Bricks In Fire
Composed by Mario Bürki for Concert Band

"Bricks in Fire" sets to music the story of a brick factory in Böhringen, a district of Radolfzell on Lake Constance in southern Germany, and the

associated part of Rickelshausen. The title "Bricks in Fire" has two meanings. It refers to the firing of clay bricks in the factory and to a major fire

that destroyed the brickworks itself in 1988.

The piece begins with a fanfare-like opening representing Rickelshausen Castle, where the owners of the brick factory lived. Böhringen is home to

one of the largest stork colonies in southern Germany, which is reflected in the following quiet interlude. Here, musicians imitate the clattering of

storks using wooden sticks. The brick factory is then introduced musically, with percussionists playing rhythms on clay bricks. The calm middle

section portrays the Aach River, which flows past the brickworks site, conjuring up a very idyllic scene. Wild birds fly over the river at sunrise. This

tranquility is interrupted by the sudden outbreak of a major fire that destroys the entire brick factory, ending the long era of brick production in

Böhringen and Rickelshausen. After the destruction, the area is repurposed, attracting craftsmen, small businesses, and artists.

"Bricks in Fire" was commissioned by the Böhringen Music Association 1905 e. V. and its conductor Marco Geigges and was supported by the

nationwide IMPULS program by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media of Germany.