sound installations or even non-sounding processes, which often deal with music, its history and effect and ultimately with its production. He works with highly specialized performers and musicians just as naturally as with an audience getting drunk or chewing gum, with archers, freedivers, a motorcycle club or hundreds of singers from rural amateur choirs. His work is shown internationally at festivals, theatres and exhibitions such as Donaueschingen Music Festival, Steirischer Herbst, Maerzmusik, soundscape Vilnius, Ring Festival Los Angeles, Opera Dagen Rotterdam, Teatr-e Shahr Tehran, Beethovenfest Bonn, and many more. For the European Capital of Culture Bad Ischl 2024, he realized projects with choirs, shooters, marching bands, and a bell-laden railway carriage.
Propolis, often termed “bee glue,” is a remarkable natural substance with a long history beyond the hive. It is a complex resinous mixture that honeybees produce by combining gathered plant resins and saps—primarily from tree buds like poplar and conifer—with their own enzymes and beeswax. This sticky, antimicrobial compound is used to seal cracks, sterilize the hive interior, and mummify intruders, acting as the colony’s chemical immune system. When used as incense, raw propolis—in the form of dried granules, chunks, or occasionally powdered—reveals a deeply aromatic and therapeutic profile. The scent of burning propolis is profound, complex, and evocative. Its primary character is richly resinous, balsamic, and woody, with a foundational note reminiscent of poplar buds, storax, and warm honey. Upon heating, it releases a smoky, slightly pungent quality, layered with subtle hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and a faint medicinal sharpness (due to its natural flavonoids and phenolic compounds). The overall impression is one of a warm, ancient forest, beehives in the sun, and profound depth. For burning, it is best to use a charcoal disc or an electric incense warmer. Only a small piece (the size of a pea or two) is needed, as the fragrance is potent and the smoke can be dense. It is often blended with complementary incenses like frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, or dried citrus peel to balance its intensity and add complexity. Propolis has been valued since antiquity not just as a medicine but also as a ritual substance. Its use as incense is rooted in its powerful protective and purifying properties. In various folk traditions, the smoke of propolis was believed to:
*Cleanse and sanitize the air during illness or epidemics, leveraging its natural antimicrobial virtues.
*Create a sacred or guarded space for ritual and meditation, invoking a sense of safety and spiritual hygiene.
*Promote grounding, resilience, and healing, with its warm, enveloping scent fostering an atmosphere of recovery and wellness.
Energetically, it is associated with protection, boundaries, health, and the wisdom of the collective (much like the hive itself). It is considered an incense for clearing stagnant energy, strengthening personal aura, and fostering a deeply rooted, calm environment. In summary, propolis incense offers a unique, primal, and deeply grounding aromatic experience. It connects the user to ancient traditions of hive wisdom, forest resilience, and ceremonial cleansing, making it a powerful tool for those seeking a profound and protective sensory journey.
The peony (Paeonia) is an impressive, long-lived perennial, best known for its large, opulent, and often fragrant blooms. For millennia, it has been a symbol of wealth, honor, feminine beauty, and healing in many cultures. When used as incense, it is traditionally the dried and crushed root, or more rarely the petals, that are burned. The smoke releases a floral-spicy, earthy, and slightly sweet fragrance profile, with subtle peppery or minty nuances and a woody depth. This meditative and warm scent is considered balancing, calming, and protective, and is believed to create a sensual, comforting atmosphere. In European folk magic, peony was burned to ward off evil spirits and for protection, while it is also associated with healing, self-love, sensual openness, and gently making contact with the spiritual world. In practice, it is often used in small amounts blended with other materials like rose petals or sandalwood and is particularly suited for meditative smudging in a calm setting. It is important that it comes from controlled, non-toxic cultivation. In summary, as an incense, peony combines ancient symbolic power with a warm, grounding floral scent and is a subtle companion for moments of self-care, cleansing, and creating a sense of sanctuary.