Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Foundation Information

June / July 2008

Leipzig Mendelssohn Prize 2008 This year's Mendelssohn Prize was sohn Bartholdy, is a committed advo- ly expanded his own interests through presented on 6 March 2008. The violi- cate of both the classic and the contem- his studies with Friedrich Hegel. nist Anne-Sophie Mutter and the inter- porary repertoire. Her work with young This was certainly one of the rea- nationally-known philosopher Peter artists, giving them support and gui- sons why, as the German philosopher Sloterdijk were honoured at a special dance, was another reason for the and literary expert Hans Mayer in a concert given by the award. Gewandhaus lecture said “Felix Orchestra conducted by Maestro Kurt Mendelssohn Bartholdy, in a quite Masur. Peter Slotendijk was honoured for extraordinary way, embodied and his contribution to society. brought together all the then known The Prize, which was first awarded Since the days of the composer's traditions of German music. Through in 2007, is named after Felix Mendels- ancestor , philoso- his own creativity and perceptions he sohn Bartholdy, who represented the phical social exchanges were very much developed and passed on these tradi- highest aesthetic values, both as a musi- a part of the life. tions, in a way which was without par- cian and composer and through his con- Bartholdy personal- allel at the time.” ----> tributions to society. The Prize has three categories, which do not necessarily have to be recognised each year - con- tributions to music, society and the visual arts. This year the Prize was pre- sented in the categories for music and society by the President of the Foundation, Maestro Kurt Masur and by the Chairman of the Board, Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung.

Anne-Sophie Mutter was honoured for her contribution to music. The Prize acknowledged her unique musicality and interpretive art. In addition the Mendelssohn Prize is of especial rele- vance in that she, like Felix Mendels-

Members of the Kuratorium Supporters’ Circle Friends’ Circle Dr. Wulff Aengevelt Tomoko Masur und Prof. Kurt Masur Dr. Jürgen Friedel Hélène Mercier-Arnault Ulrike Krill de Capello Prof. Hermann Rauhe Karin Martin Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee Dr. Clauss Riedberg Emiko Tsuji Heide Schwarzweller Elisabeth Augereau Kurt Viermetz Dr. Undine Nash Elke Weber-Braun

S. 2 Mendelssohn Prize 2008

Peter Sloterdijk is an exemplary advocate of the integration of contem- porary issues into a historical context. This allows him to address contempo- rary social questions in a new and multifaceted manner; thereby he is able to bring fresh light to previously unrecognised perspectives, and to draw new and unexpected conclusions.

The two Prize-winners expressed their thanks for the awards with enthu- siasm and great pleasure. Anne-Sophie Mutter, who began the evening with a sparkling performance of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's (Violin Concerto in E-minor) under Kurt Masur's intimate direction, was delighted to have had the honour of succeeding as Prize-winner Maestro Kurt Masur, who last year was the first to receive the award.

Peter Sloterdijk gallantly and philo- sophically acknowledged the resonan- ces of the Violin Concerto, as he sha- red with the festive audience his thoughts about a poem by Rimbaud. He said that he now understood why a piece of wood must dream of one day becoming a violin; “I shall also try to achieve such a metamorphosis.” With this homage Sloterdijk immediately won the hearts of the concert audience, above: The musicians are full of concentration in who warmly applauded both Prize- response to the challenging direction of Maestro winners. Kurt Masur, whose interpretations during the eve- ning were greeted with great applause from the public. After this concert, in which the picture centre left side: The Lord mayor gives his Leipzig Mendelssohn Prize for 2008 thanks to Tomoko Masur for her support was awarded, there was a Gala Dinner picture centre right side: Maestro Masur and Kurt Viermetz (member of the Kuratorium) in conversa- for a select group of supporters and tion about future schemes, a.o. in the donors of the Felix Mendelssohn Mendelssohn-year 2009 Bartholdy Foundation. The President left: Maestro Kurt Masur, president of the founda- of the Foundation, Maestro Kurt tion and Lord mayor Burkhard Jung exchange a pleased handshake, impressed by the successful Masur, and Board Chairman Lord evening, which was dedicated to Felix Mayor Burkhard Jung in their spee- Mendelssohn Bartholdy chesthanked the guests for their un- wavering support for the goals of the Foundation in the spirit of Felix Thanks Mendelssohn Bartholdy. They thanked them for their loyal and sincere in- This year again many partners have contributed to the success of the prize- volvement with Mendelssohn and giving evening. Our grateful thanks for their tireless and dedicated support are with the musical city of Leipzig, which due to: some of those present had supported Dom Pérignon, Gewandhausorchester, Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, Hotel for many years. Fürstenhof, Mercedes-Benz, Restaurant Stadtpfeiffer

Plans for 2009 S. 3

Worldwide honouring of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Scholarship programme

The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy the support of the Felix Mendelssohn In March 2008, through the inter- Foundation in Leipzig, the centre of Bartholdy Foundation, has carefully mediary of Maestro Kurt Masur, Mendelssohn culture, is of course in- prepared the material for these con- two young American conductors took tensively preparing for the Mendels- certs. part in a Scholarship programme of sohn Anniversary Year 2009. Here the the American Friends of the objectives of the Foundation and of the In Japan Mrs Tomoko Masur, toget- Mendelssohn Foundation, which was Mendelssohn House are closely inter- her with the Goethe Institute and also supported by the Felix woven. the Foundation's Japanese branch, Mendelssohn Bartholdy Foundation. which will be officially launched on In close collaboration with 14 October 2008, is preparing a rich They both travelled from New York Mendelssohn Societies and music insti- programme of Mendelssohn's works to Vienna, where they attended Maestro tutions in Germany, Switzerland and to be performed in December 2009 in Masur's rehearsals and concerts, to Great Britain, many ideas are being Tokyo. Leipzig, Weimar and Berlin, and back developed and put into practice. For to New York. The Scholars enjoyed a example an internet portal (www.men- In conjunction with a Mendelssohn particularly challenging programme in delssohn-2009.com) was opened on Exhibition being put together by the Leipzig, where one can best follow in 10 July 2008, and gives bilingual infor- Berlin State Library, together with loan Mendelssohn's footsteps. They got to mation about events in Hamburg, objects from the Mendelssohn House know the Mendelssohn historic sites in Leipzig, Berlin, Wilderswil, Paris, Leipzig, a programme will present Leipzig, visited the music museums, London, Wengen, Koblenz, Düsseldorf facets of Mendelssohn's music and attended rehearsals and concerts, par- and other towns. Links to the websites personality. ticipated in seminars with practical of the various partners provide a very details about Mendelssohn's works, informative guide. A printed program- Maestro Masur will hold a master- in discussions with experts from the me will appear shortly, which will class for conductors, Professor Hochschule für Musik und Theater, and allow those music lovers without in- will elucidate in meetings with academics and per- ternet access to have detailed news the style and technique of the violin formers. about activities in the Mendelssohn concerto, and Professor Peter Schreier Anniversary Year. will give a master-class on Lieder as an The experiences gained from all example of Mendelssohn's creativity. these discussions and events helped However, Mendelssohn's music is them to build up a comprehensive pic- not only ringing out in Europe, but also In addition Mendelssohn experts ture, not only of the person and music in America and Japan, where prepara- will hold a platform discussion on the of Mendelssohn, but also of the especi- tions are well under way. Thanks again composer's works and legacy. al influences of the musical city of to the great enthusiasm of Professor Leipzig. Kurt Masur and his wife Tomoko, all- The Gewandhaus Quartet, with its Mendelssohn programmes are being rich musical tradition, will enthuse Fully laden with new insights and new knowledge: performed under the baton of Maestro large audiences in several towns. the stipendiaries and Marcelo Masur in 2009, for example; 22-24 Lehninger in the music salon of the museum in the Mendelssohn House January in Boston (Boston Symphony As soon as all these ideas become Orchestra; Hebrides Overture, 3rd and concrete, they will be published on a 4th Symphonies); 4-7 February in New Japanese website, and for those non- York ( Orchestra Japanese speakers the details will of with Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Ruy course become available on www.men- Blas Overture, Violin Concerto in e delssohn-2009.com. minor, First Walpurgis Night). Professor Masur will conduct Mendelssohn's second oratorio in Europe, on 10 and 11 January 2009 in Paris with the Orchestre National de France. Professor Christian Martin Schmidt of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Leipzig Edition/ Academy for Arts and Sciences, with

S. 4 Names and Facts

The Foundation promotes work in the Art and Sciences

We have already referred (page 3) to the financial support from the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Foundation towards the performance edition of Mendelssohn's Elijah in the Complete Mendelssohn Edition. However there is wider co-ope- ration between the Foundation and the Saxony Academy for Arts and Sciences; as in the previous year, the Foundation has renewed its commitment to financing half a position in the technical field of the Mendelssohn Research Department of the Academy.

After the Foundation's decision in 2006 to make technical equipment available, and thereby to facilitate significant- ly the work of researchers in reading and evaluating manuscripts on microfilm, the Foundation has broadened its sup- port. The co-operation agreement has been extended to the Mendelssohn Anniversary year 2009.

Donors and Supporters since December 2007 Imprint

Many grateful thanks are due to The following donors have given the extraordinary support of the outstanding support to this year's following donors to the Felix Leipzig Mendelssohn Prize evening, Mendelssohn Bartholdy Foundation and to the Gala Dinner afterwards; in the first half of 2008: we thank them most warmly for their support for the goals of the Foun- Herrn Dr. Wulff Aengevelt dation: » President: Prof. Kurt Masur » Chairman Lord Mayor Frau Hélène Mercier-Arnault of the Board: Burkhard Jung Blue Corporate Finance AG » Substitute: Dr. Georg Girardet Frau Dr. Susanne Heiland » Board: Dr. Peter Krüger Bugovics Industries GmbH Prof. Andreas Schulz Frau Ulrike Krill de Capello » Members Dr. Werner Martin Dom Pérignon of the Board: Volker Stiehler Herrn Dr. Peter Krüger Gewandhausorchester Leipzig » Director: Jürgen Ernst Herrn Louis Lortie » Ambassador: Tomoko Masur Gewandhaus zu Leipzig » Representative UK: Desmond Cecil (London) Mendelssohn-Haus e.V. Hotel Fürstenhof Address Radio France Paris » Mendelssohn-Haus Leipzig FISCHER-ART, Atelier Deutschland » Goldschmidtstraße 12, 04103 Leipzig Herrn Martin Schwabe » Telephone: +49 (0) 341-1 27 02 94 GRK Holding AG » Faksimile: +49 (0) 341-2 11 52 88 Stadt Leipzig » E-Mail: [email protected] Herrn Prof. Dr. h. c. Kurt Masur » Internet: www.mendelssohn-stiftung.de Frau Dr. Undine Nash und Frau Tomoko Masur » Account: Deutsche Bank Leipzig banc code: 860 700 24 Herrn Dr. Kazoi Watanabe Mercedes-Benz, NL Leipzig account: 455 56 78

PC-Ware Large Account Reseller More details » Editor and Designer: Restaurant Stadtpfeiffer Christiane Schmidt (responsible) » Texts: Christiane Schmidt Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Leipzig » English Translation: Desmond Cecil Titel: The bestowal of the Leipzig Mendelssohn » Pictures and illustrations: Gert Mothes Prize in the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig – Maestro Kurt Herrn Kurt Viermetz Christiane Schmidt Masur and Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung (2nd from right) with both of the Prize-winners of the year 2008, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Peter Sloterdijk VNG – Verbundnetz Gas AG » Print: Fischer Druck, Großpösna