The island of Uzedom in Germany, where the annual music festival takes place from September 16 to October 7, has put Latvia on the podium this year among the 10 countries of the Baltic Sea region. The reason is the 150th anniversary of our Song Festival, which made the festival team want to introduce as closely and deeply as possible the country where they not only sing, but also play, and where many talented musicians come from. Thanks to the invitation of the festival, Inta Pīrāga had the opportunity to follow the events of the first four days…
The opening concert of the festival took place on September 16, when the Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Kristjans Jervi, presented its new program at the former Pöneminde power station, where a museum of history and technology is now located.
The program “Midnight Sun”, interweaving excerpts from Jean Sibelius’s Second Symphony, Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird”, the slow part of Georg Pelech’s “Concertino bianco” and Arvo Pert’s “Da pacem Domine”, was created as a ritual with its dramaturgy, electronics, light and choreography, allowing the musicians to express themselves creatively, improvise, move freely around the stage, gradually involving the audience as well. With amazing dexterity, Kristjan Jervi led the whole process with his unlimited movement abilities, juggling his hands, body and shaman drums, and energetically charging himself, the musicians and the audience.
Three of the seven Latvians playing this year talk about how useful such an unusual approach to music is and what attracts this “Baltic Sea Philharmonic” orchestra: violinists Diāna Reimane and Amanda Rūta Viesko, as well as woodcutter Mikus Runka.
After the concert, Isa managed to intercept the conductor for a short while Christian Jervito ask how many shirts he changed between rehearsals and the concert: “I change quite a lot! Mostly after concerts, because I’m completely wet after them. And after a concert like this, it’s so good to stay completely wet and literally get everything out of myself. I feel , that it’s almost therapeutic because what we give people is love, joy and emotion – that’s what we try to give to each other as an orchestra. If that joy means we have to sweat, then even that sweat is full of love! I believe that playing such a shamanic program is like looking into the future, it’s like a way of life, a way of life for Livs. That little piece of land in Southern Estonia and Northern Latvia where the magic happens.”
When asked what is the moment in the concert when the audience starts to get actively involved, Kristjans Jervi says: “The audience should forget about thinking! When people forget about what they should be, what mask they wear and create an image, then they become real. And that’s what this orchestra does – it brings out the true nature of a person. This is our most important goal. The Baltic Philharmonic is like an engine that brings out the true nature of a person.”
The Latvian ambassador to Germany honored the opening of the Uzedom festival with her presence and congratulatory words before the concert. Alda Vaaga.
In the audience as well Inese Lūsiņa from the newspaper “Diena”, and she also reveals some of her impressions to “Klasika”.
Together with Inesi Lūsiņa, we also attended the next day’s concert at the Ālbek church, where Marina Rebekah was supposed to be. Unfortunately, she did not come to the festival due to illness, but the organizers found a worthy alternative – a long-time friend of the festival, a Lithuanian cellist, was invited David Goering, who sang songs without words on his cello. Due to the fact that zero memories of his life have been published in book format, some episodes from it were introduced to the audience at this concert as well. The moderator was the co-author of the book, a musicologist and the head of the music editorial department of the newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. Jans Brahminswho has been associated with the Uzedom festival for more than 20 years, being the creator of its artistic content.
The director of the Uzedom festival (or as the Germans say – intendant) Thomas Hummel in an interview with Klasika, he reveals what he thinks is the secret of the festival’s longevity, which he consults in order to create such a versatile program every time, which are his favorite genres, and also reveals how the tasks and goals of the festival have changed over the years.
On the evening of September 18, groups were held at the Banzina guest house right on the seashore “The Other Truth” a concert in which Anda Eglīte, Ieva Mežgaile, Andis Klučnieks and Artūrs Noviks with their unusual sound cascades, they encouraged the audience not only to listen and watch, but also, perhaps, to wonder what this quartet is able to elicit from their instruments… The music, which has already sounded in Latvia, was presented to the German audience as “Dreams of Vinetas”, emphasizing its associative nature and mythical meaning, although each piece has its own source of inspiration from the composers Erik Ešenvald, Santa Ratniece, Valda Zilver, Kristaps Pētersonas and Gundega Šmite.
Before we take a look at the “Trio Fabel concert”, a small fragment of a conversation with the so-called dramatist or the creator of the musical program of the Usedom festival To Jan Brahman.
But in the sequel – about “Trio Fabel” or Anna Gagan, Kristaps Berg and Linda Leini, who literally blew up the vaults of Mellentina Church on September 19 with their power of energy, a dose of joy in life and music, which was released to the beats of Beethoven and Brahms, as well as Latvian composers Ārik Ešenvald and Georg Pelečs. To make music for yourself and the audience for pleasure – this could be the motto of “Trio Fabel”, which they also confirmed in the post-concert conversation.
The Uzedom festival will continue with a magnificent parade of Latvian musicians until October 7: “Schola Cantorum Riga”, pianist Georgijs Osokins, cellist Magdalēna Ceple, organist Vita Kalnciema, oboist Egils Upatnieks, clarinetist Ints Dālderis, piano quartet “Rix”, youth choir will perform here “Voices”, folklore group “Saucejas”, Julgī Stalte, Valdis Muktupāvels, jazz quintet “Dream Teller”, Egils Siliņš. The festival will end with a concert by the Elba Philharmonic Orchestra, when the symphonic performance “Līgo” by Jāzeps Vītolas will be performed under the direction of conductor Miko Frank.
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2023-09-22 18:05:19
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