Many of these composers suffered the final indignity of
their works becoming unknown to the general public. Austria was the home of
many of Hitler’s most important musical victims who still await re-discovery. Exil.arte
is a centre for research into such composers and exists in order to try to
redress the imbalance and restore important composers to their rightful place
in musical history.
A new release from
Gramola www.gramola.at brings us works by Erwin Schulhoff
(1894-1942), Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944) and Vilem Tausky (1910-2004).
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Erwin Schulhoff was born in Prague into a family of
Jewish-German origin. http://orelfoundation.org/index.php/composers/article/erwin_schulhoff. Dvořák, who was never very enthusiastic about child
prodigies, encouraged the ten year old Schulhoff's earliest musical studies at
the Prague Conservatory. Schulhoff later studied with Claude Debussy 1862-1918),
Max Reger (1873-1916) www.max-reger-institut.de/en/bio.php,
Fritz Steinbach (1855-1916), and Willi Thern (1847-1911). He won the
Mendelssohn Prize twice and, after the First World War, lived in Germany until
returning to Prague in 1923 where he taught at the conservatory.
In the 1930s, Schulhoff’s work was blacklisted as "degenerate"
by the Nazi regime and, when the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939, he had
to resort to performing under a pseudonym. In 1941, the Soviet Union approved
his petition for citizenship, but he was arrested and imprisoned before he
could leave Czechoslovakia. Schulhoff was deported to the Würzburg
concentration camp, near Weißenburg, Bavaria where he died from tuberculosis on
18 August 1942.
Schulhoff’s early works show the influence of Debussy,
Scriabin, and Richard Strauss but during his later, Dadaist phase, he composed
a number of pieces with absurdist elements. His works include choral and vocal
works, eight symphonies, orchestral works, concertos, chamber works,
instrumental works and works for piano.
Schulhoff’s Double
Concerto for Flute, Piano and String Orchestra with Two Horns Op.63 was
written in 1927. The soloists are Ulrike
Anton (flute) and Russell Ryan (piano) with the strings of the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by David
Parry.
The concerto has a striking opening for strings, in full
flow, in the allegro moderato before the
piano and flute enter in a light and airy theme. The music slows but soon takes
off again with intricate patterns for piano and flute. Eventually the strings play
the opening theme, full of forward momentum and energy. As the strings quieten
the piano and flute return. A quieter section follows with the piano and flute
combining together before they start off again in the lively tune. A passage for
solo piano leads into a languid melody with the flute that speeds up to a
livelier pace. Eventually the orchestra returns to join in the same theme only
to take over from the soloists until the end.
The strings enter in a nostalgic theme for the andante. The piano then enters alone
before the flute joins in the theme. Eventually the strings enter alone before
the piano and flute join to further develop the theme. As the movement draws to
a close the piano, flute and strings lead to a gentle conclusion with a single
chord on piano.
Pizzicato strings open the allegro con spirito (rondo) with, almost immediately, the piano and
flute entering in a slightly repetitious theme. The orchestra soon takes over
the theme before the soloists enter, more animated. There is some lovely flute
playing from Ulrike Anton in this section and some delightful playing from
Russell Ryan. A slower, languid trio section for flute and piano has some
lovely descending phrases. The orchestra joins in the melody before taking over
the theme. The flute and piano return to take over in a livelier section before
the orchestra re-joins, leading to the coda.
The two soloists, Ulrike Anton (flute) www.ulrikeanton.com and Russell Ryan
(piano) http://music.asu.edu/faculty/selectone.php?ID=4837
are both persuasive advocates for this attractive work and the strings of the English
Chamber Orchestra under Parry are on top form www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk
www.davidparry.eu .
Viktor Ullmann www.viktorullmannfoundation.org.uk
was born in Teschen, now Cieszyn, Poland, an Austrian of Jewish descent. In
1909, the Ullmann family moved to Vienna, where Viktor Ullmann studied music
theory with Josef Polnauer. After the First World War he studied to be a lawyer
like his father, whilst still continuing as a student of piano under Edward
Steuermann (1892-1964), a student of Schoenberg. He then continued his musical
education under the guidance of Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) www.schoenberg.at who in turn recommended
him to Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942) http://orelfoundation.org/index.php/composers/article/alexander_zemlinsky
who, in 1920, appointed him repetiteur at
the German Theatre in Prague.
Ullmann subsequently became musical director at Usti nad
Labem (Aussig) but left his post after a year. After the Nazi’s came to power
he returned to Prague where he studied composition with Alois Haba (1893-1973).
In 1942 he was transported to Theresienstadt www.bterezin.org.il where he was soon
given the task of co-organising with the Czech composer Hans Krasa (1899-1944),
the so called 'permitted ' leisure activities within the ghetto. Here he
produced some of the works for which he is best remembered. Ullmann died in Auschwitz-Birkenau
http://en.auschwitz.org on 18 October
1944.
His compositions up until 1942 include choral and vocal
works, orchestral works including a piano concerto, chamber works and
instrumental works. After his transportation to Theresienstadt his compositions
included songs, his fifth, sixth and seventh piano sonatas, a third string
quartet and Die Weise der Liebe und des
Todes. (The Manner of Love and Death),
a setting of Rilke for spoken voice and orchestra or piano.
Ullmann’s Chamber
Symphony Op.46a is an arrangement for string orchestra, by Kenneth Woods,
of the String Quartet No.3, Op.46, that he wrote in 1943 whilst at Theresienstadt.
This alone brings a certain frisson to
the work yet the opening allegro moderato
has a somewhat pastoral feel, which soon develops more passionately before
returning to the opening mood. It rises again, passionately, but then develops
into a wistful section with cascading strings before falling to a quiet ruminative
ending that goes straight into the Presto.
Scherzo and trio.
Here the music changes with incisive outbursts from the
violins, to which the lower strings reply before settling to a modified version
of the opening theme. The outbursts and replies occur again as the movement
progresses and the theme is developed, giving a wonderful demonstration of the virtuoso
ECO strings. The trio opens on solo cello which is then joined by the orchestra
in a lovely rich melody that leads to the Largo.
This is a thoughtful, introspective, sometimes desolate largo and, such is the tonality that one
can’t tell if the music is rising or falling, lightening or darkening. It seems
to be struggling with itself. In the firm opening of the Rondo-Finale the music fairly gallops along until slowing slightly in
a no less compelling theme. The opening theme returns, only this time it
broadens out for the coda.
The performance of this compelling work, from David Parry
and the English Chamber Orchestra strings, is excellent.
Schulhoff’s Sonata
for flute and piano Op.61 was
composed in 1927, just before the Double Concerto for Flute, Piano and String
Orchestra. The allegro moderato opens
with a flowing theme from the piano, soon joined by flute. A slower section follows
that is rather thoughtful with some lovely passages for flute. The opening
tempo returns with a lovely flowing piano part, with the flute taking the main
tune. The music soars to a short climax before falling to a quiet, meditative
section. The livelier theme returns and speeds up with some lovely timbres from
the flute. The music soon slows again with the flute playing a lovely theme to
end.
The short Scherzo.
Allegro giocoso has a lively animated theme that is most attractive and
delightfully played by both artists. The Aria.
Andante has a long breathed melody
for flute with a simple accompaniment from the piano. This is such a beautiful
creation, beautifully played, full of sensitivity and poise. The Rondo-Finale. Allegro molto gajo is a
great little movement that skips along, full of fun. Ulrike Anton (flute) and
Russell Ryan (piano) give a terrific performance of this delightful work.
Vilem Tausky survived
the war, dying in London in 2004 and will be fondly remembered by older
followers for his regular contributions, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, to
Friday Night is Music Night on the BBC Light Programme (now BBC Radio 2). Vilém
Tauský was from a musical family, his Viennese mother had sung Mozart at the
Vienna State Opera under Gustav Mahler, and her cousin was the operetta
composer Leo Fall. Tauský studied with Leoš Janáček and later became a
repetiteur at the Brno Opera. The rise of the Nazis forced him to move to
France. He later volunteered for service with the Free Czech Army and
eventually reached the Britain after the fall of France. He was later awarded a
Czech Military Cross, followed by the Czech Order of Merit.
From 1945 to 1949, Tauský was musical director of the Carl
Rosa Opera Company and, from 1951 to 1956, was music director of Welsh National
Opera. He was principal conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra from 1956 to
1966 and regularly appeared with this orchestra on the BBC Light Programme's
(now BBC Radio 2) long-running weekly show Friday Night is Music Night. Between
1966 and 1992, he was the director of opera and head of the conducting course
at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Tauský was appointed a Commander of
the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Tauský's compositions include a Sinfonietta for orchestra, a
Ballade for cello and piano, the Fantasia da Burlesca for violin and orchestra,
an oboe concerto (written for Evelyn Rothwell), a harmonica concerto (for Tommy
Reilly), a Serenade for Strings and Coventry:
A Meditation for Strings.
It is Tauský's Coventry
– Meditation for String Orchestra that is included on this disc. Written in
1941, it reflects the horror of the destruction of that city the previous year
and is an impassioned mediation with some gloriously rich string passages set
against quieter, more meditative sections. There is a lovely hushed middle
section, with the glorious sound of the ECO strings. The music could easily have
been by an English composer, with at times some of the string sonorities reminding
me of those of Vaughan Williams’ in his Tallis Fantasia. This is a lovely
piece, really worth hearing.
We return to Erwin Schulhoff
for the last work on this disc, his Three
Pieces for String Orchestra Op.6, written in 1910 when the composer was
only 16 years of age. This short Grieg inspired piece has an Elegie im Stile Edward Griegs. Allegretto,
a dancing theme in a beautifully poised performance, with just a hint of Grieg,
a delightful and rather rustic sounding Menuetto
im alten Stil. Tempo di Menuetto menuetto and Pipa tanzt, an attractive allegro
moderato, so simply constructed yet so effective.
These are excellent performances by all concerned. Though
recorded at quiet a high level, the recording is exceptionally fine and clear. This
worthwhile release brings some attractive works from composers who certainly
deserve a higher profile than they currently have.
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