BRAINWASHING was composed in 2023 on behalf the Amstel Saxophone Quartet (NL) and the Ministry of Culture, Luxembourg.

I had the idea for this piece in 2022 after reading a very interesting article about the book Brainwashing, the science of thought control by Kathleen Taylor.

Brainwashing is ubiquitous: written media, social media, tv, advertising, politics, religion . . .

But I was primarily interested in the background, the psychology of brainwashing/thought control.

So, this piece may be understood as a psychological manipulation set to music.

From a psychological point of view, brainwashing consists of three successive phases, which can be followed in my music:

1-Dependency:

A quiet, flowing theme is introduced by the vibraphone/glockenspiel. Soon this theme is taken up and developed further in fugato form by the sax-quartet and the orchestra.

A little later, the manipulator intervenes for the first time. Almost imperceptibly, he prepares and carries out his brainwashing.

The victim is still able to assert himself with his theme, even if it looks like his willpower is already weakening towards the end of the movement.

2-Dissonance:

In the second movement the manipulator’s superiority grows more and more and step by step he succeeds in asserting himself and finally his victim resigns. The victim’s (the first) theme has definitely disappeared.

3-Attitude Change:

Different attitude, different music.

The brainwasher has reached his goal – the victim is in the clutches of his tormentor and is now guided and driven by him – however with an open-ended conclusion.

Duration: 19’ / Grade: 6/6
Publisher (available from 09/24): www.bronsheimmusic.nl