September begins, and the moonlight is on the sky. Sometimes at the sight of the moon in all its powerful beauty, Arnold Schoenberg's six orchestral songs op.8 come to my mind, specially the last ones, which are intense, enigmatic and haunting chants to nature and its intense beauty. And while listening to Sergiu Celibidache's version of this masterpiece some days ago, I started to recall all my live experiences with Schoenberg's music in Madrid, my city, and how I changed from disliking his music at the beginning to enjoying it very much today, admiring the true genius he his. My first contact with his work was, after reading about him, at age 14 by listening his Moses und Aron on disc, conducted by Georg Solti. I didn't enjoy very much then, just the beginning and the ending with Moses saying those haunting words: "O wort, du wort - das mir fehlt"!
Daniel Barenboim and The West Eastern Divan Orchestra in Madrid, July 2007.
However, It wasn't until 2007 when I had my first life experience with his music: In a free open-air concert in the emblematic Plaza Mayor, Daniel Barenboim and his West Eastern Divan Orchestra gave as encore (after a Beethoven program, Leonore Overture and 7th Symphony) the maestro's Variations op. 31. Before playing, Barenboim explained about the piece and about its difficulty to a 5,000-people audience who had little idea about the maestro. I remember the performance vaguely, to be honest.
Deborah Polaski
The 2010-2011 season was the first one of Gerard Mortier's tenure as artistic manager of Teatro Real. That season had an innovative cycle of recitals, the one on March 4, 2011 being the Madrid debut of Sylvain Cambreling and the return of Deborah Polaski after a successful Jenufa in 2009. The first part of the program was Dukas and Ravel, and Erwartung was the second one, featuring Miss Polaski. A thrilling monodram about a woman lost in her anxiety after killing her lover, Schoenberg began his atonalistic and best-remembered style. The purpose, according to the composer is to lengthen until half an hour, just one second of spiritual excitement. This work is a wide-range of orchestral tones and colours in the new style, in which he experiments and explore, like wandering through his score's possibilities and at the same time recreating the nightly, dark ambience of the drama, and getting close to the ecstasy as the woman discovers her lover is dead, a way which Alban Berg, Schoenberg's pupil, will perfect in his final masterpiece Lulu. As far as I can remember, both renditions were magnificent, but also a sound competition in which the orchestra overcame Polaski's voice. Cambreling's conducting was really powerful and made the Teatro Real Orchestra to sound as if it were as much experienced as the conductor is in this repertoire, with a rich-toned sound. Polaski was at the end of her career (she retired in 2015) but her dramatic singing style was much intact, even when the high notes weren't the same as they used to be. However, it revealed to be a brilliant performance due to her style, her singing and commanding of this work.
But even in that excellent concert, I wasn't still prepared to enjoy his music yet. Indeed, I discovered his masterful world the following year: 2012 was a sort of Schoenberg-year for the Spanish capital: Pierrot Lunaire and Moses und Aron (of which I will talk in another post) were performed at Teatro Real, and his Transfigured Night was played at the iconic Círculo de Bellas Artes. Interested on Moses, I started to listen to his music and I discovered a magic, fascinating world and the true dimension of his artistry. I discovered Gurrelieder's epic and wagnerian-style music, the enigmatic, haunting and romantic spell of Transfigured Night, the descriptive Pélleas und Melisande, and above all his Six Orchestral Songs op.8, in a powerful wagnerian style, and at the same time his tonal system is close to break itself to pave the way for atonalism. It was an interesting challenge for me, not too familiar to atonalism then (excepting Berg), to discover both his famous atonal and his previous, magic post-romantic style, and then Gurrelieder, his orchestral songs and Transfigured Night had a special place in my favourite works.
Christine Schäfer's debut recital in Madrid with the Klangforum Wien, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling, June 2012.
On July 20, 2012, there was a recital at Teatro Real of Christine Schäfer, being her Madrid debut, accompanied by the Klangforum Wien under the baton of Sylvain Cambreling. The program consisted of a 20th Century music program. The first part was orchestral, and included Schoenberg's chamber arrangement of the Emperor Waltz . I had to say that at the beginning I didn't recognised the waltz but at the end I had the impression of having heard a good arrangement, even feeling myself at a Viennese Coffee Shop. The second part brought the icing of the cake with the Pierrot Lunaire. Mrs. Schäfer gave an unforgettable rendition of the piece, with the first seven songs being a magic moment. She was able to give the character (Pierrot) a touch of innocence alternating with a tragic diction in the most dramatic parts. I found this rendition was more mature than her own classic version under Pierre Boulez, more devoted and dramatic, in this masterpiece about Pierrot's spiritual journey. Cambreling's conduction in this piece was accomplished, but sometimes too slow for the most vivid moments of the score.
The Amsterdam Sinfonietta ensemble.
With the occasion of the Spanish premiere of Moses und Aron, which still would take place two months later, on June 26, 2012, there was a lecture hosted by Teatro Real at the Círculo de Bellas Artes building, one of the most renowned cultural centers in Madrid. After the lecture, some string musicians from the Teatro Real Orchestra played Transfigured Night, in a beautiful and passionate performance. To hear to piece live, specially when knowing the Dehmel poem and being close to the musicians, is an amazing experience because it displays its complete force and intense, evocating atmosphere.
On February 6, 2014 there was a recital by Thomas Hampson at the Teatro Real, with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta ensemble. The program opened with Transfigured Night too. Their rendition was by far better than the 2012 one, in which violas and violins reached a beautiful sound, as well as the tremolo in the cellos.
Gurrelieder at Auditorio Nacional, Madrid, October 2018.
Gurrelieder is a demanding piece, with a big orchestra and chorus, as well as six trained performers, so it is rare to see it in a Symphonic Hall, and when it does, it becomes a true event. In November 2014, the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España (Spanish National Orchestra and Chorus), whose venue is the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, scheduled, after a long pause, Schoenberg's epic choral and singing masterpiece, strongly influenced by Wagner music but which introduces the sprechgesang, something completely shocking in his day.
Eliahu Inbal conducted an outstanding, agile and lively rendition. The first part was, as usual, powerful, obtaining from the orchestra the rich, colourful sounds of this score, reproducing the Wagnerian, post-romantic influence of the score. The Dove part sound, on the other hand, beautifully intimist, almost chamberistic, and this appear during the third act, specially during the Peasant song and the Sprechgesang part, even taking care of the soloists. Inbal's command of this repertory made this evening really unforgettable. The Chorus, supplied with the Radio Televisión Española Chorus, were really amazing.
The late Spanish tenor José Ferrero, despite some trouble, gave a good rendition with his baritonal, heldentenor-like (he was the only Spanish tenor to sing this repertoire in his country, he sang Siegmund in Wagner's Ring) voice, even with a smooth pianissimo in Du Wunderliche Tove! Christine Brewer was an interesting, dramatic Tove, with beautiful low notes and ending his part with a great high note. Catherine Wyn-Rogers sang the Dove with an accomplished voice. Andreas Conrad is a great spieltenor, and his rendition of Klaus-Narr was the best of the soloists. The veteran Albert Dohmen sang the Peasant part as well as the final speaking part. Dohmen has a beautiful bass-baritone voice, and even sang the final part, singing the final words Erwacht, erwacht, ihr blumen zur wonne!
In 2018, Gurrelieder returned to the same Symphonic Hall. David Afkham worked with this orchestra in a state of grace. As its musical director, Afkham is taking the Spanish National Orchestra to a supreme level. This wasn't an exception, with Afkham's rich and strong version, sometimes a bit exceeding but spectacular anyway, even lyrical. The Chorus were at the same great level, but in this occasion the male section was really inspired.
The cast featured Simon O'Neill as a resistant, well sung Waldemar, Juliane Banse as a charming, seductive Tove. Karen Cargill as one of the big sensations of the night with her contralto-like voice, with stunning low notes and tragic rendition of the Dove part. Barry Banks and Wilhelm Schwinghammer were respectively Klaus-Narr and the Peasant, both sang very well. The star was, alongside Cargill, Thomas Quasthoff reciting the final part with authority and dramatism. His former bass-baritone voice which once delighted the audience, still resounded and impressed the audience, even when he was talking.
In the next post, I will talk about the performances of Moses und Aron in Madrid, which happened to premiere of the opera in the city.
My reviews are not professional and express only my opinions. As a non English native speaker I apologise for any mistake.
Most of the photographs are from the internet and belong to its authors. My use of them is only cultural. If someone is uncomfortable with their use, just notify it to me.
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