Waldsee Concerts
Review 2019
A Review of the Sammatz 2019 Concerts
The summer in Sammatz was accompanied by wonderful music. The enchanting Waldsee with its astonishing acoustics offered once again a lively setting, with its sun-sparkled waves, tender treetops and bright flowers around the lakeshore. Many concert enthusiasts from near and far really appreciate this extraordinary atmosphere.
In August, for example, we experienced an exceptional and intensive piano recital in the golden evening sun with the program ‘Waldszenen’, tailored to the Waldsee, which included works by Edvard Grieg, Josef Suk and Robert Schumann. The outstanding Russian pianist Sofja Gülbadamova played songs ranging from the soft to the powerful.
Six musicians from Berlin treated us to their woodwind soiree on a beautiful June evening which comprised of an amazing variety of oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and flute – accompanied by the piano – in various formations. The program was rich in variation, spanning an arc from Ludwig van Beethoven to Francis Poulenc.
In addition, we were able to introduce a new weather-independent venue to the public: our spacious concert barn with its excellent acoustics. In May, four young baroque specialists from Trossingen opened the concert series with a ‘Concerto Italiano’. The evening was a heartwarming treat full of exceptional joy, freshness and grandiose virtuosity and included works by, among others, Guiseppe Tartini, Johann G. Goldberg and Antonio Vivaldi.
In July, seven musicians from Russia captured the hearts of the audience. The Lukomorie ensemble played the traditional instruments Bayan, Domra and the Bassbalalaika in different styles which was as virtuoso as it was convincing: they offered original Russian folklore and classical music, but also surprised us with specially arranged swing and jazz. They were accompanied by the ensemble Gorniza, outstanding young students of Russian folklore, who left us enchanted with powerful, soulful singing and shepherd’s flutes or ocarina – sounds that are seldom heard.
The last concert evening in September was the highlight of the summer concert season in Sammatz. The artistic director, violinist Sophie Heinrich from Berlin and her congenial piano partner Paul Rivinius from Munich presented the large audience with a subtle selection for the ‘Blue Hour of Romanticism’. Similarly to last year, the duo played works by Clara and Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms in a way that was as harmonious, spirited and musically-expressive as one would hope to experience at a concert. There was a standing ovation for a wonderful, fulfilling concert in the concert barn!
We are now looking forward to the next summer of music in Sammatz. Six more concerts at the Waldsee in the summer of 2020 are currently being planned.
So that we are not waiting too long, there will also be a winter concert series. Günter Papendell, baritone at the Komische Oper in Berlin, will open the winter concerts with Franz Schubert’s song cycle ‘Die Winterreise’. On the third Sunday of Advent, 15.12.2019, we warmly invite you to this song recital at the concert barn in Sammatz. The other three concert dates will be announced in due time.
