Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0355/03556.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 21KB | 360 lines

$Unique_ID{COW03556}
$Pretitle{442}
$Title{Switzerland
Music in Switzerland}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Rene Levy}
$Affiliation{Arts Coucil of Switzerland}
$Subject{music
swiss
works
composers
switzerland
musicians
composer
own
international
major}
$Date{1986}
$Log{Lake View*0355601.scf
}
Country:     Switzerland
Book:        The Social Structure of Switzerland Outline of a Society
Author:      Rene Levy
Affiliation: Arts Coucil of Switzerland
Date:        1986

Music in Switzerland

[See Lake View: Courtesy Embassy of Switzerland, Washington DC]

     "Unity in diversity" - this phrase is an apt epithet for Switzerland's
intellectual and artistic activities. In general, however, it is easier to see
the diversity than to recognize the unity, since art in all its forms
expresses itself in nuances and reflects a broad spectrum of intellectual and
spiritual attitudes.

     It has often been said that there is really no such thing as Swiss music
per se, only music in Switzerland and Swiss musicians. There is some validity
to this view. Each section of the country - German, French and Italian
speaking - naturally has close cultural ties to the broader linguistic region
of which it is a part and has shared its artistic development in the course of
the centuries. Switzerland as a whole has played a very modest role in the
history of music. At the same time it should be pointed out that such
religious centers as the monasteries at Einsiedeln and St. Gallen were quite
important in the development of the Gregorian chant. The Reformation produced
a style, characterized by splendid chorales, which is still echoed in the
works of many Swiss composers.

     There are probably few countries in which so broad a range of musical
conceptions and influences have met and intermingled as is the case in
Switzerland. Until the end of the 19th century German-Swiss musicians set the
tons for the entire nation. It was only with the advent of Ernest Ansermet,
who founded the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in 1915, that the
French-speaking part of the country became conscious of its own latin
personality, which at first expressed itself through performances of the works
of Debussy. At the same time Ansermet was greatly concerned with introducing
the music of such composers as Paul Hindemith and Alban Berg to the
conservative musical circles of German-speaking Switzerland.

     Today the situation is somewhat reversed. Ernest Ansermet, whose name is
inextricably linked with the propagation of contemporary music, is now more
concerned with limiting a trend which, in his view, is leading to excesses. He
has by and large rejected experiments with atonal music and bases his efforts
on expressive forms which he regards as part of music's natural development,
based upon the works of such composers as Bela Bartok, Paul Hindemith, Arthur
Honegger, Frank Martin and Igor Stravinsky (with the exception of his latest
works).

     Moreover, today it is the major German-Swiss cities of Basel and Zurich
which are most concerned with the nurturing of contemporary and experimental
music in Switzerland. Paul Sacher, with the Basler Chamber Orchestra and the
Collegium Musicum Zurich, has made great contributions along these lines
during the past 20 years. The youthful Rato Tschupp, with his Camerata
Zurich, has followed in Sacher`s footsteps with increasing decisiveness and
genuine engagement, and has presented the world premieres of many works by
modern Swiss and non-Swiss composers. Other ensembles which should be named in
this context are the Beromunster Radio Orchestra (Erich Schmid, first
conductor) and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra (for many years under Hans
Rosbaud; now led by Rudolf Kempe). The Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and the
Winterthur Philharmonic, both under the baton of Victor Desarzens should also
be mentioned. The Zurich Opera House has also contributed to the history of
opera by presenting a number of important world premieres, including
Hindemith's "Mathis der Maler" (1938), Alban Berg's "Lulu" (1937), the first
performance of the second version of Hindemith's "Cardillac" (1952) and the
first staged presentation of Schonberg's "Moses and Aaron" (1957).

     The experimental movement in contemporary music, as typified by Pierre
Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen or Luigi Nono, has thus far gained only a small
audience in Switzerland - but an enthusiastic one. Among the broad
concertgoing public, and among Swiss musicians, there is still a good deal of
resistance to the more radical works. Here and there, however, groups have
sprung up which are dedicated to propagating this music. In Geneva there are
the concerts presented by Queen Marie-Jose in her own home, and the
international composers' competition which she initiated, as well as the
activities of the young composer Jacques Guyonnet. Also worthy of mention is
the Centre de premieres auditions (headed by Mlle E.I. Clerc), which has thus
far presented well over 100 concerts and has always devoted ample attention to
works by composers from the non-French world. The Basel Music Academy invited
Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Henri Pousseur, as respected
representatives of avant-garde music, to give a series of special courses. And
the Geneva Radio Studio has become a virtual study center for electronic
music.

The Concert Scene: Choruses, Orchestras and Conductors

     Our brief survey can naturally offer only a fragmentary view of the Swiss
concert scene. A small country in the heart of Europe, Switzerland attracts
the leading musicians of our time to its concert halls. In the larger cities
the concert season extends over virtually the entire year; the number and
variety of performances offered is in fact so great that it may almost be
regarded as excessive, despite a steadily growing concert-going public which
includes all segments of the population. Switzerland also has its
international festivals, among which those of Lucerne, Zurich and Montreux
enjoy worldwide repute.

     Mention should also be made of choral singing, which has always played an
important educative role in Switzerland. Particularly for the German-Swiss,
choral singing has become almost second nature. While it is less common among
the more individualistic French-Swiss, the major choral groups of Canton Vaud,
to take but one example, can hold their own with the best that has been
produced by the German-speaking part of the country. Choral singing is
particularly dear to Swiss hearts and has been a source of inspiration for
some contemporary Swiss music (one major example is Honegger's oratorio "King
David"). Finally, the Chorus of Italian-Swiss Radio, under Edwin Lohner, has
gained international recognition and recently received a major award for one
of its recordings.

     Equally worthy of mention are the orchestras, conductors and soloists who
do  honor to the country's musical tradition, as well as the Swiss music
academies and opera houses (of which the one in Geneva was recently
reactivated). We shall confine ourselves here to enumerating the major Swiss
symphony orchestras:

     The Orchestre de la Suisee Romande, under Ernest Ansermet, has gained
international acclaim through its many recordings and concert tours (several
of its recordings have been awarded prizes). Zurich's Tonhalle Orchestra,
under the baton of Rudolf Kempe, offers a particularly wide range of
repertoire, including experimental works and programs for youth. Other
important ensembles are the symphony orchestras of Basel (under Wolfgang
Sawallisch and Berne (under Paul Klecki until 1968), as well as the Winterthur
Philharmonic Orchestra (Winterthur is a small city, important for its
industry, and thanks to the efforts of a few patrons of the arts it has gained
an artistic importance far out of proportion to its size).

     A few Swiss chamber ensembles, such as the Festival Strings Lucerne, the
Collegium Musicum Zurich and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, have undertaken
international concert tours, as has Basel's Schola C