The celebrated Dutch baritone Maarten Koningsberger will perform in a unique art song recital with pianist Albie van Schalkwyk on Thursday 14 August at 19:30 in the Miriam Makeba Concert Hall on Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus.
The programme consists of poems set to music by two different composers, such as “Ich stand in dunk’len Träumen” (by Clara Schumann-Wieck and Hugo Wolf), “Die Mainacht” (by Schubert and Brahms) and “Ich grolle nicht” (by Robert Schumann and Charles Ives). According to Koningsberger, poetry and music have always been closely connected. Many composers have been inspired both by the great masters as well as the lesser masters of poetry. Through the centuries a few poems have remained unusually popular and have continued to inspire new generations of composers.
This unique and varied programme, with songs from Beethoven to Liszt and from Schubert to Ives, was originally put together by Maarten Koningsberger and Roger Braun. Koningsberger studied music in Amsterdam. His teachers have been Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Max von Egmond, Udo Reinemann and Margreet Honig. After graduation, he joined the School of Lyric Art of the Opéra de Paris, that institution's programme for young singers.
Critics assess his voice as well suited to the intimacy of the song form with a compelling quality even in quiet passages. It is characterized as lyrical, warm, and deep, yet with the authentic baritone rather than bass quality. His accompanist, Albie van Schalkwyk from Cape Town, is one of the leading chamber musicians and vocal accompanists in South Africa. He has also performed as soloist with SA orchestras, performed solo recitals, given master classes for singers and accompanists and worked as a music producer for the SABC.
He has arranged music for various combinations, including Broadway musicals and operas for two pianos and orchestral pieces for three to eight pianos as well. He is Associate Professor in Piano and Chamber Music at the College of Music in Cape Town. Tickets are sold at the door for R95 (adults) and R75 (students and pensioners). Contact Alet Joubert at the Unisa Music Foundation for further information. Tel: 012 429 3336/3311, Cell: 084 763 4079 . www.unisa.ac.za/musicfoundation