Neoclassicism in Switzerland
On the second weekend in September, works by Othmar Schoeck and some of his Swiss contemporaries can be heard in Brunnen, contrasted by the world premiere of a string quartet by Cécile Marti and the podium "futur composé", led by Dieter Ammann.
In the first half of the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky was probably the most important representative of musical neoclassicism. But Othmar Schoeck and his contemporaries in Switzerland also wrote works in this style. Under the motto "Passé composé", the Othmar Schoeck Festival this year Encounters with Volkmar Andreae, Fritz Brun, Raffaele d'Alessandro, Richard Flury, Walter Furrer, Arthur Honegger, Peter Mieg, Paul Müller-Zürich, Hans Schaeuble and Werner Wehrli. Encounters because, in addition to the musical performances, renowned experts reflect on the composers and their work in an exhibition, in lectures and introductions, based on questions such as: What did it mean to live as a composer in this country at a time marked and torn by two world wars? What was musical life like in Switzerland at that time?
In the master class Liedduo under the direction of Cornelia Kallisch, vocal students from the Lucerne School of Music will work on songs by Volkmar Andreae (1879-1962), Fritz Brun (1878-1959), Walter Furrer (1902-1978), Peter Mieg (1906-1990), Werner Wehrli (1892-1944) and Othmar Schoeck (1886-1957) over two days. Marc Andreae, Sibylle Ehrismann, Anselm Gerhard, David Reissfelder, Michael Schneider and Cristina Urchueguía provide introductions to the individual composers.
The Othmar Schoeck Festival from September 10 to 12, 2021 in Brunnen thus offers a panorama of Switzerland's musical past. At the same time, the "futur composé" podium under the direction of Dieter Ammann will provide an insight into current works by composition students at the Lucerne School of Music. Particularly noteworthy is the world premiere of Ellipse for string quartetwritten by Cécile Marti for the Othmar Schoeck Festival.
A hybrid festival
Cécile Marti with the Ellipse sculpture. Photo: Martin Messmer
Instead of canceling the Othmar Schoeck Festival last year, it was held without an audience on site, with one exception. The events were streamed. This year, however, the organizers are looking forward to welcoming a large audience on site. As the epidemiological situation is known to remain fragile and the greatest possible safety should be offered for the audience and the performers, the organizers require a Covid certificate and compulsory masks for admission on site. The events will also be streamed. This makes them accessible to all interested parties.
Based on last year's experience, the organizers want to go one step further this year. By designing the entire event as a hybrid festival, the organizers are aiming for a strategic goal: The further professionalization of the streams (collaboration with Marcel Babazadeh from atelierklangundraum.com) should also significantly increase the attractiveness of membership in the Othmar Schoeck Festival Association for international Schoeck fans. The implementation of this concept is possible thanks to additional support from the public sector as part of the transformation projects tendered by the federal government and the cantons.
Visuals play a prominent role in two events in particular: in the concert by the Urschweizer Kammerensemble, the performance of an organ concerto is projected from the gallery onto a screen in the choir room and the world premiere of Cécile Marti's Ellipse for string quartet is accompanied by a projection showing the creation of the ellipse as a sculpture.
Program
Opening and closing: concert by the Urschweizer Kammerensemble
Sept. 10, 8 p.m., Sept. 12, 7 p.m.; introduction 30 minutes before the start
Parish church of St. Leonhard Ingenbohl
Works by Othmar Schoeck, Raffaele d'Alessandro, Paul Müller-Zürich and Hans Schaeuble;
Conductor: Stefan Albrecht, Organ: Martin Dettling, Introduction: Heinrich Aerni
Sitting downstairs in the nave and still seeing organist Martin Dettling play? This is possible in this extraordinary concert by the Urschweizer Kammerensemble as part of this year's Othmar Schoeck Festival. In the first part, the ensemble plays Paul Müller-Zürich's Concerto for Organ and String Orchestra in the gallery under the direction of Stefan Albrecht. The performance will be broadcast from above onto a screen in the choir room. The musicians will then sit there in the second half of the concert and play works by Othmar Schoeck, Hans Schaeuble and Raffaele d'Alessandro.
Concert and world premiere: Belenus Quartett
September 11, 8 p.m., Grand Palais
World premiere of Cécile Marti's Ellipse for string quartet and string quartets by Arthur Honegger, Othmar Schoeck and Richard Flury
The Swiss artist Cécile Marti has two talents: she is dedicated to composition and sculpture. The work Ellipse for string quartetwhich will be premiered by the Belenus Quartet, is both music and sculpture. At the same time as the music is played, a projection is shown that documents the creation of the sculpture from the blank to the final form.
Exhibition: Hermann Hesse and his musician friends - Andreae, Brun, Schoeck
Fondazione Hermann Hesse Montagnola, Concept: Eva Zimmermann
September 11 and 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Villa Schoeck
