czech music

1 | 2003 bimonthly magazine

Petr Kotík New Music Meeting Giedré Lukšaité-Mrázková CDVisit the SHOPfirst specialised Special Special Virtual exclusively Czech contemporary music Virtual Real http://www.musica.cz/cdshop and also very Real at the Czech Music Information Centre Besední 3, 118 00 Prague 1 Czech Republic fax: +420 2 5731 7424

Czech Music Information Centre Besední 3, 118 00 Prague 1 Czech Republic czech music 1 | 2003

editorial Contents 2003

Dear Readers, Someone once said to me in an Page 2 From the Land of Amber and Song to Prague interview that he thought the 20th An interview with Giedré Lukšaité-Mrázková century was the century of perform- ance. If we compare the situation VÍTĚZSLAV MIKEŠ today with the 19th century, for 1 example, the view would seem to be justified. At that period people would Page 5 New Music Meeting + all be waiting for the premiere of a and the International Conference Musica Nova V new symphony or opera, but today what interests us is how a conductor MARKÉTA DVOŘÁKOVÁ or singer “interprets” that symphony, and if he or she manages to find something in it that no one in the Page 8 Petr Kotík`s Umbilical Cord last century has found. The per- former is coming to be placed on the TEREZA HAVELKOVÁ same level as the composer. A performer can take various differ- ent approaches to a work. I the case Page 12 Juliette x 2 – Bregenz and Paris of the music of John Cage, he even PETR VEBER has to make up a major part of it himseld, since the composer has only left a guide. One man who Page 13 Up to the Mountain? To Berg! knows a great deal about it is the composer and conductor Petr Kotík, JAN VÁVRA today considered one of the best interpreters of Cage. Even in Baroque music the musician Page 14 Interview with Mario Mary must often learn to read between the lines – but in a rather different way. It LENKA DOHNALOVÁ is a skill possessed by harpsi- chordist Giedré Lukšaité-Mrázková, who is also able to teach it to her Page 16 CD Review students. Naturally, new music keeps on com- ing. Proofs of its vigour include the Meetings 2002 Festival, presenting a whole series of new composers, and also the Musica Nova Competition – we offer an interview with the victor. Winter is gradually losing its hold in Bohemia and in the next issue we shall already be welcoming Spring.

Czech Music Czech Music is issued bimonthly by the Czech Music Information Centre with the support Information Centre, of the ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Bohuslav Martinů Foundation, Leoš Janáček Besední 3, 118 00 Praha 1, Foundation and the Czech Music Fund Czech Republic, The Editor: Matěj Kratochvíl, Translation: Anna Bryson MATĚJ KRATOCHVÍL fax: ++420 2 57317424 Graphic design: Ditta Jiřičková, Photos: archives EDITOR phone: ++420 2 57312422 DTP: HD EDIT, Print: Tobola e-mail: [email protected] ISSN 1211-0264 http://www.musica.cz The subscription fee is $ 25 for Europe, $ 30 for overseas countries, or respective equivalents. from the land of amber and song to prague

VÍTĚZSLAV MIKEŠ

Giedré Lukšaité-Mrázková was born and grew up in “the land of amber and folk songs”, as Lithuania is sometimes called. After You come from an intellectual family. musical path from Lithuania to studies in Vilnius and Has this background helped to form Bohemia...? Moscow, fate brought her to your character? I believe we all of us have a certain path that My parents had a university education, we’ve chosen in life. Things that look like Prague in 1970s, and she still worked in university environments and were accidents in my view aren’t accidents at all, lives and works here. Today members of the Lithuanian intelligentsia. The but impulses that lead us in a certain direc- she has a very high reputa- numbers of the intelligentsia had been seri- tion. In the 1950s Professor Zuzana ously reduced during the war by deporta- Růžičková came to Lithuania with her harpsi- tion, and not just in the tions, and so only a handful were left. There chord and so did Professor Jiří Reinberger, Czech Republic, both as an were so few in fact, that they all knew each who played the organ in the concert hall in other. Many of them used to come to our Vilnius. And it was precisely after the organ outstanding harpsichordist house – composers, writers, artists. It natu- concert that I enthusiastically decided (on historic instruments) rally had a clear influence on me. For exam- I would become an organist. Another such and organist, and as a ple, it was tremendously interesting to watch impulse was when the Soviet government an idea being born or developing. For exam- allowed the opening of an organ class at the teacher at the Prague Music ple the composer Julius Juzeliunas used to Vilnius Music Academy in 1962. I entered Faculty of the Academy of come and visit us, just at the time he was the academy in the same year, joining the writing his opera Sukiléliai (Rebels). The sto- piano and the organ class. In 1967 I finished Performing Arts (HAMU). ry and libretto were created by Vincas Myko- my studies at university and wanted to go on She has performed and still laitis-Putinas, who was another regular guest to do a doctorate, but I didn’t know which of performs in many concert at our house. Seeing an opera or libretto the two instruments to choose. The impulse born in this way was a precious experience, turned out to be a free place in the organ halls, records CDs and is and one that inevitably had an effect on me. class at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in training a whole series of Moscow, which I gladly took up. In the same I know you’ve often answered this period I was offered a chance of a short visit new musical hopes. And she question, since Lithuania is still to Prague. When I arrived, it was like a long is also an extremely interest- a rather exotic place for Czechs and cool draught of freedom. Compared to ing person, for whom human your country and story make an Lithuania Czechoslovakia seemed to me appealing theme for journalists. But a completely free state. I toured around the factors are important as despite this I hope you’ll forgive me if country a little and I said to myself – even well. I ask you about your personal and though only on the basis of an immediate

2 | interview | czech music 1 | 2003 reaction that if I ever had to emigrate some- hardest obstacles for me after I moved to for example. Lithuanian music has been pre- where, then only Bohemia would do. After Czechoslovakia was the fact that people sented at the Prague Spring several times I returned to Lithuania I was able to keep in regarded me as a Russian. That made it obvi- and these concerts were very successful, but contact with Reinberger, who used to come ous that people understood nothing at all. otherwise the situation is rather sad. I under- to Vilnius to play in concerts. In 1972 he And I just couldn’t explain to absolutely stand that now the main concern has been invited me to the summer master classes in everyone I met that everything was much Lithuania’s entry to NATO, but they shouldn’t Prague, where I was very successful, and in more complicated. And this mistake was forget culture, despite the financial prob- 1973–1974 I had a year’s scholarship here. responsible for the aversion, which of course lems. I think that in the field of art Lithuania It was a very fruitful year, and one thing I did I understood, since we in Lithuania also felt it has had and still has much to offer, whether during that year was take up the harpsichord. towards the Soviet Union. Lithuanian music in music, theatre, film, art, photography and And at the end of the scholarship year there was felt to be “compulsory”, from Soviet Rus- so forth. After all, young Lithuanians are pur- was also a fateful meeting, and the result sia. I would say that the problem had a very suing successful careers in the arts all over was a wedding a year later.… strong political side. In a smaller circle of Europe. I try to invest my energies among friends I could explain something and per- the young Czech students I teach, and in After you came to the country you tried form some pieces, but otherwise it was tak- a smaller circle I try to show them what to make a name with Lithuanian com- en as sign that I was trying to promote the Lithuania is... positions and the music of other Baltic Soviet Union. And I simply didn’t have the nations, but this was not much of heart to do that. The result was that I retreat- Are you able to follow the development a success, despite the fact that excel- ed into myself and stopped performing the of contemporary Lithuanian music? lent music has been written there and pieces. Has any particular composer of the still is. Was this because their names younger generation caught your atten- simply weren’t known to the Czech What do you think is the situation tion? public? today in this context? Unfortunately I don’t get much of a chance. I think it was something else. The most Today it’s naturally completely different – I get to Lithuania once or twice a year, and if important factor in my eyes was the psycho- we’ve tried to put on more concerts and it’s not a concert tour, then I go in the sum- logical factor. Before Lithuania gained its invite musicians from Lithuania, but we’ve mer, i.e. not in the concert season. I’m only in independence in 1991, the great majority of found that the official Lithuanian institutions the picture when someone in Lithuania tells Czechs thought of it as “Russian” And that ought to be patrons and sponsors for me about something that is good. On the although other nations with different cultures these events don’t make much effort in this other hand I do follow certain things, but existed within Russia, i.e. the Soviet Union, area, and don’t try to arrange the necessary it’s hard to talk about because, for example, nobody really much noticed them. One of the publicity, unlike the Latvian embassy here, I might just read a review of some new piece

czech music 1 | 2003 | interview | 3 without being able to hear it. I’m of the gen- When one listens to their music for the first You’ve forgotten one sphere, and that’s fami- eration of composers like Bronius Kutavičius, time, or for the first time after a gap, then it is ly. Anyone, but particularly a woman, has to Teisutis Makašinas, Osvaldas Balakauskas, very impressive, but when I see the whole decide what is most important for him or her. Feliksas Bajoras and so on, whom I know background, the advantage becomes a cer- I had started teaching and performing when personally. Naturally I know of some younger tain frame, which keeps me within certain I was still in Lithuania, and I would say I got composers, such as Algirdas Martinaitisi, but boundaries. In the Czech nation, by contrast, my career off to a very rapid and promising I don’t know enough to be able to judge the you can feel a humorous lightness. In this start there. Immediately after graduating music of the younger generation. respect I have more affinity for Czechs, I started to teach and to perform, and I was because I also like joking. On the other hand even able to go abroad, which was rare in And what about Lithuanian perform- it seems to me, especially when I’m teaching those days. Then came the moment when ers? Do you follow them, or even work my students or rehearsing pieces by Czech I had to decide whether I wanted a family or with some of them? composers, that when it comes to true drama not, and I decided I did... And that decision Yes, but I ought to add that it is usually with they somehow pull back and don’t offer an meant that I came to Czechoslovakia. I didn’t people of my generation. Among younger entirely open emotional expression. If they know if I would get good work or be accept- musicians I follow the ones who are interna- are faced with something sad, Czechs tend ed, even though I had a certain guarantee tionally successful, such as the violinist to be defensive, and they defend themselves because I had given concerts here before. Čepinskis, and I hear some when I’m on the by starting to joke. I don’t want to say that I tried to forge a concert career here, but jury of the Čiurlionis Organ Competition. AS it’s a superficial approach, but more just the I gave priority to bringing up my daughter. far as working with Lithuanian musicians is characteristic of not showing oneself or For me, as a foreigner who had come from concerned, I have long-term contacts with exposing oneself. Even the music seems that abroad, who hadn’t grown up here and had the Lithuanian Philharmonic. Every year way to me – it won’t open itself up. When no friends from college here and so forth, it I give at least one concert mainly of Baroque I play a piece back to its composer, I love the was important for me to find contacts and music in Lithuania, because performance of moment when I can be choleric, put myself establish relationships, so I would have some Baroque music is still “in nappies” there. Ear- into it, and all at once see a spark come to support. I found the support in Milan Mun- lier I worked with the violinist Raimondas the composer’s eyes and hear him say, “I had clinger, who accepted me into the outstand- Katilius, and today with the flautist Algirdas no inkling that could be there.” And then he ing ensemble Ars rediviva. And thanks to him Vizgirdas and others. I also try to bring musi- adds, “Yes, yes, that was exactly how I had more opportunities for recording and con- cians from the Czech Republic to Lithuania. imagined it.” In this country I’ve found a num- certs opened up for me. Concerts are always For example I had great success with a con- ber of composers I greatly respect and with very special for me. I don’t have so many cert with the organist Jaroslav Tůma. And whom I’ve always worked very well: Jiří Teml, every year, but each time I try to get the very last autumn I and Gabriela Demeterová did Jiří Gemrot, Ivana Kurz, Petr Eben, Milan most out of myself. I also like playing with a “Lithuanian” tour with the Bach violin Slavický and others. others, including Jaroslav Tůma, Petr sonatas. That was a tremendous experience. Maceček, Gabriela Demeterová or Petr I had expected it would be a success, In this country there’s a saying, “If Matuszek. As far as the relationship between because I know the Lithuanian public. They you’re a Czech, you’re a musician”. teaching and concerts is concerned, in my react sensitively to music with a spiritual Lithuanians are perhaps even more case they are very strongly interlinked. content. But the result still overtook our closely connected with music, above I wouldn’t feel able to teach something that expectations, and you could even say that with what are known as the dainas, I hadn’t experienced myself. I train musicians, the Bach sonatas there became what was Lithuanian folksongs. What similarities and prepare them for the podium, and so essentially a joint meditation by the perform- and differences do you see between I want to hand on to them what I’ve learned ers and public. the musical traditions of the two from my own experiences. And from the oth- nations? er side I get a great deal from the students Can you compare Czech and Lithuan- In the Czech Republic there are immensely themselves – through their questions and ian music? What do they have in com- musical people with an inborn feeling for needs. A teacher must search in order that mon and what are the differences? music. It’s one reason I feel very much at his pupils should learn how to search. The It’s easier for me to talk about what I have home here, because the same is true of upshot is that I teacher and learn myself at experienced myself. The music of the 20th Lithuania. On the other hand – to simplify – the same time. And from the psychological century interests me immensely and I like I think that Czechs have a closer relationship point of view bringing up my daughter has playing it. In Lithuania I have premiered to instrumental music, while Lithuanians are helped me here. It showed me the stages a number of works by on the whole more tra- inseparably linked to singing, to songs. Even that she passed through, and so I can also ditional composers of the older generations today people in Lithuania are still in very see the life of my students. – Antanas Račiunas, Balys Dvarionas and close contact with folklore, and they sing others, but it was – let’s say – an “authentic” songs on every occasion. Love for folksong Your name, which in translation means interpretation, because I knew them person- has survived partly thanks to occupation, not “bright” or “radiant” just seems to ally. As far as Lithuanian music is concerned, only in the period of the Soviet Union, but shine out of you. Are you basically an I feel that it reflects a certain mental feature also earlier times (Tsarist Russia, Poland). optimist in life? of Lithuanians, and this is great sorrow. This There have been collections of folk songs, You know, when anyone is on their life’s jour- nation has suffered a huge amount, and the and there still are (I myself took part in sev- ney, they get caresses, and slaps. Most peo- suffering has influenced its whole way of eral such expeditions when I was young) and ple take the caresses for granted, but when thinking and is expressed in music as well. a huge number are printed. And generally they get slaps they stop and ask why. Every Sometimes I appreciate this one-sidedness, I think that someone who has been singing obstacle gives you something, teaches you but sometimes it tires me. I like drama, where or playing an instrument all his life, finds the something, and so you say to yourself that there is everything: joy, grief, colour. But just path to more demanding music an easier there’s nothing so bad that it’s not good for sorrow – that isn’t life, because life is every- one. anything. I’m a Sagittarius by star sign, and thing. Many contemporary Lithuanian com- that predestines me to take pleasure in small posers – Vytautas Barkauskas, Onuté Your life is concerned primarily with things. Moreover, I am very much fulfilled by Narbutaité or Mindaugas Urbaitis and so on concerts and with teaching. It probably music, which is both my work and my hobby. – whose works I’ve heard, are certainly makes little sense to ask which has pri- I’m simply an optimist. “supranational” but with the stamp of their ority, and it’s better to ask what effect nation’s mentality, which is sometimes an the two spheres have on each other advantage, but sometimes is just too much. and how they complement each other...

4 | interview | czech music 1 | 2003 new music meeting + and the international conference musica nova V

MARKÉTA DVOŘÁKOVÁ Jacqueline Bobak 7 concerts, 5 operas, a series of lectures and seminars, 5 papers from 5 countries at the conference Musica Nova V, guests (com- posers and performers) – from the USA (the most numerous), France, Portugal, Germany, Austria and The Ukraine… it was all just one more year of the “New Music Meeting +” festival held in Brno from the 24th of November to the 8th of December 2002.

This year’s festival was unusually diverse, The evening of Tuesday the 26th of Novem- going beyond concert production to venture ber in the Goose on a String Theatre offered into the field of multimedia. The programme a mystical, truly theatrical performance by was partly devoted to guests from abroad (a the Central European percussion ensemble recital by the pianist Vicki Ray, clarinettist DAMA DAMA. The group managed to knit Jean-Marc Foltz, and an appearance by the together seven completely different com- Portuguese Misso ensemble from Lisbon), posers (A. Parsch – Magické krajiny [Magical and partly to domestic musicians (concerts Landscapes], D. Dlouhý – Turbulence, A. from the Mondschein Ensemble, Dama Kubíček – Flexibilní indiferent [Flexible Indif- Dama, and Ars Incognita, a concert of pieces ferent], V. Zouhar – Petite siréne, I. Medek – by students at the Janáček Academy of Per- Tamtamania, K. Šimandl – Piano Quartet and forming Arts, and a production of two stu- A. Piňos – Music of Good Hope or Stormy dent operas) as well as a Czech-American Music) into a convincing whole and they had opera project that bridged the division little difficulty keeping up the eerie and mys- between the two sides. terious atmosphere evoked at the beginning Together the concerts and other events (so typical of the group, using light effects, offered audiences a wide and colourful smoke, black habits, and an overall choreog- spectrum of the possibilities, views, raphy of movement), throughout the evening. approaches and roads that new music is tak- One piece that was rather an exception to ing in this country and abroad. The festival the general mood and brought a smile to the ranged from virtuoso exhibitions of solo faces of the audience was Adam Kubíček’s instruments to music theatre, to live elec- Flexible Indifferent – “a virtuoso solo exhibi- tronic, performances by multi-member tion of practically all possible ways of getting ensembles and the multimedia presentation sound out of one’s own body, the floor, the of several chamber operas. music stand...” (programme notes), performed The festival opened on Sunday the 24th of by the composer himself. November with a concert by MoEns from The New Music Studio [Studio soudobé hud- Prague. The group played pieces by contem- by] had prepared two concerts for the festi- porary East European composers. Lithuania val. One was to mark the birthdays of Leoš was represented in works by Bronius Faltus and Zdeněk Zouhar, both com- Kutavičius, Nomeda Valančiüté and posers who have long ago found their own Rytis Mažulis, and Estonia by Erkki-Sven paths and distinctive individual idiom. The Tüür’s Architectonics II for clarinet, cello second, by contrast, offered an opportunity and piano, played by Kamil Doležal, Milada for young composers at the beginning of Strašilová and Hanuš Bartoň. From Russia their careers – students of JAMU in Brno. Yuri Kasparov (almost) came to the per- Thursday the 28th of November was the day formance of his Landscape running away into for the veterans, each getting half of a pro- infinity and the concert ended with an already gramme that ended with an encore in the acknowledged “classic” 20th-century com- form of Vít Zouhar’s minimalist Duny [Dunes] poser – the Polish composer Henryk Mikolaj for 2 marimbas. Apart from this piece, which Górecky and his Trombone Concerto op. 28. attracted far and away the most attention, it

czech music 1 | 2003 | festival | 5 was the first half of the concert devoted to Chasalow (1955), called Due(Cinta)mani for launched by Jaroslav Šťastný as composer, Leoš Faltus that made the most distinctive piano and electronics. Vicki Ray then tem- theorist and one of the festival organisers. and interesting impression, whether with the porarily made way for the soprano J. Bobak His address was entitled “The change of recent (2001) Il guoco terzo for bass clar- and baritone P. Berkolds, who teach at the musical paradigm and its repercussions in inet, 8 instruments and percussion convinc- same institute, and sang M. Bobak’s two- the Moravian countryside, or The Age of ingly performed by Vít Spilka and Ars Incog- movement Vocablement. The first movement, Changes: “New Music” as Folk Music of the nita under the direction of E. Skoták, or his based on a the simple repeating principle of Future?”. The German theorist Detlef Gojowy nostalgically atmospheric 2nd String Quartet taking over and strengthening notes, gave followed with a brief excursus on the life and of 1977 in a new version (played by the the singers less room for the demonstration vision of the composer Joseph Schillinger Moravian Quartet) or the 5th Sonata for of their art than the second movement, which (1895–1943) and the morning block con- piano, of 1992, which is already well known was livelier and had a larger dynamic range. cluded with a paper from the Ukrainian com- by the public and released on CD, and was One real treat was a very early work by M. poser Ivan Nebesnyj, who presented several here performed by the composer’s “court” Feldman, called Nature Pieces. Each of the contemporary Ukrainian composers just as pianist Petr Hala. five movements had its own animating idea, he had done at the seminar for students. In The concert of music by JAMU students on special character and concluding point. This the afternoon, there was a contribution the 3rd of December proved a surprise, part- was followed by more song, this time by based on direct experience and entitled “The ly because of its unusually diverse and composer, and also performer Marc Lowen- Creation of Special Musical Instruments – colourful programme and the unusual num- stein’s. His Two Sacred Songs, recalled his- Art Objects and Some Possibilities for their ber of composers involved (27) including torical lieder repertoire (Schubert, Schumann Use in Composing” from their creator him- three conductors, but mainly because of the and in places Schönberg) in the solo part self, the composer Dan Dlouhý. He was fol- unexpectedly high benchmark set by the and the piano setting. Vicki Ray ended her lowed by Jean-Marc Foltz on the theme of very first piece, as well as the inventiveness, recital with a relatively long virtuoso piece by “Komponieren, Interpretieren, Impro- mastery of composition and natural musicali- the young South African Shaun Naidoo visieren… Welche Dialektik heute” and later ty shown by all the composers and going (1962). Here the audience could appreciate by an Austrian guest, the head of the Institut hand in hand with persuasive performance. not just the technical refinement of the für Elektronische Musik in Graz and electro- The latter wavered slightly only in the last pianist or the huge range of colours acoustic composer Josef Gründler, who out- piece Comment dire by Vojtěch Dlasek on a achieved by different kinds of touch, but also lined the possibilities of “Setting up Realtime text by Samuel Beckett, “thanks” to the the unusually elaborate pedalisation, allow- Electroacoustic Environment for Improvisa- singer Petr Veslár. But let’s get back to the ing for all sorts of effects with resonating tion”. Improvisation had also been the theme beginning. The opening Invence [Inventions} notes. of his seminar on the previous day for com- for solo trombone by Jana Doleželová, per- The player of all kinds of clarinet, posers, where he had presented some of his formed by J. Kadlec, was an immensely and former member of the “Ensemble Inter- projects – the most interest being shown in inventive technical study exhausting almost contemporain”, Frenchman Jean-Marc a project designed to give school children all possibilities and techniques of play on dif- Foltz captured and charmed everyone pres- space for improvisation and the discovery of ferent parts of the instrument. The post- ent with his lectures and seminars for com- fresh acoustic possibilities. The conference Baroque ornamental harpsichord Silent by V. posers and clarinettists at JAMU, prepared concluded with a paper by the American Dlasek was followed by two calm move- with German precision and thoroughness composer Marc Lowenstein on the theme of ments of the Písně pro hudbu [Songs for and given with casually worn French erudi- “Love and Music Theory”. Music] for 2 violas, 2 voices and percussion, tion and nonchalance. Absolute planning in Anyone not completely exhausted by the written by the Slovak composer Matej Haász, the form of production of 50-page notated whole-day conference could go to the who conducted it himself. Although the origi- examples together with CD sound extracts evening performance of two operas by nally planned 3rd and livelier movement was and later live performance fascinated audi- JAMU students – Don Juan by Karel Škarka omitted, the piece still sounded coherent, ences no less than the sheer number of dif- and Žirafí opera [Giraffe Opera] by Markéta pleasant, and contemplative, the overall ferent sounds and tones that could be pro- Dvořáková. This, the third performance in the impression enhanced by the Tibetan bowls duced from the instrument known as the Barka Theatre in Brno (after a successful at the end. The chamber cantata on a clarinet. Jean-Marc Foltz’s evening concert, premiere in the Estates Theatre in Prague) Sumerian text Gudeani Gičbatukam by held on Thursday the 5th of December in the was also the last. Edgar Mojdl took us to the Near East and JAMU Hall, nonetheless exceeded all expec- The evening of Saturday the 7th of Decem- several centuries back to primitive instru- tations. The programme consisted entirely of ber at the Barka Theatre was again operatic ments, a few pentatonic sequences and music by French and Italian composers of The original idea of the Czech-American melismatic chants. Admirably performed by a the later 20th century, with the exception of project was to write three operas on the quartet of volunteers–non-singers (including one composer from the east. Pierre Boulez, same theme, the short story “The Doctor” by the composer) and the Ars incognita ensem- with whom Foltz personally worked, was rep- Anton Chekhov, but only two of the three ble under the baton of Pavel Šnajd, it gave resented by two pieces (Domaines for B composers involved (the American Martin us a chance to experience a completely dif- clarinet and Domaines for bass clarinet), and Herman and Ivo Medek) kept to it. The third ferent world for a short time (perhaps 25 Pascal Dusapin by If for B clarinet. The – Miroslav Pudlák – seems to have been minutes). Jan Kavan then introduced us to pieces for bass clarinet – Easy/Uneasy by scared off by the seriousness of the theme his electronic world with the piece Diffusion Denis Levaillant and Mémoire pour Dolphy and instead wrote an opera about a sausage. for cello, which he played himself, and elec- by Etienne Rolin were Czech premieres. The In the context of the evening as a whole this tronics. Blue lighting enhanced the mysteri- later pieces were all for B clarinet, including turned out to be fortune idea, enthusiastical- ous atmosphere and threw the enlarged Lied by Luciano Berio, Clair by Franco Dona- ly received by the public at both performanc- shadow of the cellist onto the wall. toni or Involutive by Paul Mefan. The one es (i.e. in Brno and two days later in the Roxy The students’ concert started off a series of excursion to foreign lands was the Viet- in Prague). Pudlák’s opera Ve stínu klobásy concerts and seminars lined up back to back namese composer Tiet Ton That and his [In the Shadow of the Sausage] based on every day, with no interval for relaxation. Vicki piece Bao La. short story with the same name by Artmann, Ray, an American pianist and head of the Friday the 6th of December, at least from tells a banal little tale of a meaningless inci- piano department at the California Institute 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., was devoted to the Musica dent between a street sausage seller and an of the Arts in Los Angeles, introduced her- Nova V International Conference on the arrogant customent, but it can nonetheless self with a recital on Wednesday the 4th of theme of New Trends in Music and Their be understood on various different levels. December. She opened with the world pre- Historical and Theoretical Roots, which took After the two preceding, more or less serious miere of a two-movement piece by Eric place at JAMU. The conference was “doctor” operas, the “sausage” at the end

6 | festival | czech music 1 | 2003 From Ivo Medek’s opera Vratch lightened the mood, brought a smile and was it was created not just by one person, but composer Miguela Azguime. The first – like a refreshing sweetie particularly follow- drawn up in libretto by a director and stage Nonio for flute and electronics, in which the ing the pathos of the American opera. The designer and later passed to the composer electronic music consistes only of other production was skilfully carried off by the for musical arrangement on the basis of pre- flutes, evoked the atmosphere of a peculiar Why Not Patterns ensemble directed by the viously established features. The overall rather sorrowful world, in which the listener author, and all three singers – Markéta effect was one of grand gestures and emo- could float and move at will for a whole Dvořáková, Petr Matuszek and Tomáš Krejčí, tion – perhaps the composer’s idea (he is a twenty minutes. A virtuoso – perhaps seven- who also sang in the first opera, Ivo Medek’s Korean American) of the Russian soul... The minute marimba piece was followed by the Vrach. highly professional production (soloists Jac- purely electronic composition Sobreposi- For his opera Medek used only the bare out- queline Bobak, Kati Prescott-Terray and Paul goes. The final, more than thirty-minute long line of the Chekhov plot, on which he hung Berkholds and especially the lighting design O Ar do Texto Opera a Forma do Som Interi- his own world of sound in the form of elec- of Danny Walker) was thus forced by the or on Miguel’s own text was an interesting tronics, pre-recorded child’s voice and cham- exaggerated gravity of the piece to the verge combination of live-electronic and opera for ber ensemble. The latter was made up of of flirtation with parody, although (unfortu- one actor. The Miso ensemble fully lived up members of DAMA DAMA (Dan Dlouhý – nately) it never went over the edge. to the good reputation that had preceded it. percussion), Ars incognita (Kateřina Novotná For the final concert of the festival on Sun- – flute, Libor Novotný – clarinet) and Marijan day the 8th of December in the Barka The scale, link-up with the Musica Nova (Markéta Dvořáková – keyboards, and Jan Theatre, was a recital by the Portuguese International Conference and above all the Kavan – cello) conducted by Emil Skoták. Miso Ensemble from Lisbon – husband interesting figures invited put New Music The opera The Doctor by American compos- and wife team Miguel (marimba, electronics) Meeting Plus on a footing with such major er Martin Herman, professor of composition and Paula (flute) Azguime. In a quadrophoni- activities in the field of new music as the at California State University in Long Beach, cally arranged auditorium the audience lis- Exposition of New Music and the Prague is one in which, by contrast, the approach is tened to four entirely different pieces that Marathon. entirely serious. Unlike the other two operas were nonetheless all distinctively the work of

czech music 1 | 2003 | festival | 7 8 | interview | czech music 1 | 2003 petr kotík’s umbilical cord

If I wanted to be caustic, I could say that Petr Kotík had taken a TEREZA HAVELKOVÁ patent out on John Cage. Still – as he points out himself – he is Cage’s second oldest living collaborator, has devoted himself systematically to the interpretation of Cage and was in personal contact with him throughout his later career. Whether or not we agree with his often very blunt views, he certainly has things to say on the performance of John Cage.

When did you first meet Cage? organised it, so as to get the Musica Viva filled in the immigration form as if had been It was in Vienna, in 1964, in my first year of Pragensis ensemble involved as well. Among an Englishman, Frenchman, Italian or Swede, studies at the Vienna Academy. I was study- other things we played the Cage Concerto and I wrote my profession down as musician. ing composition and flute and one of my pro- for Piano and Orchestra with David Tudor on My application was rejected because for fessors was Fridrich Cerha, who one fine the piano, at the Fučík Centre again. There’s immigration officials music isn’t a profession. Spring day called to tell me that Cage was a bit of a story linked to that. Just like Cerha When I went to the immigration office to ask coming and asked if I wanted to play with in Vienna, Cage in Prague asked me to get what I should do now, they said I had the him. Up to then I had only known of Cage hold of some musicians – without any speci- right to apply in the category for exceptional from a few texts I had read. I had also heard fications. I brought volunteers from the persons – the official thought about it for a recordings from the concert in the Town Hall ensemble, we arrived at the rehearsal and while, and then said “like the singer Cheva- (for the 25th anniversary of Cage’s work as waited. One hour, two hours...the musicians lier, for example”. It seemed clear enough to a composer) but I didn’t know much about were already getting nervous. And then me that I wouldn’t qualify, but I still put an the music and had never seen a score. Thus Cage turned up, saw two trombonists and application in, and because I needed recom- prepared, I got to the rehearsal for the con- said, “I’m sorry but I only need one trom- mendations, John Cage was one of the peo- cert – we played Atlas Eclipticalis in a three- bone”. I went to tell the trombonists that one ple who wrote me one. In the end I was given hour version, only the percussion parts. The of them had to go home, and a skirmish immigrant status in the category. I really piece was to be of almost fateful signifi- broke out. I should add that back then it was- don’t know why, but I doubt it was only cance for me, since I’ve never ceased to per- n’t money that was the issue – they simply because of Cage. form it to this day, and in 1992 we started wanted to play. So I went back to Cage and the S.E.M. Orchestra with it in New York. asked if he couldn’t do something with the Let’s move on to the performance of Later I realised that the whole evening was situation, and he said “Sure no problem” and Cage’s music. His scores are so open legendary. It was an appearance by Merce asked me to bring him the trombone part. He that they seem to offer a wide field for Cunningham and his dance group with a pro- took it, tore it into two and told me to rewrite interpretation. Do you think that’s gramme entitled Event Nr. 1. When I arrived the times and double them, so that both true? in New York in 1969, Cage took me to see musicians could play, each on a different half It’s a complete mistake. There’s some space Cunningham in his studio and there were of the trombone part. In the Nineties that for interpretation there, but that exists in all boxes of old programmes lying about. One of memory led me to the idea of doubling the music, and is what makes music a living them advertised the production of Event Nr. orchestra in the Concerto for Piano, so we medium. In this respect Cage’s music is no 85. And I had taken part in its first perform- actually had two orchestras, a total of 26 different. ance! people instead of 13, and naturally it sound- Incidentally, there was also a poster of his ed far better. Cage only wrote it for 13 peo- All right, then let’s say his scores can Prague concert hanging in Cunningham’s ple because it never occurred to him in his be filled with a diverse specific musical studio. They were vastly proud of it, because wildest dreams that he might one day have content... Pragokoncert, which had no idea what was the means to hire more than 13 people. The biggest misunderstandings arise from actually coming to Prague, put posters up all thinking about historical works as if they over the city with the legend: Merce Cun- It’s said that John Cage helped you to were contemporary. If you want to reflect on ningham Dance Company, John Cage, David get a green card in the United States... Cage and his work in the 1950s and 60s, Tudor, Musica Viva Pragensis, Robert It’s naive to believe that John Cage was a then you have to realise what kind of years Rauchenberg, and under it “West Side Story name that meant anything to immigration these were and the circumstances in which style dance”. That time about 3,000 people officials. Also it wasn’t a green card that was Cage was working. At that point none of the came to the Fučík Cultural Centre. at issue, but emigrant status. I didn’t really composers that are now so well-known – want to apply for political asylum, because Cage, Feldman, Brown, Wolff, and with them And so you met again in Prague... even though I’d had plenty of problems in Tudor – anticipated any success or interest Yes, after the spring Vienna concert he came Czechoslovakia, I wasn’t a political refugee, from the wider musical public. In Cage’s case to Prague in September of the same year – I and my reasons were professional. And so I this approach was reflected in the fact that

czech music 1 | 2003 | interview | 9 between 1952 and 1970 all his composi- nonsensical as the idea that you could learn what it ought to be. Sometimes people have tions were basically written directly for Tudor, to play the flute on a correspondence a spiritual connection, and complement each or at least with Tudor in mind. At that stage course, by e-mail. That is not the way music other. Their connection was perfect and almost nobody else played him and Cage is done. If you want to play Cage well, you Cage deliberately left some things open. had no reason to think that the situation obviously have to respect the score, but that But of course this presents us with a prob- might change. Tudor and Cage were like doesn’t tell you everything. In his instruction lem today – and perhaps it rather destroys twins, and practically inseparable. When in Cage didn’t include things that were com- Cage’s work to the point where it won’t be 1970 Tudor decided that he was no longer pletely obvious to himself and to Tudor. possible to resurrect it – incidentally reflect- going to work with Cage in this way, it was a ing some of Cage’s social-ideological beliefs. shock for Cage. When he mentioned it to me Could you give an example of some- Although they worked well as far as artistic at the time he said now he would have to thing that was obvious to them? strategy was concerned, they were damag- write everything in a different way, and it It’s different in each score. We did Variations ing in relation to the practical situation, would have to be technically far easier, so he IV, for example, – I think it was in 1990 – above all the practicalities of interpretation. could play it himself. and Ben Neill who was working with me at One of the basic foundations of Cage’s that point had a lot of ideas on how to thought was the rejection of value judge- Do you know why Tudor made that approach it. Variations IV is in fact half the- ments. He completely refused to judge decision? atre and half music, and there are no notes things, and was utterly consistent about it. That would need a whole interview in itself. but only instructions. I wasn’t too happy with So when someone “messed up” his music in Briefly one can say that Tudor started to Ben’s ideas, and so I called Cage and he some ghastly way he wouldn’t stand up and work independently, as a composer and asked us over so that we could look at the start shouting “How dare you?” but would above all a creator of “live electronic music” whole thing. I thought it would take a few just sit there saying nothing, and then leave. and he realised he couldn’t continue in such minutes, but in the end we were there for The problem is that this attitude is often a close collaborative relationship because it two hours. It turned out that everything had been regarded as agreement. It got to such a took up too much of his time. been thought out with complete precision, point that there are musicians Cage simply David Tudor was a very individual personality, and every time Ben objected that there was couldn’t stand who still think he was terribly a very American individual, a sort of pioneer “something different again” in the instruc- fond of them. type – he had to find out everything for him- tions, Cage would tell him “Pay no attention self, do everything for himself, try everything to it, it’s “third level”, a higher class you So he never commented on perfor- out for himself. He was known for the fact haven’t reached yet.” All these different pos- mance. that while practically everyone composed for sibilities had been thought up for Tudor, who No. him in the Fifties – Boulez, Stockhausen, played Cage all his life. When you do some- Pousseur, Brown, Bussotti and so on, he thing for twenty or thirty years under right When you asked him before hand, then never allowed them to be involved in the direction, then you can get your freedom and he advised you... rehearsal of their pieces. They were always you’ll still “hit the target”. But if you are doing If you took the initiative, he was very willing presented with a fait accompli at the first it for the first time, then don’t go taking those to help. performance. And they were enthusiastic, kinds of “liberty”. It was well-known that even if Tudor transformed their work into Rachmaninov would sometimes improvise So he did have a particular idea... something they hadn’t been expecting at all. when he played his piano concertos, but no It was a process. teacher at a music school would allow it. It’s Recently I realised yet again that a thing that Did John Cage have a precise idea a little like in Zen Buddhism, where an expe- united us – me, Lucier, Wolff, and Cage – about how his work ought to be per- rienced monk can hit the target even in com- even though our music differed so greatly – formed? Do you believe one approach plete darkness... but when you start you have was that exciting moment when you set a to the interpretation of Cage is more to have the lights on and wear glasses. process in motion in a way that endures the legitimate than another? result is not what you predicted. The dia- In music there are two aspects to interpreta- And so back to Cage’s idea of how it logue between your plan, you working strate- tion: the first is the note record and the sec- ought to look... gy, and acceptance of certain unforeseen ond, which is just as important, is the tradi- We are living in a culture built on the Enlight- results. tion of performance – something we call enment illusion that people know what they What unites us is an interesting question. style – that leads straight to the composer. want. No one dares to say that he doesn’t Every period has its common denominators, Only when a tradition is interrupted and van- know what he wants, since that would dis- which is how you recognise that it’s Baroque, ishes from consciousness, do we discover credit him. And in the Fifties Cage was one Romanticism, Renaissance... And judged by how imperfect and incomplete the note of the first to draw attention to the fact that traditional criteria we do very different things, record is. The most important thing, the qual- he didn’t want anything, Things arise organi- which might even look unconnected. But ity that makes a score into a work of music, cally, one out of another. One silly view you that’s not true. With hindsight our work will is not something we shall actually find in any can hear from professors at all the universi- certainly turn out not to have been so het- note record. This is true for Chopin, ties is that a composer writes music he hears erogeneous after all, and some common Tchaikovsky, Wagner... Today we have an eas- internally, and it is an expression of what he denominator will be found. There are certain ier time of it because we have recordings. wants. If that were the case then Beethoven things that hang in the air and that many But the way to play Beethoven, for example, wouldn’t have had to rewrite Fidelio twice, people arrive at independently because they leads straight back to the way he played it And Mahler used to correct his scores are an expression of their time. For example, himself. His pupils copied him and they almost endlessly – in fact even today they take the fact that Duchamp’s Great Glass taught others, and so even if there was con- are not finished; they are only “complete” was broken because they were taking it from stant change, there is also always the umbili- because he died. Does it mean he was a bad the Brooklyn Museum where it was exhibited cal cord that leads directly to the composer. composer because he didn’t precisely know to Connecticut and they threw it into the That is why I have a problem with Baroque what he wanted? truck without any kind of protection. music, which wasn’t played for a century of Duchamp put it together again – he was glu- more... So what was the situation with Cage? ing it for about two years – and then he said, And how to play Cage? The very notion that Did he simply find an ideal medium in “I’ve got used to these cracks and I’m begin- you can buy the sheet music without know- Tudor? ning to like them.” He’s talking about a ing anything about it and can read everything Yes. He had absolute faith in which Tudor yearning for precision, but at the same time out of the notes and instructions is just as would make of it, and Tudor always made it the acceptance of accidental elements. That

10 | interview | czech music 1 | 2003 was in the Thirties, but the tendency to Saxony. Bakunin was one of his closest We did a performance of Song Books in Buf- accept accidental elements can be found friends and several critics described Wagner falo and one of the musicians decided to throughout the Twentieth Century. as a communist. Cage and Wagner both sabotage the performance, which caused a published texts that had an influence their huge scandal, and there were also certain Do you think that today’s performers times not only in the sphere of music, but personal factors playing a role, and so Cage must be capable of perceiving this also on a broad social front – they had a was terrible offended. It was a piece for period feeling if they are to interpret great impact on the intellectual life of their which Cage had expressly wanted no Cage “correctly”? What if they don’t era. rehearsals. This was an expression of anar- have that “umbilical cord”? As far as the durability of his work is con- chist ideology – every player had to study his They have to have it. There are people here cerned, I think Cage’s importance starts in own part and at the end it would all come who worked with Cage, and it continues on the 1950s. First with Music of Changes for together at the performance. The rational with them. piano. Then the Concerto for Piano and justification for why they were no rehearsals Orchestra and Atlas Eclipticalis. Etudes Aus- was that one player might influence another What about the people who didn’t trales were the next step and then Freeman and somebody might even come to domi- work with Cage? Do they have any Etudes. For someone to say, “I know what nate, but without rehearsals what would chance at all of finding an approach to Cage’s Music is about”, he has to mean emerge was the beauty of anarchy, with Cage’s music? these works. In the same way that you have everyone doing their own thing, and so long Perhaps, but it’s not likely. There are record- to know the Eroica, the late quartets, a few as no one trod on another’s foot, everything ings, there are plenty of things that can be piano sonatas, the 7th Symphony, in order to would go beautifully harmonically together. learned that way... be able to say you know Beethoven. The We had no rehearsals, I didn’t know who First Symphony isn’t enough. would do what, and Julius Eastman decided Correct performance ought then to to play silly games, which was what caused respect the tradition of interpretation... What do you think is the most impor- the scandal. After the concert Cage came up There is only one correct interpretation. And tant thing that you personally learned on the podium and said, “What was that sup- a great many variations within it, of course. from Cage? posed to mean?” And I said, “I didn’t know But things become meaningful only from Recently I was asked to write something what was going to happen, because we had within. Performance by someone who about Cage’s influence on me. I was aware no rehearsals”. And he turned to me and approaches the music from outside is com- that what is usually described as influence is said, “But you’re the leader of the ensemble!” pletely pointless. It is as if I were to do a actually imitation, which actually has very lit- And I realised – not immediately, it took me a football commentary, although I know noth- tle in common with influence. Unfortunately while – that actually he was right. That if I ing about football. Every fan would laugh at society praises people who imitate others, sign myself as the music director of the me. but imitation has never attracted me and so S.E.M. Ensemble, then I’ve responsible for that’s why my music possibly sounds com- what the ensemble does there. I can’t excuse Can this correct interpretation be cha- pletely different from any other... myself on the grounds that the composer racterised in some way? I came up with the working hypothesis that has some stupid directions that we should or It’s hard. But the most important thing for the influence is actually confirming someone in shouldn’t rehearse, and ideas on what we performance of Cage is discipline, and not an opinion he had before. To do independent should or shouldn’t do. license. That’s precisely because there are work and concern yourself with ideas that no Ever since then I’ve taken a very critical view so many possibilities there. The more possi- one has had before isn’t just hard, but of any kind of instruction or view. And so for bilities you have, the more disciplined you involves a whole scale of insecurities and example I conduct some Cage orchestral have to be, since otherwise it will fall apart. confusions. You don’t know what the point is, pieces even though he said, for ideological That applies not just to music but to life as or what you’re actually doing (and plenty of reasons, that there should be no conductor. well. Cage characterised discipline in the fol- your ideas are naturally worthless and end To do a thing with a hundred-member lowing terms: “You can’t do what you like, but on the trash heap). But when you discover orchestra without a conductor – as he every possibility is open”. Don’t pay attention that someone else is also taking the same demands in piece 103 – is complete non- to yourself, get over your own ego. direction, it’s a kind of confirmation of the sense. In Cologne at the premiere they had rightness of your own work, and that can sweated blood for a week, and the concert What do you think is central, and most have an incredible influence on a person. recording showed the performance had durable, in Cage’s work? That is the kind of influence Cage had on been catastrophic. I rehearsed it with the In Ostrava I conducted Wagner’s overture to me. I don’t recall ever having encountered Janáček Philharmonic and it was absolutely Tristan and Isolde and the Liebestod, and so something and saying to myself, “This is outstanding. One thing that I terribly regret is I was educating myself a little about Wagner amazing!” and then doing a hundred-and- that Cage did not live to see my work with and I discovered that Cage and Wagner are eighty-degree turnaround. But when orchestra. I’m convinced he would agree with completely parallel figures, each for his own I encountered Cage’s opinions, suddenly it me on many things, as he agreed when I pro- century. They were born in the same period, corresponded to what I had felt myself. And posed certain changes in Ryoanji. Wagner in 1813, Cage in 1912, and in both if Cage hadn’t been here, who knows cases their most important work, the one whether I would have been strong enough to How do you know which instructions with which they made their mark on the continue in the same direction by myself. But you ought to respect and which not? world scene, was written in the year 57: Cage was here, I met him, and that is how it That is “third level”. Orchestra for Piano and Orchestra in 1957 influenced me. Does that make sense? and Tristan and Isolde in 1857. And both Do you think that you’ve achieved the were still controversial fifty years after the It does. If you meet a great man or “third level”? works were written – Mahler only dared to woman it can cause things to crys- I hope so. After forty years of work it would conduct Tristan without major cuts sometime tallise, things you had only sensed but be sad if that wasn’t the case. And if not me, at the beginning of the 20th century, and not articulated... then who else? I’m among the very small both were great ideologists of socialist Something like that happened to me. In 1974 number of people who worked with Cage stamp – it’s even said that Wagner was Cage and I had a huge conflict. At that point practically without a break from the begin- mixed up with the burning of the opera Cage had proclaimed something I saw as a ning of the Sixties. house in Dresden and so had to flee abroad, denial of all his previous ideological claims... I and when he was allowed to return to Ger- was quite shocked... But in the end I found many he was still forbidden to set foot in that actually he had been right.

czech music 1 | 2003 | interview | 11 juliette x 2 – bregenz and paris

It would be hard to imagine two more opposite interpretations of Bohuslav Martinů’s opera Juliette or The Book of Dreams [Snář] than this year’s productions in Bregenz and Paris. While In Paris in the Garnier Palace the Surrealist opera was given the right share of playful poetry and lyricism, at the festival on the Lake of Bodam, direction loaded the opera with expressionism, philoso- PETR VEBER phy and existential meanings.

The first Austrian production of the 1920s spectacle for an audience of 6,800, but it it – the subtle poetry was gone, and the Sur- work, with five intervals in a room seating was still undoubtedly a major cultural event. realism acquired the contemporary and mod- 1,700 and adjoining the amphitheatre (where The young German director Katja Czellnik ern accent of absurdity and alienation. La Boheme was presented outdoors on the and the stage designer Vera Bonsen had a Dreaming, longing and searching were pre- other days) naturally had less of an impact conception of Juliette that was quite differ- sented materially, in a tougher mode. The than twenty performances of the veristic ent from the usual way in which Czechs see viewer was nonetheless helplessly drawn

Juliette in Paris

12 | event | czech music 1 | 2003 into the new reality so evocatively created by the performance, making it all the clearer up to mountain? that the eeriness was heading in the direc- tion of psychological derailment. The Ger- man translation of the libretto had been translated, with the help of the Czech musi- to berg! cologist Aleš Březina, director of the Bohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague, by the conductor of the whole project Dietfried Bernet. He gave the orchestral sound its urgency of expression and imprinted it with a strong, coherent view of the opera. The tenor Johannes Chum and the soprano Eva- JAN VÁVRA Maria Westbroek coped admirable well with the leading roles.

It was only comparison with the Paris pro- For me Berg is an unconquered duction in the autumn that showed quite how mountain. And so is an orches- wide of the usual mark Czellnik’s interpreta- tion had been. The Paris production, directed tra formed of young musicians by Richard Jones with stage design by his who vehemently deny that it is British compatriot Antony MacDonald, just a student affair. Certainly it came much closer to the generally definable ideal. Where the first version had stressed has an unusual repertoire and, problems, the Paris version chose well being. last but not least, it’s a group Where the first emphasised horrors, the sec- ond went for loving understanding. To put it that opens every concert with in a nutshell, the Paris Julietta was con- the premiere of a “made to cerned with short moments of happiness, measure” piece by a Czech con- and not just the impossibility of finding the longed for ideal. The opera Julietta thus temporary composer. returned to Paris, where its libretto and The orchestra was formed back in 1995 on the initiative of the music had been written and where Martinů himself would have loved to see it, almost man who is still its sole conductor and leading personality – Peter seventy years after its premiere in Prague. It Vrábel. There was no one better to help me with my imagined was sung in French translation and present- climb up the mountain. ed in a form that showed great internal sym- pathy with the work. Perhaps it will help the French to further discovery of Martinů, or, as it were, his rehabilitation in the eyes of the wider public. The production was part of a So let’s start from Adam. Or from more composers. Of course, as time went by programme entitled Czech Season. The con- Alban, or from Josef. I can’t resist ask- we began to get offers from composers, first ductor was the German Marc Albrecht, ing – why Berg? of all from our fellow students at the Music who showed great sensitivity without senti- That’s definitely the question I’m asked most Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts, mentality. He himself characterised his frequently. We would like to leave it slightly and that was how we had the idea of playing approach as on the lyrical side, and definitely veiled in mystery, but the truth is that we did- one premiere at every concert. not Kafkaesque. The role of Juliette was n’t just want to call ourselves the Young excellently sung by the young French singer Prague Chamber Orchestra, or something Are all the premieres “made to meas- Alexia Cousin, who played her charmingly similar. We knew from the beginning what ure” for the orchestra? as a carefree very feminine girl. The role of we wanted to play – a lot of 20th-century Not always. We commission pieces from Michel, seeking his ever-vanishing ideal, was and contemporary music. Alban Berg was some people, while other people already taken by the American tenor William ready to hand, and then was reduced to have finished pieces in the drawer and are Burden, who combined lyrical song with Berg. But we still like to mystify and leave it just looking for the right opportunity. The uncertain gestures. The crucial element of to other people to interpret the name as they main factor is chance, and above all agree- the staging was the motif of the accordion, like. ment. Composers have a natural tendency to an instrument that is the bearer of important want to hear their own music, and in this meanings in the music for Julietta In the The orchestra has been playing since county there are no so many chamber middle second act there was even quite a 1995. Did you start as an orchestra of orchestras willing to devote themselves to genuine forest, in keeping with French Sur- student enthusiasts, or has the orches- the task systematically. We don’t represent realism and Czech poetism. It could not have tra kept to its well-defined agenda any particular group or generation of com- been more different than the Bregenz pro- since the very beginning? posers. Today I’m the only person responsi- duction, where the whole opera took place at We didn’t start entirely as a student orches- ble for programme planning and in practice the bottom of a sort of empty navigation tra, even if it might look that way. We went on it’s based on my subjective impression of lock… In contrast to Czellnik, then, the pro- from concert to concert mainly because we each piece of music. But before I finalise ducers of the French project “merely” – but wanted to play pieces that nobody had anything I like to discuss it with other people very successfully and imaginatively – fulfilled played here before. The idea of playing 20th- from the orchestra and hear their opinions. tradition. The only causes for regret were the century music came from us, although at that ill-considered out cuts of several episodes time Prof. Václav Riedlbauch helped us a lot It must be difficult and demanding to from the Paris production. with our programmes. He was always tipping play a premiere at every concert. Aren’t us off about some interesting piece, and he you afraid that one day the source will, gave us the impulse to play and discover as it were, dry up? Don’t you some-

czech music 1 | 2003 | interview | 13 times find it a whip that you’ve made What about the members of the for your own back? orchestra? Do they change frequently, It’s hard to answer that. We don’t even think or is it always the same line-up of peo- about that kind of thing. When I don’t see a ple? problem I don’t look for one. We’re pleased The main limiting factor is that most of the that so far it’s worked as it should. players have all kinds of other activities. The orchestra relies primarily on its group of “core At your concerts you include new players”, who form the spine of the orchestra. pieces alongside works from the clas- Without them the group would be impossible sical repertoire, mainly 20th century. to imagine. For example the wind section and Do you think the combination is always the first row strings have scarcely changed at beneficial? all up to today. Then we have a broader circle I don’t think it would be a good idea to play of players and it’s very unusual for us to go only new music at a concert, if for no better outside them. It’s good to know what you can reason than that only a small circle of initi- expect from each player. ates would actually turn up to hear it. The sort of people who would avoid that kind of The Berg started regular concert cycles concert like the plague and would much pre- in 2001. This year, with the cycle ANNO fer to hear Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich 2003, you have started selling sub- get just a portion new music from us, and scription tickets publicised by an I think that this way it’s more likely to get into advertising campaign. Do you see this their bloodstream. Finally, even a classic as a major shift? piece sounds different in the context of work It’s simple. We said to each other that it by contemporary composers, and this is would be possible to do a little more and so exactly what we want. we decided to make ourselves more visible. The subscription series was a sufficiently Few of the members of your orchestra good reason. We’re continuously looking for are over thirty, and most are student at the right identity and image for the orchestra. So what is that we can here this year the Music Faculty of the Academy of We just see it as the next step in our only and exclusively at your concerts? Performing Arts (HAMU). Don’t you progress. have problems with the tendency to We’ve tried to create the programmes using confine the group within the rubric of The next step on the road up – the tried and tested recipes from the earlier student orchestra, especially when mountain – Berg? cycles. Apart from the planned Czech pre- your subscription concerts are held in You could put it that way, but sometimes we mieres (Teml, Matějů, Bartoň, Loudová, Feld, the Martinů Hall, in the Lichtenštejn feel like that beetle who keeps rolling his ball Hybler, Nejtek), we shall be playing a varied Palace, i. e. on HAMU premises? up and it keeps falling down on him. Strong mix of composers from Bach to Lutoslawski. It is a problem although we are trying to build words about our perseverance aren’t appro- At the same time we are preparing a sort of our own identity. From the beginning HAMU priate here. There’s simply no alternative. mini-profile of the Japanese composer Toru supported us and we still co-operate. Obvi- Takemitsu, who has created what I think is ously, many of our players and above all Your advertising slogan is “Leave the very interesting music which is never played soloists are from HAMU, and when an Eine Kleine Nachtmusik at home in here live. instrumentalist has the chance to play with a your bedroom – we’ll play you music chamber orchestra, it’s terrific experience for you never hear eslewhere...” him or her.

14 | interview | czech music 1 | 2003 interview with mario mary (winner of the musica nova 2002 competition)

LENKA DOHNALOVÁ

MARIO MARY (born 1961, Argenti- na), graduated in composing and conducting at the National Universi- ty in La Plata. In 1992 he continued his studies in Paris in GRM, the Paris Conservatoire, and IRCAM. In 2001 he obtained a PhD at the University of Paris 8, and he current- ly teaches there himself. He is the holder of the 1st Prize in the International Competition L. Russolo 1994, Pierre Schaeffer Mario Mary (second from right) 1998, TRIME 1998 and 2001, and the composition competition PanAccor- dion 2000. In 1992 he won an honor- able mention in the International EA You compose both acoustic and elec- the service of musical creativity. Just getting competition in Bourges. At the tro-acoustic music, do you think its a the latest versions of the software and hard- Musica nova competition 2002 he good thing for EA composers to have a ware serves no useful purpose from the took 1st place in Category B for general training in composition, and – musical point of view. Learning how to struc- instrument (s) and EA with his piece from the other point of view – what ture materials (mixing, form) will be easier influence does composing EA have on for people who have been trained in ordinary Aarhus – for violin and E medium. your instrumental work? composition. This year’s Musica nova 2002 Inter- For me instrumental composing is the inex- In France I had the chance to study EA com- national Prize for EA Music attract- haustible source nourishing EA music. Hav- position and informatics at GRM, at the Paris ed 125 entries from composers from ing a training in composition enables me to Conservatoire, at IRCAM and at the Universi- a total of 30 countries. The other think more deeply in EA too about aspects ty of Paris 8. At GRM there is a stress on winners were: Ka-Ho Cheung (Chi- like orchestration, polyphony, macro-micro- developing special sensitivity to sound and na) with the piece Lost Souls form and so on, which are sometimes still on the meaning of the spatial arrangements of a Sketches, which came first in Cate- the margins of interest in EA. Composing EA composition in concert performance. At the gory A for EA. In Category B there then extends the parameters of sound mate- conservatoire students often take courses in were honorable mentions for rial (spectrum, spatial quality). It’s a mutual instrumental composition, including analysis enrichment. For example for a long time I’ve and theory, alongside EA. At IRCAM I had Michele Biasutti (Italy) with his Ricercare been working on EA orchestration, which the chance to specialise in music information piece and Kotoka Suzuki makes possible the most minute and intri- studies. It’s a very dynamic atmosphere and Slip- (Japan) with his composition cate arrangement of sound elements in composition takes first place there (Murail, stream. The prize for a Czech com- space. The various levels of acoustic move- Fernyhoug and others). At the University of poser went to Ondřej Adámek for ment enrich the inner life of the sound. Work Paris 8 you can study computer composition, his composition Střepy z Kibery on sound material, spatial distribution and and I got my doctorate there. The stress is [Shards from Kibera]. The pieces the resulting structure is extremely closely on research there (i.e. they see themselves were presented at the Concert of connected in EA. more as researchers than as musicians). Laureates on the 16th of December 2002 in the Inspirace Theatre. The What do you think of the methodology What do you think is the point of inter- of teaching EA? What is your experi- national competitions in composing? competition was organised with the ence in this context? International competitions give the winners support of the Czech Ministry of Cul- In EA compose we must first create the the chance to get to know each other and ture, the City of Prague, the Czech sound material itself, and so teaching must test out their work in competitive conditions. Music Fund Foundation and the contain knowledge of acoustics and the The prizes are important not just as a psy- Copyright Foundation OSA. technology of instruments (analogue and chological boost, but sometimes as a way of informatic). But we must never forget that opening doors to other creative and publish- we are concerned only with instruments in ing possibilities.

czech music 1 | 2003 | interview | 15 East European Music Haydn Hába Janáček Písně krátké i dlouhé for Clarinet Hába Quartett [Songs Short and Long] Žuk Records Traxleři Karel Dohnal 2002 Etnologický ústav AVČR [Ethnological Czech Radio Institute of the Czech Academy of 2002 Sciences] 2002

In the twentieth century the clarinet became a The saying that no man is a prophet in his own While today musicologists are devoting ever very popular instrument thanks to its technical land is one that certainly applies to Alois Hába. more attention to contemporary popular music, and expressive range. In the countries of While we don’t often hear his music in this its earlier past remains comparatively under- Eastern Europe the clarinet was also one of the country, abroad his legacy attracts great atten- researched. This recording by the Traxleři traditional instruments of folk music. The clar- tion, and his reputation goes beyond that of pio- group at least partly fills up the gaps in this inettist Karel Dohnal is a representative of the neer of microtonal music.. field, since it focuses on the historical sources younger generation of Czech performers and The Hába Quartett was formed in 1984 in Ger- of folk and popular music, urban folk lore and can already boast many successes (Laureate of many, on the initiative of the violinist Dušan student songs of the 15th to the 19th cen- the Prague Spring Competition, prizes from Pandula, a former member of the Prague Hába turies. The person behind the choice of reper- competitions in Ostend, Bayreuth and London), Quartet. toire is Jiří Traxler, ethno-musicologist, who has and twentieth-century music is an important This recording contains Hába’s Quartet no.9, been working for many years on the historical part of his repertoire. His CD offers five pieces op. 79 of 1952, the First String Quartet, forms of folk and popularised songs. One sec- for clarinet by Eastern European composers, “Kreutzer Sonata” by Leoš Janáček and the tion of the CD, entitled Jeníkovy Písně krátké and all except one from the later twentieth cen- String Quartet in C major by Joseph Haydn. [Jeník’s Short Songs], offers a selection of the tury. Czech music is represented here by What Janáček and Hába had in common was texts that Traxler has published in his Písně Bohuslav Martinů and Miloslav Ištván, Hungari- first their insistence on finding their own paths krátké Jana Jeníka rytíře z Bratřic [The Short an music by Rezsö Kókai, Rumanian by Tiberiu and resulting isolation on the music scene, and Songs of Jan Jeník night of Bratrice], in which Oláh and Russian by Sergei Ivanovich Tanyeyev. second their deep love of Moravian folk music. he edited the first part of the legacy of this folk Bohuslav Martinů’s Sonatina and Miloslav This recording provides us with a unique oppor- song collector. Jeník z Bratřic (1756 – 1845) Ištván’s Sonata were written at almost the same tunity to appreciate how two composers could originally collected songs for his own pleasure time – the mid-Fifties – and both show strong use similar sources of inspiration to go in quite and did not plan to publish them. This meant inspiration by folk music. Martinů at this point, different directions. In Hába’s case, his piece is that unlike the later National Revivalist collec- however, was already an accomplished master, also affected by the time at which it was writ- tors he did not censor them, and the texts in his while Ištván was only at the beginning of his ten, since in 1952 a Stalinist dictatorship that collection were just as people had really sung career and still under the influence of his great wanted to dictate even the form of music was them, i.e. with occasional vulgarisms. model, Leoš Janáček. still in power. Hába’s music was branded for- The second half of the CD is entitled Ohlasy Just as Janáček’s influenced Czech music, so malist and so prohibited. Here the folk music evropských písní [Reactions to European Bela Bartók influenced Hungarian music. tones create a counterweight to darker places, Songs] and introduces us to the repertoire of Rezsö Kókai continued with Bartók’s legacy but the work is still glows with the composer’s songs popular in the Czech society of the not only as a composer, but also as a collector optimism and faith in a better future. National Revival. In this selection we find a sort and arranger of folk songs. His Four Folk At first sight the Haydn Quartet seems an odd of “best of” European popular songs of the Dances are virtuoso stylisations with the pat- companion for the music of Hába and Janáček 15th - 19th century. Songs originally from tern of progressive gradation that we can hear but in fact it was Haydn,who made the quartet England, France, Germany or the Low Coun- in Hungarian folk music. into the genre with which his successors tries found their way all over Europe and The clarinet is also often to be found in Ruman- worked. . acquired new texts. The thirteen tracks in this ian music, but Tiberiu Oláh draws inspiration The musicians of the Hába Quartett acquit section this take us through a history of Euro- more from the poetics of the New Music and he themselves with honour in their performance of pean popular music from the renaissance to exploits all the possibilities of the instrument. the the difficult works by Hába and Leoš romanticism. Some passages of this technically very difficult Janáček, and also manage to loosen up suffi- Since 1965, the Traxleři Group has been devot- piece nonetheless contain at least a distant ref- ciently in their rendering of the Haydn. . ing itself to performance of the various forms of erence to folk music in the form of its typical folk music. Folk music of previous centuries, figurations. MATĚJ KRATOCHVÍL urban folklore and broadsheet ballads have an The only representative of the nineteenth cen- important place in their recordings. tury on the recording is Sergei Tanyeyev. His Canzona still draws on the legacy of MATĚJ KRATOCHVÍL Tchaikovsky and provides the performer with a chance to show the more lyric sides of the instrument. Dohnal’s partner on this CD is the pianist Václa- va Černohorská and for Tanyeyev’s Canzone he is joined by the Talich Quartet.

MATĚJ KRATOCHVÍL

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