INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FORFEST CZECH REPUBLIC 2005

Hudobný život, Bratislava

Forfest is a unique festival of contemporary music and fine arts with spiritual orientation. It takes place annually in the last week of June in the city of Kromeríž, Morava (Czech Republic) in the former archbishop’s seat, full of sacred Baroque sculptures, Baroque gardens and famous Flower Gardens, the project of Italian architect. G. Tencalli. Kromeriz, set amidst of an attractive architectonical and natural environment, is a city of silence...

This year, for the 16th times we have heard more than 30 premieres and valuable recitals in the interpretation of Moravian, Rumanian, German, Polish, Slovak, American, and Czech interpreters. Forfest took place from June 19 to 26.in the impressive space of magnificent Baroque Parliament (Assembly) Hall of Archibishop’s Chateau, the Gothic Temple of St. Moritz, and in the Museum of Kromeriz, proper artistic settings. The Flower Gardens, in which took place the last year performance and fine arts projects by well-known Boston group of artists, Moravian painter Václav Vaculovič, and others, gave us not only the artistic experiences and knowledge, but also the view of rhythmical colonnade with hundreds of busts of Muses, and figures from the Antiquity. The most spiritual projects took place In the famous rotunda with Italian lantern and Foucault’s hanging pendulum as well as in the natural mazes with geometrical patterns of flowers, as in the villa Medici in Rome.. The artists were certainly immediately inspired by the power of the place itself, as genius loci, to their new manifestations.

Forfest is quasi a cultural continuum of the former significance of the city as an ecclesiastical and musical center of the country (region), there are for instance two conservatories of Church and Vejvanovsky today). Every year the festival attracts more and more composers from countries of Europe, USA, Israel, Japan, Moravia, Slovakia, and Czech Republic, and dedicated interpreters.

Due to sensitive selections of composers and art by the leaders of festival -Artistic Initiative -, the public had an opportunity to compare various spiritual streams and styles. At the same time there was given space to more experimental works. The festival incorporated the works from 80s. And 90s of the 20th century to the works originated within the period of last years. From Russian/Tatar Sofia Gubajdulina, Pole Henryk Górecki, Estonian Arvo Pärt, Greek-American Dinos Constantinides, American Theodor Wiprud, Rumanian composers such as Liviu Danceanu, Liviu Marinescu, Horia Surianu, Stefan Niculescu and others, as well as Polish women-composers to Moravian, Slovak, and Czech composers. Experimental works include recital of a well-known Moravian drummer Dan Dlouhy, Moravian composer, Prof. Alois Pinos from Brno and Kojetín Industrial Philharmonic whose works had well-composed contrasting areas and unusual instruments. This was for many listeners a surprise of a new poetics, great potential of new sounds. The Kojetin Industrial Philharmonic Orchestra performed also with own - produced unusual instruments, and presented the music of other spheres, evoking the internal country of silence, Tibet, and its sanctuaries. But those countries of silence are placed in Moravia…

This -year-festival presented the contemporary spiritual music as a multifaceted entity of different orientations. Nevertheless, certain characteristics could be drawn: 1/ the first place would be given to the declinations (avoiding) from the Romantic ego of a composer, which has passed away its own course (Arvo Pärt, Gyorgy Ligeti, DamaDama, and others). 2/ A struggle for meditation and the composition comprehended as a prayer (Henryk Górecki, Liviu Danceanu, Theodor Wiprud, the large formats by the Moravian painter Vaclav Vaculovic whose inspirations are marked by the philosophical ideas of Theillard de Chardin). 3/ The simplification of certain music parameters toward the harmonic austerity, intentional simplicity of structure (Górecki), 4/ new expression through “the beautiful mélos“(Theodor Wiprud, Moravian and Czech composers Peter Graham, Pavel Zemek, Robert Hejnar, sometimes with the longing for unison as the building principle (Pavel Zemek in his symphony, played partially at the Colloquium during the festival). 5/ At last we should mention the principle of repetition, still not yet worn out and not yet overused principle of American Terry Railey from the 60’s of the last century. This principle acted as powerful evolutionary and constructive element in some compositions of Arvo Part, Gorecki, Peter Graham, and others). Stubborn repetitiveness gave a new expression in the Piano Concerto by Gorecki and to a long organ work with a long title Mein Weg hat Gipfel und Wellentaler by Arvo Part, the method which was used already in the 80’s and 90’s of the last century, and pertains to the compositional instrumentation of composers in the whole planet. .6/ We have heard the works of statical dynamics, which were able equally to act as gentle developmental agent (Gorecki, Hans Zender). The Moravian composers showed that we should not fear of experimentation. 7/ Only a few of compositions avoided dramatic expression, destruction and aggressively in order to give a chance to “music of hope”(Theodor Wiprud ). This is not a mere chance. 8/ Even we have heard the works of a new “rituality” (exquisitely elaborated by Dinos Constantinides).

The most interesting work of the festival was innovative work of Russian-Tatar woman-composer Sofia Gubajdulina, Four Preludes. In the area of musical shapes, musical motives, themes, rhythm, and form, she is unique, and quaint. Her deep message of shorter extent for solo violoncello brings something new and full of expression. Compositions impressed us by her uncompromising declaration of an independent, solitary individual (from the period of communist totality). Her Four Preludes generated enthusiasm and intellectual respect for her… Four Preludes were interpreted clearly and distinctively with delineation of each shape by German violoncellist Matthias Bräutigam

Other, and spiritually majestic work was Cantata for organ by “mystical minimalist” Henryk Górecki, in the interpretation of Czech young interpreter Hana Rysava.. This work was built mainly on sharp dynamical contrasts. While other well-composed work of Gorecki, from 1980, The Piano Concerto, was dynamically terraced (in forte, two forte-the first part, and in two forte and three forte the second/last part. Impressive was dynamics of three forte extended on area of 84 measures, exposing chromatically descending clusters, ending in a low register while the unison of string orchestra, also in triple forte supported the almost orgiastic solo part (in the interpretation of Slovak pianist Elena Letnanová and Chambre Orchestra of Bohuslav Martinu from Brno under the baton of Jan Zámecnik).

Surprising revelation of the festival were two concerts of Rumanian composers in the frame of Days of Rumanian culture. The first concert, simultaneously the opening concert of the festival, with uniquely disposing virtuoso violinist Ion Marius Lacraru, presented unknown works (in Moravia) of such composers as Anatol Vieru, Octavian Nemescu, Liviu Danceanu a Stefan Niculescu, under the title Spiritual Streams in the Rumanian Music For Violin. . Already this first concert brought spiritual qualities and music of high expression. The violin was exposed in all works, along with independent, pre-recorded sound zones (lines) of music as an organic part of musical structure, not as an accompaniment of ensemble type. This concert brought unforgettable impression. The sacral values of these works are beyond doubt. The first piece “Shoip” by Anatol Vieru was comprehended as a “Lamento” elaborated for violin, using various violin techniques, which were not improvised, but well-prepared and played with the sense for fine timbre by serious virtuoso. He also let us understand the values of silence, pauses, sand other details, in this piece. In “Metabyzantiricone” by Octavian Nemescu the inspiration by Byzantine culture, icon, and similarly is tangible via of two different sound zones. Hermeneutics of time shift comprehended as though two different times, even spaces, heard through the passionately played part of violin, moving as sempre agitato in the medium register at the same time drawing the developmental material. While we heard the other sound zone in slower tempi played by the tape (prerecorded music) incorporating outer (extreme) registers of sound, reaching opposite expression. The multiplication of zones increases when the tape plays the sounds of birds and insects. Even the Rumanian, or Transylvanian ornamentation enters the sound-zone of violin and finally the touches or echoes of liturgical Byzantine past bring a special momentum in the sounding of rich structure. We want to reach a new „polyphony“ -many-voiced structure as result of our technical development and independence of each individual. The third composition of the concert “Ira” by Liviu Danceanu, also for violin and tape immediately attracted our attention by musical suggestivity, high communicative ability to transmit the portrait of anger (Irae, “Ira”). Soloist and tape background music gave the poly-dynamical precipice to this work Retained lines, tones, and sliding of sounds added tension between both lines. The Echo 2 by Stefan Niculescu was performed at the end of this concert and positively exhausted our attention by its heterophonic voices and melismatic cantilena, along with sounding of sound scales entering alternatively. This was a vivid example of spiritual music. The music suited well to the exposition of paintings Great Formats in other words internal passages by Moravian painter Vaclav Vaculovic, and sculptures, which figuratively continued into the universe by Moravian Jan Simek. Works of art were placed around the soloist and public in the music hall of Museum of Kromeriz.

Also the second concert of Rumanian music, in the evening of that day was a proof of quality connected with well juxtaposition dramaturgy of The Sacred and The Profane. They were performed four works Chinonic, Monodie, Stihuri (Stanzas), Hymnus—from composers of the 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th centuries such as Dometian Vlahul, Dimitrij Cantemir, Macarie Ieromonahul a Dimitrij Suceveanu, as a source of inspiration for contemporary living composers - Stefan Niculescu (Sinchronie I), Calm Ioachimescu (Palindrom), Liviu Danceanu (History 2), Liviu Marinescu (A-gain) a Horia Surianu (Diffeactions Brisees). This concert brought to our attention the tremendous Monodie by D. Cantemir. The public did not know this was the composer of the 17th century. Also highly differentiated, musical, vital, sound - inventive works, with attention to detail, color of each instrument, by Liviu Danceanu, Liviu Marinescu, Horia Surianu, Calm Ioachimescu gave us aesthetical satisfaction. The public appreciated the culture of ensemble sound under the baton of the director of Archeus Ensemble Prof. Liviu Danceanu.

To mention the Moravian, Czech, and Slovak composers, we should extol the author’s concert of Slovak, born in Poland Silezia, Roman Berger. The most relevant, dramatic message of a great one-hour lasting vocal-instrumental form was Berger’s de Profundis interpreted from the tape in the Church of St. Moritz. A certain parallel can be drawn between biblical story of Abel and Kain and poetry of Polish poet Tadeusz Róžewicz from the period of the Second World War. Piano-vocal score, with solo and spoken voice of a man, uses combination with electro acoustic part only in the middle part of composition. The work is composed in one part as though in one Aristotelian dramatic arc, with culmination and a long area of catharsis toward the end of a composition, entrusted to violoncello solo. After developmental long area of testifying a war atrocity, the work culminates in a crushing cascades of piano chords in high register as memento,. “Save” is pronounced in voice of man, thus carrying the spiritual and humanistic credo of composer who survived tough conditions of communist totality. A distance of a quarter century was needed to appreciate the right value of this work composed in 1975-80. But in poem of Rozewicz Abel is saved (not killed). It is a pity that the work was not performed life, but from the tape. The sound was little lost in an extensive space of church. A new Mazurka number.1 and Golden Sun for piano solo as well as unconventional and fresh Etude number 1 by Moravian composer Peter Graham gave new meditative character to his works. Along with England composer Howard Skempton, only the short piece A Roma was accepted well by public, and with simple, gentle, but nice work Marianist Bouket made for children by Peter Zemek, as well as sad, gentle and noble, uplifting music of Tristia, dedicated to victims of Jewish past, in three parts by Moravian composer Peter Pokorny, finished the outstanding piano recital of subtle pianist Jarmila Češkova. One of the most experimental concerts performed by drummer soloist and composer Dan Dlouhy brought the music composed on sounding objects, made by the composer. Some of these instruments acted as fine arts objects but still served as musical instruments. The most musical and inventive was his composition played on marimba, using the diatonic of double-octave extent by striking at once the instrument by the pole, made or covered by rubber. With great concentration he interpreted multilingual texts and innovative piece Omen Nomen for all drumming instruments by Moravian composer Alois Pinos.

In further premieres we heard chamber works of French composers: Jean Langlais and Jacqueline Fontyn, the German Matthias Drude, Friedhelm Rentzsch and very interesting one part work Lo-Shu by Hansa Zender, with flute and violoncello Lo-Shu. This piece attracted by sound gesture, wit, and aesthetical sound – echo, which seemed to be composed properly just for the specific acoustic of the Assembly Hall of Chateau. The other compositions were nice, rather less is more, and Trio by Jean Francaix in fabulous clean and charming interpretation of Karin Hofmann flute, Sabine Bräutigam-piano and Matthias Bräutigam-violoncello acted too lager, superficial, virtuosi, contents less, as discussion in café-house.

The final concert was dedicated to works of American Greek Dinos Constantinides, Czech authors Robert Hejnar, Jozef Adamik and Henryk Gorecki. Constantinides inclination to Greek drama and poetry is evident. His works have qualities of aphoristic, nice, and ritual way of expression /sometimes in nice minor chords combined with clusters / . His “Sapfo Songs” and three fragments from opera “Antigóne” left great impression in rendering by talented Czech singer Kristyna Valouškova along with Chamber Orchestra of Bohuslav Martinu under the baton of the composer. The Czech author Róbert Hejnar in Homage A Concerto Grosso wrote a simple, but effective music, for violoncello solo and string orchestra with an interesting cadenza placing stress on one pulsating tone of the soloist. This work gained recognition also among a wider public, not only for the tremendous performance of Jan Skrdlik, but for its ideal of Vivaldi’s purity and simplicity. The interpretational peak of the festival was just this last final concert with performances of Jan Skrdlik and also with Piano Concerto by Henryk Gorecki with almost orgiastic performance of the soloist Elena Letnanova from Bratislava, under the baton of experienced Moravian director Jan Zámecník. After four curtain calls, the last work Heavenly Pastures by Jozef Adamik oscillated between the idea of nice structures and their gradual destruction ended the successful festival.

Elena Letňanová /Slovak Republic/