If we are living in a golden age of countertenors, Andreas Scholl is King Midas. Scholl’s intelligence, exacting musicianship and drop-dead gorgeous voice has made him one of the most sought-after singers in the world. In November 2011, Scholl was headlining in the Metropolitan Opera’s revival of Handel’s Rodelinda and celebrating the release of a new album of Bach Cantatas.
Scholl took some time to chat with Ariama editor Craig Zeichner about the opera and about performing Bach.
Ariama: You are in a production of Handel’s Rodelinda at the Metropolitan Opera. How does it feel to work with non-early music specialists?
Andreas Scholl: In a way it doesn’t make a big difference because the challenge that the role of Rodelinda poses to Renée Fleming or Bertarido poses to me has to be fulfilled. So whether I am an “early music” soprano or a lyrical dramatic soprano, it doesn’t matter. I am confronted with this role and I have to think about who this character is. I have to live in the style of this music.
It’s also an honor and a privilege to be on stage with Renée Fleming and Stephanie Blythe and all these wonderful colleagues. Harry Bicket [the conductor] makes the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra sound so beautiful and he does not try to make them sound too much like a Baroque orchestra, but uses modern instruments to the advantage of Baroque music. Ultimately, for me it doesn’t make much difference other than it is a half tone higher, and that makes it easier in a such a large hall because the voice is stronger.
Ariama: In the liner notes of your new Bach album you say the best way to find the truth in Bach is through communication with the soul of the listener. You called it “the motor that drives Bach’s compositions.”
AS: Absolutely. In a way, the compositions are not an expression of his creativity but they fulfill a certain purpose. Bach employed his creativity in order to educate the people who come to church. That’s the idea. The purpose of a cantata is always linked to a specific Sunday and a specific Gospel, so with each cantata Bach attempts to deepen the understanding of the scripture.
Ariama: There’s so much power in his recitatives. How do you approach the recitative and draw out that special meaning?
AS: I think the most important step is to not sing it instantly. I think it’s a mistake to open a Bach cantata, look at the recitative and instantly start singing. Since the composition of a recitative essentially follows the guidelines of speech, it is the art of rhetoric, the most important aspect is how to make a point, how to surprise the listener. And after the surprise, there needs to be silence to let it sink in; which colors of the voice to employ is also part of it.
All of this, in the process of gathering ideas, will be hindered by instantly singing the recitative. For me the problem is once I sing something, I will have already heard myself sing it. Then anything I do from that moment on needs to be a deviation from that. Whereas if I leave it open and my first interpretative idea comes from the spoken word, and I am imagining myself to be like a theater actor or a preacher, then I am much closer to the source and the resulting song interpretation will have more focus. I’m absolutely sure of that.
Ariama: When you come to a new work, let’s say a Bach cantata, what is your preparation process?
AS: Ideally, if I have the time, I would look up what this cantata was written for, what does it talk about? I’d want to know exactly which Gospel it refers to, so you know which purpose it was supposed to fulfill and what story it talks about. I think that’s a very important factor because interpretation is always based on understanding and knowledge. Otherwise it’s quite vague.
For example, there’s the cantata Ich habe genug (I have enough). Even in English it can have two meanings. Enough is enough; I want to leave this planet because I’ve had enough of it. Or, I’m filled with everything I need, I don’t desire anything more, I don’t lack anything, I have enough of everything and that’s why I can leave.
If I don’t know the Gospel, I won’t know what it means. But if I know the Gospel I’ll know it refers to Simeon who receives the prophecy that he would see Jesus, the Messiah. He then says, “Now my life is fulfilled, I have enough.” I know that it is not meant in an aggressive way but it’s meant in a very serene, joyful way. It’s supposed to express a state of mind of not desiring anything anymore but to be content in the moment, in the here and now. This then enabled Simeon to say, “I can die because I don’t desire anything here anymore.”
I also must ask, who am I talking to? In a recitative I can talk to the audience directly or to the assembly in the church (as it was intended) and teach them. I can be the teacher preaching through the words that have been written. Basically the trick would be to study carefully what’s going on in the text, start singing and the interpretation then will have a good, solid basis.
Ariama: You’ve been singing Bach since you were a child. Is there anything you see new or differently at this stage of your life in his music?
AS: There aren’t any mind-boggling new revelations, but there’s always an aspect of growing with the music. Whenever you go back to a cantata or the B Minor Mass there are new aspects to discover. It also depends on the colleagues you are working with. When working with the Baroque violinist Sigiswald Kuijken I discovered details in Bach’s string writing. I also really love working with Philippe Herreweghe because he has a very special approach and with him you learn something else. So, it’s a mix of your fellow musicians and where you are in your personal life at the time.
Ariama: The recordings you’ve made with Herreweghe, especially the Agnus dei from the B Minor Mass, are life-changing for me.
AS: That was a special moment. Because in the church, on that very day we achieved something special. Those special moments in concert or on a recording cannot be forced. It’s not abut willpower or hard work, although the preparation and everything else has to be there, but ultimately is just needs to be the right moment with the right combination of musicians. Eventually you transcend the printed music and meet the composer on a different level.
Ariama: You are very much in the moment as this is happening, are you aware of how good it is?
AS: There are some times, during a concert or recording, when the musicians have a certain look on their face and they realize how special it is. I did a concert this summer with the Kammerorchester Basel. During the rehearsals I saw how everybody was into the music and so moved. It was a very beautiful moment and I said to the musicians, “Guys, before we continue let me tell you that I’m so happy to be here and to make this music and to watch everybody that is so into it. It’s really great, thank you.” Afterwards everybody talked about soul and how great it felt. If that mood can be nurtured and the performers are on the same wavelength you can create special moments.
Ariama: You are so busy, what does Andreas Scholl do to relax?
AS: I love movies and I love filming. So what I will do this afternoon is go to B&H [a large New York city photo shop] and buy my new video camera. I’m filming little video clips with my own music, which I edit and put together. I even produced a documentary about my singing teacher, Richard Levitt. So that’s my big hobby: gadgets, recording equipment, video and audio recordings.
by Craig Zeichner, Ariama Editor
