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Home , Daniel Nazareth, Giya Kancheli, Lera Auerbach, Religion and mythology, Rodion Shchedrin, The Portrait (opera)

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04/09 SIKORSKI MUSIC PUBLISHERS • WWW.SIKORSKI.DE • [email protected]

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Mysticism, and Mythology City, Country ... Music 23104_Zajaczek_Sikorski_Broschuere_GB_#4c 22.09.09 17:56 Seite 2

Cover editorial

Dear Readers, ,Religion

When music is and mentioned, one often immediately thinks of settings of the Mass, oratorios and Mythology cantatas. In New Music, however, the spectrum of the confrontation with this WorldWorld andand NationalNational PremieresPremieres 2009/102009/10 genre has been considerably expanded. Not only certain , but also None other than the universally receive its world premiere on 29 October subjects from the areas of mysticism interested theologian Hans Küng 2009 in by the Bavarian Radio Choir and mythology have stimulated many has extensively occupied himself and under , also belongs to the series of works which, in the contemporary to with the relationship between broadest sense, turn to a higher and create pseudo-religious works or new music and religion. Taking the thus to the wide area of mysticism. Kancheli forms of sacred music. three great composers Wolfgang uses Latin text quotations in a loose order Amadeus Mozart, Richard Wagner which is apparently arranged without any con- You will become acquainted with and as examples, nection to each other and which can be inter- some of these in this issue. preted in a variety of ways. The phrase he has tried to show what role “Mortuos plango” (“I lament the dead”) turns religiosity plays in the production up, or the reference to one’s own person More direct and perhaps more of each individual , and under the motto “Ad se ipsum” (“to oneself”), unequivocal than this is the approach to arrived at the conclusion that, “Ora et labora” (“pray and work”), a “Credo, compositions dedicated to actual qua verum” and a “Stabat mater dolorosa.” among other things, religious All these religious or worldly influenced text existing egions or cities. We have aspects tend to be more noticeable fragments appear like mottos which are sub- examined our catalogues, freely varying on the subjective level. jected to a musically defined whole. At the the name of the well-known quiz game world premiere in Munich, “Dixi” („I have “Now and then,” he writes, “I am removed – said“) will be contrasted with Beethoven’s 9th “City, Country, River” for concepts of and I can thank Mozart enough for this – into . “City, Country ... Music.” that peace that surpasses all critical and also The chamber work “Job’s Lament” for violin theological reason.” The fact that, of all and by received its people, Johann Sebastian Bach is missing world premiere at the Verbier Festival on 26 ’s 75th birthday is from Küng’s selection of outstanding compo- July 2009, performed by reflected in the new Sikorski Magazine, sers is surprising at first glance. There is sure- and the composer herself at the piano. In this ly hardly another composer in whose work the as is the representation of recently work, the composer and poetess Lera correlation between music and religion is so Auerbach has dedicated herself to the biblical completed instrumental of marked as in Bach. Anyone who listens to or figure of Job, who dogged by misfortune, New Music and the attempt of performs Bach’s cantatas is in that moment a begins to doubt his in . Auerbach religious person, as the Dutch organist and avant-gardists to correlate the effect of based her work on her own poem entitled harpsichordist Ton Koopman quoted the “Job’s Lament.” light with musical concepts. In addition, remark of a listener and went on to say, “we Lera Auerbach has already composed a a special article is dedicated to special attempt to bring back religion with Bach’s “Russian ”, which received its music.” instrumentation practices for big bands Latvian premiere in Riga on 22 August 2009 The relationship to religious contents and and its Estonian premiere on 23 August 2009 in the area of dance music. messages has continued to change during the in Tallinn with the Latvian State Choir and the course of the centuries and brought forth con- Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. In this troversial opinions. Thus a direct descendant We wish you many new vocal work, Auerbach connects Orthodox of Richard Wagner, Nike Wagner recently liturgical texts and poems with poetry of discoveries whilst reading. remarked, “Religion divides people – spiritua- Russian poets including Pushkin, Mandelstam lity is something completely different. That and Blok. The premiere of her Requiem for Dagmar Sikorski does not mean that one doesn’t have any fee- Icarus will take place in Washington with the Dr. Axel Sikorski lings. But it does mean that one doesn’t insist National Symphony Orchestra under the upon them.” direction of James Gaffigan on 18 February We have many works in our catalogues which, 2010. This is the final movement of her in the broadest sense, turn to the broad field Symphony No. 1 “Chimera.” Western art has of faith, to specific religions, but also to adjoi- and again been concerned with the ning areas ranging from mysticism to cabba- Icarus . It tells of the high spirits of the lism. In addition, composers’ interest in religi- boy Icarus, the son of Daedalus, who made on and mysticism, as the many upcoming pre- artificial wings and attached them to his body con tent miere performances about which we are with wax. High up in the air, he felt akin to reporting here, seems to be growing stronger God and flew ever higher up in the direction 02 Mysticism, Religion and again. Daniel Nazareth’s “Bara’a Symphony” of the sun, where the wax began to melt and Mythology centres on the myth of the creation of the he suddenly plunged into the sea. Since self- earth and its creatures institutionalised by the limitation and devotion to a higher power also 03 . Lera Auerbach dedicates a belong to the essence of , Instrumental Concerts Requiem to an ancient figure, thus com- Auerbach connects the idea of the commemo- in New Music bining mythology and Christian faith. The ration of the dead with the ancient saga figu- “Tetragrammaton” elevated to a subject by re. 04 Light transformed into Sound Moritz Eggert (Greek: „four-lettered”, tetra- “Oratorios do not necessarily have to be City, Country ... Music gram), for example, connects the name of sacred,” says the composer Moritz Eggert God (Yahweh, JVHH), the pentagram and from Heidelberg. Four years ago, he himself 06 other magical signs to a strong symbol repre- composed a so-called football oratorio entit- Mieczyslaw Weinberg sented on many protective amulets. led “The Depth of the Space” for soloists, ’s new work “Dixi” for mixed orchestra and choir. He had fun in aesthetically 07 Alfred Schnittke’s 75th Birthday choir and symphony orchestra, scheduled to approaching the classical form of the ‘passion.’

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Focus

poser approaches the great questions of Instrumental humanity concerning its origins and its ancho- ring in time and the universe. In the third part Concerts in of his Evolution Symphony, Nazareth illumina- tes the from four different per- spectives: the Judeo-Christian tradition, New Music , the Maya and Greek mytho- Present-day composers have not logy. forgotten the good-old One of the most important works in contem- porary sacred music was written by Sofia instrumental . Several of Gubaidulina. During the Bach Year 2000, the them have written concertos for International Bach reque- rather unusual instruments such sted a contribution from Gubaidulina on the “Passion” theme. Gubaidulina composed the as the double , tympani and large-scale St. John Passion, with which she even the nose flute. The player appears as a -like figure and fulfilled a long-harboured wish. This work, In new music, composers generally treat solo the sports reporter as a kind of evangelist. expanded by Gubaidulina during the ensuing instruments and their greatly expanded Football is for many people a replacement for years, occupies a special place amongst the sonic possibilities in a quite experimental religion, says Eggert, and that is why the asso- many religiously influenced works by this com- way. ciative proximity to the sacred is not difficult. poser. Meanwhile it has been performed in The Azerbaijani composer Franghiz Ali- “But what’s important for me, above all, is the many countries of the world and is to be per- Zadeh composed a Double Concerto, a ironical potential of such an artistic elevation.” formed again in Helsinki on 31 January and Concerto for Violoncello, Percussion and Eggert recently completed a purely instru- 1 April 2010 by the Helsinki Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra entitled “Deniz” (Sea), mental work for string orchestra entitled Orchestra under the direction of Leif premiered by Ivan Monighetti on 19 October “Tetragrammaton” which rather belongs to Segerstam. 2009 in Bern. Ali-Zadeh has a very special the mystic, cabbalistic realm; it will receive its relationship to Switzerland and to the cello as premiere by the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra a solo instrument. In 1999 she was the first on 12 December 2009 in Stuttgart. In accor- woman to be composer in residence at the dance with the “occidental white-magical tra- W orld Premieres and International Music Festival in Lucerne. In dition,” the four letters of the National Premieres response to a commission from the Calouste Tetragrammaton “symbolise the totality of the Gulbenkian Foundation, she wrote a godly unity on earth,” whereby the fourness Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra symbolises the earth and the creative human 26.07.2009 Verbier that was premiered in Lisbon by Ivan being. “At the moment I am interested in cer- World premiere: Lera Auerbach: Monighetti (violoncello) and the Gulbenkian tain states of intoxication in my music, as they “Job’s Lament” for violin and piano Orchestra under the direction of Muhai Tang play a role in Sufi mysticism, for example; not in June 2002. Also in 2002, the 12 cellists of for esoteric reasons (I am absolutely anti-eso- 22.08.2009 Riga the Philharmonic celebrated their 30th 23.08.2009 Tallinn teric)W orld but Premieresbecause the ‘unspeakable’ and in music anniversary with a cello festival at the Berlin Estonian premiere: Lera Auerbach: interestsNational me, Premierescertain moments of elevation,” Russian Requiem for soloists, choir and orchestra Philharmonie, for which Ali-Zadeh was com- says Eggert. missioned to compose “Schüschtar” The Croatian composer Milko Kelemen 29.10.2009 Munich (Metamorphoses for 12 Violoncellos). makes a direct connection with the and World Premiere: Giya Kancheli: Similarly to Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, who summarises especially to archangels in his latest work. “Dixi” for chair and orchestra several individual works in the “Silk Road” “Daniel” for mixed choir was composed for cycle, Moritz Eggert also has diverse cycles. 09.02.2010 Tallinn the renowned Stuttgart Bach Choir. The pre- Alongside the collection of highly virtuoso Estonian premiere miere of the work will take place on 13 solo piano pieces designated as November 2009 in Stuttgart. 13.11.2009 Stuttgart “Hämmerklavier,” meanwhile consisting of 22 World premiere: Milko Kelemen: pieces, the orchestral cycle “Number Nine” is Daniel, Habakkuk (Dan 14, 37-38) “Daniel” for mixed choir designed as a 9-part cycle made up of inde- Take the food that God has sent you. God, pendent pieces. They range from short and You do not abandon those who love You. 29.11.2009 Tokyo longer purely orchestral pieces to concerto- Japanese premiere: Alfred Schnittke: like works including “Number Nine VI: A The Russian composer Alfred Schnittke com- “Nagasaki”: Oratorio Bigger Splash” for saxophone, jazz bass and posed an oratorio for Nagasaki, the city once orchestra. destroyed by the American dropping of the 12.12.2009 Stuttgart In his new piece “Number Nine VIII: Temp atomic bomb. “Nagasaki” for choir and orche- World Premiere: Moritz Eggert: Work” for soloist and orchestra, Moritz stra, already recorded by the Swedish record “Tetragrammaton” for string orchestra Eggert is interested in a merger of temporal company BIS, will receive its Japanese pre- and linguistic levels. To achieve this, he 18.-25.01.2010 Hannover miere in Tokyo on 29 November 2009 perfor- makes use of fragments from 60 years of Original production: Daniel Nazareth: med by the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony “Bara’a”: Symphony for choir and orchestra German history in extremely densely woven Orchestra under the direction of Gennady (Evolution Symphony) musical textures including original sounds, Rozhdestvensky. Alfred Schnittke composed music theatre and performance elements. “A his oratorio “Nagasaki” in 1958 as a graduati- 18.02.2010 Washington total overtaxing of all the senses,” Eggert on work. The work was produced one year World premiere: Lera Auerbach: comments with a twinkle in his eye, “or the later by the Soviet Radio and Television “Requiem for Icarus” for orchestra representation of how humans sense the pas- Symphony Orchestra conducted by Algis sage of time, which everyone senses as pas- Ziuraitis for Radio. “Nagasaki” stands sing by ‘too fast.’ If music can represent such at the beginning of Schnittke’s production and a time-space, then only in sweat-inducing can also partially be assigned to the genre of ‘temp work.’” programme music. Poems dealing with war as Ulrich Leyendecker is also a composer of a central theme by Russian and Japanese W orld Premieres and many instrumental concertos which are fre- poets serve as the basis of the work. National Premieres quently performed. The concertmaster of the Neither an oratorio nor a requiem, but a work NDR Symphony Orchestra, Roland Greutter, 04.09.2009 Bonn related less to religious contents than to the World premiere: Moritz Eggert: gave the premiere of his Concerto for Violin creation of the world and life in general, is „Number Nine VIII: Temp Work” for and Orchestra several years ago in . “Bara’a” for soloists, choir and orchestra soloist and orchestra Now Leyendecker has completed a Concerto (Evolution Symphony) by Daniel Nazareth. 19.10.2009 Bern for and Orchestra, which will be pre- The original production of the work is planned World premiere: Franghiz Ali-Zadeh: miered by Wolfram Christ accompanied by with the Hannover Brahms Choir, the NDR Concerto for violoncello, percussion and chamber orchestra the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saar- Radio Philharmonic Hannover and Daniel brücken Kaiserslautern under the direction of 19.03.2010 Kaiserslautern Nazareth conducting in January 2010 on NDR World premiere: Ulrich Leyendecker: Christoph Poppen on 19 March 2010 in Hannover. It is not without irony that the com- Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra Kaiserslautern.

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Light transformed into Sound

The transference ofcolour energy, complementary and simultaneous colour contrasts and the representation of impressions of images with musical means – but also the phenomenon of “light” – play an essential role in New Music. City, Taking its point of departure from the pictorial arts, this confrontation has also had a direct effect on all artistic orientations of the 20th century and the present day. The painter Robert Delaunay, one of the most important providers of ideas in the artists’ group “Der Blaue Reiter,” had already attempted to reproduce the Country .. tension and relaxation of dissonant and complementary colours with the motif of With pieces of music dedicated to a light-refracting windowpanes. But Franz Marc also experimented with so-called colour chords in his famous animal pictures. The fact that Paul Klee and the specific country, Russian avant-garde, including Wassily Kandinsky, took up these ideas of the we naturally think of national three protagonists of the “Blauer Reiter” and much more strongly expressed a hymns immediately. There are even connection to music, was logical and consistent. How else would a title like “The Yellow Sound” for a stage composition by Kandinsky be conceivable? hymns especially composed for At the same time as the formation of the group “Der Blaue Reiter,” the Russian individual cities or regions. composer Alexander Skryabin experimented with colour-music in his work However, we do not wish to report on “Prometheus,” Op. 60 in 1911. He was convinced by the theory that visual perceptual qualities were directly transferable to acoustic stimuli, that hearing these here, but rather on works from colours was theoretically possible. For this purpose he conceived of a “clavier à the area of serious music dedicated lumières,” a colour keyboard which was used in his large-scale orchestral work. to cities, countries or specific places, In so doing, he seized upon an idea that the French mathematician Louis- Betrand Castel had attempted two hundred years earlier: Castel assigned corre- approaching their essence in a sponding colours to each of the twelve tones of the chromatic scale. With completely individual way. Skryabin’s colour keyboard, visual impressions, e.g. light projections, were produced by pressing the keys. In addition, the acoustic sounds of the piano also The Croatian composer Milko Kelemen, for example, sounded. recently completed a symphonic work entitled “A A new work by Moritz Eggert has a title referring to light. The piece Stuttgart Imagination,” premiered by the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra on 3 October 2009 under the direc- “Illumination” for symphony orchestra and jazz orchestra belongs to a larger tion of Michael Hofstetter in Stuttgart. work complex entitled “Processional” in which different pieces for different Kelemen, one of the most important cultural mediators combinations are connected in an optional open-air concept arising from an between East and West during the post-war period and intensive occupation with various idioms of march and military music. In so founder of the Zagreb Biennale in 1959, became doing, Eggert feels very close to the ironical-pacifist approach pursued, for Professor of Composition in at the Stuttgart Music example, by Mauricio Kagel in his “Ten Marches to Miss the Victory.” Several of Academy in 1973 and has lived in the Swabian metropo- these orchestral marches by Eggert have already been premiered at the “Young lis ever since. In later years he also served for short Euro Classic” in Berlin. In “Illumination,” this sound material is now further deve- periods as Professor of Composition at Yale University loped within the framework of a confrontation. The contrast between jazz big and at the universities of Montreal, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. band and classical orchestra is particularly stimulating here. A parallel to the Stuttgart has “grown close to his heart,” as Kelemen 2009 anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall is in no way unintentional, mentions in connection with his work. He has inserted comments Eggert on his piece. “But a is also more than that – a para- brief notions between the musical sections which have to de, a procession of lights into an ever uncertain future. To what extent art, to do with Stuttgart and are clearly articulated by the musi- what extent music can brighten such a future, to what extent human patterns of cians. Thus the word “fountains,” then “Palace Garden” behaviour always follow the same beaten paths, to what extent the pathos resul- and the names Hegel, Schiller and Hölderlin, who were ting from the hymnal enhancement is still valid – these are questions that this all connected with the city, and finally the wine-produ- piece wishes to pose.” cing towns of Trollinger, Riesling und Silvaner. The young composer Jörn Arnecke, who hails from Hameln, has also had ’s “Music for the City of Köthen” for chamber orchestra composed in 1984 also belongs to recourse to the subject of light refractions in minerals in a piece for clarinet, the circle of “city and country” musical works. The coun- bassoon and orchestra entitled “Crystallisations,” premiered in June 2009 by ty seat in the District of Halle lies on the northern edge the Hamburg Philharmonic. He is now working on a piece, “Lichtbogen” (Light of Leipzig Bay and was especially known during the Arch) for orchestra. Arnecke says that he is connecting, so to speak, “two elec- twentieth century for the construction of conveyor belts trodes which are under sufficiently high voltage. The light arch bridges over an for brown coal mining. From 1847 onwards, the Palace area. It contains an entire spectrum of colours. And the most important thing: it built from 1597 until 1604 was the residence of the shines!” Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. In 1717 Johann Sebastian Bach began his tenure there as Court Chapel Master under the Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. The ensemble used in Shchedrin’s piece is orientated on baroque orchestral ensembles, while the music itself is in Shchedrin’s unmi- stakeably individual style. W orld Premieres Alfred Schnittke paid homage to the city of Liverpool on the northwest coast of England in a work from his 23 August 2009 Berlin later years. The harbour lies on the southern shore of the World premiere: Mersey River and is one of England’s most important Moritz Eggert: ports. Commercial buildings of the 19th and 20th centu- “Illumination (Finale from Processional)” ries dominate the city. The one-movement orchestral work “For Liverpool” lasting barely a quarter of an hour, was composed in 1993 for the Royal Liverpool 19 February 2010 Göttingen Philharmonic Orchestra. The inclusion of an electric gui- World premiere: tar and an electric bass is unusual for the symphonic lite- Jörn Arnecke: “Light Arch” for orchestra rature – these instruments are a tribute to the Beatles who were from Liverpool. A brief chorale-like sequence introduced at the beginning permeates the work, which consists of brief episodes.

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Special NEWS

Fantastic Shostakovich- found in Moscow It occurs time and again that unknown documents, even entire manuscripts of works begun or completed turn up in archives. Parts of a comic opera by were recently discovered in Moscow, .... MusicMusic the existence of which was completely unknown previously. The sketches for the stage work “Orango” were written in 1932. The subject is based on material by the Russian science fiction author Alexei Tolstoy and is about a fantasy being – half ape, half human – which resulted from experiments in Soviet labo- ratories. In the first act of the opera, In the case of Leningrad, we have had to expe- mentioned in the previous article, also has to Orango is presented to the public, rience - more than once during the twentieth do with destruction and horror. proving himself to be a convincing century - the fact that cities, especially in A so-called “Prague” Piano Concerto was speaker who, however, repeatedly Eastern Europe, have sometimes had to written by Dmitri Kabalevsky. The Russian interrupts his statements with ape-like change their names. Dmitri Shostakovich, for composer wrote his Concerto No. 4 for Piano shrieks. If Shostakovich had completed example, composed his Symphony No. 7 in C and Orchestra in 1979 for a competition, quo- the work, Orango would have advanced major (“Leningrad”) Op. 60 during the war ting many examples of Czechoslovak folk to General Secretary of the Communist year of 1941; in it, his subject was the attacks music in it. Among the songs quoted and Party by the end of the opera, according on this city. transformed are an almost literal quotation of to the libretto. This bold sketch was St. Petersburg’s name was changed to “Vyletela holubenka” (“The Little Dove Flew perhaps one reason why Shostakovich Petrograd in 1914 and to Leningrad in 1924; Out”), the Moravian song „´”U starei” and, in abandoned work on this opera and the finally, in 1991, its name was changed back to the finale, the Slovak song “Pride Ty Suhajko.” manuscript was forgotten. St. Petersburg. The invasion of the German Sergei Prokofiev’s so-called “Ural The manuscript material to “Orango” was Army on 22 June 1941 in the was Rhapsody,” Op. 128 of 1951 is not dedicated already found in the Moscow Shostakovich a far-reaching event in the turbulent history of to a city but to a mountain range. The Ural archive in 2006 by the archivist Olga St. Petersburg/Leningrad. The first attacks on Mountains function more or less as the natural Digonskaya. The same archivist also Leningrad took place already in early August; boundary between Europe and Asia, exten- recently located the complete libretto. the blockade around the city was completed ding 2500 kilometres from Kara Lake in a sout- The musicologist Gerard McBurney is by 8 September. The siege lasted over 900 herly direction. The northern presently working on a reconstruction days. The Soviet authorities succeeded in eva- reach an altitude of 1894 metres. They con- of a score for performance. cuating cultural institutions of the city during stantly decrease in altitude towards the south. the first weeks, including exhibits from famous Split in several chains, with decreasing forests museums, the personnel of the opera house and increasing steppe-like landscape, the cha- Prizes and Honours for and the Leningrad Philharmonic. racter of the Ural Mountains also changes in Sofia Gubaidulina Not only orchestral works but also chamber this direction. There is extensive iron-ore The Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina works have been dedicated to certain places. mining in the central Ural Mountains. has been awarded the For example, the Russian composer Katia Great Federal Service Cross with Star. Tchemberdji wrote a Trio for clarinet (viola), In addition, Yale University has violoncello and piano named - after the place awarded her an honorary doctorate, of its world premiere - the “Lerchenborg” an honour that Benjamin Franklin, Trio. This medium-sized Danish city on the Mentioned works John F. Kennedy, Desmond Tutu, Martin island of Zealand organises an annual music Luther King, Paul McCartney, 03.10.200 Stuttgart festival at which compositions of international World premiere: Milko Kelemen: , avant-garde composers were premiered “A Stuttgart Imagination” for string orchestra and , during the 1990s. The city also has a castle among others, have received before her. and numerous historic sights, including a During the course of the music festival Rodion Shchedrin: monument to . Music for the City of Köthen for chamber orchestra Nuovi Eventi Musicali 2009” in Florence, Another Trio for clarinet, violin and piano by (1984) she was presented with the Tchemberdji is entitled “Heidelberg” Trio. Premio Nuovi Eventi Musicali 2009. The shocking terrorist attacks in New York and Alfred Schnittke: The ceremony was framed by the For Liverpool for orchestra (1993) Washington on 11 September 2001 stimulated Gubaidulina work “Seven Words” the Russian-American composer Lera Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): for violoncello, bayan and orchestra and Auerbach to compose her Sonata for Violin Symphony No. 7 in C Major “Leningrad,” Op. 60 (1941) by Alfred Schnittke’s Epilogue and Piano No. 2 “11 September.” The events for violoncello, piano and tape. Katia Tchemberdji: of that horrible day shocked her very deeply, Trio for Clarinet (Viola), Violoncello and Piano Sofia Gubaidulina received another award Auerbach says.“ I started to write this piece on “Lerchenborg” Trio (1994) on 21 July 2009 in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Sept 12th. Everything else had to wait. Since I Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano “Heidelberg” Trio This was the European Church Music was a child I knew that the only way to deal (1991) Prize 2009. Gubaidulina’s choral work with pain is by transforming it into a work of Lera Auerbach: “Exult Before God” and her cello work art, into music, thus elevating from the Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 “Sun Song” were performed at the destructive forces that can be attached to “11 September” (2001) ceremonial presentation. painful experiences. Like the Phoenix, who Former recipients of this prize have Alfred Schnittke: dies in order to be born, this piece was born “Nagasaki:” Oratorio for mezzo soprano, choir and included Helmuth Rilling, Eric Ericson, from death. All the different emotions I expe- orchestra (1958) Arvo Pärt and Krzysztof Penderecki. rienced at that time, from shock to sorrow, On 23/24 October 2009 from mourning in hope, from anger to Sergei Prokofiev: the NDR series “das neue werk” is Ural Rhapsody for orchestra, Op. 128 (1951) despair, from reminiscence to questioning, organising a Gubaidulina-Festival at the were embodied into its material.” Dmitri Kabalevsky: Rolf-Liebermann-Studio The oratorio “Nagasaki” by Alfred Schnittke, Concerto No. 4 for Piano and Chamber Orchestra at the broadcasting station, in memory of the dropping of the atomic “Prague” (1979) at which Gubaidulina will bomb and only premiered in 2006, which was also appear as interpreter.

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NEWS PORTRAIT World Premiere of a Prokofiev March in a New Instrumentation Jan Müller-Wieland recently made an adaptation of Beethoven’s “Egmont” Overture for exactly the same instrumental combination as the one used by Igor Stravinsky for his melodrama “The Soldier’s Tale.” Otfried Büsing also stuck to a definite combination when he adapted the March, Op. 99 by Sergei Prokofiev for orchestra. He orientated himself on the ensemble of Prokofiev’s twentieth-century classic “Peter and the Wolf.” The Rhenish Philharmonic of Koblenz under the direction of Wolfram Christ presented the world premiere of the March, Op. 99 in June during the course of the festival Discovery: Hachenburg Spring.

“Concerto 2000” Mieczyslaw by Milko Kelemen The Orchestra of the Stuttgart Music Weinberg Academy under the direction of Per Borin will give the world premiere of the new version Interest in Mieczyslaw production has been submitted this year at Kiel of Kelemen’s orchestral work University. The author is Verena Mogl. In addi- “Concerto 2000” on 7 November 2009. Weinberg’s music is tion, David Fanning is working on a biography to be published in 2009. A Weinberg constantly on the ups- was founded in Moscow two years ago, with World Premiere of Three the aim of increasing the attention given to his Poems by Alfred Schnittke wing. When he died in works in Russian musical life. The Sviatoslav Martyntschuk and the 1996 at almost the age At the 2010 Bregenz Festival (21.7.-22.8.2010) pianist Marina Savova will give the world there will be a focus on Weinberg with 3 orche- premiere of Alfred Schnittke’s Three Poems of eighty, only a few stral concerts, chamber music (string quartets of Viktor Schnittke for tenor and piano with the Quatour Danel), productions of the in Hamburg on 12 October 2009. works from his large “The Portrait” and “” (in compositional legacy German), a symposium and exhibition. Number Nine VII – The producer David Pountney will produce New Part of the Eggert Cycle were known. Weinberg’s opera “The Portrait” in autumn Much has changed since then and the upco- 2012 in Nancy and probably also in England. ming premiere of his one-act opera “Lady The first international Weinberg Festival will Magnesia” based on Bernard Shaw’s play take place in November 2009 in “Passion, Poison and Petrification” in Liverpool/Manchester. This festival will include Liverpool on 18 November is only the peak of the premiere of the concertante version of the many individual activities centring round this opera “Lady Magnesia” on 18 November 2009 composer. at Hope University in Liverpool with the Mieczyslaw Weinberg was born in Warsaw in Ensemble 10/10 under Clark Rundell, and a 1919 and studied piano there before moving performance of the Requiem on 21 November to the Soviet Union in 1939, where he became 2009 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic The latest work from Moritz Eggert’s work a composition pupil of Vassily Solotaryov. His Orchestra under Thomas Sanderling. The pro- cycle for orchestra is called family, who remained in Poland, was murde- gramme organisers have stated the following in “Number Nine VII: Mass.” red by the National Socialists. When he was the programme announcement: “Weinberg is Peter Rundel and the Bavarian Radio mistakenly accused of propagating the idea regarded as the third great Soviet composer, Symphony Orchestra will perform the world of the founding of a Jewish republic in Crimea alongside Prokofiev and Shostakovich; his dra- premiere in Munich on 5 February 2010. in 1953 and then arrested, Dmitri matic, passionate music is recognisably from Shostakovich successfully interceded in his the same stable.” The grotesque story of the opera “Lady Khachaturian’s Songs behalf and he was released. Similarly to that of Shostakovich, Weinberg’s catalogue of Magnesia” is based on a comedy by Bernard works primarily consists of a large number of Shaw. The jealous Sir George Fitztollemache orchestral compositions, including 22 sym- decides to murder his wife, whose heart appe- phonies, chamber music and especially ballets ars to belong to the lackey Adolphus Bastable. and operas. Weinberg contributed 60 compo- A nocturnal meeting of the married couple, sitions to the genre of film music alone. however, changes the situation. Adolphus The British label Chandos has already begun becomes the victim of poisoning by the head of issuing a Weinberg CD Edition planned over the house. By taking a supposed antidote con- many years. The record company cpo is plan- sisting of plaster, the secret lover is finally petri- ning to issue three CDs with chamber music fied in death as a statue of himself. Sir and Lady The complete production of Aram of Weinberg with the participation of the pia- Fitztollemache reverently set up Adolphus’s Khachaturian is gigantic in terms of the sheer nist Elisaveta Blumina. The first CD with statue, which then stretches out its arms over number of works alone. The most frequently Weinberg’s solo piano works, recorded at the the Fitztollemaches more or less in a gesture of performed works of the Armenian composer Bavarian Radio, will be issued in 2009. The blessing. are the ballets “Gayaneh” second CD is to contain four of Weinberg’s The role of Lady Magnesia will be sung by (containing “Sabre Dance”) and “Spartacus,” works for winds – including the Sonata for Emma Morwood in Liverpool. but also the instrumental concertos and Bassoon Solo published by Sikorski - and will chamber music. The composer’s over seventy be recorded in December 2009 at the songs are far too little known; these include Siemens Villa in Berlin by Wenzel Fuchs, solo World Premieres the songs translated by from clarinettist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Mathias the film music to “Othello” and “The Girl Baier, solo bassoonist of the Staatskapelle 18.11.2009 Liverpool from the Ural Mountains” based on a poem Berlin, Elisaveta Blumina and others. World premiere: Mieczyslaw Weinberg: by Grigory Slavin. The first doctoral dissertation on Weinberg’s Opera “Lady Magnesia”

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EVENTS AND PROJECTS on NEWS

Alfred Sigrid Neef: The Operas of Sergei Prokofiev (Prokofiev Schnittke’s Studies, Volume 7) The fascinating series of Prokofiev Studies comprises seven volumes 75th published by Verlag Ernst Kuhn in Berlin. In the latest volume, the musicologist Sigrid Neef occupies herself with the composer’s Birthday operatic production. Precisely in this part of Prokofiev’s oeuvre, The musical world commemorated the author finds much relevant information concerning the repeatedly the 10th anniversary of the death of questioned independence of the Alfred Schnittke in August last year. composer’s thinking and judgement under Stalin’s dictatorship due On 24 November 2009, the great to his return to the Soviet Union. “The inclusion of documents hitherto Russian-German composer who died in 1998 would unknown,” she announces, “such as the have been 75 years old. In January 2009, the ECM exact representation and appreciation of all the label issued a recording of completed operas in their process of creation, plot and content, as well as in Alfred Schnittke’s 9th Symphony with the Dresden the wide-ranging history of their interpre- Philharmonic under Dennis Russ Davies. tation, will provide surprises for the wider public, interpreters and critics alike.” A little later, another interpretation appeared on the later also in Hamburg. Alongside the “Visions Swedish BIS label with the Cape Town Philharmonic fugitives” of Sergei Prokofiev, he primarily Orchestra under the direction of Owain Arwell used the legendary world premiere recording Hughes. It was on this CD that BIS also first issued of Schnittke’s 1st Symphony from Gorki. The Echo-Classic Prizes for the Concerto grosso No. 1 in the alternative versi- revival of this ballet production is planned for Gubaidulina and on for flute, oboe and orchestra expressly appro- 14 November 2009. Shostakovich Recordings ved by Schnittke, recorded by Sharon Bezaly, The London Philharmonic Orchestra under Among the winners of the Christopher Cowie and the Cape Town Philharmonic the direction of Vladimir Jurowski is organi- Echo-Classic Prize 2009 is the violinist Orchestra under Owain Arwell Hughes. The new BIS sing an extensive Schnittke Festival under the Anne-Sophie Mutter, designated as CD is to be part of a CD box with all nine motto “Between Two Worlds” in cooperation “Instrumentalist of the Year,” who of Schnittke. with the London Sinfonietta and the Royal recorded Sofia Gubaidulina’s second The fourth and final CD in the publication series of College of Music at the end of November violin concerto “In tempus praesens” film music of Alfred Schnittke in suite adaptations by 2009 at London’s Southbank Centre. The for Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Frank Strobel was issued in May 2009 on the Concerto grosso No. 1, a cross-section Music. Another prize in the category Capriccio label as a co-production with through the opera “Historia von D. Johann “Concert Recording of the Year” went to DeutschlandRadio Berlin. This contains the suites Fausten,” the Viola Concerto “Monologue,” the cellist Sol Gabetta and the Munich “Sport, Sport, Sport” and “The Adventures of a the 2nd Cello Concerto, “The Yellow Philharmonic under Marc Albrecht for Dentist.” The Radio Symph o ny Orchestra Berlin Sound” and many other works are planned. their interpretation of Dmitri performs under the direction of Frank Strobel. Amongst the musicians participating are Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 2. At the beginning of the Schnittke year 2009, the Leonidas Kavakos, John Tomlinson, Boris Hamburg Music Seminar resident in Altona, also the Petrushansky and . In addi- headquarters of the German Alfred Schnittke tion, a symposium will take place at Not only in Sweden an Event: Society, renamed itself the “Alfred Schnittke Goldsmith’s College in London on 21 International Academy”. The bronze bust of the com- November and at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Allan Pettersson’s poser created by Milan Knobloch was also solemnly 22 November. Both events will be accompa- 100th Birthday unveiled in May here. Arvo Pärt had purchased this nied by a Schnittke exhibition. In the year 2011 the Swedish as a gift for the Academy. The Academy of Music and Theatre in symphonist Allan Pettersson would have The German Alfred Schnittke Society will be publi- Hannover will be organising an international been 100 years old. shing a volume of writings on the occasion of the symposium on the occasion of Schnittke’s The international Allan Pettersson Society composer’s 75th birthday with high-quality essays birthday from 27 to 29 November 2009, has published a German-English and analyses of Schnittke’ oeuvre. reflecting the oeuvre of Schnittke under the information brochure to commemorate During the course of its emphasis on Schnittke aspect of post-modernism and comparing this event. The day of the jubilee on 19 during the 2008/09 season, the Schnittke’s reception in Eastern and Western September 2011 will provide an performed the Faust Cantata “Seid nüchtern und Europe. opportunity to come to terms with wachet” on 5/6/7 June 2009. The British premiere of The Japanese Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra is Pettersson’s extensive the oratorio “Nagasaki” was given on 24 August planning the Japanese premiere of the orato- oeuvre more intensively. 2009 at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with rio “Nagasaki” under the direction of Although Allan Pettersson only became the London Symphony Chorus and the London Gennadi Rozhdestvensky on 29/30 November publicly known as a composer Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Valery in Tokyo. relatively late, he is today considered Gergiev. The mezzo soprano part was sung by Elena can be heard all over Europe one of the most important symphonists Zhidkova. during the 2009/10 season in a series of of the late twentieth century. The world premiere of Alfred Schnittke’s Drei Lieder chamber concerts each including a work by There are hardly precedents for his music von Viktor Schnittke, Alfred Schnittke’s brother Schnittke (e.g. the String Trio) with interpre- – it is rugged and jam-packed with motifs who died in 1994, was given in Hamburg on 12 ter friends (, Oleg Maisenberg but also notable for its expansive, October 2009 by the Ukrainian tenor Sviatoslav and others). In addition, he will appear as a arch-like melodies. Some passages and Martyntschuk and the pianist Marina Savova. conductor of symphonic concerts with various themes may be reminiscent of the late On the occasion of the jubilee this year, John likewise containing one to two Mahler. But Pettersson created a singular Neumeier will again present his magnificent dance works of Alfred Schnittke. These concerts will oeuvre with his unconditional production “A Streetcar named Desire”, which first take place in Cologne, Eindhoven, London expressiveness and an essentially created a sensation in the 1980s in Stuttgart and and Paris. post-romantic musical language.

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