Ruth Schonthal

Ruth Schonthal was Composer-in-Residence at the Songs of the Americas Festival in La Paz, Bolivia, during August 2003. Several of her works were performed, including Early Songs (texts by Rainer Maria Rilke), Wildunger Lieder Zyklus (texts by Olbricht), Songs of Love and Sorrow, Drei Liebeslieder (texts by Kottek), Two Songs with texts by Garcia Lorca, and Six Times Solitude (text by A. A. Milne). Performers including soprano Maya Hoover, tenor David Judish, baritone Keith Clifton, and pianists Ruth Friedman, Jessica Paul, Jose Melendez, and the composer. In October, several piano works were presented by Adina Mornell at the Jewish Museum in Vienna, including Sonatina, Reverberations for Timbred Piano, Canticles of Hieronymus, and Variations in Search of a Theme. Schonthal celebrated her 80th birthday in June 2004. In June 2005, she was named the winner of 12th Competition of the Invitational Composers Competition of the Van Cliburn Foundation. Thirteen pianists played Schonthal’s Sonata Quasi Un’Improvvisazione at the competition, including the Gold Medal winner Alexander Kobrin. Since 1996, all works by Schonthal not previously released in the United States are being published by Furore Verlag in Kassel, Germany. You are invited to visit the composer’s website at www.ruthschonthal.com.

Premieres

Pianist Josef Mayr introduced While Contemplating the Ocean Waves on June 6, 2005, in a concert at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Rome, Italy. Mayr subsequently presented the work on September 24 for the Austrian Cultural Forum in Washington, DC, and on September 26 for the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York, NY.

Performances

The Canticles of Hieronymus was performed February 25-26, 2004, by pianist Josef Mayr, Austrian Cultural Center, New York, NY. Canticles of Hieronymus and Reverberations were presented by pianist Werner Barho in a performance broadcast over Amsterdam Radio in March. Mayr performed Toccata and Arietta for an April radio broadcast in Vienna, Austria. Between June 9 and 18, a Festival Celebration of the 80th Birthday of Ruth Schonthal was held in Heidelberg and Mannheim, Germany. The Temptation of St. Anthony was performed by organist Peter Schumann on June 9 in Heidelberg. Ingrid’s Songs (text Ingrid Olbricht) was presented at the Mannheim festival by mezzo-soprano Anna Maria Dur and pianist Rudolf Meister at the Hochschule für Musik. Canticles of Hieronymus and Bouquets for Margaret were heard in a June performance by Margaret Mills and Rosemary Caviglia, Third Street Music Settlement School, New York. In Homage of...24 Preludes, was presented by pianist Claudia Knafo on March 17, 2005, Greenwich House of Music, New York, NY, and on April 3, Manhattanville, Purchase, NY. The CD recording of Bells of Sarajevo for clarinet and prepared piano was heard over Deutschlandfunk (German Radio) on May 17 with clarinetist Esther Lamneck and the composer at the piano.

Publications

The English translation of Dr. Martina Helmig’s book Ruth Schonthal - a Composer’s Development in Exile will be published by the Andrew Mellen Press, London, England. In Homage of...24 Preludes, piano; Furore Verlag, Kassel, Germany.

Recordings

Reverberations, Works for Piano: Adina Mornell Plays Ruth Schonthal: “The Canticles of Hieronymus,” “Self-Portrait of the Artist as an Older Woman,” “Variations in Search of a Theme,” “Sonatina;” Koch USA. Keyboard Expressions: Works by Ruth Schonthal Performed by Gary Steigerwalt: “Variations in Search of a Theme,” “Sonata Breve,” “Sonatensatz,” “Reverberations,” “Fragments from a Woman’s Diary;” Cambria Master Recording, CD-1109. Songs by Women: “Early Songs” (texts by Rainer Maria Rilke); soprano Susan Gonzales, pianist Marcia Eckart; Leonarda Productions. Berühren: “Toccata and Arietta,” pianist Josef Mayr; Toccata,Vienna, Austria. Song Cycles by Ruth Schonthal: soprano Margaret Astrup accompanied by the composer; Albany label. Jewish String Quartets: “String Quartet No. 3, In Memoriam Holocaust;” Bingham Quartet; Milken Archive of American Jewish Music, Naxos 8.559451.

Further Information

• 2002-2003 American Composers Update
• 1999-2000 American Composers Update
• 1996-1997 American Composers Update
• SAI's Composers Bureau Online
• SAI's Music for Young People section