Word meets Music
„Time Warp – Remembering
Hannelore Elsner“
Embedded in the poems of some of the greatest poets, from Ovid to Eichendorff, Rückert, Heine Keller and Busch to Ringelnatz, are original texts from Hannelore Elsner’s autobiography “In Exuberance” that look back on the life of the actress. This text manuscript was originally a gift from Sebastian Knauer to Hannelore Elsner on her 75th birthday in 2018. This moving text is enriched by Sebastian Knauer, who has appeared in word and music meet programs with Hannelore Elsner for almost 20 years, with piano works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Chopin and Satie.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
„Hungarian Melody“
A portrait of the composer’s testimony with his music and poems by his friends
For a long time the composer was regarded as being rather placid and awkward, a shy musician at all times who brought forth songs and instrumental works as if in an inspired trance. In this allegory of dreams he appears as a profoundly reflective artist who traces with intensity the very source of his musical creations. Somewhere else he says of himself “my work exists only due to my understanding of music and my pain.” In this programme the texts are framed by piano works by Franz Schubert, amongst them the Impromptus op. 90 and op. 142 written during the final phase of his life which, thanks to their poetic wealth, have become the essence of Schubert’s piano music.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
“American dream”
A homage in words and music to George Gershwin.
The story of his short life and tremedous success became the essence of the American melting pot: The son of jewish immigrants did not only managed to quickly rise from poor beginnings to becoming a celebrated star on Broadway and darling of the high society, he also created a completely new and unique musical language.
Sebastian Knauer plays the solo-version of the “Rhapsody in Blue“ as well as preludes and pieces from Gershwin’s Songbook.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
„In a Sea of Harmony“
Bettina von Arnim und Ludwig van Beethoven
The encounter between the writer and poet Bettina von Arnim (1785 – 1859) and the “Titan” Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) in Vienna in 1810 forms the centre of the programme “In a Sea of Harmony”. Their encounter was one of deep intensity. In her writings, Bettina von Arnim would later describe their meeting with words of passion and deep admiration for the famous musician. Alternating with the readings, three of Beethoven’s most famous piano sonatas will be performed including “The Tempest” and the “Moonlight” sonata.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
“Harlequin seeks Columbina”
A musical conversation between Baroness Waldstätten and the absent Leopold Mozart about the women in the life of his son Wolfgang Amadeus.
Baroness Martha Elisabeth von Waldstätten, separated from her husband and well-known among the Viennese aristocracy, reminisces about her experiences with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with whom she had a close and personal relationship some years previously. The content of this monologue is predominantly based on letters by Leopold and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozrt as well as on authentic documents from Mozart’s days.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
„A Winter on Mallorca – The Truth“
George Sand und Klavierwerke von Frédéric Chopin
The program “A Winter in Mallorca – The Truth” tells the story of the trip to the island of Mallorca in winter 1838 by the composer Chopin with his eccentric, exotic partner, the writer George Sand. During this winter, Frédéric Chopin composed some of his most beautiful and famous works, such as the Préludes op. 28 with the famous “Raindrop Prelude”, the Polonaises op.40, the Mazurkas op. 41 and the Scherzo No.3 op. 39.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
„On Wings of Song“
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy und die Sängerin Jenny Lind
The Swedish opera diva who had first met the successful composer and celebrated conductor three years previously was, according to biographers, in a state of shock. She had adored Mendelssohn, who was eleven years her senior (and married), not only as a musician but had also, on her own admission, been in love with him. In the programme the association between Mendelssohn and Jenny Lind is retold from letters and contemporary documents. The text, which is presented in the form of memories by Jenny Lind, is framed by some of Mendelssohn’s piano works, amongst them the popular “Songs without Words“ and the “Variations sérieuses“, which is one of the most important works of the romantic piano repertoire.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER
„A Pilgrimage to Beethoven“
Richard Wagner wrote the story “A pilgrimage to Beethoven” for a music magazine when he was in his mid-twenties, still almost unknown and destitute living in Paris. In it, he, the great Beethoven enthusiast, takes a trip to Vienna to meet his idol and have extensive discussions with him. At the end, he convinced the great classical composer of a new type of opera dramaturgy that was surprisingly similar to his later acclaimed musical theater. The amusing story written by Wagner is garnished with short piano pieces by Beethoven, which Sebastian Knauer weaves in artfully.
„Moby Dick“
Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick“is one of the most iconic masterpieces in world literature.
The story of Moby Dick – narrated by the sailor Ishmael, the sole survivor of a whaling ship – is a challenge, an adventure and a great journey into the tough world of whaling and an anthem to the magic of the sea. Ulrich Tukur brings this masterpiece by the American author Herman Melville to the stage. The pianist Sebastian Knauer adds music by Franz Liszt, Fréderic Chopin, Modest Mussorgsky, Scott Joplin and others to this narration.
IDEA AND CONCEPT: SEBASTIAN KNAUER
TEXT: WOLFGANG KNAUER