It is not often that the strains of the St. Petersburg
Philharmonic fill the Physics and Astronomy Building.
But they did Thursday night, when physics Professor Peter
Schlein led a seminar about his father, composer Irving Schlein,
complete with videos of artists from the philharmonic recording his
father’s pieces.
Though Irving Schlein, a Julliard-trained pianist, won awards
for some of his classical compositions, he remained a relatively
unknown classical composer, his son said.
Instead, he made a living writing more popular music.
“He had all the right credentials, but he made his living
on Broadway,” Peter Schlein said, adding that his father
conducted some of Cole Porter’s shows. “But at home,
privately, he was writing (classical music) all the time.
It’s accessible music, because my father was an entertainer.
He had great empathy for audiences.”
Music department chair Ian Krouse said Irving Schlein’s
work deserves to be recognized.
“I find it interesting that these voices that are emerging
from the twentieth century are really worthy of our
attention,” he said. “What struck me immediately was
the power and the beauty (of his music).”
In 2001, Peter Schlein began working with top musicians in St.
Petersburg, including principal artists with the St. Petersburg
Philharmonic and professors from the Conservatory of Music, to
produce recordings of his father’s works.
“Their reaction to my father’s music has been
phenomenal,” Schlein said. “You could never do anything
like that in this country. You could never get artists of that
caliber for under $20,000.”
Schlein made video recordings of some of the recording sessions,
which he played during the seminar.
“You can see the commitment the artists bring (in the
videos),” Krouse said. “You can feel what they
feel.”
Fourth-year physics student Frank Ma said he thought the videos
added something to the music as well.
“I enjoyed watching the artists perform so close
up,” he said. “I’m glad (to discover)
off-mainstream music.”
Though Irving Schlein’s music is not taught in any UCLA
music classes, Peter Schlein said some music department faculty
have been enthusiastic about it. In fact, Krouse introduced Peter
Schlein and spoke briefly about the music.
Krouse said that the connection between physics and music is
natural.
“There’s always an interesting connection between
physics and music,” he said. “I read layman’s
physics books, and physicists just cannot get out of a chapter
without referencing music. They always go back to music to explain
the more complex ideas. I think there’s a deep and a binding
connection.”