Christoph Müller about the programme for 2012
AIR – Music is in the air
Thanks to the element “air” we are able to smell pleasant scents or terrible stenches, we are able to perceive cold or heat, or sense a wind as a tepid summer breeze or as a frightful summer storm. Air has character; it is at times mild and agreeable, or harsh, severe and raw, or even brutal. Air nourishes every form of life. Without air there would not be life. And without air there wouldn’t be music! It is the element “air” that transports the sound waves created by instruments or voices to the ears of listeners. Wind instruments need to be supplied with air to sound, and it is the musician’s art to regulate the flow of air so that music is created and not merely noise.
Gusts of wind and storms have inspired composers from all epochs to express the power of “air displacement” in music. Vivaldi did so in his “Four Seasons” with an unmistakable summer storm, and Astor Piazzolla responded to Vivaldi from the perspective of a 20th century Argentinian with his “Stagioni”. Respighi composed the “Pines of Rome” and Beethoven wrote his “stormy” sonata “The Tempest”, which according to Goethe can only be understood after having read Shakespeare’s work of the same title. And Baroque composers in general sensed a direct connection to natural phenomena: Matthew Locke with his “Tempests”, Rebel with his “Elements”, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” as well as his violin concerto “Tempesta di Mare”, etc. Bach designated some of the most beautiful movements from his suites as “Airs”, not in the sense of a dance movement but as a slow, tranquil, song-like movement, an Aria. It is through its French translation that the word “Air” is placed in reference to wind and thus characterizes these pieces in a figurative sense as light and “airy”.
The festival’s theme of “Air” allows us to hover between reality and dreams, between heaven and earth, or even between the “Planets”, as so beautifully set to music by Gustav Holst. As the fourth in our cycle of “element” themes it is perhaps the most varied of all.
Celebrated violinist Julia Fischer has an intimate relationship to our region: since her participation at the age of six at her teacher Anna Chumacheno’s course at Prof. Kurt Pahlen’s summer music academy in Lenk in the upper Simmental, she returned yearly to the region until her international career skyrocketed. She now returns to host three concerts at the Menuhin Festival and will perform as a soloist and chamber musician with artists of her choice at the church in Saanen. András Schiff combines his recital with a master class lasting several days. The Menuhin Festival has expanded its offering of master classes with Andras Schiff, an offering that began with the Vocal Academy taught by Silvana Bazzoni-Bartoli and Cecilia Bartoli. And with regard to Bartoli: there will be a special premiere on 7 September 2012. Together with the kammerorchesterbasel Cecilia Bartoli will present the programme in Gstaad that she will later perform in 20 of Europe’s music centers. The programme will be rehearsed in Gstaad and performed for the first time at the church in Saanen. A royal symphonic visit from London: the LSO returns once again to Gstaad after a one-year absence, bringing the scores for two great symphonic works in its baggage: Hector Berlioz’ “Symphonie Fantastique” and Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony, “Titan”. The orchestra’s famous permanent guest conductor Michael Tilson Thomas will direct both concerts and accompany pianist Emanuel Ax, who will perform as soloist in both concerts. Maestro David Zinman will appear with our Gstaad Festival Orchestra conducting Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “from the new world”. The success of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra throughout Europe has not gone unnoticed. The ensemble will perform once again in many European cities, including Munich, Vaduz, Merano and at the French Festival La Chaise Dieu, under the direction of Kristjan Järvi. One of the very special highlights of this concert tour will be the performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”: Kristjan Järvi will meet the MDR Radio Chorus from Leizpzig for the first time; he will assume the position as the MDR General Music Director at the beginning of the 2012/2013 season. Another sensational premiere in Gstaad!
From all points of view the top of Switzerland: our “native” conductor Philippe Bach, General Music Director in Meiningen for his part, has prepared a gala evening of opera music for us together with star singer Noëmi Nadelmann and the Basel Symphony Orchestra. A Swiss production with international appeal.
We will celebrate the close of the festival truly in the spirit of the festival’s founder Lord Menuhin with the “Tout le Monde du Violon” Week. The role of the violin as an ambassador between cultures takes on special meaning at the Menuhin Festival in 2012. The “Sinti and Romani Philharmonic” unites musicians with Sinti or Romani heritage from many top European orchestras; the convergence of ensembles from Hungary and Romania, the dance groups and children’s choirs under the direction of Ida Kelarova and other exciting encounters are sure to guarantee an electrifying mood in the festival tent!
We also look forward to having many artists back with us again in 2012. Nigel Kennedy will be performing an “acoustic” concert (i.e., without electrical amplification) at the church in Saanen. Patricia Kapatchinskaja, for her part, will be performing with Fazil Say in concert as well as in trio with Khatia Buniatischvili and Sol Gabetta in yet another concert. And there will be the guitarists Los Romeros, the King’s Singers, the Camerata Salzburg and many others. More than 500 musicians from around the world will be performing in more than 50 concerts in diverse musical worlds, all at the fascinating Menuhin Festival Gstaad.
The climate and the environment in Saanenland are considered healthy, relaxing and inspiring by residents and by visitors alike. The air in this mountainous region has a different effect on our sense of well-being than the air in a big city, especially during the summertime. Music has been in the air in Gstaad every summer for the past 55 years. And this year we have finally made it our theme, the air!
Welcome to the Menuhin Festival 2012.
Yours,
Christoph Müller, Intendant
