'Rolf Riehm is […] an unconventional artist. Before him, nobody has ever sensualized in music such a complex cosmos of philosophical reflections, historical facts, myths, fairytales, memories, scientific arguments, the sublime and the trivial, current sociopolitical findings, very personal ingredients and contributions' (Bernd Leukert).
In a letter to Guy Braunstein, soloist at the world premiere, Riehm describes Shifting for violin and orchestra as 'a huge, sweeping melody. For me, it is like a river that continually gains new strength from the downhill slope of its landscape – the landscape here is the expressivity which gives impetus to the 'melody' and drives it forward, 'moltissimo appassionato'. [...] The third section is nothing other than a single suspension extended to almost five minutes. And then shortly before the end: no more restrictions, no excessive pressures, only free movement. This is the true beginning of the piece!'
Riehm sees his composition Archipel Remix for orchestra with electronic playbacks as an 'archipelago, a complex of islands, consisting of differently sized islands. […] The piece starts at the beginning and ends at the end, unsurprisingly, but I want to avoid [the natural passage of time]. Hence the metaphor of the archipelago and the type of designation' (Marion Saxer, Rolf Riehm).
