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.