EK-R: FIVE STAGES OF TRANSFORMATION to Arrive in America
The album draws on Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's model of transformation and features texts by writer Winfried Dulisch alongside works by Benjamin Britten and J.S. Bach.
Irish label Heresy Records has announced the American release of EK-R: Five Stages of Transformation, a new recording by composer and pianist Boris Bergmann and Swiss cellist, vocalist and composer Raphaël Zweifel. The album is set for release on Friday October 16, 2026. Inspired by the pioneering work of Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the album is an exploration of the human journey through grief, transformation and acceptance.
More than a conventional classical recording, EK-R is an immersive musical experience combining contemporary composition, spoken word, cello, piano and voice. Across five interconnected movements, Bergmann reflects on Kübler-Ross's celebrated model of the stages of transformation through music described as having striking emotional honesty and lyrical beauty.
At the heart of the work are the texts of the late German writer and critic Winfried Dulisch, written while he was confronting his own terminal illness. These reflections were translated into Swiss German and narrated by Raphaël Zweifel, creating a dialogue between music, language and lived experience. The work was composed during the COVID-19 pandemic with support from Germany's Neustart Kultur programme.
Following Bergmann's cycle is Zweifel's own song Überem Zürisee ('Over Lake Zurich'), a lyrical tribute to the landscape that shaped both Zweifel and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. The album concludes with Benjamin Britten's Elegia from the Cello Sonata in C. The programme also features Bergmann's own arrangement of J.S. Bach's cantata aria 'The Soul Rests in Jesus' Hands' (BWV 127), providing what is described as a luminous epilogue that unites the entire recording.
Reflecting on the work, Bergmann writes:
'EK-R is perhaps my most personal composition. It grew out of profound conversations with my dear friend Winfried Dulisch during the final years of his life. His extraordinary texts became the emotional centre of this work. Raphaël's translation into Swiss German reconnects the music with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's own homeland while giving the words an intimacy that transcends language itself.'
The album is described as a meeting of contemporary classical composition, spirituality and storytelling, offering listeners a space for contemplation, healing and hope while reaffirming music's ability to illuminate life's profound experiences.
About Boris Bergmann
Composer, pianist and genre-defying musical innovator, Boris Bergmann has built an international reputation for work that bridges classical music, contemporary composition, electronic music, punk and film. His scores have appeared in productions including Homeland and Inspector Barbarotti, while his concert works are known for their emotional intensity, dramatic architecture and originality. His recent compositions The Richter Scale and Taumelnd von Glut received acclaim for their hypnotic power and expressive depth.
About Raphaël Zweifel
Swiss cellist, vocalist and composer Raphaël Zweifel has had an international career spanning classical performance, improvisation, film music, contemporary dance and popular music. After early success as a concerto soloist, he pursued artistic exploration across Europe, collaborating with orchestras, filmmakers, dancers and artists in both classical and popular music. His work includes performances and recordings with artists ranging from Die Toten Hosen and Moses Pelham to contemporary dance companies and international film composers. He has also worked as a composer, arranger and producer.
About Heresy Records
Founded in Ireland, Heresy Records has built an international reputation for artistic programming, artwork and production values. For fifteen years the label has worked with musicians across contemporary classical music, early music, jazz, world music and experimental genres. Its catalogue features internationally acclaimed artists and has received critical recognition for artistic integrity and sonic quality. Its recording of The Wexford Carols with Caitríona O'Leary, Tom Jones, Rosanne Cash and Rhiannon Giddens reached #1 on the Billboard and Amazon charts. Heresy is distributed in the UK and around the world by The Naxos Music Group and its affiliates.
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