Schurmann: Orchestral Works

The composer, pianist and conductor Gerard Schurmann (1924–2020) was born in Kertosono, Java. His family lived within earshot of the gamelan orchestra housed in the Sultan’s palace, and the pentatonic scales and intricate rhythms of this traditional Indonesian music left a lasting impression on the young Gerard. In the 1950s and 1960s, Schurmann was primarily known for his film music. “Man in the Sky” (German title “Versuchsmaschine CB 5”) is a concert overture based on Schurmann’s score for the film of the same name. The piano concerto was written for the great British pianist John Ogdon, who gave its premiere in November 1973. The work is divided into two movements: the first fast and virtuosic, the second broader and more contemplative. “Romancing the Strings” is a set of six short variations on an original theme that Schurmann originally wrote for a Disney film, which was eventually released as “Dr Syn, Alias the Scarecrow” (“Dr Syn – Das Narbengesicht”). The programme concludes with “Gaudiana,” a series of symphonic studies for orchestra inspired by the work of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, which was premiered in December 2005.