THE Brodowski Quartet's next concert will bring the composer Franz Schubert to life, literally. The quartet's cellist tells Kerry Ann Eustice how this event could lose classical its stuffy image
USING its Bulldog Scholarship - awarded to the quartet by Trinity College of Music - the hotly tipped Brodowski Quartet has
devised an event which disregards the typical conventions of a classical music concert by having no barriers between the audience and musicians.
This is going to be largely achieved via an appearance from Schubert. Not courtesy of a seance, or anything spooky like that, but actor Chris Hampson (pictured), who, as Schubert, will greet quests, give speeches about his influences, life and loves for an engaging and
informal feel.
Lots of conversation about the music, some poetry and setting the concert in what cellist Vanessa Lucas-Smith calls a "bohemian living room" will also add to the innovatively
casual setting.
"There'll be cushions on the floor and we will have wine, it will have a more intimate and
relaxed atmosphere," she said.
"Classical music is usually played in big concert halls or a
formal setting. We wanted something more intimate to allow communication with the audience.
advertisement
"Chamber music was designed for small rooms not concert halls where the intimacy is often lost."
In the composer's day this set-up was not uncommon. He often
performed for friends at similar Schubertiade get-togethers and Vanessa feels it is high time classical returns to its roots.
"Often musicians don't even talk to the audience, they just take a bow and start playing. When we were given the scholarship we wanted to appeal to students by finding a different way."
The quartet also hopes the event will bring the lighter side of the composer - whose manic depression was well documented in his music (such as Death of a Maiden) and letters - to the fore.
Vanessa said: "Everyone will learn something and appreciate the music. Some pieces are long and people can get bored or lost but giving them some background helps put the music into context.
"Our audience will be less than a metre away. It could break down the mystery of classical music."
The Schubertiade Project, March 11, 7pm. Trinity College of Music, Greenwich.
Schubert's costume courtesy of Spectum Drama - spectrumdrama.com
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
