Silvestrov: Requiem for Larissa

Synopsis

Valentin Silvestrov (1937-): Requiem for Larissa (1999)

Pritzka Oeser (Soprano) Jutta Neumann (Alto) Andreas Hildreiter (Tenor) Wolfgang Klose (Bass) Michael Manthey (Bass)

Bavarian Radio Choir Munich Radio Orchestra Andres Mustonen (Conductor)

Recording: June 17, 2011 Munich, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Herz-Jesu-Kirche) (Live)

[Celebrating Silvestrov's 85th birthday. A CD recording of a performance by a choir from Munich, Kyiv's sister city.]

Silvestrov was born in Kyiv (Kyiv), Ukraine. As a member of the "Kyiv Avant-Garde," Silvestrov produced avant-garde works that were banned from performance during the Soviet era. However, in the 1970s, he shifted to more tonal and gentle music, and in recent years, his popularity has been steadily growing. Silvestrov considers the avant-garde music he once pursued as the culmination of music history, and positions his recent works as "music that resonates after music history has ended."

This "Requiem" is a work that Silvestrov completed over three years after the death of his wife, Larissa Bondarenko, a musicologist and literary figure, in 1996. It consists of seven movements, using fragments of a Latin requiem as lyrics, and the central movement quotes the poem "Dream" by Taras Shevchenko, a national poet of Ukraine. A distinctive feature of this requiem, written in mourning for his beloved, is the absence of the scene of divine judgment, which many composers have dramatically depicted with intense music. Interspersed with sometimes sweet recollections, this music of sorrow and mourning unfolds gently over more than 60 minutes, seemingly offering solace to those left behind while praying for the peace of the deceased's soul.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Silvestrov, who was in Kyiv, evacuated thanks to the efforts of acquaintances and moved to Germany in early March. This recording is being released by Munich, Kyiv's sister city, to commemorate Silvestrov's 85th birthday.

Conductor Andres Mustonen was born in Tallinn, Estonia, and performs music ranging from medieval and Middle Eastern music to Baroque, Classical, and contemporary music. He is particularly passionate about the works of Tür, Pärt, Gubaidulina, and Penderecki. Here, he draws out delicate and meticulous sounds from the choir and orchestra, weaving the works together beautifully.

*The domestic version includes liner notes and a Japanese translation of the lyrics.

Media Reviews and More

Celebrating the 85th anniversary of Silvestrov's birth. A CD recording of a performance by a choir from Munich, Kyiv's sister city. (C)RS