Lithuanian music

[Mark Thomas]

Radvila turned out to be a most attractive romantic opera more like Moussorgsky and Dvorak than Szymanowski

Well that's good. Did you record it?

[Christopher]

The only (as far as I know) CD of Karnavicius's music has now been put up on the Pakartot streaming website which I referenced above.

https://www.pakartot.lt/album/jurgis-karnavicius/ulalume2

I think people might especially enjoy the "Ulalume" Overture (after Edgar Allan Poe) - track 1 - very late-romantic in style (written 1917).   The other pieces are all chamber works, except track 11 "The Oval Portrait" Overture (also after Edgar Allan Poe) - though this is not as strong a work in my view (written 1927).

[Alan Howe]

Is the CD available to purchase anywhere?

[Christopher]

I know that the Lithuanian Music Information Centre (www.mic.lt), which like Pakartot is also (quasi-)governmental, were once selling it.  And I bought mine second-hand on discogs.  But other than that I don't know anything about it. Mine is now in storage after I put the mp3 tracks on my itunes, otherwise I would offer to see if the booklet gives any more information.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks. The CD can be ordered here:
http://www.mic.lt/en/database/classical/find-works/7620/

[eschiss1]

btw IMSLP has his 2 early string quartets in G minor (score) and D minor (parts).

[Linas]

Hello all there. My name is Linas Paulauskis and I'm from Music Information Centre Lithuania (www.mic.lt). Thanks to Christopher for showing me this chat.

Maybe there has been a confusion re him and his son? The son has the same name and was born in 1912.

His son was not composer, but pianist and longtime rector of the Lithuanian State Conservatory (presently the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre). Interestingly, his grandson is also a pianist, and his first name is Jurgis as well.

Someone who wrote mellifluous, lyrical works in his youth could well be writing extremely spikey atonal music in his maturity.

Or does it happen more often the other way round? Think of Penderecki; even Arvo Pärt started from twelve-tone serialism. Speaking about Karnavicius, he didn't change his direction until the end of his life.

This discussion boosted some interest in the CD of Karnavicius' music, released by us. I only would like to warn those who will order or already ordered this CD: the English pronunciation of the singer who sings Six Romances to Percy Bysshe Shelley is sometimes awful. I personally didn't work with this CD, but my colleagues ended up in desperation: tell her whatever but prima donna knows better... sorry for that.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Linas - and welcome to Unsung Composers. This is a good place to post information about any romantic-era Lithuanian music, especially recordings.

[Christopher]

Hello Linas - it's great that you have joined.  I'm glad to have introduced you.  People on here will be interested to hear of recordings, broadcasts and performances of Romantic and Late-Romantic Lithuanian composers that they may not have heard of, or not know very well.

I know that Latvia and Estonia also have music information centres (lmic.lv and emic.ee respectively) - do you have contacts or cooperation with them?  Perhaps they could also be persuaded to join and tell us about Romantic and Late-Romantic music coming out of their countries.

[Alan Howe]

The symphonic poem Ulalume is certainly an atmospheric piece, almost uniformly gloomy in tone - as befits its programme. Much more interesting, I think, than Karnavicius' opera Radvila.

[Alan Howe]

Mind you, the same gloom pervades the later symphonic poem The Oval Portrait, so there is a certain want of variety in evidence here.

[Mark Thomas]

I'm afraid that I found them both dreary and devoid of much musical interest. On present evidence (these two symphonic poems and Radvila), Karnavicius wasn't a major talent.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed.

[Christopher]

Goodness me chaps, I think we've got the message.  Saying "agreed" really adds nothing, but I'll be surprised if Linas doesn't turn tail and run a mile from this Forum, which would be a shame.

[Alan Howe]

Well, that's his choice. We post as we find. And Karnavicius' music, in our opinion, just doesn't measure up. Nevertheless, it would be good to read a reasoned defence of his music.

Perhaps there are some other Lithuanian composers who have something to offer...