Schubertiade — the annual celebration of Franz Schubert organized by that dynamic and talented couple, Bill Lutes and Martha Fischer— has become a Madison institution.
Based on the model of the musicales designed by Schubert’s friends and supporters, the latest event, on Jan. 27 at Mills Hall, explored the music Schubert composed in his very last year (1938), just before his tragically premature death, at age 31.
This sixth Schubertiade was a double-barreled affair. The concert was preceded by a lecture from a special guest, the Schubert specialist Susan Youens, professor emerita at Notre Dame University. In her lecture, she pointed out features of Schubert’s late compositional style. And then, in the concert itself, she was called upon frequently to give comments.
The concert, as always, included the composer’s wonderful songs, plus an example each of his piano duets and his chamber music. In the instrumental sector, there was a delicious rondo for piano four-hands, played by the founding duo. And there was the slow movement of the Piano Trio No. 2, played with wonderful effectiveness by the talented student members of the Perlman Trio. But it was the songs that displayed the intense personal involvement Schubert had with these texts, as his life was ebbing away.
As always, Lutes and Fischer brought with them a raft of singers from the Mead Witter School of Music at UW-Madison. Five are members of the voice faculty (sopranos Julia Rottmayer and Mimmi Fulmer, mezzos Cheryl Bensman-Rowe and Martha Fischer herself, and baritone Paul Rowe). The horn player, Joanna Schultz, is also a faculty member. And three of the singers are current graduate students (Sarah Brailey, plus tenors Wesley Dunnagan and Benjamin Hopkins). Each of these singers deserves praise, and it is unfair to single out just a few individuals. But Brailey impressed, as always, with her powerful voice and manner, while Rottmayer really bowled me over for her beautifully strong singing and dramatic engagement. Fulmer was also exemplary in her dramatic sensitivity. Dunnagan is a singer of established maturity, but I was taken by the lighter, quite sensitive work of Hopkins. And Rowe was eloquent in his masculine renditions.
As always, the audience joined the performers in singing that song masterpiece, An die Musik (To Music).
A carefully prepared program and a multi-page handout with the full German song texts, with English translations, allowed the audience to become fully immersed in the music.
And what absolutely wonderful music!
