Bronwyn Schuman, photo courtesy of the artist
As a follow-up to Week38: Franz Schubert — 4 Impromptus from Op.90, it’s my pleasure to have Canadian pianist Bronwyn Schuman on here to discuss what she enjoys most about performing and listening to Schubert’s music for piano. Originally from Calgary, Schuman is based in New York where she’s completing her M.M. in Collaborative Piano at The Juilliard School. I’ve been a fan since I came upon her work via a performance at the TSM Festival. Voice, literature, and piano form the trinity of her passions as an artist; and I think that makes her an astute commentator on a composer who is often described as the inventor of song in classical music.
BR: What do you enjoy the most about Schubert's song cycles?
BS: Schubert’s song cycles, to me, are expressions of human life. Dreams, memories, emotions, and experiences are explored, revealing complex relationships between effort and reward, optimism and cynicism, grief and hope, peacefulness and mourning, regretfulness and faith, misery and contentment, and so on. Performing these works can be mentally and emotionally exhausting, and that is a testament to the cycles’ profundity and complexity. As a performer, I am, in many ways, performing a life. And, as a performer, I’m a listener, too! I am listening to the songs I perform, to the characters, to the composer, to the life being expressed. And, in doing so, I learn more about the human experience.
BR: What's your favourite piano piece by Schubert to perform?
BS: While not strictly a “piano piece,” one of my favourite works to play is Schubert’s song, “Im Frühling” (“In Spring”) with poetry by Ernst Schulze. Written shortly before Schubert died, the song is, in my opinion, a masterpiece of human understanding. The piano, specifically in the tuneful interludes, beautifully expresses the nostalgia, longing, and acceptance in the text of the song. I feel so fortunate to be able to play this piece.
BR: Do you have a favourite Impromptu out of the four?
BS: I love the second Impromptu, in A flat Major. The prayer-like, personal opening, and the bubbling, flowing chords of the middle section are such perfect commentaries on each other. It’s a full day: solitude and prayer in the morning, action and interaction in the afternoon, and a return to solitude and prayer in the evening. It also reminds me of Schubert’s song, “Fruhlingsglaube” (“Faith in Spring”), which is regularly performed in A flat Major, and which is another one of my favourite songs by Schubert.
BR: Any other Impromptus you'd recommend?
BS: Robert Schumann has several Impromptus (Op. 5). They’re great pieces, but I don’t think they are performed very often... I think I am going to learn these! Thanks for the idea!
BR: What are you listening to at the moment?
BS: This may come as a bit of a surprise, but I am currently listening to Marty Robbins. One of my brothers introduced me to him a little bit ago, and I can’t stop listening! I am fascinated by country/western singing of the 20th century, because the genre is all about storytelling. I work most often with singers, so I love storytelling! I am also shocked by Marty Robbins’ voice. It is beautiful — so clear, honest, and free. Some of my favourite songs of his include ‘The Master’s Call’, ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’, ‘Mr. Shorty’, and ‘Devil Woman’.