Newsletter Vol 11 No 5 December 2007
Editorial
The untimely death of Gudrun Wagner at Bayreuth on 28th November, at the age of 63, adds another dimension to the much-discussed and unresolved predicament as to who will lead the festival in future. Unquestionably it was Frau Gudrun who led from behind the scenes of late. On the few occasions on which I met her I was struck by her friendly charm and became very aware of just how much unseen day-to-day hard work she did to keep the artistic and practical management of the festival running smoothly. Her sudden loss at this juncture will be sorely felt and the Society sends condolences to her husband Dr Wolfgang Wagner and their daughter Katharina.
Most of you will by now know the excellent news that our patron, Donald Runnicles OBE, is to return to Europe to take up two important appointments. One is in his native land, as conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The other, which also commences in the autumn of 2009, is as general music director of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin. Anyone who heard Donald's Götterdämmerung from the Proms in August, or who has attended his several visits to the Edinburgh International Festival, will need no reassurance that he is a Wagner conductor of the first rank: a fact well known since 1992 in San Francisco, at Bayreuth, in New York at the Met, in Berlin (where he conducted cycles of the Ring at the Deutsche Oper in the Spring), at Vienna's Staatsoper and many other famous places. We congratulate him on his new positions and look forward to hearing much more of him in the coming years.
Forthcoming Events
Sunday 16th December at 7.30pm: Christmas Party
Our traditional end of the year event is now fully subscribed. Would ticket holders please note that catering arrangements are now complete. The donation of a prize for the raffle or quiz is however always welcome!
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Sunday 13th January at 7.30pm: Young Singers From The Alexander Gibson Opera School
The head of vocal studies at the RSAMD in Glasgow, Christopher Underwood, talks about his work there, and he brings along a group of talented singers specially chosen for the occasion.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Admission £5.00 (members); £6.00 (guests)
Sunday 3rd February at 7.30pm: An Evening With KeithWarner
The director of the recent Covent Garden Ring cycle and the latest Bayreuth Lohengrin has plans for many more Wagner productions, indeed a desire to produce the whole canon. Another step in that direction comes next August with his Das Liebesverbot for the Glimmerglass Festival in New York State, which marks the first staging of the opera in North America. Keith Warner has fond associations with Scotland, dating from his period working with Scottish Opera in the 1980s. His conception of Wagner's output has caused as much controversy as praise: this is a splendid chance to discuss it with him face to face.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Admission £5.00 (members); £6.00 (guests)
Sunday 2nd March at 7.30pm: An Evening With Alexander Stoddart
The distinguished Scottish sculptor has a long-held and deep affinity with Richard Wagner and his works. He reflects this on several levels: musical and philosophical as well as visual. We will give more details of this event in our February Newsletter.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Admission £5.00 (members); £6.00 (guests)
April will bring a lecture from Dr Ian Robertson; for May and June we plan another lecture and an evening of film rarities.
July 11th - 15th : A Residential Study Weekend At Stirling University On Tristan Und Isolde
Please find enclosed with this mailing a brochure and application form. We recommend that members reserve places now, as accommodation is limited and we anticipate a fair number of applications. The Society has mounted two previous courses on Tristan. Those were both Glasgow events spread over several days, enabling delegates to see a selection of operas at the Theatre Royal, culminating in Scottish Opera's production of the Wagner work. This is therefore the first time Derek Watson has undertaken a detailed residential weekend devoted to the music of Tristan und Isolde. Book now to avoid disappointment
Can We All Sing?
A good question. And it is the inviting title of an excellent new paperback book by our eminent honorary member Linda Esther Gray. Such an often-debated subject (about which much harmful nonsense has been written) is considered here in approachable, enjoyable, yet practical and wise steps. Sensible advice is entertainingly entwined with witty illustrations by Caroline Finlayson. Can we all sing? No, but we can try! And we can certainly enjoy this little book which is a 'must' not just for would-be vocalists, but for all who desire to understand the art of singing. Here are details of the book, and how to order it:
Can We All Sing? A Handbook For Singers
ISBN 978-0-9555505-1-5
Available @ £7.99 from:
Green Oak Publishing
35 Green Lane, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 5BX
Members will be sad to learn of the recent death of Nisbet Cunningham, an early and devoted supporter of our Society. He attended one of the first post-war Bayreuth festivals and shared his passion for Wagner with his good friend Alexander Gibson. Nisbet rejoiced in Scottish Opera's many marvellous achievements with Wagner, and he constantly encouraged others to share his enthusiasm for the Master. His local music society at St Fillans in Perthshire was no less a cause for his energies, and he was immensely proud of inaugurating a number of Wagner weekends there, which drew to that beautiful corner of Scotland both seasoned devotees and total newcomers to Wagner's art. We send our best wishes to his wife and family.
News in Brief
- Linda Esther Gray is engaged upon a biography of Dame Eva Turner, due to be published in 2009.
- Live relays of productions from the New York Met are being screened at various cinemas, and the season includes Tristan und Isolde on 22nd March. Participating cinemas in Scotland are the Cameo (Edinburgh), Belmont (Aberdeen) and the Pavilion (Galashiels). Further information at www.picturehouses.co.uk, or telephone 0871 704 2068
- The mezzo-soprano Cheryl Forbes with Julia Lynch, piano, include the Wesendonk Lieder at a lunchtime concert in Glasgow's Merchants House on Thursday 3rd April. Further information from Helen McVey of Westbourne Music on 0141 649 5347
- The Richard Wagner Festival at Wels, Austria, presents Parsifal and Der fliegende Holländer 25th-31st May. www.wagner-festival-wels.com
- Our former Bayreuth Scholar, Donna Nicholson-Arnott, has won a place in the prestigious Jerwood Drawing Prize 2007. Her work can be seen in their exhibition at the Mackintosh Gallery, Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfield Street, until 12th January.
Special Book Offer
Richard Wagner's Zurich: The Muse of Place by Chris Walton
Camden House. Hardback. 295pp. ISBN 1571133313
It is as clear as the crystal waters of a Swiss mountain stream that Wagner invented his own Zurich in his writings, and that subsequent biographers largely echoed him. For the first time - in writing that embraces musical insights from first-hand knowledge of Zurich and its archives, a firm grasp of a miscellany of sources, and an ever-engaging wit - we have the true picture of Wagner's Swiss sojourn of a century-and-a-half ago. Professor Walton's talks to our own Society over the years have enriched our knowledge of the Wesendoncks, the cultural milieu of Zurich, and the impact of the country's scenery upon Wagner's imagination. He here presents a prolific wealth of detail in an entertaining and readable style. This book completes the biography of a full decade in the composer's career that no student of his life should be without.
RRP £35.00. Our price to members: £29.50 [postage extra = £2.50]
Copies will be available at the Christmas Party. If you are not attending on 9th December but would like to reserve a copy, please order through Derek Watson (address below) enclosing a cheque made payable to Linton Books for £29.50, and your book can be collected at a future meeting. If you wish the book to be posted please send a cheque for £32.00.
With our next Newsletter...
...full details of our 2008 events for March, April, May & June and some more Book & CD offers.
Chairman and Newsletter editor: Derek Watson, Deanfoot House, West Linton, Peeblesshire EH46 7EA Tel 01968 660339 Fax 01968 661701; e-mail derek@lintonbooks.plus.com
Secretary: W S Scott, 83 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh EH7 4HU; Tel 0131-556 2617; Fax 0870 0568159; e-mail will@elgar1.plus.com
Treasurer: John Holcombe, 4 Galleon Court, Lamer Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1GX; e-mail john@holc.wanadoo.co.uk
