Music of Valentin Silvestrov: celebrating the composer’s 85th birthday

Inna Galatenko – soprano

Yevhenii Motorenko – piano

Valentin Silvestrov, the great Ukrainian composer, turned 85 on September 30th. A leading figure in the former Soviet Union’s avant-garde in the 1960s as well as exponent of the “Darmstädter Schule”, Silvestrov subsequently came to realise that “the most important lesson of the avant-garde was to be free of all preconceived ideas – particularly those
of the avant-garde.” Over time, his compositional practice evolved into what he would come to call his „metaphorical style“ or „meta-music“.  Gramophone magazine has described it as “music that as it were looks back on Music, with infinite tenderness and regret, as though it belonged to some wonderful but lost civilization”.  In March 2022 in the wake of the Russian invasion Silvestrov was hastily evacuated to Germany and currently lives in Berlin.

Soprano Іnna Galatenko is a soloist with the National Ensemble „Kyivska kamerata“ (Ukraine). Her wide vocal range, subtle sense of artistic style and powerful stage energy have allowed her to perform music of different styles and eras. Over the last 15 years Valentin Silvestrov has written all his vocal works specifically for her voice. The composer himself says about her: „Inna has a wonderful, fresh voice. But in my music there is nowhere to show it because I am always asking to sing ‘sotto voce’. And she is one of the few who can find a compromise between her own nature and the requirements of the composer“.

The piano virtuoso Yevhenii Motorenko was born in Kyiv and has been playing the piano since the age of seven. Yevhenii has inherited his love for music from his mother, Inna Galatenko. The 23-year-old laureate of international competitions is distinguished by his sensual performance and shows an extraordinary depth of understanding of musical works. For this reason Valentin Silvestrov drew attention to Yevhenii, entrusting him with the performance of his difficult works. Motorenko now lives in Düsseldorf.

Photo: Sergei Gavrylov / ECM Records

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