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Fehlmann's farewell: A look at Schumann and his musical secrets
Beat Fehlmann, director of the State Philharmonic, reflects on Robert Schumann's music and his impending end to his career.
Fehlmann's farewell: A look at Schumann and his musical secrets
The world of music is constantly being researched and interpreted in new ways, not least thanks to committed personalities like Beat Fehlmann, the director of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Philharmonic. With a deep connection to Robert Schumann, the great composer of the 19th century, Fehlmann shows a special fascination for the emotional dimensions of music. “I would have liked to ask Robert Schumann what concerned him with his works,” says Fehlmann, who sometimes recognizes the complex layers in Schumann’s stories, but is also occasionally confused by the “mystery” of the music. He believes that music works on a deeper level and can reflect people's self-perception without a technical explanation detracting from this effect. Fehlmann emphasizes that Schumann's works encourage intensive engagement with music and with oneself.
Schumann, born on June 8, 1810 in Zwickau, was not only a gifted composer, but also a pianist and music critic who played a crucial role in early Romanticism. The son of a wealthy family, he had no musical background, but decided to find his way in music and initially studied law. But his passion for music grew stronger during his studies, which led him to study piano with Friedrich Wieck. Schumann's creative phase culminated in important works that are still popular today, such as “Carnaval” and “Children's Scenes”. The emotional depth of his compositions, which Fehlmann values so much, plays a central role. At the end of August, after seven years as director in Ludwigshafen, he will step down to take over the artistic direction of the music academy in Liechtenstein.
The Schumann experiment
In addition, Schumann's works were reinterpreted in 2023 as part of an exciting event in Speyer. The “Schumann Experiment” turned out to be a multimedia salon in which the German State Philharmonic of Rhineland-Palatinate presented romantic music in a fresh way. Here visitors experienced an exciting connection between classical music and modern creative expressions, for example through the use of the so-called “Scriabin Code”. Such innovations breathe new life into the world of classical music and underline that Schumann's legacy lives on and inspires new generations.
The Schumann memorial plaque on the facade of the Schumann House in Düsseldorf, which serves as a museum, reminds us of the significant influence this composer had on music history. With over 300 poems set to music and significant works in almost all musical genres, Schumann remains an indispensable figure in the classical repertoire. His artistic legacy not only inspired his contemporaries, but also influenced later composers such as Mahler and Debussy.
In summary, it can be said that both Schumann's legacy and the current projects surrounding his music are living examples of how deeply music is rooted in our lives and how it continually stimulates us to reflect. The dialogue between past and present continues as Intendant Fehlmann and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Philharmonic find creative ways to make Schumann's wonderful work accessible to a wider audience.