Lieder Abend “Vienna 1900” (6/18/13)

This was a wonderful lieder concert at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York. Often, the concerts at ACFNY turn out to be just “too much, too much” for me. And this one almost started out that way. Amira Elmadfa, mezzo-soprano, and Paul Plummer, piano presented a very ambitious program.

Two Lieder op. 14, Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951); Five Lieder op. 4 based on poems by
S. George, Anton Webern (1883–1954); The Book of the Hanging Gardens, op. 15, S. George, Schoenberg; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Gustav Mahler (1860–1911); Four Lieder op. 2, Alban Berg (1885–1935); and Three ‘Breittl – Lieder’, Schoenberg, was the program.

Obviously, I can’t comment on every song by every composer, so some broad brush strokes are in order here. First, Ms. Elmadfa and Mr. Plummer were consummate performers and consummate partners. I was a little taken aback by Ms. Elmadfa’s breathing technique. I was often aware of what looked like double-clutching her diaphragm before approaching some phrases. Her singing was fine—the technique was a little unnerving.

Now, on to all the positives. Of the first two Schoenberg lied, the second appealed to me more. Both were spiky in sung intervals and slightly choppy as far as written phrases within each song were concerned. The Webern songs were a little more accessible, with more linear settings and longer vocal lines but still with modern sounds, both in harmonies and vocal intervals. The second Schoenberg set made a better impression on me than the opening lied. I particularly liked the third song in the set – Als Neuling trat ich ein.

When we got to the Mahler, we also got to more traditional lieder—strophic texts, more “singable” vocal lines, etc. What we also got was portions of text/settings that were very dramatic and declamatory. That’s when I had my aha! moment. Schoenberg and Webern had taken the most dramatic and forward-thinking ideas from the Mahler lieder and used them as springboards for their deconstruction/reconstruction of lied. It made perfect sense, though it cam from a backwards demonstration.

The Berg songs were all linked by sleep, sleep, sleep, and death. But they were pretty, calm, and peaceful.

The final Schoenberg lied were a complete about face—strophic, coquettish, playful, bright, and cheerful. I never knew Schoenberg had that in him! They were the perfect choice to end the concert with. Ms. Elmadfa handled these well, but I think her heart was in the darker lied. All in all, a wonderful concert at one of my favorite (if eclectic) halls.

ConcertMeister