The „Kurpfalzkonzerte“ (Kurpfalz Concerts), which have become tradition, will also take place in the hall in Neustadt in the 2010/2011 season. This series is carried out in cooperation with the cultural department of the city of Neustadt, the State University for Music and Performing Arts Mannheim and the newly won sponsor, VR Bank Südpfalz. The symphony orchestra of the Musikhochschule begins the „Kurpfalzkonzerte“ under the direction of Klaus Arp, professor for orchestral conducting and education, with an expressionistic-romantic symphony concert.
In addition to Anton Webern’s “Six Pieces for Large Orchestra”, “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini” by Sergei Rachmaninov and Symphony No. 2 by Robert Schumann will be heard. Da-Young Lee from Prof. Michael Hauber’s class is the piano soloist.
The composers
Anton Webern (1883 – 1945)
As one of Arnold Schönberg’s first students, he belonged to the inner circle of the Second Vienna School. At the beginning of the 20th century he gave up tonality in his music practically at the same time as his teacher. Atonal music was born. After the „Anschluss“ of Austria by the National Socialists, it became increasingly difficult for Webern, who was defamed as a „cultural Bolshevik“, to gain a foothold in public musical life. During Webern’s lifetime, only 31 of his compositions were published. He left cantantes, many songs, choirs, piano pieces, orchestral and chamber music. The first item on the evening’s program, the Six Pieces for Large Orchestra, Op. 6, was composed by Anton Webern in 1909.
Sergej Rachmaninow (1873 – 1943)
The Russian composer wrote his rhapsody on a theme by Paganini in the summer of 1934 in his residence near Lucerne within a few weeks. His Opus 43 premiered on November 7, 1934 in Baltimore with Rachmaninoff on piano and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The piece consists of 24 variations on a theme that the „devil’s violinist“ Niccolò Paganini himself used in the last of his 24 Capricci for solo violin as the starting point for a series of variations, as this melody later repeatedly served as a template for various composers, including Brahms and Liszt.
Rachmaninoff was one of the last representatives of a centuries-old tradition. Until the late 19th century, (most) composers were equally important virtuosos of their time. Rachmaninoff was one of the last to exercise this double function and he was the first and last of his guild to leave a relatively extensive testimony of his pianistic skills on sound carriers.
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
received piano lessons at the age of seven, initially studied law without much inclination, he devoted himself entirely to music and also began to compose. In addition to piano lessons (with Friedrich Wieck, the father of his future wife) and music theory, he pursued his own studies based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s well-tempered piano. A finger strain thwarted the virtuoso career; but other early compositions were created. For years he only published works for piano.
The last piece of the evening, the 2nd Symphony in C major, was written by Robert Schumann in 1845 and 1846. The symphony at the time when Schumann’s health had reached its first low point; the reason for this was probably to be found in the artist’s mental and physical depression. In this regard, the symphony can be interpreted with the help of its two imaginary brothers Florestan and Eusebius. Some interpretations are that every theme, every mood was „composed“ by one of these two. Furthermore, the symphony was greatly influenced by works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Schumann himself said that he would heal himself from his depression by studying Bach and writing this symphony.
University symphony orchestra
In the second half of the 18th century, the musicians of the then world-famous Mannheim court orchestra (the so-called „Mannheim School“) led by Johann Wenzel Stamitz gave decisive impulses for the further development of orchestral culture. The new ways of playing were also spread pedagogically. The central position of the orchestra in the training of young musicians has been preserved in Mannheim to this day. Students from all continents are enrolled at the university and receive comprehensive training in both concert and opera repertoire.
Orchestra direction
Klaus Arp studied in Hamburg (piano, conducting, composition) and directed his own jazz combo and an ensemble for minimal music. He worked as an assistant and solo pianist at the Hamburg State Opera. From 1981 to 1987 he was first conductor at the Koblenz City Theater and from 1987 to 1995 he was chief conductor of the radio orchestra of the Südwestfunk Kaiserslautern. Since 1993 he has been professor of orchestral conducting and director of the university orchestra at the Mannheim University of Music.
As a composer, Klaus Arp has emerged in recent years with a number of solo concerts (double bass, horn, violin). In 1988 his opera „Odysseus auf Ogygia“ was premiered, and in 2004 his second opera „Friendly Fire“ came out in Berlin. He works internationally as a guest conductor and also works regularly with youth orchestras. Since 1992 he has been the artistic director of the “Villa Musica” foundation in Mainz.
The soloist
Da-Young Lee was born in Daegu, South Korea, in 1982 and began playing the piano at the age of seven. From 1998 she received lessons from Prof. Hye-Kyung Kim at the Kyung-Buk Art High School. She then studied with Prof. Sung-Won Lee at Kye-Myung University. During her studies she performed with various orchestras, including the Kyung-Buk Art High School Orchestra, the Daegu City Philharmonic and the New Philharmonic. In Germany she has given concerts with the Palatinate Chamber Orchestra and in Italy with the Philharmonic Orchestra „Mihail Jora“ di Bacau-Romania. She won prizes in competitions of Kye-Myung University, the Catholic University of Daegu and the Italian competition „Valeria Martina“. She completed her studies at the Sa-Chun Music School (China) as the best student. In 2001 she also received a scholarship from her university. Da-Young Lee studies with Prof. Michael Hauber at the Mannheim University of Music.
Tickets
Tickets available from Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the cultural department, Hetzelplatz 1, Tel. 06321 855-404 and from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the tourist information in the same building By email at theaterkasse@stadt-nw.de and on the day of the event at the box office one hour before the start of the performance.