A Triumph of Rediscovery
Imagine sitting in a grand hall in Vienna, surrounded by the echoes of stories untold for decades. That's exactly what's happening as the long-silenced voice of Mary Dickenson-Auner reverberates once more. This Dublin-born composer, whose works were nearly forgotten, is finally getting her due at Vienna's Musikverein. After an 80-year silence, her string quartets are bracing for a well-deserved spotlight.
Banned and Exiled
Mary's story is one of talent and resilience under the shadow of historic turmoil. Back in 1938, with tensions high and her British passport against her, she was silenced in a city she called home. Despite her formidable training and contributions to European music—like premiering Bartók's First Violin Sonata in Austria in 1922—Dickenson-Auner faced a devastating ban from performing and teaching. They tried to put her music on mute, but those unpublished manuscripts? They’re telling a different story now.
The Auner Quartett Steps Forward
Come November 2026, the Auner Quartett—the ensemble carrying her legacy forward—will breathe life into her forgotten compositions. This isn't just a tribute; it's a musical revival. Leading the charge is Daniel Auner, the quartet's first violinist and a family tie to Mary herself, performing with the very violin she once wielded.
“What a bold, exciting project,” says Peter Marboe, former Vienna City Councillor for Culture.
Legacy Echoes Through Time
Dickenson-Auner isn't the only composer whose life and work were twisted by the political winds of the era. This cycle interlaces her story with other exiled artists, like Zemlinsky, who fled from Vienna and never returned, and Fritz Kreisler, whose music was penned in New York exile as a 'Confession to Vienna'. Baritone Thomas Hampson joins this voyage, lending his voice to these haunting echoes from the past.
The Concert Cycle Lineup
Here's what ticket holders are in for:
- 25 Nov 2026: Mary Dickenson-Auner's String Quartet No. 4, with works by Schubert, Brahms, and Zemlinsky. A reading by Irene Suchy will add depth to the evening.
- 17 Feb 2027: A sonic tapestry featuring Webern, Strauss, Zemlinsky, and Berg, complemented by readings from Wolfgang Böck.
- 17 Mar 2027: Thomas Hampson sings compositions by Zemlinsky and contemporaries, including Wolf and Schönberg.
- 22 May 2027: The haunting strains of Kreisler's "A Confession to Vienna" will close the cycle, alongside Wellesz and Strauss.
Looking Forward
It's a monumental effort by the Auner Quartett, a group with credentials to back up their passion—they even snagged the Eugène Ysaÿe Competition win in 2018. This series of concerts isn't just about music; it's a reckoning with the past, an acknowledgment of voices drowned by history, now echoing back with force. For an audience, it's a reminder that even the lost notes matter.
This isn't just music; it's a reclaiming of space, of history, a musical restitution. So, as the lights dim in the Musikverein and Dickenson-Auner's notes fill the air, remember: these aren't just concerts; they’re a celebration of unyielding artistic spirit. The past may be silenced, but it can roar again in harmony.
