Impromptus

The Sydney Schubert Society Impromptus is our newsletter. This is the September 2008 edition:

  Schubert Impromptus

Dear Members and Friends of the Sydney Schubert Society,

I am pleased to remind you about the forthcoming Schubertiade on October 5, 2.45 pm at St. Peters Uniting Church in North Sydney. The Schubertiade will feature A/Professor Michael Halliwell, baritone, and pianist Jeanell Carrigan with a program focussing on Goethe and Schubert. The connection between Goethe & Schubert is an obvious one, with Schubert’s settings remaining among the most remarkable musical interpretations of the poetic genius. It is reported that Goethe did not necessarily appreciate Schubert’s creative intrusions into what he considered to be completed works that did not require musical setting. Be that as it may, Dr. Halliwell—a singer and scholar with an interest in the relationship between words and music--has translated and  published works on the music and poetry of Shakespeare, James, Patrick White and others. He will be able to enlighten us further on this complex relationship. The featured program includes:

Heidenröslein  D.257                            (1815)

Schäfers Klagelied D. 121                    (1814)

Der Sänger D. 149                               (1815)

Rastlose Liebe D. 138                          (1815)

An Mignon D. 161                               (1815)

Nähe des Geliebten D. 162                  (1815)

Der Fischer D. 225                              (1815)

An Schwager Kronos D. 369               (1816)

Gesänge des Harfners I                        (1816)

Gesänge des Harfners II                       (1816)

Gesänge des Harfners III                     (1816)

Auf dem See D. 543                            (1817)

Ganymed D. 544                                 (1817)

Prometheus D. 674                              (1819)

Der Musensohn D. 764                       (1822)

Wilkommen und Abschied D. 767       (1822)

Erlkönig D. 328                                  (1815)

December Schubertiade and Annual General Meeting

The final Schubertiade for 2008 will be held on December 7 (2.45 pm) at the Goethe Institute, 90 Ocean Street Woollahra. It will feature the wonderful flute virtuoso Emma Scholl, Associate Principal Flute of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra who will join the Sydney Schubert Ensemble in performance of chamber music by Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert. In particular we will be able to hear the hauntingly beautiful Variations on “Trockne Blumen” for Flute and Piano. Following the Schubertiade the Schubert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting. We would be delighted to welcome any new members to the committee as the Society must look towards renewal. I hope you will be able to join us for the AGM and to consider lending a helping hand in 2009.

Thank you for your support of the Schubert Society in 2008. I look forward to seeing you on October 5 when Michael Halliwell and Jeanell Carrigan will explore the world of Goethe and Schubert.

With warm wishes,

Goetz Richter, President