Schumann at Stanford.
On Sunday afternoon, June 22, 2014, I attended an enjoyable and creative concert arranged by the St. Lawrence String Quartet. While the quartet itself did not perform, violinist Geoff Nuttal hosted a wonderful and instructive program, with the performance of Robert Schumann’s song cycle “Dichterliebe” (Poet’s Love).
The performers were Baritone Tyler Duncan, and pianist Pedja Muzijevic.
Back in the 1800’s there were many poets writing about the blossoms in spring, the thoughts of Love, the pain of Love’s loss, the lover who died, and much more. And composers such as Franz Schubert were right there, ready to set these poems to music, so that people could be entertained. It is that setting that gave us song cycles such as “Die Winterreise” (Winter’s Journey) by Schubert, and “Dichterliebe”, which was beautifully performed on Sunday afternoon.
One of the most creative parts of this concert was the fact that the artists devoted the first 30 minutes to illustrate how subtle aspects of music make a huge difference in the results achieved. Mr. Nuttal illustrated the power of the poet’s word, when one heard the identical sounds played on the violin alone vs. being sung. Other aspects of the music were also illustrated, which provided an additional dimension for the enjoyment of the performance.
Baritone Tyler Duncan has a warm, powerful, dark and pleasant voice, both as a speaker and as a singer. His enunciation was excellent, and he achieved great drama in many of Schumann’s songs.
Pedja Muzijevic was very effective as the accompanying pianist, and he provided excellent support for Mr. Duncan.
Overall, this concert was another example of the creative ways in which the St. Lawrence String Quartet supports music education at Stanford and the community. What I mean is that the afternoon would have been very satisfying as a performance of the Schumann alone. But Geoff Nuttal added another dimension, which made a large difference for any attending student and for the audience.
Tags: Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe, Tyler Duncan, Geoff Nuttal, Pedja Muzijevic
