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Yuri Temirkanov et son Orchestre à Genève et Lucerne

This year the distinguished Russian conductor is having an anniversary, which he will start celebrating in Switzerland. We have written a lot about Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov, the last greatest one of his generation, who has given the world quite a few talented artists. This is an instance when “a picture is worth a thousand words”. No words could accurately describe the regal posture, the poise, neatly slicked-back silver locks of hair, gracious gestures – now small and harsh, now gently soothing, severely close-lipped mouth, surreptitious smiles, addressed to the musicians, when he is pleased, and if God forbid something is wrong – a withering glance; the ability to sit through the night, poring over musical scores, and utmost professional demand toward his own self and his colleagues. This is what happens on stage. In real life –it’s a quiet voice, unhurried conversations about music, literature and art, unpretentious attitude to food, eastern disposition to laziness. His favorite occupations include lying down with a good book, smoking a cigarette and drinking a cup of coffee with a separate portion of warm milk on a beautiful terrace. Maestro admires good humorous – never vulgar – anecdotes and points out pretty women. His eyes sparkle, and the number “80” that is so often mentioned along with Temirkanov’s name this year just doesn’t make any sense. Yuri Khatuevich is versatile, yet he always stays true to himself. There are a number of regalities under Temirkanov’s belts, to name a few: on Russia day, June 20, Putin has presented Temirkanov with the National award for literature and art, which was twice as satisfying for Temirkanov to receive as opposed to receiving an international award. Maestro attended the solemn reception at the Kremlin without a tie, wearing a red neck handkerchief instead, and turned out to be the only one whom V.V. Putin embraced and kissed. Fellow Petersburgers! Temirkanov’s anniversary year is no different than any other year: rehearsals, performances at the Philharmonic, foreign tours. We are thrilled that amidst this busy schedule there is a place for Switzerland, where the orchestra, despite the difficulties in bringing the entire symphonic orchestra abroad, performs regularly, thanks to the longstanding friendship with the Caecilia agency and the financial support of Timchenko Foundation. The repertoire that Maestro Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic orchestra are bringing along will have everyone gasping for air: Rachmaninov’s Piano concerto ¹3, Tchaikovsky’s and Rimsky-Korsakov’s compositions, absolute masterpieces of Russian classics. Well, what’s there to talk about? One has to listen and savor every sound.

For the author of these lines there isn’t a more beautiful concert than Rachmaninov’s Piano concerto ¹2.  There is one fact about it, which probably escaped public attention: the concert, written in 1900 and first performed by the composer himself with orchestra on October 27, 1901 in Moscow was dedicated to Nikolai Dahl. Dahl was a Russian psychotherapist, graduate of medical school of Moscow university that underwent an internship with some of the greatest specialists of 19th century that specialized in hypnotherapy: Jean Martin Charcot in Paris and Ambroise-Auguste Liebeault in Nancy.

Amongst Dahls patients were Chaliapin, Skryabin, Stanislavsky, as well as Sergey Rachmaninov that suffered from severe depression after his 1st Symphony’s failure and due to the churchly ban on marrying his lover.  Apparently, Rachmaninov was pleased with his clinician; otherwise he probably wouldn’t have dedicated a concert to him.

In 35 minutes, the duration of this great and wonderful work, an attentive and receptive listener takes to heart composer’s pain and suffering, his anxiety that is emphasized by the chimes, deep reservations and fearful glimpses of hope. This concert is much sought after not only by performers but also filmmakers.  Bear that in mind if you were ever to rewatch Konchalovsky’s “Paradise”, Lungin’s “Lilacs”, the classic “Spring on Zarechnaya Street” (the main character is listening to the concert on the radio), Claude Lelouch’s “Man and Woman”, as well as “Bingo Bongo”, featuring Adriano Celentano and even the cartoon “Piggy bank” (performed by Sviatoslav Richter). The fact that Erich Karmen’s “All by Myself” melody from Bridget Jones’s Diaries is practically borrowed from the second part of the concert was discussed earlier. If the listener’s soul doesn’t twist and turn perhaps the performer wasn’t able to deliver the composer’s intention. We truly hope that this won’t happen.

Sergey Redkin will perform together with Yuri Temirkanov and his orchestra in Lucerne. Maestro and the young musician, who has received Maestro Temirkanov Foundation prize, as one of the top graduates of the Secondary Special Music School of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory will come together on stage for the first time ever and we will be witnessing the premier. Sergey was born in Krasnoyarsk in 1991. He started playing piano at the age of five, and was admitted to the Saint-Petersburg Musical Lyceum, the class of Galina Boguslavskaya, while studying composition and improvisation at the same time with Edward Markaich. Becoming the laureate of Gavrilin’s composers’ competition in St. Petersburg in 2004, he continued his education at the Secondary Special Music School of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Olga Kurnavina’s class. All the first great victories at the young performers’ competitions belonged to this period: the First prize at the Rachmaninov’s competition (St. Petersburg, 2005), Grand Prix at Chopin’s competition (Narva, Estonia, 2006). Concurrently, Sergey studied composition in professor’s Alexander Mnacakanyan’s class, one of the last students of Dmitry Shostakovich. The Suite for Cello and Piano brought Sergey his First prize at the composers’ competition in St. Petersburg in 2007. In 2009 Sergey became professor’s Alexander Sandper’s student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory named after N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. In 2011, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Music House, Sergey completed internship at the International Piano Academy on Lake Como (Italy) alongside famous musicians, such as: William Grant-Nabore, Dmitry Bashkirov, Peter Frankl, Fu Tsong. Sergey became the winner of the III International Maj Lind competition in Helsinki in 2012 and the winner of the VI International Prokofiev competition in Saint-Petersburg in 2013.  In 2015, he received the Third prize and the Bronze medal at the XV International Tchaikovsky competition.

Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” will play in the second part of the concert in Geneva; it is considered one of the signature performances of Maestro Temirkanov. This symphonic suite was written by Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 under the impression of the previously read fairy-tale “The Arabian Nights”. In 1910, Mikhail Fokin made a cognominal ballet based on the music with decorations and costumes designed by Leon Bakst. “Scheherezade” is one of the most popular Rimsky-Korsakov’s compositions. It is worth mentioning that this charming music, just like Rachmaninov’s one, was picked up by many non-classical artists. The English rock band “Deep Purple” has adapted the first part of the “Scheherazade” in a form of an electro-organ composition: “Prelude: Happiness/I’m So Glad”. The English band “Renaissance” has recorded an album “Scheherazade and Other Stories” in 1975, which isn’t entirely based on Rimsky-Korsakov’s work, but encompasses the main theme, made out of 6 notes, referring to “Scheherazade”. Merlin Patterson’s symphonic wind orchestra (Houston, Texas, USA) has created an unusual interpretation of “Scheherazade” for wind instruments, which was presented in 2005. The fragments of “Scheherazade” were incorporated in the “Caucasian Style”, the film by Leonid Gaidai and “The Little Mermaid”.

Greetings to music lovers from M.A. Bulgakov: the fragment from the fourth part of the suite (Shakhriyar’s theme) was featured at the performance in Theater des Varieties, which was organized by Woland and his entourage.  The official recognition though took place at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Sochi in 2014. We are absolutely convinced that “Scheherazade”, performed by Yuri Temirkanov and the orchestra will turn out just like it should – magical! It won’t be any less magical than the Symphonic performance “Three Musical Pictures” from Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, which will open the concert in Lucerne. The program of the concert will conclude with the Suite from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” (Temirkanov’s edition). Switzerland is a tiny country, so if desired, one can attend as many concerts as two - exactly what we are going to do.

Editor’s note: You can purchase the tickets for the concert on September 3 – here, September 4 –here.  Enjoy!

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