Upcoming lecture recitals:

Thursday, 17. June 2010, Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt Berlin, Musikclub, 20:00h.
Shanghai: last refuge. Composers Wolfgang Fraenkel and Julius Schloss in exile

Following the pogroms of November 1938, many of the Jews who were still in Germany or Austria were desperately searching for a country that would give them refuge. The only place where they could go without a visa was the international settlement of Shanghai. Wolfgang Fraenkel attained a teaching post at the conservatory, whereas Julius Schloss had to eke out a living by playing in bars etc. Finally, in 1947 he followed Fraenkel, who had left for the USA, at the conservatory; one of the students who studied with both Fraenkel and Schloss was Sang Tong, whose work we feature this evening. One year later, Schloss also emigrated to the USA. Both composers were admirers of Schoenberg and his circle; Schloss had studied with Alban Berg; Fraenkel met Schoenberg in California, but was already a follower in the 1930s.

Music:
J. Schloss: String Quartet in one Movement (1928); "23 Studies for Piano in twelve tone style" for children (1958) (selection)
W. Fraenkel: 1. movement from "Music for String Quartet" (dedicated to A. Schoenberg on his 75th birthday); 3 preludes for piano (composed in Shanghai 1945)
Sang Tong: "In a remote place" for piano (1947)

Performers: Gottfried Eberle, piano
Ensemble Zeitlos: Claudia Sack + Susanne Walter (violins), Chang-Yun Yoo (viola), Gabriella Struempel (cello)

Presenter: Dr. Ursula Krechel, author of the book "Shanghai fern von wo?"
Guests: Sonja Muehlberger, writer, born in Shanghai as a child of the exiles Ilse and Hermann Krips; and Christian Utz, composer and musicologist.