The composers of this concert are connected not only by being one generation but also by a style characterized as a combination of post-impressionist and post-expressionist sounds, minimalist features and a subtle feeling for the nature of each instrument of the score. After all, each author is a skilled performer himself: in particular, Man-Ching Donald Yu is a pianist, and Yurii Laniuk is a cellist.

In presented works, they review the mysteries of human existence and find new opportunities for transforming the nonmusical into the highest form of music: transfiguration, that is, transformation, which became the focus of the theme of the event. This is noticeable in the commentary to the work “Unraveling” by the Chinese composer Man-Ching Donald Yu, written this year:

“Recently I have been obsessed with consciousness which is one of the profoundest mysteries in modern science among human being. Some scientists believe that consciousness is not only limited to our physical brain activities, but it is also parts of the spiritual force and nature that transcends space and time existing in cosmos, and that its existence is separated from our physical body. In some cases, higher form of consciousness has been experienced in another dimension of reality when travelling out of our physical body. The music reflects my personal feeling towards the mystical realms of consciousness”.

Another author, a Greek composer Michail Travlos says about his composition following: “Klepsydra” for symphony orchestra was written back in 1976 during my second year of composition studies in Berlin. Since my early studies I tried to connect “mental visuals” to music composition. In this sense, the form of the piece intends to follow the action of a klepsydra (hour clock). Therefore, its form is actually as simple as A (introduction), B (development) and lastly A’, but this time moving, after an intensive section, back to the beginning in a free retrograde manner.

Piano Concerto in D minor by Jean-Pierre Vial consists of three movements, with two lively movements surrounding a slower movement. The first movement, allegro ma non troppo, begins with a leitmotiv which, by combining the twelve notes of the chromatic scale, leaves the audience with a questioning feeling. And the whole Concerto is made of the sparkling feeling of bright changes which are coming in our times. It will be confirmed by the final piece of the concert also. Dialogues between the solo instruments in Sinfonia Concertante by Yurii Laniuk are more than remarkable in it.

Artists:

• Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine
• Andrii Pavlov, violin
• Ustym Zhuk, viola
• Oksana Rapita, piano
• Volodymyr Syvokhip, conductor

Program:

• Man-Ching Donald Yu (1980). «Unravelling» (2022)
• Michail Travlos (1950). «Κλεψύδρα-Hourglass» (1976)
• Jean-Pierre Vial (1946). Piano Concerto in D minor (2005/2022)
• Yurii Laniuk (1957). Sinfonia Concertante «Transfiguration» for violin, viola and orchestra (2007–2015)

Moderator: Polina Kordovska

Live broadcast provided by:
Andrij Zelenyj, camera
Mykola Khshanovskyi, live broadcast director
Marian Lesiuk, sound director
Bohdan Sehin, producer

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“Ukraine–2022. Muses Are Not Silent” is a concert series in support of Ukrainian musicians during the russian armed aggression. Online concerts will become a platform for the uniting of the Ukrainian music community, as many musicians participating in these concert programs have become internally displaced people and have found shelter in Lviv.

We provide a free opportunity for the whole world to watch concerts on the official YouTube channel of the Lviv National Philharmonic. At the same time, we suggest our listeners from abroad make charitable donations to Ukrainian musicians who have stayed here in Ukraine.

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