Hearing Schubert from Sino-German choir in Beijing

Members of "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir on the stage. [Photo: China Plus/ Lu Chang]

Franz Schubert is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of music. Today, his works remain popular and can be heard in various concerts all around the world.

As this year marks the 190th anniversary since Schubert's death, a Sino-German choir based in Beijing has been bringing audiences closer to this music giant in a different way.

"Die Geselligkeit D 609" is a quartette composed by Austrian composer Franz Schubert. The piece, literally means "social and friends", picture a common scene in the 19th century's Europe: friends gathered, talking about arts and literature, sometimes staging impromptu performances; an ideal life of artistic folks over time and age.

Picture shows artists in the 19th century's Europe gathered and sang songs. [Photo: web]

At a weekend concert in Beijing themed "Schubert's Friends Circle" members of the "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir are trying to recapitulate Schubert's fragrant past for local audiences. 

Lively and vividly, the concert goes on like a party on stage. Without a host, every choir member plays the role of a "friend" to Schubert at that time- telling the stories behind each piece of music, dance and song. Occasionally, they walk down the stage to interact with the audiences.

Members of "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir on the stage. [Photo: China Plus/ Lu Chang]

Conductor Jin Chenghua with "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir. [Photo: Yang Deji & Chang Guangyu] 

Conductor Jin Chenghua(金成华) says they want to make audiences feel emotionally close to this prolific composer.

"Some people always feel distant when they hear about 'classical music', they misinterpret classical music as something serious and noble. So we came up with the idea to present the concert in such a lively way. Audiences can easily see that, even though the music was written hundreds of years ago, it still can be contemporary and down-to-earth. People at that time had passion, and they portrayed similar emotions just like us today. Classical music therefore can really be interesting and humorous, and not very distant." 

"Deutsche Kantorei Peking" is a Sino- German folk choir in Beijing. [Photo: web]

Founded in 2010, "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" is a folk choir consisting of music professionals and lovers from China, Germany, the UK, The US, France and Canada. 

Their performances cover a wide range of pastoral music from the renaissance period to various styles of modern Choruses. The group mainly performs European classical works, especially those from Germany. Since it was founded, the choir has also been trying to promote people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and Germany.

Members of "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir on the stage. [Photo: Yang Deji & Chang Guangyu] 

And this year they are bringing Franz Schubert's works to local audiences, in memory of his death 190 years ago.

Even though Franz Schubert's life was cut short at the age of 31, this gifted musician left behind a vast oeuvre that included more than 600 works and interest in his work increased significantly in the decades following his death. Today, Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers of the 19th century, and his music continues to influence other composers.

Austrian composer Franz Schubert. [Photo: web]

Choir member Hans Eckart Niethammer talks about why Schubert's music continues to inspire.

"He was very gifted but he was also very lonely as he had many personal problems. But he put everything in his music. His music therefore is like a window to something better. And that's what drew me to his music the most. Music can be a window to something better even when life is not always good."

Zou Yunpeng, another choir member echoes this view, saying he can feel the rich contents of life via Schubert's music.

"You can feel his blazing touch of life through his music. The ultimate happiness, loneliness, even sadness, all these elements bring us dramatic feelings. Life is so abundant, that's what we're trying to portray to our audiences through music." 

And both their domestic and International audiences agree that indeed the group's performances give them a wonderful, fresh experience.

"I love it, for me I think it's peaceful, it helps me relax and stimulates happy thoughts in me."

"It's nice, really nice. I'll say the one about the fish is really cool."

"Listening to classical music cultivates your taste; I think it's good to bring my child here to experience this."

Hans Eckart Niethammer says music has the mysterious power to bind everyone together.

"Music is universal. It doesn't need actual lyrics. You can feel right away the emotions in the music. So that's why I think people who are sensitive to music would understand it, even without the lyrics, they would still understand whether it's something quiet or something very emotional or something calm, I think they can feel it."

Members of "Deutsche Kantorei Peking" choir on the stage. [Photo: Yang Deji & Chang Guangyu] 

For these choir members from different backgrounds, singing and performing together in their spare time gives them a wonderful life experience, since music bridges people from different cultural backgrounds.

Katja Schmidt-Wistoff from Germany is a librarian. Having been in the choir for eight years, she is still excited about performing with her Chinese peers and who have also been in the choir for eight years. 

"It's the interest which you can feel in the audience. They bring it (into) to you. And they are surprised by some things. And they really go with us to get into the music and get into the culture. That is great. And that's really a good chance to have a cultural exchange. It's the same for us, if you go to real china you always are surprised about things we are not expecting. " 

Book publisher Zou Yunpeng says music is something indispensable in his after-work life.

"When you step into the field of classical music, you'll find a vast new world. It slows down your pace and eases your stress in your daily life. The message that classical music conveys, such as love and death, and other philosophical themes, makes me think while listening to them. I can always draw inspiration from music."

Writer: Lu Chang

(Yang yong voices this report)