July, 2005 - Nr. 7
Merci Maestro!
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
One should think that the name Erich Kunzel will make all German bells ring, and if not that, then we are certainly curious about the man who is called the Prince of Pops, the man that comes to us from his conducting home base of Cincinnati, the man that was born 1935 in New York.
New York? How so? We were resolved to find out when the maestro came in late June to Toronto to bring us two history making concerts with the music of six Star Wars movies.
Brilliant concept, we thought, got ready to see and hear the music, which had enhanced some of our most favourite cinematic moments and Echo G. also asked for a one on one interview. Granted! WOW!
After having attended his 70iest birthday party earlier in the year we had formulated all our questions on a long list, only to find out that most of them are answered by observing what is happening at a Kunzel concert:
Most notably, the audiences are different at these popular concerts. The atmosphere is different, perhaps because of it. But in every event, the music played is done so with an enthusiasm that is simply riveting. This enthusiasm on stage, transmitted from the Maestro to the musicians with a playful sincerity, acts like a carrier wave for the audience and lifts them out of their day-to-day lives with a huge dose of universal communication, hits them were they live and gives them the power to go on, and that even without the Star Wars music by John Williams, concert-score and concept arranged and thought of by, whom other, but one of our most favourite conductors with that German sounding name.
This was especially apparent at this last concert, when Roy Thompson Hall filled with people of all walks of live, age and cultural background. All these generations and ethniticities were united in the idea of ‘having the power with them’. And they did, before, during and especially after the concert.
It appeared that folks had forgotten where they were. There was no decorum, there was no dress code - anything from evening gown to paddle pushers could be seen- there was not even the idea of different people; there were just Star Wars fans, eager to reminisce together with Anthony Daniels as narrator in a gold jacket- he played the C-3PO character in the movies- about all six glorious cinema history changing films, and most important: in chronological order!
Magic happened: From theme to theme, from movie to movie the sound rose in our fantastic hall up into the heavens, danced among the balconies, captured eager imaginations, transported all into a galaxy far, far away…. We lived again through the stories of love - tender and passionate, through plays for power – sincere and also treacherous, through plans of learning and making mistakes; we suffered through he most vile and evil schemes of ruthless oppression until through uncounted sacrifices and with the aid of a multitude of helpers and the single-mindedness of determined heroes we become free again, the way we are meant to be… all the while laughing at C-3PO’s attempts to endear himself during the narration for his courage and unmistakably documented sense of decorum. The Main Theme’s cacophony of sound at the beginning heightened our expectations and reaffirmed our hopes and believes at the end, swept us onto our feet, adding our own thunderous applause to the success of this concert and we were rewarded with 3, or were it 4 unscheduled additions and applauded until our hands nearly fell off.
What
questions could I possibly ask the Maestro the following day after I could
not fall asleep until 4 o’clock in the morning, still high on the musical
dream of freedom.
Ah yes, there was this one question left to ask: Where and how did he acquire this very German name - Erich Kunzel?
Well, he told us. The story goes like this: After WW I there was not much happening in Germany. There was no work, but there was hunger. There was no hope, but there were ships going to the New World, to New York.
Erich’s father lived in Plauen, the lovely city famous for its fabulous lace. His mother’s home was in Wuertemberg, in Weingarten. They were part of a wave of immigrants arriving in America all throughout the twenties. In New York there was a part of town where German life and heritage were very much apparent. The current culture offered dancehalls as entertainment. It is in one of those establishments in Manhattan that his parents met for the first time. Eventually they got married and in 1935 Erick was born. He enjoyed an excellent education and early on in college decided on a musical career, and the rest is history as we know…
Erich Kunzel has a German wife, Brunhilde. They enjoy sailing together as much as possible. But first he will take his Star Wars concert on a tour, starting with Washington for the 4th of July.
We are fortunate to have witnessed the world premier of this uplifting program that unites people in their hopes and dreams of freedom in our galaxy right here and now.
He will be back in Toronto in December and we shall keep you posted!
