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Antiquities 2014
GODÁR – Symphonic and Film Music concert took place on November 27, 2014 in the House of Arts in Košice. The State Philharmonic Košice led by Leoš Svárovský performed 4 pieces by Vladimír Godár: Barcarole, Little Suite for Little David, Emmeleia and Dariachanghi’s Orchard. Soloists of the night were: Jozef Lupták, playing in three of the compositions, violinist Peter Biely, joining him in Little Suite, and viola player (who is also a violinist) Milan Paľa, who joined Lupták in the centrepiece of the night, Dariachanghi’s Orchard. Paľa’s instrument also participated in the tension; its string broke in the most exciting moment of the piece. We would like to express our gratitude to the alert viola player from the orchestra who exchanged her instrument with the soloist promptly, so that he could finish his solo part without disturbing the dramatic arch of the work (many listeners didn’t even realize what happened onstage). Passionate rendering, excellent performances of the conductor, soloists and orchestra members earned an equally enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Onstage at the rehearsal
viola player Milan Paľa, cellist Jozef Lupták; conductor Leoš Svárovský; Leoš, Vladimír, Milan, Jozef
violinist Peter Biely, cellist Jozef Lupták
after the concert
Together with the literary scholar Peter Liba, Vladimír Godár was awarded Pavol Strauss Award 2014 "for permanent contribution to culture and art". The ceremony took place in Karol Spišák Old Theatre in Nitra on November 25, 2014. The awards were handed over by doctor Jozef Strauss, son of Pavol Strauss, and Miroslav Ballay, head of the Department of Culturology of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra and head of the Culturological Society, which is the main organizer of the event together with the University and the city of Nitra. Cellist Ján Slávik performed Godár’s piece O Crux. Some tunes from the movie by Martin Šulík Orbis pictus sounded in an original rendering by pupils of the Elementary Art School of Jozef Rosinský in Nitra. The event was preceded by an independent lecture given by Mr. Godár at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, entitled The Story of One Book, in which the author presented his latest publication De musica.
De musica is the latest publication in two volumes written by Vladimír Godár, in which he outlined the semiotic concept of music history. The author tries to interpret the history of music through rhetoric and thus proposes an original view on a well-known issue. Rhetoric inspiration in music is not a new perspective, however, Godár avoids so often utilized and favoured rhetorical figures and their musical pendants, and works with rhetoric as a complex, whose substantial components he projects on history of music. The monograph has been released by the publishing house AEPress (http://www.aepress.sk//).
The orchestra of the Slovak State Philharmonic Košice conducted by Leoš Svárovský will dedicate one November concert to the music by Vladimír Godár. Check our website, the Upcoming Events page!
Festival Ars Nova will take place in Košice at the beginning of November 2014 and offers also a concert on the memory of Alfred Schnittke, who would be 80 this year. Apart from Schnittke’s pieces the programme of the concert featuring the musicians Ivan Buffa and Andrej Gál includes also two Godár’s compositions.
In the frame of regular concert cycle (Un)known Music, organized by Albrechtina, a piano recital by Maroš Klátik took place. Next to pieces by Martin Burlas, Peter Breiner and Jozef Kolkovič also Godár’s pieces sounded Emmeleia for piano and Grave, passacaglia for piano. The concert was also the first presentation of the new CD by Maroš Klátik Piano Works presenting music by Martin Burlas and Vlado Godár (Pavian Records) (http://hudba.drhorak.sk/katalog/labely/15/pavian-records/).
One day of the 15th Festival of Nice Music was dedicated to the music by Vladimír Godár. The concert took place on July 25, 2014 in Banská Štiavnica and featured the excellent instrumentalists: the director of the festival, cellist Eugen Prochác, harpist Katarína Turnerová, violinist Stano Palúch and chamber orchestra Cappella Istropolitana. The Church of St. Catherine was filled by audience who listened to some favourite Godár’s chamber pieces: Emmeleia, Barcarole, Little Suite for Little David, Canzona refrigerativa and Concerto grosso.
Vladimír Godár’s piece Barcarole for violin, 12 strings, harp and harpsichord was performed in distant Taiwan, where it was played at the concert of Taipei Symphony Orchestra on June 21, 2014 with solo violinist Roger Chih-I Chiang led by the conductor Gilbert Varga (http://www.zonego.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=71879077&ctNode=49271&mp=10501D2)
If you missed the performance of Vladimír Godár’s piece Querela pacis on April 30, 2014, you may listen to and watch it here, on the website of the Slovak Philharmonic: (http://stream.filharmonia.sk/index.php?id=321)
Beautiful pictures from the rehearsals preceding the concert of Solamente naturali on April 30, 2014 can be found here: (http://matejkmet.blogspot.sk/)
It took four long years for Vladimír Godár’s piece Querela pacis to get to the concert stage. After the desperate attempt to premiere it at the Pohoda festival in 2010, Querela pacis finally was heard for the first time in the crowded Concert Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic on April 30, 2014 with a great success. Gorgeous and spiritually uplifting performance of the musicians known already as "Godár’s court performers": members of the Solamente naturali ensemble with the concertmaster Miloš Valent, Vocale Solamente naturali choir prepared by Dušan Bill, soloists – deeply velvety Petra Noskaiová (alto), amazing Tomáš Šelc (baritone) and ethereally pure Hilda Gulyásová (soprano), who promptly stood in for the unwell Emily Van Evera. And that all under the strict supervision and baton of Andrew Parrott. The music deeply affected the performers as well as the audience, it transmitted the energy from the stage to the auditorium, where several hundreds of people were listening to the piece, and after the end they rewarded the performers and the composer by a long-lasting intense applause culminating in standing ovations. Thanks to every one involved for this unforgettable experience!
Solamente naturali at the rehearsal Basbaritone Tomáš Šelc and choir members
Concert Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic Alto Petra Noskaiová
Solamente naturali and Vocale Solamente naturali Hilda Gulyásová, soprano and Marcel Plavec, oboe da caccia
bowing Composer Vladimír Godár
Vladimír Godár and concertmaster Miloš Valent Conductor Andrew Parrott
All lovers of Godár’s music are invited for the first performance of the work Querela pacis to the Concert Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic in Bratislava on April 30, 2014. Although premiered four years ago at the festival Pohoda, due to the noise from the close stages and various attractions it was literally unhearable; therefore this year premiere will be the surprise even for the Pohoda visitors. More info on our page Upcoming events, page Querela pacis, and on the website of the Slovak Philharmonic (http://www.filharmonia.sk/en/events/event/m10m10-20132014-en/)
At its regular annual concert on January 12, 2014, the Church choir from Pezinok Ad Una Corda performed, apart from pieces by other composers, the popular lullaby Dormi, Jesu by Vlado Godár with soloist Eva Šušková.
