VIAF 2024

LIEDER EVENING

It has to be said from the start that this was a marvellous experience from beginning to end. The basic ingredients were there in two superbly talented Italian musicians. Soprano Giorgia Teodoro has a commanding presence, of comely aspect and mien, combined with a beautiful wide-ranging voice, clear diction and outstanding interpretative power, accentuating the point when she changes her facial expression, arms and hands to bring the message home. This she did firmly and convincingly but never in an exaggerated manner.

Pianist Michele Fazio proved to be the ideal accompanist, supportive and with a solid rapport with the singer which projected the feeling that piano and voice were merged into one unit. This is essential in Lieder singing in which the piano has the first and last words. The first bars hint at what the listener is to expect, the singer has a lot of scope in which to convey the essential points in the lyrics. It could be a sense of elation, passionate love, delusion and disappointment. The final bars sum it all up.

That being told, Michele Fazio concert pianism was evident when more or less half-way through the concert he performed three of Schumann’s eight Fantasiestücke, Op. 12.

These were Warum? (n.3), Aufschwung (n.2) and Ende vom Lied (n.😎. There was a keeness in n.3: Why? An exciting sweep marked n.2 : Soaring, and a kind of summing up in n. 8: End of the Song.

No Liederabend could do without the vast choice Schubert offers. Of some 600 pieces there were five Lieder on offer. One was Gretchen am Spinnrade, D. 118 and one of my favourites. Very mature for a 16/17-year old composer. The voice projected Gretchen’s “Angst” and heaviness of heart while the piano’s ostinato evocation of a spinning wheel completed the scene. Giorgia Teodoro chose three Lieder from the Winterreise cycle, D. 911.

The first chosen Lied was Die Wetterfane (Weather vane) evoking the traveler’s discomfort at the changing whims and moods of a faithless lover. N.5 Der Lindenbaum (The Linden Tree) is in that sphere where one compares the inner self with a beautiful insight of a linden tree. Der Post (The Post): the piano hints at the sound of an approaching mail coach. Mail could bring good or bad news, and no mail at all could be worse.

The last Schubert Lied was Die junge Nonne (The young nun), D.828. Fervent and ardent, strong and powerful, it ended with two trance-like Alleluias.

Brahms was another great composer of Lieder which in this evening’s choice came with Von ewiger Liebe, op. 42, n.1 which is a strong look and evocation of the inner characters and reaction to circumstances affecting their relationship.

Another famous songster, Robert Schumann was Brahms’s mentor. In the former’s Waldgespräch Op. 39, n. 3 (Conversation in the Forest) the duo excellently interpreted the differences between the deceptive allure of a beautiful siren and the man who unwittingly offers to help her and ends up entangled in a haunted forest. All that glitters is not gold!

Continuing with Schumann, Ich grolle nicht (I bear no grudge) from Dichterliebe Op. 48,.n.7. Despite the title this is a clearly ironic dig at the other person once loved by the poet. In the appropriately martial Die beide Grenadiere, The two grenadiers Op 49 n.1 was an amusing piece which also included a snippet from the Marseillaise.

By then Giorgia Teodoro had changed into something more colurful and ended the evening with a selection of works by Mahler. First with Erinnnerung (Recollection) and Hans und Grethe from Lieder und Gesänge, Vol 1., with their full late Romantic flavour and most endearing in the former Lied.

From Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The boy’s magic horn) the choice fell upon the very evocative Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt (Anthony of Padua preaching to fishes) and Das iridische Leben (Life on earth). A very moving piece. More angst and concluding uncertainty.

A very very warm applause resulted in an encore, Zueignung, Op.19, n.1, by Richard Strauß.

In his concluding address Rev. George Frendo thanked the performers for their splendid performance. He also thanked Dr. Joseph Ellis for being mainly instrumental in their participation in the festival.

Albert George Storace.