This first in-depth study of German composer Jörg Widmann (*1973) presents analyses and interpretations of eighteen works. These fall into five categories that are representative of this composer¿s output to date: instrumental responses to poetic sources (the piano sonata Fleurs du mal after Baudelaire, three works for different string ensembles on figures in Greek myths, and the symphonic composition Teufel Amor based on a fragment by Schiller), three explorations of ¿instrumental singing¿ (Lied, Chor, and Messe for orchestra), the cycle of five string quartets, three of his chamber works with clarinet (Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde, Octet and Quintet) as well as his two major compositions for the operatic stage (Das Gesicht im Spiegel and Babylon).