Emotive romantic music of the 19th century from Germany and Chinese choir music – how do the two go together? Actually, very well – as members of the University of Bremen’s Orchestra and Choir will be able to tell you. The Chinese audience, too, was very appreciative when last year the Bremen ensemble led by Susanne Gläß went on a concert tour of China. Very soon the Chinese will reciprocate: In mid-July 2014 the Shanghai University Choir will be coming to Bremen to perform two concerts together with the University of Bremen’s Orchestra and Choir. On Saturday 19 July 2014 at 8.00 p.m. they will perform a concert titled “Lust auf Musik” in the Gutsscheune, Stuhr/Varrel. Tickets cost twelve euros, special reduced price eight euros. The second concert will take place on Sunday 20 July at 7.30 p.m. in “Haus am Walde”, or in the event of bad weather in the University of Bremen’s GW1 lecture hall (Universitätsallee, opposite the Universum). On this evening entrance is free, although donations would be welcome.
The joint performance will make a spirited start with Alexander Tscherepnin’s Paukenkonzert (Soloist: Christian Süssle). This will be followed by Max Bruch‘s serene and romantic 3rd Symphony, which he originally wanted to call "Der Rhein". Although Bruch‘s concert for violin enjoys considerable popularity, his symphonies are somewhat surprisingly much less known but certainly worth exploring. Fitting for the occasion, the two choirs will sing together songs written by Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. These siblings were very close all their lives and always worked together on their compositions. In an interesting contrast to the romantic German music, the bouncy student choir from Shanghai will close the concert with a repertoire of Chinese songs. Towards the end of the concert they will be joined by the German choir to sing four Chinese songs together. Of particular note: A whole range of Chinese music will be performed, from traditional to modern pieces.
The University Choir has been cooperating with two Chinese universities for a year now: In June 2013 the “Orchestra of Chinese Folk Music” from the Ocean University of China in Qingdao came to Bremen: And in September 2013 the University of Bremen’s Orchestra and Choir undertook a two-week concert tour in China, performing in Shanghai, Qingdao and Beijing. In China, the Bremen musicians sang Orff‘s Carmina Burana, a repertoire of international songs, and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah. The tour was a great success, and the audience was enthralled by Carmina Burana, which rather amazingly was quite unknown in China.
If you would like to obtain more information on this topic, please contact:
University of Bremen
Dr. Susanne Gläß
University Musical Director
Phone: +49421 218 60109
email susanne.glaessprotect me ?!t-onlineprotect me ?!.de
www.orchester-und-chor.uni-bremen.de
