Why you shouldn't miss 'Im wunderschönen Monat Mai' at Paradiso

Wednesday 16 January Reinbert de Leeuw presents in Paradiso its cycle Im wunderschönen Monat Mai. A unique opportunity to see him at work once more in his globally believed masterpiece. In 2003, he surprised friend and foe alike with this composition inspired by songs by Schumann and Schubert. Wasn't that swearing in church? After all, Arnold Schoenberg had definitely buried Romanticism in the early 20th century. After World War II, his heirs Boulez and Stockhausen had rolled another stone on the grave.

That precisely De Leeuw, the apologist of new music, would pay tribute to Romanticism seemed unthinkable. But the world premiere in Paradiso with the Schönberg Ensemble and German actress Barbara Sukowa garnered jubilant reviews. More than 15 years later, Im wunderschönen Monat Mai back at Paradiso, this time with actress/singer Katja Herbers. De Leeuw once again sits at the piano and conducts the Asko|Schönberg, successor to the Schönberg Ensemble.

'Dort wo Du nicht bist, dort ist das Glück

De Leeuw manages to make an intriguing connection between tradition and innovation in this cycle. Take the subtitle Dreimal sieben Lieder nach Schumann und Schubert. Which refers to the 'three times seven poems of Albert Giraud' to which Schoenberg in 1912 Pierrot lunaire based. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai begins and ends with notes derived from this. These seamlessly join the sounds of his predecessors. Thus De Leeuw realises a fascinating journey through Romanticism, the century of nostalgic longing for happiness. Which always turns out to be located 'dort wo Du nicht bist'.

Like Schoenberg, De Leeuw uses the so-called 'Sprechgesang'. In this stylised vocal style, the boundaries between singing and speaking are dissolved. Schoenberg had Pierrot lunaire therefore not composed for a singer but for an actress. In his preface, he emphasises that the rhythm must be precisely maintained, while the pitch must be hit but immediately left again. Exactly as we do in spoken language; it should definitely not become a 'singing speech'.

Barbara Sukowa

Pierrot lunaire is considered a turning point in modern music and was praised by contemporaries such as Puccini and Stravinsky. In 1974, the cycle formed the basis of the Schönberg Ensemble and gradually became their signature piece. For a performance in the 1984 Holland Festival, they enlisted German actress Barbara Sukowa. Although she was not a trained singer, she knew exactly how to capture Schönberg's intended wryness in her interpretation. The performance in Theater Carré was a resounding success and was repeated many times with great success.

Gradually, a strong bond develops between De Leeuw and Sukowa. They discuss their love of German Lieder and make lists of their favourite songs. One day, Sukowa puts in Schumann's 'Ich grolle nicht' and Reinbert jumps behind the piano: 'It's actually a kind of pop song, it enters you immediately.' In a flash, he hears a complete cycle based on the music of Schumann and Schubert. 'It was the same feeling I had around the age of 12, when I wanted to be a composer. I only had to go home and write down the piece, the material was already there.'

Theatrical

In two months, he completes Im wunderschönen Monat Mai. The title refers to the song of the same name from Schumann's Dichterliebe with which the cycle opens. He lards his instrumentation with snatches of chamber music by Schubert and Schumann. The performance is theatrically conceived. The singer moves around the room while speaking and engages in brief interactions with the 14 musicians.

Thus, De Leeuw aims to restore the original expressiveness of the romantic song. 'In the nineteenth century, songs were performed in the intimate setting of a living room. Everyone knew the poems of Heine and Goethe; the text was experienced very intensely. He experiences the modern song recital as contrived. 'It seems more important to make the d's and t's intelligible than to convey the meaning of the verses,' he says. As an actress, Barbara actually approaches them from the inside so that she enters you with incredible directness.'

Feelings magnified

He wrote Im wunderschönen Monat Mai admittedly for Sukowa but today regularly performs the cycle with other vocalists. In one long journey, the whole of Romanticism is summed up. In his arrangement, De Leeuw further sharpens the already fierce feelings. For instance, the singer turns fond of the word 'küssen' from the well-known song 'Gretchen am Spinnrade'. In 'Heidenröslein', she captures the violent undertone of the poem with terrifying whispers. - In the original song, it is hidden behind lovely music.

In 'Erlkönig', the intonation of the various speakers is magnified. The Elf King's whistling sounds terrifyingly false, the child's panicked cries pierce through the flesh, the father tries to spell doom in a heavy voice. In the concluding song, 'Die alten bösen Lieder', De Leeuw again interweaves Schoenberg and Schumann. Their notes form a beautiful dying quartet of piano, viola and two cellos. De Leeuw: 'Schumann's closing line - "Ich senkt' auch meinen Schmerz hinein" - sums up the whole of Romanticism for me.'

In celebration of Reinbert's 80^e birthday Katja Herbers already gave a penetrating rendition of 'Heidenröslein'. Her interpretation of the complete cycle is therefore not to be missed by anyone.