Armin Schaer commissioned this work in his search for a new piece for the tuba. More specifically, he wanted a work that showed off the versatility of this splendid instrument, written in a musical style that is both fresh and modern, while not banishing the orchestra to a simple supporting role. Taking all these specifications into account, Thomas Doss created a work that allows stylistic leaps and is fun, exciting, romantic, and virtuosic, but does not lose sight of the thread that connects the opening measures to the very last.Armin Schaer describes his Panoptikum as follows:Panoptikum is a show of appreciation for my beautiful home and community at Lake Constance, an eventful life, the people that have enriched this life, and a fascinating instrument: the tuba. This work musically embodies the many different moods found around theBodensee - cheerfulness and melancholy, departures and longing, calm and agitation. The roles of the soloist and the orchestra were consciously crafted in a way that does not follow the usual conventions of the genre. The work should spark emotions, address broad segments of listeners, and persuade them of the tuba's ability to be a solo instrument as well as the richness symphonic wind ensembles have to offer. I hope this work enriches the lives of all the soloists and orchestras that cross its path, as well as everyone in the audience who gets to partake! 15:30
