Projects 2018

Leo Clambour´s 100th anniversary ceremony with the Saarland Plucked Strings Orchestra

Last year Leo Clambour – an icon of plucked strings music – would have been 100 years. For long years he was president of the association of plucked strings and popular music of the Saarland (BZVS).

By his activity at Saarland Radio and by his commitment great people like Heinrich Konietzny, Siegfried Behrend, Takashi Ochi and Marcel Wengler were won over to the BZVS. Without Leo Clambour the BZVS could not have played today‘s important role.

For his 100th anniversary the BZVS organized on March 18 in the big auditorium of Saarland Radio a matinée, on which the Leo Clambour medal for outstanding performances in the field of plucked strings and popular music was awarded. For exceptional merits and long years of commitment were honoured: Saarland Radio, Mr Winfried Mutschler, Mrs Monika Reiter and Mr Bernhard Fromkorth.

To the ceremony in honour of one of its founding fathers musical form was given by the Saarland plucked strings orchestra. Mainly compositions by Leo Clambour‘s contemporaries were on the programme. The SZO opened the matinée with Siegfried Behrend‘s arrangement of “Concerto for guitar and plucked strings orchestra in D-major“ by Antonio Vivaldi (soloist: Tim Beuren). Then followed “Canzona and Fantasia“ – two movements following a lute suite – written by former SZO conductor Marcel Wengler.

The guitar ensemble of the SZO could be heard as well. They performed “Kalimba“ by Jürg Kindl and “Introduction et Fandango“ by Luigi Boccherini.

The programme of the whole orchestra was continued, according to the history of the SZO, with works by former conductor Helmut Fackler (“Concerto for saxophone and plucked strings orchestra“, soloist Micheal Bick) and by the current conductor Reiner Stutz (“Tango Suite“).

There are young talented musicians still today, who compose especially for the SZO. Andreas Lorson dedicated to the orchestra “Fantasie nr 2“, which after the premiere last year was now presented to the public again.

The concert ended with “Impressioni d‘Oriente“ by Amadeo Amadei, an impressing work in the current repertoire of the SZO.

After the ceremony the BZVS invited all guests into the foyer of the auditorium, where they could with champagne and little snacks continue celebrating and exchange memories.

SZO with soloist Tim Beuren SZO with soloist Michael Bick awardwinners of the Leo-Clambour-medal and BZVS-president Dr. Marcel Wirtz

photos: Thomas Kronenberger

 

Bad Homburg 2018 – Guitar ensemble of the SZO at the days of choir and orchestra music

Once a year, always three weeks before Easter, BDC and BDO – the umbrella organizations of choirs and orchestras in Germany organize a summit meeting of amateur music. The cause for this event is the awarding of the Zelter- respectively Pro Musica-Medals by the Federal President. This year Bad Homburg was the place of the festival. From March 9-11 more than 1000 performers in 45 ensembles made the town ring.

The guitar ensemble of the SZO (conductor Reiner Stutz) was invited to perform on March 10 at this year‘s days of choir and orchestra music. The guitarists had their first appearance in the Erlöserkirche. Together with the Hessian Nassau wind circle, members of the Bach choir of the Erlöserkirche and the choir boys of Limburg cathedral they gave the musical setting for an ecumenical festival service on Saturday afternoon.

The “Night of Music“ had a particular charm. Between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. there were 30-minute performances simultaneously in eleven different places in the centre of the town – altogether more than 40 short concerts. In this setting the guitar ensemble of the SZO performed in the town library, which was full up to the last seat. The guitarists took the audience on a journey south crossing several centuries.

The journey started in the Irish region of Connemara with a traditional Irish suite by Bruno Szordikowski. The next station was the Germany of baroque times with the well-known and often arranged “Canon“ by Johann Pachelbel. “Introduction et Fandango“ carried the enthousiastic audience off to Spain. The musical journey ended in Africa with “Kalimba“ by Jürg Kindl.

After a short breather the guitar ensemble went off to the next stage, where this journey should start again. There an open-air appearance at night outside the Louisen Arcades waited for the players. With temperatures near freezing point and light drizzle this final concert was in fact a real challenge for the instruments and the tender hands of the guitarists. But the musicians of the SZO were not deterred off and mastered their third and last concert with style.

After that all the visitors of the concerts were invited to conclude the evening together in the inner court of Humboldt Gymnasium. The next morning after a rather short night the members of the guitar ensemble could be among the audience of the great ceremony in the Landgraf-Friedrich-Hall, where the Federal President awarded the Zelter- and Pro Musica-medals.

guitar ensemble in the Erlöserkirche guitar ensemble in the town library ceremony with Federal President Steinmeier

photos: Thomas Kronenberger