LEONID DESYATNIKOV

The list of works by Leonid Desyatnikov, one of today’s most esteemed Russian composers, includes four operas (The Children of Rosenthal; Poor Liza), the ballet Lost Illusions, a symphony for soloists, choir and orchestra, cantatas and chamber works. He has become world-renowned as the composer of music for films (for which he has won various, prestigious awards). The composer himself jokes about his creative style: “consonant emancipation”, “transformations of banality” or “minimalism with a human face”; his favourite genre is “tragically mischievous bagatelle”. His Wie Der Alte Leiermann (Like the Old Organ-Grinder) for violin and strings was commissioned by Gidon Kremer. The work is based on Leiermann, the last song of the Franz Schubert’s cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey). Desyatnikov stated that this song written in the beginning of the 19th century is a masterpiece of minimalism. According to the composer, his opus is neither variations or a paraphrase, nor a fantasy, but a commentary on this melancholic song, the puzzle designed from his and the Austrian romanticist’s music. The work is dedicated to F. Schubert’s 200th birth anniversary (1997).

In this opus, led by Philipp Chizhevsky, the conductor of the  State Academic Symphony Capella of Russia, the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (LCO) shares the stage with Roman Mints, a talented violinist and an ardent enthusiast of contemporary music.