Listen to violinist Rupert Guenther’s piece inspired by Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius in the environment of the Chau Chak Wing Museum surrounded by Roman antiquities.
International violinist Rupert Guenther presents Marcus Aurelius “Meditations” - Violin Sketches in Sound as the world-premiere performance this year of his fascinating new original work for violin based on the life and work of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (102-180 AD) drawing particularly from his book of writings “Meditations” in the highly atmospheric Chau Chak Wing Museum at University of Sydney.
The Marcus Aurelius work illustrates through music the great contrast in psychological maturity which a statesman of Aurelius’ integrity and humanitarian vision would bring to the world stage if suddenly appearing now, as a leader in the modern world, standing in stark contrast among our current rather psychologically unbalanced world leadership. In a series of 7 extended improvisations, Guenther brings these themes to life as musical meditations on Aurelius’ philosophy of “good-spiritedness” (the Greek eudaimonia): the path of a life spent practicing virtue and living in accordance with nature, and to be in self-control enough to live free from anger, envy, and jealousy, and how a world leader like this would help us achieve a future of security through wisdom, collaboration and cooperation, instead of seeking security through perpetual suppression, domination and wars.
This performance takes place on a specially designed electric baroque violin, custom made for the work and created in collaboration with Australian master luthier Paul Davies in regional Victoria.
“Guenther’s seamless, mood-shifting, jaw-drop-inspiring improvisations communicated beyond chronological time, outside cultures and stock sounds for particular instruments. His unique painting of sentiment, concerns and cultural contrasts from our time reach us with a much needed freshness in the concert format.” - Sydney Arts Guide
Rupert Guenther is a European trained violinist-composer who specialises in bespoke concerts of inspired new works and sonatas of his own breathtaking improvisations. Hi performances are site-specific “spirit of place” works, drawing inspiration from thousands of years of human history, architecture, nature, significant events through time, landscape, science, astronomy, philosophy, paintings, poetry, geology, anthropology, ancient artefacts, the night skies, mystical knowledge and personal stories. Since 2003 has independently released over 35 albums of his evocative improvisations, including 5 albums of his sonatas and other collected works commissioned and recorded by Australia’s national broadcaster ABC Classic FM radio.
