Muzički limbo
Muzička kritika i napisi o muzici
Ruski glasovi u Beogradu / Russian Voices in Belgrade
Koncert naziva Ruski glasovi u Beogradu bila je prilika za publiku da se upozna sa dostignućima pedagoga i učenika Moskovskog državnog konzervatorijuma Petar Iljič Čajkovski. Ruski umetnici su ovim nastupom želeli da obeleže osamdeset godina od pobede u Velikom otadžbinskom ratu i tim povodom, predstavili su se programom o kome će nešto više reći pijanistkinja Julija Kuprijanova: „Sjajno je što smo se našli u Beogradu povodom osamdeset godina pobede u Velikom otadžbinskom ratu. Program je sastavljen iz dva dela. U prvom delu našli su se `klasični` ruski kompozitori Čajkovski i Rahmanjinov čije smo jubileje slavili ove godine, dok je drugi deo koncerta sadržao pesme posvećene pobedi u Drugom svetskom ratu. Ovde u Beogradu smo imali toplu dobrodošlicu i drago nam je da ćete moći da razumete reči stihova koji govore o pobedi jer je ona naša zajednička“.
Klarinetista Nikolaj Agejev je na samom početku koncerta izveo dve kompozicije Čajkovskog originalno namenjene klaviru – to su Romansa i Pesma bez reči. Nečujno prolazeći kroz registre instrumenta, ovaj izuzetan umetnik prikazao je ujednačen i prijatan ton. Jasno uobličene muzičke fraze nosile su pun emocionalni intenzitet uz izraženu sposobnost umetnika da instrumentu podari vokalna svojstva. Tako je i Vokaliza Rahmanjinova ostvarena uz sjajnu kontrolu dinamike i prijatan, ali rezonantan zvuk. Superiornu tehniku, preciznu artikulaciju i besprekoran legato Agejev je pokazao u komadu Bumbarov let Rimskog-Korsakova, ne propustivši da kroz ujednačeno disanje izgradi formalno jasno artikulisan iskaz.
Dve romanse Čajkovskog, Kada bih samo jednom rečju mogao da kažem na Hajneove stihove i Dan li caruje na stihove Alekseja Apuhtina izvela je sopran Jekaterina Skusničenko. U obe pesme, ona je kroz široko ostvarene dinamičke raspone uspela da stihove udružene sa muzikom interpretira kao izrazito emocionalne, pa su tako, uz jasno izraženu dikciju i maestralno odsvirana prelivanja u klaviru zazvučali Apuhtinovi stihovi Da li znam da me voliš, da me se sećaš, Ili mi umorna duša čezne. Jedinstvo stihova i melodijskih fraza koje je nedvosmisleno postigla Skusničenkova, sa pijanističkim partom koji je iznela Julija Kuprijanova, zapravo ukazuju na izvođačku perfekciju dostignutu u interpretaciji ovih romansi. U pesmi Prolećne vode Rahmanjinova, pisanoj na stihove Fjodora Ivanoviča Tjutčeva, lirski sopranski glas dobio je dramatičnu boju, ali je ipak, na dramaturškim vrhuncima ovog komada dolazilo i do intonacionih kolebanja.
Pravo otkrovenje predstavljao je glas baritona, još uvek studenta Moskovskog konzervatorijuma „Čajkovski“ Maksima Šabanova. Tipičan ruski glas bogatog i tamnog tembra idealan je za zvuk ruskih romansi, a lako bi mogao da se zamisli i na sceni. Emotivna ekspresivnost i prisutnost u smislu operske harizme koju ovaj pevač poseduje – sve to odlikovalo je ton dramatičnog komada Ja nisam prorok Rahmanjinova, pisanog na stihove Aleksandra Kruglova. Možda i najbolji deo koncerta predstavljalo je izvođenje pesme Bogorodica u gradu Georgija Sviridova koja je deo poeme Peterburg Aleksandra Bloka. Širok dinamički raspon Šabanovljevog glasa iskazan kroz kombinaciju muzičkog pripovedanja i melodijske izražajnosti, jasna dikcija i snažan lirski vapaj kojim se na samom kraju ostvaruje kontrast u odnosu na osmeh dečaka Hrista u beloj kapi – sve ovo moglo je da izazove snažan emocionalni potres u dušama slušalaca.
Sa posebnom pažnjom trebalo bi se osvrnuti na sviranje pijanistkinje Julije Kuprijanove koja predstavlja izuzetan primer dobrog klavirskog saradnika. Stapanje klavirske deonice sa melodijom glasa ili duvačkog instrumenta kod nje je ostvareno pažljivim intervencijama, pa tako recimo, jedva čujan pijano imao je tu osobinu da ispunjava celu salu. Promišljena rubata i ogromni dinamički rasponi koji se postupno grade na takav način da korespondiraju sa melodijskim pokretima vokalne deonice izvedeni su majstorski. Zvučnost klavira u rukama Kuprijanove mogli bismo da uporedimo sa orkestarskim, pa su tako dramski intonirani vokalno-instrumentalni komadi dobili gotovo scenske obrise.
U drugom delu koncerta našle su se pesme vezane za Veliki otadžbinski rat. Tugu ratnih iskušenja mogli smo da doživimo u numeri Eh putevi Aleksandra Novikova koju je otpevao Šabanov, dok je čežnja rastavljenog para prikazana u duetu ovog pevača sa Skusničenkovom u numeri Čekaj me Matveja Blantera. Aleksandar Novikov je autor pesme Samovari samopali koja je za vreme rata u Sovjetskom Savezu izvedena samo jednom, jer verovatno da razdragan prizvuk gradske ruske romanse nije bio pogodan za trenutak u kome je ona komponovana. Ona još uvek nije popularna u Rusiji, a čuli smo je kao duet uz učešće klarineta i klavira.
Srpskim slušaocima najpoznatija ratna pesma iz perioda Sovjetskogog Saveza svakako je bila Tamna je noć Marka Bernesa iz filma Dva borca, a kod nas je popularna pre svega zbog izvođenja Bore Đorđevića. Upečatljivo taman glas Šabanova još više je pojačao utisak koji na slušaoce neminovno ostavlja možda i najpotresnija ratna romansa iz perioda borbe sa fašizmom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75P0QGi3RO0
Kroz numeru Mikaela Taraverdija Pesma o dalekoj domovini iz serije Sedamnaest trenutaka proleća mogao je da se oseti zanos sovjetskih vojnika koji slavljenički ulaze u Berlin, dok je na samom kraju koncerta, izvedena sentimentalna romansa Konstantina Listova Sevastopoljski valcer. Obe numere mogli smo da čujemo u aranžmanima za klavir, klarinet, sopran i bariton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K18iNjr85Mg
Program i koncepcija koncerta posvećenog sovjetskoj pobedi u Velikom otadžbinskom ratu sasvim jasno govori o tome da su u današnjoj Rusiji, osećanja vezana za period pre boljševičke revolucije i onoga što je sledilo posle pomirena i da i jedno i drugo predstavljaju deo istorije borbe za otadžbinu. Najimpresivniji takav primer upravo predstavlja pobeda u Drugom svetskom ratu. Možda bi ova činjenica trebalo da bude primer za srpsko društvo, koje je nažalost, još uvek duboko podeljeno po osnovi na kojoj je u Rusiji pronađen kompromis.
The concert titled “Russian Voices in Belgrade” was an opportunity for the Belgrade audience to become acquainted with the achievements of the professors and students of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. With this performance, the Russian artists wished to mark the eightieth anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and, on that occasion, presented a program about which pianist Yuliya Kupriyanova will say more: “It’s wonderful that we found ourselves in Belgrade on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The program is composed of two parts. The first part featured ‘classical’ Russian composers Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, whose anniversaries we celebrated this year, while the second part of the concert contained songs dedicated to the victory in the Second World War. Here in Belgrade, we received a warm welcome, and we are glad that you will be able to understand the words of the verses that speak of victory, because it is our common one.”
At the very beginning of the concert, clarinetist Nikolay Ageyev performed two compositions by Tchaikovsky originally intended for the piano – Romance and Song Without Words. Silently passing through the registers of the instrument, this exceptional artist displayed a uniform and pleasant tone. Clearly shaped musical phrases carried full emotional intensity with a pronounced ability of the artist to give vocal qualities to the instrument. Thus, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise was realized with brilliant control of dynamics and a pleasant, yet resonant sound. Ageyev demonstrated superior technique, precise articulation, and impeccable legato in Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee,” not failing to build a formally clearly articulated expression through even breathing.
Soprano Ekaterina Skusnichenko performed two romances by Tchaikovsky: “Had I But Known the Pain” to Heine’s verses and “Whether the Day Reigns” to the verses of Alexei Apukhtin. In both songs, through widely achieved dynamic ranges, she managed to interpret the verses united with the music as distinctly emotional, and thus, with clearly expressed diction and masterfully played transitions in the piano, Apukhtin’s verses sounded: “Do I Know That You Love Me, That You Remember Me, Or Does My Weary Soul Yearn.” The unity of verses and melodic phrases unequivocally achieved by Skusnichenko, with the piano part performed by Yuliya Kupriyanova, actually indicates the performing perfection reached in the interpretation of these romances. In Rachmaninoff’s “Spring Waters,” written to the verses of Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev, the lyric soprano voice gained a dramatic color, but even so, at the dramatic climaxes of this piece, intonation fluctuations occurred.
The voice of the baritone, still a student at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Maxim Shabanov, was a true revelation. A typical Russian voice of rich and dark timbre is ideal for the sound of Russian romances, and he could easily be imagined on stage. The emotional expressiveness and presence in terms of operatic charisma that this singer possesses – all this characterized the tone of Rachmaninoff’s dramatic piece “I Am No Prophet,” written to the verses of Alexander Kruglov. Perhaps the best part of the concert was the performance of Georgy Sviridov’s ” Богоматерь в городе” (Bogomater’ v gorode – Mother of God in the City), which is part of Alexander Blok’s poem “Petersburg.” The wide dynamic range of Shabanov’s voice, expressed through a combination of musical narration and melodic expressiveness, clear diction, and a powerful lyrical cry which at the very end achieves a contrast in relation to the smile of the boy Christ in a white cap – all this could evoke a strong emotional tremor in the souls of the listeners.
Special attention should be paid to the playing of pianist Yuliya Kupriyanova, who represents an exceptional example of a good piano collaborator. The merging of the piano part with the melody of the voice or wind instrument was achieved in her performance with careful interventions, so, for example, a barely audible piano had the quality of filling the entire hall. Thoughtful rubato and enormous dynamic ranges, gradually built in such a way as to correspond with the melodic movements of the vocal part, were performed masterfully. The sonority of the piano in Kupriyanova’s hands could be compared to an orchestral one, so the dramatically intoned vocal-instrumental pieces gained almost scenic outlines.
The second part of the concert featured songs related to the Great Patriotic War. The sorrow of wartime experiences could be felt in Alexander Novikov’s “Эх, дороги” (Eh, dorogi – Oh, Roads), sung by Shabanov, while the longing of a separated couple was depicted in the duet of this singer with Skusnichenko in Matvey Blanter’s “Жди меня” (Zhdi menya – Wait for Me). Alexander Novikov is the author of the song “Самовары самопалы” (Samovary samopaly – Samovars Self-Made), which was performed only once during the war in the Soviet Union, probably because the sentimental tone of the urban Russian romance was not suitable for the moment in which it was composed. It is still not popular in Russia, and we heard it as a duet with the participation of clarinet and piano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKF9gp245tc
The most famous wartime song from the Soviet Union period for Serbian listeners was certainly Mark Bernes’ “Темная ночь” (Temnaya noch’ – Dark Night) from the film “Two Soldiers,” and it is popular here primarily due to the performance of Bora Đorđević. Shabanov’s strikingly dark voice further enhanced the impression that perhaps the most poignant wartime romance from the period of the fight against fascism inevitably leaves on listeners.
Through Miakel Tariverdiev’s “Песня о далекой Родине” (Pesnya o dalekoy Rodine – Song About the Distant Homeland) from the series “Seventeen Moments of Spring,” one could feel the enthusiasm of the Soviet soldiers triumphantly entering Berlin, while at the very end of the concert, Konstantin Listov’s sentimental romance “Севастопольский вальс” (Sevastopol’skiy val’s – Sevastopol Waltz) was performed. Both pieces could be heard in arrangements for piano, clarinet, soprano, and baritone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL09qvhPJ6g
The program and concept of the concert dedicated to the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War quite clearly indicate that in today’s Russia, the feelings related to the period before the Bolshevik Revolution and what followed after have been reconciled, and that both represent a part of the history of the struggle for the Fatherland. The most impressive such example is precisely the victory in the Second World War. Perhaps this fact should be an example for Serbian society, which, unfortunately, is still deeply divided on the basis on which a compromise has been found in Russia.
