Ukrainische Kammermusik im Wandel der Zeit: Barvinsky/Lyatoschynsky

Closing Concert of the Festival

The final concert is dedicated to the chamber music of Ukrainian composers Vasyl Barvinskyj and Borys Lyatoshynskyj. Their works intertwine national characteristics with universal themes and emotions.

Vasyl Barvinskyj (1888-1963)

Piano Quintet in G Minor

The concert will feature the Piano Quintet in G Minor by Ukrainian composer Vasyl Barvinskyj. Born in 1888 in Ternopil (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), Barvinskyj is a central figure in early 20th-century Ukrainian music. He studied at the Lviv Conservatory and in Prague with Vitezslav Novák. His compositional work, which occasionally shows influences of Impressionism, often draws on Ukrainian folk melodies and includes elements of Minimalism. Barvinskyj was not only a composer but also a significant educator, eventually holding a professorship at the Lviv Conservatory.

The Piano Quintet in G Minor is a work shaped by the tragedy and injustice of Stalinist repression. Barvinskyj was arrested in 1948 and sentenced to ten years in prison, during which most of his manuscripts were destroyed by the regime. After his release in 1958, he dedicated himself to the painstaking reconstruction of his lost works. The G Minor Quintet, originally composed around 1912 and dedicated to Mykola Lysenko, is one of these reconstructed works. It is believed that the quintet was written in honor of Lysenko, the "father of Ukrainian music," and reflects a late Romantic style.

The first movement, Grave, quasi sospirando, begins with a slow, elegiac theme played solely by the strings, which has a folkloric quality. This theme pervades all sections of the movement, undergoing various treatments each time. When the piano enters, the tempo and mood shift abruptly: the Allegro non troppo ed inquieto brings a restless and turbulent atmosphere, which periodically calms. The movement's second section alternates between powerful piano interjections and lyrical responses from the strings. The work concludes with a shy yet very lyrical melody once again presented by the strings. The incomplete second Largo sostenuto continues the elegiac and almost funereal mood of the first movement, with Barvinskyj's original theme returning in an expanded form. It remains unclear whether Barvinskyj was able to complete the movement or if his imprisonment prevented him from doing so. This quintet is a profound, personal testimony to the composer’s life and tribulations.*Borys Lyatoshynskyj (1895-1968): Ukrainian Quintet, Op. 42

The highlight of the evening is the Piano Quintet Op. 42 by Borys Lyatoshynskyj. Composed in 1942 under the difficult evacuation conditions, this work reflects the composer's nostalgia and longing for his homeland. Despite the dramatic circumstances under which it was written, the "Ukrainian Quintet" radiates an unshakable strength and unity that transcends the darkness of war. Lyatoshynskyj's masterpiece is characterized by deep emotional intensity and technical perfection, making it one of the most significant chamber music works of the 20th century.

The "Phoenix" ensemble and pianist Violina Petrychenko will perform these works with a profound connection to their historical and cultural significance. Allow yourself to be transported into the captivating world of European and Ukrainian chamber music.

Enjoy this evening of music, where past and present, national and universal, come together. The "Phoenix" Quartet and pianist Violina Petrychenko invite you into the multifaceted world of Ukrainian compositions.