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Evening Concert: Counterworlds – A Portrait of Ludwig Gruber and Arnold Schönberg
July 3 | 7:00 pm
The ACF is delighted to welcome the three esteemed Austrian musicians Agnes Palmisano, Andreas Teufel and Daniel Fuchsberger to London, presenting their brand new programme “Counterworlds: A Portrait of Ludwig Gruber and Arnold Schönberg“.
Agnes Palmisano, master of the ‘Dudler‘ technique, a special Viennese version of yodelling, will lead through this musical journey with her captivating voice and insightful narration. Accompanied by Andreas Teufel on piano and “Schrammel” accordion and Daniel Fuchsberger on contraguitar, they will delve into the lives and works of Gruber and Schönberg, shedding light on the contrasts and intersections of their musical legacies.
In 2024, ACF commemorate the 150th birthdays of two Viennese composers whose lives and works represent contrasting musical landscapes. Ludwig Gruber, rooted in Vienna’s folk music tradition with Arnold Schönberg, a pioneering force in modern music, offers intriguing insights into Vienna’s diverse musical heritage. Born on the 13th of July and 13th of September 1874 in Vienna, Ludwig Gruber and Arnold Schönberg emerged from different backgrounds: Gruber in Ottakring, the centre of Viennese folk music, and Schönberg in Leopoldstadt, the heart of Jewish life.
While Gruber received early musical nurturing and composed “Wienerlieder”, a song genre deeply engrained in Vienna’s cultural life, Schönberg departed from traditional tonal conventions early on, laying the groundwork for the twelve-tone technique.
Their lives took divergent paths during and after World War I, with Gruber enduring a Siberian detention camp and Schönberg founding the “Verein für Privataufführungen” (Association for private performances) post-war to promote modern music.
Both composers have left an indelible mark on Viennese music, in their specific ways.
The “Wienerlied” is an Austrian song genre which has its roots in Vienna. Traditional Viennese songs, known as Wienerlieder are centred on the theme of life in Vienna and are almost exclusively sung in Viennese (a local Austro-Bavarian dialect). It is a unique musical and socio-cultural phenomenon, a picture of the Viennese way of life.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the worlds of Ludwig Gruber and Arnold Schönberg as we celebrate their enduring impact on music and culture.
