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Vladimir Minin and Valentin Gaft presented concert-mystery "Century-wolfhound that throws on my shoulders"
09.03.2016
It's not coincidence that the line of Osip Mandelstam's famous poem (1930) is moved to a concert-mystery name: "Century-wolfhound" - this poetic symbol expressed the essence of the strange and terrible time in which he had to live. Past country always leaves a mark in the hearts of the next generation, especially when it comes to controversial historical periods. Famous actor Valentin Gaft and legendary choral conductor Vladimir Minin respond to the subject, still remain open for the majority of compatriots, - who was Stalin for our country - a wise leader or executioner?
Literary-musical composition "Tell me – Is he Devil or God?..." is a mystical dialogue of historical persons with our contemporaries, a paradoxical view of the past into the present, giving the opportunity to experience and reflect on the most controversial period of Soviet history associated with Joseph Stalin's personality. "As the author, I want to believe that those who love Stalin, would have heard how their idol repent... It had never happened, but even in their eyes, he pronounces the word "forgive", - says Valentin Gaft. Vladimir Minin emphasizes that the ratio of the artistic intelligentsia to Stalin's personality should be expressed not in the postulates, namely in the form of art: "Shall it be a uniform after our performances, or not - this is the level of education and the way of thinking of each individual".
The essence of each poem excerpt reveals and adds a specially selected music: there's phonograms of 4th, 7th and Chamber Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich, his music for Shakespeare's "King Lear", excerpts from "Ivan the Terrible" oratorio by Sergei Prokofiev, "The song about Stalin" and " Lullaby" from the “The Circus" movie by Isaac Dunayevsky, fragments from Giya Kancheli's "Amao omi" and an excerpt from "All-Night vigil "by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Moscow chamber choir performs not only as a powerful accompanying instrument, but is a completely independent character of the action.
For our country, 2016 was rich in memorable date: 60 years ago, in 1956, took place in Moscow celebrated the 20th Congress of the CPSU, the famous condemnation of the cult of personality of the leader. Hundreds of thousands of people began to leave at will - for the year it has been rehabilitated over 500 thousand people. Soon came the sixties and for which the only possible cult was the cult of human dignity. It seemed that the country has changed forever, but, says Valentin Gaft by the mouth of his hero: "You have grown bolder too early - and retribution is inevitable, as I am always in the Kremlin...".
A particularly significant date for V. Minin and Moscow Chamber Choir is 110th anniversary of Shostakovich's birth, which will be celebrated in September 2016. This event will focus on the first part of the concert. Composer's name is linked with another round date - 80 years ago, 28 January 1936, in the newspaper "Pravda" was published an article called "Muddle Instead of Music!", in which his opera "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" was subjected to sharp criticism of the "anti-people" "formalistic" character. Thus began a long history of cultural confrontation Shostakovich and Stalin.
Written 65 years ago, "Ten Poems on words of revolutionary poets" (1951), which were made on March 14 on the stage of the Great Hall of Moscow State Conservatory, are on a par with the works that emerged after the infamous Decree 1948, when the newly Accused of cosmopolitanism composer, along with other prominent artists, trying to be yourself under the Stalinist regime. In "Ten poems", his first composition for choir a capella, Shostakovich turned to the Russian revolutionary folklore, with whom he had known since childhood - the texts of choral poems belong to a little-known poets is now late XIX - early XX centuries. "I do not know to what extent I was able to convey the spirit of the era, but the music could not affect the vast experience that has always produced on me Russian revolutionary song" - the composer confessed.
The concert program also sounded with Samuel Barber's famous "Adagio" (arrangement for Choir by S. Anashkin), recognized by critics as one of the best music of the second millennium. Performance will be dedicated to the memory of outstanding Lithuanian conductor, a close friend of Vladimir Minin, People's Artist of the USSR Saulius Sondeckis.
Participants:
Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir;
Conductor - People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Minin;
People's Artist of the RSFSR Valentin Gaft.
Soloists:
Svetlana Nikolaeva (mezzo-soprano);
Borislav Molchanov (tenor);
Sergey Godin (tenor).
Saxophone Quartet:
Leonid Drutin (soprano saxophone);
Eugene Krylevsky (alto saxophone);
Dmitry Sarasek (tenor saxophone);
Igor Gurevich (baritone saxophone)
Literary-musical composition "Tell me – Is he Devil or God?..." is a mystical dialogue of historical persons with our contemporaries, a paradoxical view of the past into the present, giving the opportunity to experience and reflect on the most controversial period of Soviet history associated with Joseph Stalin's personality. "As the author, I want to believe that those who love Stalin, would have heard how their idol repent... It had never happened, but even in their eyes, he pronounces the word "forgive", - says Valentin Gaft. Vladimir Minin emphasizes that the ratio of the artistic intelligentsia to Stalin's personality should be expressed not in the postulates, namely in the form of art: "Shall it be a uniform after our performances, or not - this is the level of education and the way of thinking of each individual".
The essence of each poem excerpt reveals and adds a specially selected music: there's phonograms of 4th, 7th and Chamber Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich, his music for Shakespeare's "King Lear", excerpts from "Ivan the Terrible" oratorio by Sergei Prokofiev, "The song about Stalin" and " Lullaby" from the “The Circus" movie by Isaac Dunayevsky, fragments from Giya Kancheli's "Amao omi" and an excerpt from "All-Night vigil "by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Moscow chamber choir performs not only as a powerful accompanying instrument, but is a completely independent character of the action.
For our country, 2016 was rich in memorable date: 60 years ago, in 1956, took place in Moscow celebrated the 20th Congress of the CPSU, the famous condemnation of the cult of personality of the leader. Hundreds of thousands of people began to leave at will - for the year it has been rehabilitated over 500 thousand people. Soon came the sixties and for which the only possible cult was the cult of human dignity. It seemed that the country has changed forever, but, says Valentin Gaft by the mouth of his hero: "You have grown bolder too early - and retribution is inevitable, as I am always in the Kremlin...".
A particularly significant date for V. Minin and Moscow Chamber Choir is 110th anniversary of Shostakovich's birth, which will be celebrated in September 2016. This event will focus on the first part of the concert. Composer's name is linked with another round date - 80 years ago, 28 January 1936, in the newspaper "Pravda" was published an article called "Muddle Instead of Music!", in which his opera "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" was subjected to sharp criticism of the "anti-people" "formalistic" character. Thus began a long history of cultural confrontation Shostakovich and Stalin.
Written 65 years ago, "Ten Poems on words of revolutionary poets" (1951), which were made on March 14 on the stage of the Great Hall of Moscow State Conservatory, are on a par with the works that emerged after the infamous Decree 1948, when the newly Accused of cosmopolitanism composer, along with other prominent artists, trying to be yourself under the Stalinist regime. In "Ten poems", his first composition for choir a capella, Shostakovich turned to the Russian revolutionary folklore, with whom he had known since childhood - the texts of choral poems belong to a little-known poets is now late XIX - early XX centuries. "I do not know to what extent I was able to convey the spirit of the era, but the music could not affect the vast experience that has always produced on me Russian revolutionary song" - the composer confessed.
The concert program also sounded with Samuel Barber's famous "Adagio" (arrangement for Choir by S. Anashkin), recognized by critics as one of the best music of the second millennium. Performance will be dedicated to the memory of outstanding Lithuanian conductor, a close friend of Vladimir Minin, People's Artist of the USSR Saulius Sondeckis.
Participants:
Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir;
Conductor - People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Minin;
People's Artist of the RSFSR Valentin Gaft.
Soloists:
Svetlana Nikolaeva (mezzo-soprano);
Borislav Molchanov (tenor);
Sergey Godin (tenor).
Saxophone Quartet:
Leonid Drutin (soprano saxophone);
Eugene Krylevsky (alto saxophone);
Dmitry Sarasek (tenor saxophone);
Igor Gurevich (baritone saxophone)