Erich Grunewald: Carl Orff Competition 2019 In Memory of the Western Black Rhinoceros

The Western Black Rhino was officially declared extinct eight years ago, in 2011. In 1980, around 110 rhinos were still breathing on the hot northern highlands of Cameroon. In 1993, the number was down to 30-35, and none existed outside of that area. No member of the species has been seen since 2001.

"First, the arrival of European colonists in the nineteenth century led to trophy hunting, where colonists would venture out into the bush to try and shoot big game in the name of sport. [...] The second stage was the introduction of industrial agriculture and human population expansion, which drove the widespread destruction of rhino habitat. [...] In the mid-twentieth century, demand for rhino horn for ceremonial dagger handles in the Middle East and traditional medicine in China and South-east Asia surged."

In this composition, I try my best to show some of the sadness and some of the nobility of the struggle of that fine animal, the Western Black Rhino.

NB. The mp3 version is not a live recording, obviously, but a version "performed" by an artificial intelligence of my own writing.