May, 2005 - Nr. 5
Music Knows No Barriers
What would we do without music, no matter which category?! Any kind of music is better than none and since there is so much to chose from there really is something for everyone, even in the classical genre. Music is for all seasons and all reasons, for all ages and races. Music knows no borders and colours. Music only knows the joy of creating and transcends all barriers, even language.
One of the most wonderful examples of such borderless love was recently demonstrated in a concert, actually 3 concerts, in celebration of Erich Kunzel’s 70’s birthday. The Prince of Pop, as he has been dubbed, is most familiar to local audiences and those worldwide. He created single-handedly the concept of having fun at a concert without lack of quality. He could also be called the king of perfection, because that is what he demands and of course, delivers. Therefore a critique of his concerts would read pretty boringly. The music mix is always perfect. The choice of performers is always perfect. The musicians play perfectly and his sense of humour and narrative ability is perfect.
What is left to report? What the artists under his baton have to say of course, because audiences have spoken for decades. All concerts are usually perfectly sold out.
His actual 70th birthday he spent in Vienna, conduction the Wiener Volksoper. Toronto would not do without congratulating him and asked him to come and celebrate here too. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Peter Oundjian, the current Music Director of the Toronto Symphony, benefited from the maestro as a very young musician, along with others, because Mr. Kunzel always knew how to pick and chose. He not only welcomed the maestro but gave him a special "Staendchen" with the orchestra and his violin.
That evening we also heard about other talent "discovered",
furthered and frequently asked back to perform with this popular conductor.
One of our local talent that has known Mr. Kunzel for a very long time is
the versatile tenor Mark DuBois. Mr. Kunzel introduced him and recalled
doing some 400 plus concerts with
Mark.
In the program booklet is states that there were 600, and when we asked Mark
DuBois he laughed and said: "Probably closer to 700, but who is counting?"
He sang "I’ll go home with Bonnie Jean" from Brigadoon and his
rendition of "Danny Boy" is likely the most moving I have ever heard and
drives tears to my eyes whenever I have the opportunity to hear him sing it.
That night was no difference. He sang it even more fervently than ever,
perhaps because his mother had just passed away a few days earlier
unexpectedly.
Irena Welhash Baerg, soprano, and her husband, Theodore Baerg, baritone, sang lovely selections from "The Merry Widow" to open the performance evening. They too look back on many concerts with the maestro.
Another amazing talent found by Mr. Kunzel was now very established and successful pianist Steward Goodyear who was pushed over 10 years ago into the limelight at the tender age of 15. He was followed by one of Canada’s most talented violin virtuosos from the West, James Ehnes who played on his priceless violin several Kreisler selections, letting his bow dance over the strings like child’s play.
After the intermission we heard the world premiere of "In Celebration" by Richard Cohen and moved on to a choral work with the great Mississauga Choral Society and the delightful Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus with "It’s a small world".
All too soon the evening was over. Tchaikovsky’s "1812 Overture" with everyone participating rounded out an evening of celebration.
All barriers fell all around. There was nothing but harmony and joy. And if the standing ovation only came at the end of the evening then it was not a reflection on the performances but on us, the audience, one that still has not learned to give as exuberantly as those that perform for us.
Another Birthday Concert
April 9th marked my birthday and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra had scheduled a casual Saturday performance as the perfect gift for me. Behzad Ranjbaran’s Violin Concerto, written for Joshua Bell, was a wonderful opener with rich and exotic sounds and harmonies. His Persian upbringing and thorough understanding of the culture add a myriad of different textures into the tapestry of his beautiful composition. Joshua Bell was shining as usual with his assertive yet sensitive style of playing the violin.
To round out my perfect evening Peter Oundjian, who conducted the evenings performance, offered Beethoven’s String Quartett, Op.131, which he himself concocted as a fully orchestrated version. He got the idea from Gustav Mahler, who said – while he was Music Director in Vienna, that this score was almost too rich for just a quartet. Peter Oungjian agreed and proved him right. The 7 movements, all played without any interruptions, almost seamless in one piece is an amazing tour de force and was performed exquisitely by the TSO, breaking down barriers of traditions and finding new ways of presenting music.
The next season of concerts with the TSO is being promoted just now and promises to be even more exciting then the last one. Peter Oundjian has managed to raise the level of interest and brought innovation to Toronto that is sure to ensure the orchestra’s future. Go to www.tso.ca or call 416-598-3375 to subscribe!
Berlin’s Symphoniker Orchestra (not the Philharmonie) was not so lucky and was closed down totally, being only shy 60 thousand Euros or so to round-up their budget of several millions. Perhaps Berlin needs to come and learn something about fundraising from Toronto?
Mendelssohn Choir’s brilliant Dream of Gerontius
I have never heard or seen a lengthy Edward Elgar composition performed in full, but am familiar with some of his music. The often-played Enigma Variation-Nimrod being probably one of the most often played pieces on the classical radio stations. Of the 14 variations this one endures especially. It has been said that the variations are all about Elgar’s friends and their experiences together, the emotion and characteristics that are special about them. Nimrod is a mythical hunter and a good friend of Elgar’s was August Johannes Jaeger, Jaeger means hunter in German, a music editor for the publisher Novello. Thus came about the name of the ninth variation. It is one of my most favourite romantic pieces and made me look forward to The Dream of Gerontius, especially since some of my most favourite singers were going to perform.
Who would not enjoy hearing Michael Schade, tenor, his wife Noreen Burgess, mezzo-soprano, and Russel Braun, here as bass, other times as baritone, together? When they perform on the same stage it sizzles. The rare opportunity to see them at all perform here in Canada and then together is worth standing in line for. Few performers are as connected as they are while holding their own space uniquely and harmoniously.
Noel Edison and his superb Mendelssohn Choir outdid themselves together with their soloist stars. Several curtain calls and standing ovations with many bravo shouts filled the grand old lady of concert venues Massey Hall, adding to the history of this building.
I am looking forward to the next season, which can be subscribed to by going to the website at www.tmchoir.org or by calling (416) 598-0422.
Via Salzburg
Over the last few years I have often reported on the delights Via Salzburg routinely delivers to Toronto audiences in the Glenn Gould studio space. This time I was delighted to see Mayumi Seiler with her 3 marvellously talented sisters together as a string quartet. Yuri Seiler, violoncello, is the principal cellist at he North German Radio Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany; Naomi Seiler, viola, is the principal viola player in the Hamburg State Opera Orchestra and teaches also in Luebeck; Midori Seiler, besides being the concert master of the "Akademie für alte Musik Berlin", also teaches master classes in various European venues and gives many concerts, often teaming up with Belgium Forte piano player and conductor Jos van Immerseel.
Of course we know that Mayumi founded Via Salzburg and is a busy solo and chamber musician. She also teaches at University of Toronto and at the Glenn Gould School.
![The Seiler String Quartet [photo: courtesy Mayumi Seiler]](505c-SeilerStringsQrtetHR.jpg)
The sisters performed a Joseph Haydn Quartet, a Ludwig Van Beethoven Trio and a Robert Schumann Quartet. The audience, though a bit conservative, enjoyed this performance tremendously. It did not hurt to have something pretty to look at while listening to the beautiful music. The sisters, with their German-Japanese upbringing, are capable of touching the sentiments of a cross-cultural audience with ease and understanding. They have a universal appeal, and ease of movement, a certainty of style, a confidence that is very apparent.
We shall enjoy seeing them play again in the future.
In the meantime there is one more concert for Via Salzburg and if you like music performed by a string orchestra then you should not miss one of the two performances on either June 2nd or 3rd. For more information please go to www.viasalzburg.ca or call 416-972-9193.
Like myself you too will ask yourself again: What would we do without music? I could not imagine it.
Until next time
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Comments to: sfr@echoworld.com
