79e CONCOURS DE GENÈVE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION
Programme note Elegy
Igor Stravinsky: Elegy for Solo Viola
My program, titled Elegy, features as its centrepiece the Viola Sonata by Dimitri Shostakovich, preceded by two Elegies written respectively by Alexander Glazunow and Igor Stravinsky. It explores the dark colours of the Viola and its use as a voice of grief.
Igor Stravinsky’s Élégie for solo viola, composed in 1944, is one of the composer’s lesser-known works, yet it captivates through its depth and emotional restraint. Written in memory of Alphonse Onnou, the founder and first violinist of the Pro Arte Quartet, it reflects Stravinsky’s mature style and his ability to convey profound Alexander Glazunov: Elegy for Viola and feeling with simple means. Piano, Op. 44 The Élégie consists of a single movement of Glazunov’s Élégie for viola and piano, com- about five minutes. Despite its brevity, it composed in 1893, is a wonderful example of the municates an intense mood of mourning and composer’s lyrical and expressive writing. This reflection. Stravinsky uses a reserved melodic short work reveals Glazunov’s deep understand- line, creating a melancholic and contemplative ing of the viola’s colors and technical possibili- atmosphere. ties, as well as his gift for combining emotional depth with elegance. Particularly noteworthy is Stravinsky’s use of Written as a single, continuous movement, the counterpoint. He weaves a continuous melodic Élégie is characterized by a mood that is both thread, using double stops and complex voice melancholic and rhapsodic. It opens with a leading that create the impression of a dialogue broad, singing melody in the viola, supported or duet within the solo instrument itself. by gentle piano chords. The harmonic language of the Élégie remains The form of the Élégie is free, less bound to largely tonal, yet it features Stravinsky’s characclassical patterns, following instead a natural, teristic dissonances and unexpected harmonimprovisatory flow that allows melodic and har- ic turns. These moments heighten the work’s monic ideas to develop and vary organically. emotional intensity: dissonances often resolve This flexibility contributes to the work’s emo- in ways that suggest longing or unresolved tentional impact, leaving room for spontaneous sion. The melodic line requires great sensitivity expressiveness and deeply felt playing. in phrasing and nuance. Dmitri Shostakovich held great respect for Alexander Glazunov, who was one of his formative role models. Glazunov served as director of the Leningrad Conservatory during Shostakovich’s studies there. Although he did not teach him directly, Glazunov supported the young composer and recognized his talent early on. Shostakovich valued Glazunov’s music and regarded him as an important representative of Russian musical culture. This respect always prevailed despite the later stylistic differences between them.
Dmitri Shostakovich had a complex relationship with Igor Stravinsky. Although he respected and was influenced by Stravinsky’s works, he often criticized what he perceived as Stravinsky’s formalism and political stance, especially his emigration from the Soviet Union, although it is hard to say which of Shostakovich’s statements reflected his own opinion and which were said out of self preservation. Despite these tensions, the impact of Stravinsky’s music on Shostakovich is undeniable.