Recent and upcoming
Zeisl music performances and events
2025
May 18, 2025 is the 120th anniversary
of the birth of the composer Eric Zeisl.
A great number of concerts and exhibits
are planned to commemorate his big day.
Already on March 22, the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra under
the direction of Thomas Loewenheim performed the world premiere
of Zeisl's ballet "Uranium 235," composed in 1945 shortly after
the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan.
On April 24, the opening of the Viva La Classica festival at St. Ulrichs-Kirche in Vienna will include a performance of Zeisl's "Brandeis Sonata for Violin and Piano" (1949). https://www.vivalaclassica.com/
On May 3, violinist Ambroise Aubrun and pianist Steven Vanhauwaert
will perform Zeisl's "Menuhim's Song" (1939) at UCLA's Clark Library. https://www.1718.ucla.edu/events/art-of-duo/
On May 4, Viva La Classica's festival will continue the world premiere
of Zeisl's biblical ballet "Naboth's Vineyard" (1953). https://www.vivalaclassica.com/
Also on May 4, UCLA Philharmonia under the direction of Neal Stulberg
will perform the orchestral version of Zeisl's "Mondbilder" (Moon Portraits): Four Songs on texts by Christian Morgenstern for baritone and orchestra,
in its first performance since 1936. https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/event/from-vienna-to-la/
On May 9, Naxos releases volume 3 of Zeisl Lieder (Songs) with a cd featuring Sara Hershkowitz singing Zeisl's Kinderlieder (Children's Songs) and Gloria Cheng performing his "Pieces for Barbara" for piano. https://www.amazon.com/Zeisl-Lieder-Vol-Sara-Hershkowitz/dp/B0DXCGNTK7/
On May 13 in Vienna, Exilarte Zentrum will present the exhibition "Eric Zeisl. Vienna’s Lost Son in Foreign Lands". https://exilarte.org/en/the-exhibition-eric-zeisl-viennas-lost-son-in-foreign-lands
Finally, on May 18, Zeisl's 120th birthday, in the Musikverein Wien
the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marin Alsop
will perform Zeisl's most famous work, the "Requiem Ebraico" (92nd Psalm) composed in 1945 and dedicated to the memory of his father
and the countless victims of the Jewish tragedy in Europe. https://rso.orf.at/en/programm/4931
Sunday, May 18th, 2025, 7:40 p.m.
Performance by the Radio Symphonie Orchester Wien
at the Wiener Musikverein
Musikvereinsplatz 1, Bösendorferstraße 12, A-1010 Wien
Program:
Alexander Zemlinsky: 13. Psalm für Chor und Orchester op. 24 (1935)
Erich Zeisl: Requiem Ebraico "Der 92. Psalm" (1944-1945)
Gustav Mahler: Symphonie Nr. 1 D-Dur (1884)
Artists:
Marin Alsop, Dirigentin
Dana Marbach, Sopran
Annette Schönmüller, Mezzosopran
Adrian Eröd, Bariton
Wolfgang Kogert, Orgel
Wiener Singverein, Chor
Sunday, May 4th, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Naboth's Vineyard (UA) St. Ulrichs-Kirche, St. Ulrichs-Platz 3, 1070 Wien
Program:
Erich Zeisl: Naboth's Vineyard (world premiere)
Max Bruch: Kol Nidrei op. 47
Alexander Zemlinsky: Ein Tanzpoem
Artists:
Jeremias Fliedl
Orchester unter der Leitung von Jury Everhartz
Sunday, May 4th, 2025, 4:00 p.m.
UCLA Philharmonia
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Royce Hall
10745 Dickson Ct., Los Angeles, CA 90095
Join the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in historic Royce Hall for the first Philharmonia performance of Spring 2025. Featuring the first performance of Eric Zeisl's Moon Portraits since 1936, Paul Schoenfield's piano concerto Four Parables, and David Schiff's riveting jazz violin concerto 4 Sisters, this will surely be an afternoon you will not want to miss.
Program:
Arnold Schoenberg: Five Pieces, Op. 16 (1949)
David Schiff: 4 Sisters: Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra (1997)
Eric Zeisl: Moon Portraits (Mondbilder) (1928)
Paul Schoenfield: 4 Parables: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1982-83)