infotext:
Boris Pasternak received the Nobel Prize in 1958 for his novel Doctor Zhivago, which he was forced to refuse by the regime. The Czech composer Ladislav Kubík, who lives in the USA, sees the poems that Pasternak added at the end of his novel as a portrait of the poet and used this material to form his main work for tenor and orchestra.
The Concerto breve for piano and orchestra (1998) follows the principles of the classical concert in its layout, albeit in a somewhat abbreviated form. Three main parts correspond to the usual form fast-slow-fast. The piano effectively plays its role as a solo instrument, but never overdoes it with virtuosity. For the discussion of the general comprehensibility of new music, Kubík presents a work of high accessibility, directness and emotionality for discussion.
The Sinfonietta No. 2 consists of three linked movements (attacca). While the opening Allegro agile and the Presto furioso that follows mainly depict the confusion and brutality of the world, the final Andante, molto introspectivo offers a spiritual catharsis. Kubík takes up an episode from the New Testament (Jesus' conversation with a woman at Jacob's well) and describes the well as a source of living water, a symbol of healing powers and a growing faith in everything pure and essential, which alone lasts forever.
program:
Songs of Zhivago (2002-2005)
for tenor and orchestra
Playing time: 32:10
[01] I. My Sister Life
[02] II. Winter Night
[03] III. soul
[04] IV. Hamlet
[05] V. The Wind
[06] VI. Holy Week
Adrian Thompson, tenor
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Ronald Zollman, conductor
[07] Concerto breve (1998)
for piano and orchestra
Playing time: 08:02
Joanna Sobkowska, Piano
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Vladimir Valek, conductor
Symphony No. 2 “Jacob's Well” (1999)
for orchestra
Playing time: 11:47
[08] 03:54 I. Allegro agile
[09] 02:58 II. Presto furioso
[10] 04:58 III. Andante, molto introspectivo
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Vladimir Valek, conductor
Total: 51:59
Press:
04-06.2008
11 / 12 2007
26.11.2007
Doctor Zhivago in Czech
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From 2002 to 2005, Ladislav Kubik wrote his song cycle 'Songs of Zhivago', commissioned by the 'Florida State University', in which he sets poems by Pasternak to music, which the Russian author wrote to his novel hero Dr. Attributes to Zhivago. They are an indirect portrait of the protagonist and thus acquire their own meaning, even if they only appear in the appendix of the novel. The cycle opens with 'My Sister Life', which Kubik uses to create symbolic arcs of tension through the exposed use of individual tones. The poem 'Soul' written by Pasternak after the completion of 'Dr. Zhivago' wrote, and in which he draws on the last forty years of his life, Kubik sets it to an all-encompassing ostinato accompaniment that reflects the continuity of life. In 'The Wind', on the other hand, Kubik relies on a sonorous, swaying prelude that clearly has cantabile traits. In general, Kubik remains attached to traditional forms of composition in his 'Concerto breve for piano and orchestra' (1998). So he uses the classic tripartite division into individual sentences, which follows the pattern fast-slow-fast. He wants to show that contemporary music can be just as accessible, direct and understandable as the music of past centuries.
Belgian conductor Ronald Zollman has re-recorded the cycle with the Czech 'Philharmonic Orchestra' on NEOS. The tenor Adrian Thompson performs the solo role in the Schiwago cycle. He sings with a nice strong timbre, but his phrasing lacks a bit of the big line to really convince. The routinely playing orchestra goes into the fine nuances of the score as far as possible. Zollman finds a balance between harsh accents and melismatic embellishments. The introduction to the last song 'Holy Week', in which Zollman greatly exaggerates the lower orchestral register and thus achieves a shattering effect, is of almost primal power.
The Piano Concerto and Sinfonietta No.2 (1999) was recorded by Vladimir Valec and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2001. Placed alongside the song cycle by NEOS, they form a good unit that exemplifies Kubik's work. As the soloist in the piano concerto, Joanna Sobkowska performs with sovereign confidence, which is also reflected in her cleverly chosen phrasing. It forms logical units of meaning that bring structure and line into the composition. She masters the technical requirements with virtuosity and determination. The orchestral sound is characterized by massive brass sounds; sometimes the strings might be more superficial. Unfortunately, the wood is more content with an extra role, so that the overall result of the ensemble performance could be more differentiated. The Sinfonietta No. 2 entitled 'Jacob's Well' is carried in Valek's interpretation by a strong rhythmic structure reminiscent of Stravinsky's 'Sacre'. Valek also emphasizes the sudden changes in dynamics within the work, which means that the composition loses cohesion.
Christiane Bayer
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