6 Questions for Julia Schwartz
An Interview
Julia Schwartz composes in practically all genres, and a whole series of her compositions have been published by Carus, from The Wind and the Weather to her contributions to the choir book Swiss Choral Music, the a capella choral works Stabat Mater and Wild Asters. In this interview, she answers six questions about composing and what she likes to do when she has some time off from composing.
What was your first composition?
Whispers of Heavenly Death, five settings of poems by Walt Whitman, 1993
Which other composers inspire you?
Countless! Here are a few in alphabetical order, but it’s an incomplete list: Ades, Bach, Bartok, Beach, Boulanger, Brahms, Gubaidulina, Mozart, Poulenc, Ravel, Stravinsky, Tailleferre, Verdi, Weill…
Your most emotional musical experience to date?
An early one, when I was 18 and at summer music camp. We were rehearsing Verdi’s Requiem, there were about 200 singers and we sang with a huge orchestra. I was standing behind the bass drum and the Dies Irae shook me to the core. It was both emotional and physical!
Where do you prefer to compose?
Musical material or inspiration can strike me anywhere, and I jot down tone sequences or ideas about structures wherever I happen to be. When I start a new work, I look at my notes and put my initial ideas down on paper, sometimes completely randomly. At some stage the threads come together and I can begin to compose – preferably at my desk at home.
What are you working on at the moment?
Two projects: firstly, I’ve just completed an operetta with playwright Stephan Teuwissen. It’s called Luzifers Lied (Lucifer’s Song) – it’s a humorous, funny look at Lucifer’s fall from heaven.
And, secondly,
A commission for a nine-piece ensemble (string quartet, flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon) which will be premiered by the ensemble Le Pli in Bolivia in summer 2024 and then in autumn in Switzerland.
When you’re not composing or making music, then…
I read, cook, cycle, practise tango, rest (if there’s enough time) …
The Wind and the Weather
By Julia Schwartz
Carus 9.274/00
Stabat Mater
By Julia Schwartz
Carus 7.801/00
Wild Asters
By Julia Schwartz
Carus 9.274/20
Separate edition from the choral collection Swiss Choral Music
CD Swiss Choral Music
Includes, among others, a recording of Wild Asters.
Carus 2.305/99
Aya Sivan: Never too small
Never too small by the composer and singer-songwriter Aya Sivan is written in the style of a lively pop ballad. The lyrics encourage everyone to take a stand in support of climate and environmental protection: You are never too small to make a difference! The theme is set to music in a fun way that will appeal to both youth and adult choirs.
Tina Ternes: For our planet
In her piece For our planet, music teacher and composer Tina Ternes uses both music and text to remind us to treat our planet with care and respect. She has created a thrilling pop composition that is guaranteed to inspire youthly choirs. The work is a motivational anthem: Protect our planet! One of the most important issues of our time is thus addressed through music. This is not only a great choice for youth choirs but also for three-voice mixed choirs.
Lucia Birzer: Afterwards
A text by the American poet Sara Teasdale (1884–1933) forms the basis for the composition Afterwards by choir director and composer Lucia Birzer. The poem There will come soft rains deals with our earth in a post-human age. For Lucia Birzer, the motivation to set these words to music is the climate catastrophe. Musically, the work is meditative and reflective. Initially, three soloists tell the story almost like recitative, while the choir intones atmospherically in the background. Then the choir takes over and brings the narrative to a dramatic climax.
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