Optimism, despair, hope, and unease – the concert at Saanen Church on Sunday, 3 August, channelled the full spectrum of emotions that come with contemplating the state of our planet. “Unauffälliger Rebell – Music for the Planet”, part of the Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy’s ongoing Change theme, was curated by the ever-provocative violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and performed with cellist Sol Gabetta and pianist Francesco Piemontesi.

The evening’s structure was as unusual as it was compelling: music by Debussy and Shostakovich interwoven with readings of Swiss author Franz Hohler’s texts, delivered by actress Meret Matter. Hohler’s sharp, witty storytelling can make even the apocalypse sound disarmingly human, and his piece The Creation – a cosmic origin story involving a mysterious crate of peas – drew chuckles while prompting reflection.

Debussy’s Cello Sonata opened the programme with sombre introspection that gradually bloomed into restless optimism. Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata followed Hohler’s creation tale, unfolding in waves of tenderness, rebellion, and dark contemplation before finding its way back to brightness. The programme’s climax came with Shostakovich’s Piano Trio – a heady mix of playfulness and euphoric intensity, the latter tinged with the unease of tomorrow.

That Kopatchinskaja, Gabetta, and Piemontesi are seasoned collaborators was unmistakable. They played with a level of trust and synergy that needed no words, only glances and instinct.

Now in its second year, Music for the Planet is Kopatchinskaja’s platform for addressing humanity’s relationship with the Earth through art. This season, she turned her focus to migration – a theme that, like the music performed, demanded both urgency and empathy.

based on AvS | Marie-Line Michel
Photos by Raphael Faux