Category:  Organ / Sacred Music , Chamber Music

The ‘Tarot’ is associated, both as a card game and as a method of divinatory card reading, with divine-cosmic dimensions and the mysteries of existence. The Tarot images are a mirror of the soul, comparable to other systems of analogy such as astrology, alchemy, Kabbalah or the symbolism of modern psychoanalysis.
As a card game, it has been known in Europe since the 14th century. Its roots, however, stretch far back to Egyptian cults, where they were already associated with central deities such as Isis and Thoth. It is particularly striking that the 22 cards of the ‘Arcana’ correspond exactly to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the structures of Kabbalah.

This composition is unique, as the symbolism of the Tarot has scarcely found its way into music history to date. Through the combination of the unfamiliar sound world of four bass tubas and the numinous, religious sound of the organ, this profound realm of human existence can be wonderfully depicted.

Movements: 1. DER NARR – THE FOOL
2. DER MAGIER – THE MAGUS
3. DIE HOHEPRIESTERIN – THE HIGH PRIESTRESS
4. DER EREMIT – THE HERMIT
5. DER TOD – THE DEATH
6. DER TURM- THE TOWER
7. DAS UNIVERSUM – THE UNIVERSE

Duration: 24 Minutes

Publisher of notes/sheet music: Strube Musikverlag München , 2026

Instrumentation: 4 Tuba and organ
Tuba 1: in F / Euphonium
Tuba 2: in F
Tuba 3: in F
Tuba 4: in B (Contrabass Tuba)

Introduction: The ‘Tarot’ is not merely a card game, but is intrinsically linked to divine-cosmic dimensions and the mysteries of existence. The Tarot images serve as a mirror of the soul, comparable to other systems of analogy such as astrology, alchemy, Kabbalah or the symbolism of modern psychoanalysis.
As a card game, it has been known in Europe – having come via Islamic-Arabic culture – since the 14th century. In the 18th century, it was internationally popular as ‘Tarock’ or ‘tarocchi’. However, its roots stretch far back to Egyptian cults, where it was already associated with central deities such as Isis and Thoth. It is particularly striking that the 22 cards of the ‘Arcana’ (‘arcanum’ means ‘mystery’) correspond exactly to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the structures of Kabbalah.
The sound energy of the two vowels ‘a’ and ‘o’ possesses archetypal power: This refers to the ‘A & O’ of the eternity-encompassing Alpha and Omega; ‘Tarot’ is related to ‘Torah’ (the Jewish Bible), to ‘Rota’ (the wheel), to the central Egyptian deity of initiation ‘Athor’, to ‘Orare’ (to pray) and ‘Orator’, with aorta, Amor…
Among the over one hundred different ‘decks’ (each with their own symbols and images), the English tradition of the ‘Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn’, led by the Kabbalist Aleister Crowley, was able to establish itself; its visualisations were created by the mediumistic artist Frieda Harris. It is to these that reference is made here.
The instrumentation of this composition, with the flexible yet relatively unfamiliar
soundscape of four bass tubas combined with the numinous, religious sound
of the organ, wonderfully captures this unknown, profound realm of human existence. Each of the four tuba forms, as well as the organ, takes centre stage in turn to personify the corresponding card. From the diversity of the 78 cards comprising character and cosmic vibrational forms, seven striking images of the 22 trumps were selected.

Annotations:
THE FOOL follows his heart uncompromisingly, with freedom, courage and fearlessness. “Just do it!” says the fool’s freedom. He is represented by Dionysus, the god of spring, with his vibrant green. In Egypt, too, the crocodile was a deity of creativity and the highest creative potential. In Hebrew
embodied by the first letter, Aleph. In this movement, the euphonium takes centre stage in the concertante section.

THE MAGUS or MAGICIAN is associated with the mercurial Mercury (the Egyptian Thoth) as the god of playful communication, flashes of inspiration and also cunning, accompanied by the monkey with its restless and erratic thinking. His cipher is Beth, the second Hebrew letter. Deception, cunning and magical transformation are associated with Mercury, which is why this movement also contains a paraphrase of Shostakovich’s Jazz Waltz… as a cunning transformation of the original.


THE HIGH PRIESTESS, associated with the third letter Gimel, is Isis, the eternal virgin and goddess of the moon. Through her intuition, she connects heaven and earth, embodying receptivity as a principle that opens itself to the cosmos. In this phrase, the organ takes the lead.

THE HERMIT is associated with the highest-ranking letter, Yod, the foundation of all other letters, and stands for the creation of all life; he can look deep within and, on the path to the light, also encounter his shadow. Resting in the centre, accepting solitude. The deep contrabass tuba in B is in the foreground here.

In the alchemical sense, DEATH is not destruction, but change and transformation; it transforms, dissolves old entanglements and leads to rebirth. Deep letting go creates space for the new. This corresponds to the dissolving forces of Saturn and finds a powerful symbol in the eagle, which stands above all matter. This piece in particular is dedicated to the memory of Gerhard A. Meinl (1957–2026), the friend and sponsor who passed away whilst this composition was still in progress.

THE TOWER is associated with the Hebrew letter Pé and the energies of Mars. Lightning, flames and the destruction of the old combine with spiritual renewal, newly attained clarity and self-knowledge. Intense, yet often
associated with pain.

THE UNIVERSE is the last of the 22 cards of the Arcana, associated with the final letter Tau. Together with the first letter Aleph, it forms ‘Ath’, meaning essence: the completion of the great work, in harmony with the whole, a dance of liberation as a ‘Yes!’ to unconditional universal love. A finale of peace.

Dedication: Dedication: This commissioned composition is dedicated to the unique Melton Tuba Quartet – in memory of our friend and sponsor Gerhard A. Meinl (1957-2026)

World premiere:  15.11.2026 , Christuskirche Darmstadt & Konzerthalle Bamberg

Performers at world premiere: With "Melton-Tuba-Quartett" and Katharina Königsfeld (Organ) at 15.11.2026 in Christuskirche Darmstadt and at 20.12.2026 in Konzerthalle Bamberg