What: Concert presented by Embassy of Belgium in Kyiv
Where: National Philharmonic of Ukraine (2 Volodymyrskyi Descent)
When: Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. (by invitation only)
Het Collectief (Belgium)
Chamber Music Quintet
The chamber music group Het Collectief was founded in 1998 in Brussels. Working consistently from a solid nucleus of five musicians, the group has created an intriguing and idiosyncratic sound, achieved by an unfamiliar mix of strings, wind instruments and piano.
For its repertoire, Het Collectief returns to the Second Viennese School, the roots of modernism. Starting from this solid basis, it explores important 2oth century repertoire, including the latest experimental trends. The group also performs daring crossovers between contemporary and traditional compositions and with adaptations of ancient music.
Het Collectief: Thomas Dieltjens, piano; Wibert Aerts, violin; Martijn Vink, cello; Toon Fret, flute; Julien Hervé, clarinet. In Kyiv, the ensemble will be joined by Vincent Hepp, violin & amp; alto, Jonathan Focquaert, double bass and Nele Delafonteyne, clarinet. The concert will also feature Liesbeth Devos, soprano.
Program
The horrors of World War II have prompted many composers to bear witness to their social, political or religious commitment in their music.
In Germany, Hanns Eisler was one of those artists who rejected fascism and placed art in the service of resistance. Pursuing his fight during his exile in the United States, he was better off than his Czech colleague Erwin Schulhoff, whose art was branded as “degenerate” by the Nazis, resulting in his deportation to the concentration camp of Wülzburg, which he did not survive.
During the same period, French composer Olivier Messiaen created his Quatuor pour la fin du temps, an apocalyptic vision written during his captivity in a prisoners of war camp in Germany. In this piece, the composer expresses his Catholic faith in a transcendental way, using omposition techniques to translate the notion of eternity into music.
Kriegskantate Opus 65 (1937) Hanns EISLER (1898-1962)
for soprano, 2 clarinets, viola and cello (5’); Armes Volk,
Concertino Erwin SCHULHOFF (1894-1942)
for piccolo, viola and double bass (15’)
Kantate im Exil Opus 62 (1937) Hanns EISLER
for soprano, 2 clarinets, viola and cello (5’);
Sonata for Flute and Piano Opus 61 (1927) Erwin SCHULHOFF
(12’); Allegro moderato; Scherzo. Allegro giocoso; Aria. Andante; Rondo finale.
Kantate auf den Tod eines Genossen Opus 64 Hanns EISLER
for soprano, flute, 2 clarinets and cello (5’);
Pause
Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1941) Olivier MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
for piano, violin, cello and clarinet (47’);
Source: Embassy of Belgium in Kyiv
