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Antiquities 2013
Marvin Rosen, the host of the WPRB radio station dedicated more than an hour of his music programme Classical Discoveries on October 16, 2013 to music by Vladimír Godár. Besides the principal work The Dariachanghi’s Orchard other compositions were aired: Barcarole for violin and strings, Emmeleia for violin and strings and Regina coeli. Check the regular doses of great music on wprb! (http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/)
In September 2013 a new issue of American review Music & Literature was released, focusing besides other themes on the work of Vladimír Godár. Apart from the interview led by the Editor-in-chief Taylor Davis-Van Atta, authors like Iva Bittová, Peter Breiner, Ivan Moody, Ian Patterson, Tomáš Šelc and others contributed to the issue. (http://musicandliterature.org/issues/number-three-murnane-godar-bittova/) The part of the first presentation of the review was an event in the McNally Jackson bookstore on Manhattan on October 10, 2013, where the pieces by Vladimír Godár (O, Crux, Sonata in memory of Viktor Shklovsky for cello and piano and Talisman) were rendered by young New York musicians. (http://www.mcnallyjackson.com/event/music-and-literature-magazine-us-launch-teju-cole-hari-kunzru-and-peter-breiner) And the composer was present, too! Music created such an enchanting and attractive atmosphere that even the visitors of the bookstore who didn’t know anything about the event and only came to see or buy something, came down the stairs to the bookstore basement, and mesmerized stayed till the end, sitting on the stairs or leaning against the full bookshelves. Acknowledgements belong to gorgeous and enthusiastic rendering of the musicians – cellist Colin Stokes, violinist Maria Im and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa! More info on Peter Breiner’s blog. (http://pbreiner.blogspot.sk/2013/10/vlado-godar-bol-v-new-yorku-vlado-godar.html)
The listeners from three Slovak towns had the opportunity to listen to the pieces from the CD Mater live in September 2013. Iva Bittová accompanied by the members of the ensemble and choir Solamente naturali led by Marek Štryncl performed the popular cycle in the churches and synagogue in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava and Žilina overcrowded by the listeners, who created an amazing atmosphere strengthened by mystique and mystery flowing from the stage.
The vocal ensemble Corund from Switzerland opened this year music festival Convergences on 15th September performing the pieces by the composers Byrd, Purcell, Bryars, Tavener and Zagar, and next to them it premiered the new Godár’s composition Sweet and Low and presented the piece Dormi, Jesu.
In the middle of September the recording of a new CD with solo piano pieces by Vladimír Godár and his schoolmate and age-long friend Martin Burlas took place in the Liszt Centre in Raiding (Austria). The solo pianist is Maroš Klátik, the CD will be released by the label Pavian Records – the label of the CDs Mater and Querela pacis. The long-time Godár’s collaborators and friends Otto Nopp and Laco Krajčovič are responsible for the technical quality of the recording.
Vladimír Godár has composed a new version of the piece Dormi, Jesu as a commission of the festival Convergences for the renowned Hilliard Ensemble accompanied by the cello and harp. It was premiered on June 1, 2013 in the St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Košice. The cello part was played by the organizer and director of the festival Jozef Lupták. (http://www.konvergencie.sk)
A new movie with music by Vlado Godár! A quasi documentary Judge Me and Try Me by the director Ivica Kušiková is dealing with the theme of persecution of nuns in the 1950s by the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. The premiere took place in a chamber atmosphere at the Film and TV Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts on April 25, 2013. The witnesses are recalling their struggle with the grudge of the regime and stupidity of people. They admirably lack any sign of hatred, malice, the whole film is penetrated by the strength from the absolution and faith. Sensitive direction and beautiful camera.
The 7th seasonal concert of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Slovak Radio led by conductor Mario Košik took place on April 17, 2013, 7.00 pm. in the Concert Hall of the Slovak Radio in Bratislava. You had an opportunity to listen to the violin duet Milan Paľa – Marián Svetlík, two of our best current young violinists, who performed the solo parts in Schnittke’s third Concerto grosso. In addition a young Slovak cellist Michal Haring played the solo in the piece Barcarole for cello and orchestra by Vladimír Godár. The piece sounded in a version for a large orchestra. Its chamber version had been premiered in London on June 26, 1996 by the renown cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. (http://www.sosr.sk/?post_type=portfolio&p=670&gallery=koncerty)