christian mühlbacher and werner dafeldecker asked improvisers to play one solo each. out of those ten soli which were all played completely independently from each other the composers produced collages on the computer, the so-called 'diphtongs'. they selected, interrupted, thought, set different tunes together, decided on the dramaturgy, and thus formed pieces of music. care and accuracy seem to have been the most important crite-ria. each player is allowed plenty of space, the subtle interplay between foreground and background characterizes the individual parts.
to work with "material" that is not just already occupied as is all other acoustic material, but the occupied state, i.e. personality of which is its main characteristic, changes the idea of composing as well as of improvisation. the point is that the improviser is not in control of the moment because each moment is interpreted dramaturgically afterwards on the computer or at least re-interpreted. the composers, however, work as with people; slightly similar to film directors who form stories out of personalities. the main difference being that the ten personalities of 'diphtongs' no longer have the opportunity to interfere. the fact that each solo is recorded individually beforehand results in a soloistic conscientiousness of listening and of reacting to oneself. the fact that the musicians could not react with one another, although they can be listened to on one cd together, transports these pieces into a strangely beautiful floating condition, dominated not by the deficit of isolation but by the exceptional quality of a fine, transparent fabric of individuals, a web both of soloistic and composed lines.

christian scheib / translation christina preiner