Work of the Week - Rodion Shchedrin: Lithuanian Saga
The world premiere of Rodio Shchedrin’s Lithuanian Saga takes place on May 13th at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater, in Vilnius, Lithuania, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of chief conductor Valery Gergiev.
Shchedrin characterizes his work in its subtitle: “Symphonic Fresco for Orchestra,” and refers, by borrowing the concept of a “fresco,” to a combination of a re-creation with his original style of composing. This concept reinforces Shchedrin’s compositional mixture of traditional and modern forms.
His dedication of this piece to the 600th anniversary of the Battle Tannenberg, between Polish-Lithuanian and Teutonic cavalry, launches Shchedrin into programmatic territory, alternating between fevered percussion and uncomfortable tension. The climactic point of this piece is a hymn-like fanfare that evokes the siege of the Polish-Lithuanian troops and brings it to life in sound.
Lithuanian Saga is commissioned by the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, whose historical center has not only been a UNESCO World Culture Site since 1994, but was also named the European Culture Capital 2009. It is this occasion that makes its commission of Shchedrin’s Lithuanian Saga a truly rich, historical presentation.
(05/11/2009)
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