Fritz Stüssi Œuvres vocales Morrison Danz Trümpy Strazanac Soller Helgath - CLA3085

Né en 1874 à Zurich, Fritz Stüssi suivit des études de musique à Berlin auprès de Reinhold Succo (Contrepoint) et Max Bruch (Composition). De retour en Suisse, il prend la direction de plusieurs chœurs de la région de Zurich tout en exerçant la fonction d’organiste. Son œuvre de compositeur interrompu par un décès brutal comprend cent trente opus de musique orchestrale et vocale. L’oratorio "Vergehen und Auferstehen" (Mourir et ressusciter) est une page assez longuette en deux parties pour orchestre chœur et solistes. Le langage musical de Stüssi reprend de manière quasi mimétique les topiques de la musique romantique pour chœur d’avant lui, Brahms et surtout Mendelssohn. (Le titre de l’album "A Swiss Romantic" n’est pas usurpé). De ce florilège inédit de pièces chorales, on retiendra surtout la précision de l’écriture pour chœur, la tension expressive du Psaume 28 et la teneur élégiaque des motets. Le disque doit en outre énormément aux interprètes, le chef Florian Helgath et les chanteuses Hannah Morrison et Ingeborg Danz, qui parviennent à instiller de la lumière de vitrail dans ces partitions poussiéreuses. (Jérôme Angouillant)

Fritz Stüssi (1874 - 1923) attended the Gymnasium in Zurich as well as the Zurich Music School, from which he graduated as a pianist and composer. He then continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in Berlin (counterpoint with Reinhold Succo, composition with Max Bruch). After his return to Switzerland, Stüssi took over the direction of various choirs in Wädenswil, where he also took up residence in 1898. In 1902 he was elected organist and from then on had a lasting influence on musical events in and around Wädenswil. Stüssi’s oratorio “Vergehen und Auferstehen” was performed in 1914 and the “28th Psalm” in 1921. Between 1898 and 1912, Stüssi also took over the direction of other choirs and orchestras in Uster, Männedorf, Rapperswil, Lachen, Richterswil, Thalwil and Zurich. He was thus a kind of music king around Lake Zurich. The associated workload took its toll on Stüssi’s health. He died completely unexpectedly on 14 March 1923. Fritz Stüssi left around 130 compositions to posterity, including six orchestral works, two oratorios as well as various cantatas, motets and songs. The handwritten music of his works was kept privately by the composer’s son, Prof. Dr. Fritz Stüssi, until 1979, when it was handed over to the Zurich Central Library by one of the composer’s grandsons, Dr. Hans Kaspar Schulthess, with the agreement of the Stüssi heirs. As the composer’s grandson, Dr Ulrich Stüssi is now making the work known to the public again for the first time in about 100 years.