Music Beyond the Dancing Vienna explores forgotten composers

In a bold move to shed light on the lesser-known musical heritage of Vienna, the Auner Quartett, along with vocalists Irene Suchy, Wolfgang Böck, and baritone Thomas Hampson, will present a unique four-concert series at the renowned Musikverein in Vienna. The project, titled "Music Jenseits vom tanzenden Wien" (Music Beyond the Dancing Vienna), aims to explore the works of forgotten and marginalized composers and performers, whose contributions were overshadowed by the cultural tides of the time.

Peter Marboe, former Vienna Cultural Commissioner and chairman of the Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation, praised the initiative, stating, "This is a daring and intriguing project that seeks to uncover new compositions and stretch the boundaries beyond the clichés of Viennese music."

The series, scheduled for November 25, February 17, March 17, and May 22, 2027, will feature compositions by Alexander Zemlinsky, a pivotal figure who was forced to flee Austria in 1938 and died in exile in 1942. Zemlinsky, a teacher and brother-in-law to Arnold Schönberg, will serve as the central axis of the concerts. His works will be performed alongside those of contemporaries such as the British-born violinist and composer Mary Dickenson-Auner, who was barred from performing in Vienna in 1938.

Among the highlights, Suchy will read from Mary Dickenson-Auner’s memoirs, "My Musical Life," while Böck will read from Arthur Schnitzler’s "Leutnant Gustl." Hampson will perform a selection of lieder, and Christoph Wagner-Trenkwitz will delve into Fritz Kreisler’s "Confession to Vienna." The concert on May 22, 2027, will conclude with a program that includes works by Johann Strauss, Erwin Wellesz, and Fritz Kreisler.

The Auner Quartett, founded in 2013, is renowned for its innovative approach and has won the prestigious Eugène-Ysaÿe Competition in Liège. Their CD "Sinking Sun" was voted Ö1 CD of the Year in 2022. Primarius Daniel Auner, who will play a Guadagnini violin on loan from the Austrian National Bank, leads the ensemble. The quartet is supported by the Kammermusikforum Wien, with additional backing from the Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation.

For more information on the programs, dates, and ticketing, visit the Auner Quartett’s website at [www.aunerquartett.at/kammermusikzyklus](http://www.aunerquartett.at/kammermusikzyklus).