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 expressive score Russian Seasons for voice, violin and strings was composed in 2000 on commission of Gidon Kremer. The work is based on Russian folklore and consists of 12 movements called songs. “You’ve probably noticed that the third and eighth movements sound absolutely ‘not Russian’, but rather in the spirit of my favourite Guillaume Dufay. The fifth is a siciliana. In the sixth and first movements I rely on Steve Reich. I dare say that in this work, folklore is presented differently compared to the traditions of the new wave folklore”, said Desyatnikov.

The composition, steeped in rites, traditions and customs, is performed by the opera soloist, soprano Yana Ivanilova, violin virtuoso Roman Mints and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Philipp Chizhevsky, the conductor of the  State Academic Symphony Capella of Russia.