Schubert performance has echoes of the past

29 September 2009

School of Music Schubert performance has echoes of the past

It will almost be a case of history repeating itself, when two of Wellington’s leading musicians perform Franz Schubert’s masterpiece, Winterreise (Winter Journey) at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) on October 9.

Twenty years ago, the then School of Music at Victoria University performed Winterreise as part of a series of concerts to celebrate the opening of its new custom-built accommodation, the Adam Concert Room, built with generous support from the Adam Foundation set up by Denis and Verna Adam.

Baritone Peter Russell, then a Senior Lecturer in German at Victoria University, sang the work with accompaniment by pianist Margaret Nielsen.

“It was June 1989 and we were performing in the Adam Concert Room. No sooner had the applause ended than an excited voice was heard from the back telling us about a massacre that had just taken place in Tiananmen Square. It was a surreal moment, considering we had just performed this deeply introspective work of German Romanticism,” says Dr Russell.

Now, more than 20 years later, Dr Russell is again set to perform Schubert’s epic work at the NZSM, a centre of musical excellence operated jointly by Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University.

“It’s ironic that this performance is at a time when staff and students of the NZSM are looking once again to move to a new building downtown.”

Taking the place of Dr Russell’s long-time musical collaborator Margaret Nielsen, who recently retired from public performance, is renowned pianist Diedre Irons.

“Diedre and I were attracted by the idea of performing Winterreise because it represents the pinnacle of Schubert’s work. It’s a piece that’s close to my heart and I’m thoroughly looking forward to performing it.”

The work, which features 24 songs and runs for 74 minutes, tells the tale of a wanderer betrayed in love and was described by Schubert as his ‘cycle of terrifying songs’. It was completed shortly before his death at the age of 31.

“I’m hoping that this time the performance will be untouched by larger political events,” he says.

Dr Russell, who retired from Victoria University as Associate Professor in 2006, has had a long and distinguished career as a song recitalist and, in particular, as a singer of lieder – a subject on which he has also published books. With Margaret Nielsen, he recorded more than 50 programmes for Radio New Zealand’s Concert FM station and regularly gave lunchtime performances at the University.

Peter Russell and Diedre Irons will perform Winterreise on Friday 9 October at 6.00pm in the Hunter Council Chamber, Level 2, Hunter Building, Victoria University, Gate 1, Kelburn Parade

ENDS

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