Dornbirn Classical Music

Music by women

The trio also performed arrangements by Kate Bush and Barbara alias Monique Serf.(Bild: Irene Zandel)

The German Boulanger Trio opened Dornbirn Klassik with music by women.

Classical music has long been a male bastion, especially in the field of composers and conductors. Now these areas are also being conquered by women, as demonstrated by the Vorarlberg Composition Prize, which was awarded to Gerda Poppa this week. In addition, a number of ensembles have dedicated themselves to women composers in the past. The Boulanger Trio now brought female music from several centuries to the Dornbirn Kulturhaus. Birgit Erz, violin, Ilona Kindt, cello and Karla Haltenwanger, piano, named their ensemble after the sisters Lili and Nadia Boulanger.

The latter was a sought-after teacher who influenced an entire generation of composers; Lili, born in 1893, was herself a gifted composer who died at the age of 24. Her song cycle "Clarières dans le ciel", arranged for piano trio, was probably the most impressive work on the program. This began with a piece by the baroque Barbara Strozzi, also arranged. A piano trio by the Swedish composer Elfrida Andrée was very appealing: formally well designed, very airily set. The program will soon be available on CD. Many a wish remained unfulfilled during the performance, and one wonders: why so many arrangements? However, the encore, a piece by Lili Boulanger, was convincing.