The RTS Coir will hold a concert on November 6, starting at 8 p.m., in the Novi Sad Synagogue. This ensemble, along with conductor Bojan Suđić, will perform one of the most beautiful pieces of the spiritual tradition – “Concerto for Choir” by Alfred Schnittke.
„The Concerto for Choir composed by Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) in 1984 and 1985 is one of the masterpieces of choral music of the 20th century and reflects the unique tradition of vocal concertos in Orthodox music.
It is a genre that dates back to the middle of the 17th century and was originally referred to as a short piece performed during the liturgy. This form was popularized a century later, in the works of Dmitry Bortnyansky.
Expanding the idea and form, Šnitka evoked old singing styles in his multi-movement composition, but without directly quoting chants. Texts, i.e. the prayers come from the Book of Lamentations of the medieval Armenian poet Grigor of Narek (Grigor Narekatsi, 951-1003), in which he directly, often in the first person, expresses his emotions and talks about seeking comfort and faith in God. The prayers are written in classical Armenian, but the composer used modern Russian translations by Naum Grebnev. The concert is dedicated to Valery Polyansky, a conductor who was a great promoter of Schnittke’s music and who conducted the premiere performance in Moscow in 1986.“
Maja Čolović Vasić