Presented in the Pinakothek der Moderne, the exhibition Au rendez-vous des amis is an encounter between two Munich art collections, in which modern art from the Sammlung Moderne Kunst engages in a dialogue with contemporary artworks from the Sammlung Goetz.
With the two-part film project dedicated to art and music, the Rendez-vous des amis is supplemented by an additional partner. The exhibition’s curators, Oliver Kase (Sammlung Moderne Kunst) and Karsten Löckemann (Sammlung Goetz), invited the opera singer Anton Leiss-Huber to musically engage with the presentation. Inspired by the works of classical modernism and contemporary art, Leiss-Huber selected popular pieces of music from the 1920s and 1930s composed by Ralph Benatzky. Accompanied by Julian Schwarz (accordion) and Johannes Stern (double bass), the singer interacts with the artworks.
“After the Expressionist, Futurist and Dadaist revolts, in music, too, the pendulum swung the other way during the 1920s and 1930s: a revert to the supposed ‘order’ became fashionable. The New Objectivity, which primarily manifested itself in the fine arts and literature, also became a theme in music”, explained Leiss-Huber. “Benatzky’s compositions from this period have the typical parodistic-comic attributes and are characterized by a text that corresponds with the melody.”
Through the interplay and juxtaposition of art and music genres of the same period, especially in these challenging times - when concert halls and music venues will remain closed to the public for the foreseeable future - this additional component expands the show’s perspective, thereby intensifying its overall impression.
With Oliver Kase (curator of the Sammlung Moderne Kunst), Anton Leiss-Huber (voice), Karsten Löckemann (chief curator of the Sammlung Goetz), Johannes Stern (double bass) und Julian Schwarz (accordion).
Camera: Leo van Kann / KATALOG Filmproduktion
Concept idea and organization: Annabel Weichel-Prechtl and Sara Moneta (Sammlung Goetz)
„Ach, Luise“
Music: Ralph Benatzky
© by Dreiklang-Dreimasken Bühnen- und Musikverlag GmbH
„Die Lilly vom Piccadilly“
Music: Ralph Benatzky
© Musikwerk und Bühnenvertrieb Zürich AG