2024-06-03 15:53:00
The worldwide music pageant Prague Spring tries to supply house for up to date music in the long run. Generally it is extra profitable, generally much less. He tried to create a separate program collection, the works of latest authors constantly seem on this system of standard concert events in halls such because the Rudolfinum, there are attention-grabbing occasional tasks, however till just lately it nonetheless appeared prefer it was not the identical.
Higher instances started to flash when the organizers established cooperation with the Nationwide Technical Museum 13 years in the past and started to situate some imaginative act in its visitors corridor yearly – this yr it was the premiere of the piano symphony Pianofonia, when two creators made the devices and their particular person parts sound.
Now it appears that evidently, via the occasion known as Prague Offspring, Prague Spring has lastly discovered a solution to take in up to date music, in order that it doesn’t need to adapt to accepted conventions with its overlaps and, quite the opposite, functionally enriches the pageant.
Prague Offspring, began after the coronavirus pandemic, is a three-year mission on a rolling foundation. This previous weekend noticed the climax of its first chapter, apparently to everybody’s satisfaction. The format has settled within the kind the place the organizers have interaction one overseas ensemble for 3 years, however every year they invite a unique composer-in-residence and fee world premieres of works by a number of younger Czech composers in addition to one famend one. The result’s all the time two evenings in a row, supplemented by afternoon debates and grasp lessons led by members of the resident physique.
The venue of the occasion was the Dox Up to date Artwork Heart in Holešovice. This can be a hit on the top, as a result of his live performance corridor attracts a unique viewers than for classical music and infrequently accepts works extra overtly, such because the Austrian ensemble Klangforum Wien performed once more on each days this yr. This time, too, the viewers was capable of instantly recognize what an strange customer must work onerous to achieve so as to transcend their listening expertise and orient themselves particularly within the work of this yr’s composer-in-residence, Rebecca Saunders.
Klangforum Wien performed 4 tracks from this Berlin-based, London-based composer on Friday and Saturday, sufficient to provide us an perception into her world. Fury II, the earliest, was written for double bass and carried out by Evan Hulbert, the remaining three, Scar, Nether and To an Utterance, are more moderen. The latter was composed by the creator for the pianist Joonas Ahonen in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prague Offspring takes place within the Dox+ corridor, which is successful. | Picture: Milan Mošna
Within the introductory directions, the composer places it on the hearts of the performers that silence is the start line, the purpose and the contrasting floor on this music. You could not hear it a lot from the actual efficiency, or somewhat the restlessness generated by the unceasing sequence of buildings of a purely sonic essence attracted extra consideration, in all probability a attribute characteristic of her model.
Firstly, there’s warning, every instrument finds its voice, and on the identical time a pressure that escalates, as if the actors are deciding whether or not to say their individuality or be a part of the interaction. Finally every thing escalates into an assault or explosion, the sound dissolves and the precept repeats itself. The passage of time takes the type of sound leaps, and the essential factor shouldn’t be from the place to the place, however now.
For listeners, the hot button is to intuitively learn the way to take heed to the music. Somebody may examine it to sculptures, whereas others may search for parallels with fashionable dance. From this standpoint, it’s as if Rebecca Saunders is a choreographer who has each sound merchandise written within the sheet music pre-verified and chiseled intimately. Though every particular person motion takes place in just a few seconds and their sequence can have a killing impact, the motion itself appears very important, energetic.
Within the composition Nether, a vocal aspect is added to the palette of sounds and the efficiency acquires a theatrical dimension. Soprano Juliet Fraser, who already carried out on Rebecca Saunders’ debut album, speaks, whispers and imitates the sounds of assorted devices in Dox along with singing.
Musicians even have a prescribed voice expression, when one remembers sprechgesang, or singing speech, or the voiceband approach. Arnold Schönberg or EF Burian would have been delighted to see how timeless their concepts proved to be.
Competition dramaturg Josef Třeštík spoke with composer-in-residence Rebecca Saunders. | Picture: Milan Mošna
Solely the most effective ensembles specializing in up to date music can examine the scores of Rebecca Saunders. Klangforum Wien has been one in every of them because it was based in 1985, though it was not simple to guage how this or that merchandise was carried out in Dox.
In music primarily based totally on timbre, it’s troublesome to evaluate intonation, particularly when the creator makes use of a microinterval scale to construct sound surfaces. It’s doable to register a failed articulation, however the truth that this or that participant is above or under the tone, as occurred within the efficiency of Nether, is extra more likely to be acknowledged by the conductor or the performer. Within the context of all the program, these are minor issues anyway, and it didn’t hurt the sound of the entire in any method.
Along with the works of Rebecca Sauders, Klangforum Wien additionally appeared into the work of the German conductor and composer Enn Poppe, who carried out all of the compositions in Prague with an ensemble working with no everlasting conductor. His composition Speicher VI is about the identical as Rebecca Saunders on the dimensions of pleasing to the ear, but it surely emphasizes the precept of working with a motif, albeit in a considerably caricatured kind.
It is vital for the creator that the listener is ready to acknowledge sure alerts. The composition subsequently has the construction of a type of community of derivations, which can’t be predicted, however during which an obsessive, in all probability intentionally ugly motif continuously returns. He continuously renews consideration. The composition introduced the fabric to its conclusion.
To an Utterance by Rebecca Saunders has additionally been recorded by pianist Joonas Ahonen. Picture: Milan Mošna | Video: Kairos
Prague Offspring’s ambition can be to attach the Czech and worldwide scene round up to date music. At Saturday’s live performance, Klangforum Wien offered works by 5 younger composers commissioned by the pageant.
Matej Sloboda, Michal Wróblewski, Michal Indrák, Tímea City Hvozdíková and Martin Klusák thus had the chance to listen to their works in a top-notch interpretation alongside the works of personalities equivalent to Rebecca Saunders or Finnish Kaiji Saariaho, who died final yr, from whose repertoire Photo voltaic, accomplished in 1993, was heard.
It was nice that, judging by the 5 compositions – within the task restricted to 5 minutes in size – they every aimed in the direction of some specific imaginative and prescient. Generated Solutions by Krnov native Michal Indrák got here closest to the world of music by Kaiji Saaria, Enno Poppe and Rebecca Saunders. The thirty-six-year-old Martin Klusák didn’t disappoint, whose music in D – Echoes of Buková hora was sonically fragile, pleasant, with an enticing development. Equally, primarily based on his composition Durée, Michal Wróblewski, who has lengthy devoted himself to improvised music, might have stepped in.
In comparison with the earlier two years, this yr there was a big order from a longtime Czech creator. The yr earlier than final, Angel’s Stairs got here out of the workshop of Martin Smolka, which Klangforum Wien then included in its Viennese subscription collection, final yr it was Jana Vörösová. Nonetheless, the Austrian ensemble is to participate within the Berlin premiere of Miroslav Srnka’s opera known as Voice Killer subsequent season, so there’s a connection in spite of everything – Srnka is a part of the inventive council of the pageant, this yr he composed a brand new piece for the native competitors, and one other of his compositions will likely be heard at Monday’s closing live performance.
Subsequent yr, the Austrian ensemble will likely be changed by Frankfurt’s Ensemble Fashionable because the resident ensemble for 3 seasons, i.e. till 2027.
Through the early night of Friday and Saturday, Prague Offspring had a concentrated kind once more this yr, together with discussions and workshops, throughout which the general public may expertise high musicians within the function of educators. Ultimately, the preliminary assertion can thus be circled: in reference to the Prague Spring, maybe up to date music has lastly discovered a platform in Prague via which it could possibly contribute to the sustainability of the ecosystem it co-creates.
Live performance
Prague Offspring
(Organized by the Prague Spring pageant)
Sound Discussion board Vienna
Enno Poppe – conductor
Joonas Ahonen – piano
Evan Hulbert – double bass
Juliet Fraser – soprano
Dox Up to date Artwork Heart, Prague, Could 31 and June 1.