Making music is like
offering a gift
David Frühwirth makes his debut performing works from the interwar years
“Salzburg is a place where classical music is an essential part of cultural history. Here, despite all difficulties which do of course exist, music is still a lively integral part of experiencing and understanding culture. I am glad to have been born here. However, I am also glad that I had an early opportunity to go abroad and extend my horizon by studying with magnificent teachers …”
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The young violinist David Frühwirth from Salzburg aims to convey the variety of language in music. He makes his debut at the Salzburg Festival on 1 August 2004. |
With a broad smile on his face David Frühwirth enters what is probably the most “classic” meeting place for an interview in Salzburg, Café Tomaselli, and immediately turns the conversation to the centre of his thinking, feeling and intent. “For me music is very strongly associated with emotions. After a recital in Los Angeles a lady said to me, ’you aroused emotions in me that I have not felt for the past thirty years’. That was one of the greatest compliments anyone has ever made me. Making music is like offering a gift. It was given to me and now I am giving it to others.”
David Frühwirth’s central concern is “to convey the entire variety of the language of music. I love Brahms, Schubert and Mozart. I incline to be a romantic but I would like to be much more. As regards music history very little is known about the first half of the 20th century. This is one of my special interests as the transition period between the wars contains incredibly many different and minute trends. I feel as if I am a treasure hunter.” One product of this musical treasure hunt through the past century is the double CD Trails of Creativity 1918–1938, Music from between the wars for violin and piano, a recording that has already received several awards. Three works can be heard in the concert in the Salzburg Debut series on 1 August: Hans Gál’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, from 1933, Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Suite for Violin and Piano, op. 11 Much Ado about Nothing and William Walton’s Toccata for Violin and Piano (this will be the first performance in Austria). As on the CD Frühwirth will be accompanied by the magnificent young Finnish pianist Henri Sigfridsson.
While preparing the CD David Frühwirth studied at least fifty pieces. Then, together with Michael Haas, producer of the Decca series Degenerate Music which encompasses 30 CDs, selected the nine works on the recording, seven of them are first recordings. “It is simply marvellous music with incredible nuances”, says Frühwirth. “The twelve-tone composers had a great influence but strains of romanticism can still be heard.”
Commenting on his personal career Frühwirth says, “I was lucky in being able to study with Ruggiero Ricci, Zakhar Bron and Pinchas Zukermann. Each of these unique artistic personalities influenced and in their individual way extended my understanding of music, building up on the thorough basic training I had here at the Mozarteum.”
And summing up, Frühwirth had this to say, “Even though I perform many concerts throughout the year I always try to give my utmost. As musicians we have this great responsibility towards the music. Making music is an eternal search and occasionally one finds the right answer!”
Heidemarie Klabacher interviewed David Frühwirth.
Salzburg Debut
1 August, 4 p.m. Mozarteum
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Heliane’s Song
Hans Gál
Sonata for Violin and Piano in D major
William Walton
Toccata for Violin and Piano
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Much Ado About Nothing
Suite for Violin and Piano, op. 11
Ernst Krenek
Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 3
Violin David Frühwirth
Piano Henri Sigfridsson
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Titel and Salzburg-Impressions © Thomas Klinger, Munich