Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder finds its voice in Prague
NewsA report by Alexander Goldscheider:
MUSICA NON GRATA is a laudable project that revives the legacy of mainly Jewish composers persecuted by Nazis in Czechoslovakia staged a unique performance of Arnold Schönberg’s GurreLieder at the State Opera in Prague on 20 June. While the work was completed in 1911, its Czech premiere was conducted by Alexander Zemlinsky at the same venue on 9 June 1921 with the prominent “Theresienstadt” composer Viktor Ullmann, the then Kappelmeister, in charge of the preparation of the gargantuan work.
The 250 musicians on stage comprised on this occasion 6 prominent soloists (Michael Weinius, Susanne Bernhard, Štěpánka Pulčáková, Yngve Søberg, Kevin Conners and Dietrich Henschel), two choirs (Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno and Slovak Philharmonic Choir) and two radio symphonic orchestras, Prague and Norwegian.
The conductor Petr Popelka is currently the Chief Conductor of both. He was just named the Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and it was so rewarding to see and hear why this multitalented musician, a composer and double bass player as well, is in such demand. He led brilliantly the two-hour performance and while the “concert of the century” label may be premature, it certainly was a phenomenal evening!
A fantastic review of a modern masterpiece. Who doesn’t love a feel-good story involving Schoenberg?
Masterpiece – yes. Modern? Perhaps by some definitions, but premiered 110 years ago. Tame for Schoenberg.
he’s a musician AND a double bass player!
is a kappelmeister anything like a kapellmeister?
Very loud and cacophonic performance. Mr. Goldschneider is a mere photographer, not a reliable rewiever.
It was never louder than it should have been, neither cacophonic, ever, I am not a photographer and my name is Goldscheider. Here is a link for others to judge an exceptional performance of an exceptional work:
https://vltava.rozhlas.cz/arnold-schonberg-pisne-z-gurre-pozdne-romanticky-kolos-se-po-102-letech-vratil-9008169?player=on
Thanks for the link. It sounds glorious. Operatic, song infused, unpretentious. Free of any hint of stultifying “importance” or “historical weight” and performed simply as beautiful music and drama.