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North American Premiere of Peteris Vasks' Violin Concerto Distant Light

Mar. 29, 2013

North American Premiere of Peteris Vasks' Violin Concerto <em>Distant Light</em>

On April 10, Les Violons du Roy of Quebec presents the North American premiere of Peteris Vasks’ enchanting concerto for violin and orchestra Distant Light, featuring conductor and violinist Anthony Marwood. Vasks writes:

In summer 1996 Gidon Kremer asked me to write a violin concerto for the newly founded youth orchestra for the Baltic countries “Kremerata Baltica.” During this time I was reading Gidon Kremer’s book Moments from Childhood. The moods of this book have been a major influence on this concerto.

The concerto is in one long movement, with contrasting episodes and three cadenzas for the soloist. The main theme comes from silence and returns to silence, full of idealism and love, sometimes melancholic and dramatic. After Cadenza I, an extensive theme starts with low bass chords gradually gaining strength and intensity. With a sudden change of tempo and character the following episode begins; in it, I used a musical language which is close to Latvian folk music. Candenza II brings into the music a slight different character which disappears in an energetic tutti.

After this burst of energy, silence returns. The lyrical violin line leads to a second, dramatic episode. Cadenza III and the following aleatoric part form the center of the concerto. The aleatoric chaos is interrupted by a robust, even aggressive waltz rhythm. In the recapitulation the musical ideas of the opening return. Although there is a sound of hurt for a second, the concerto dies away in bright sadness. Once again, the waltz sounds – now as a reflection of distant memories. 

The concerto was recorded on Wergo’s Vasks portrait disc Vox Amoris, released in 2013 featuring the Sinfonietta Riga, of which Joshua Kosman wrote, "Here Vasks' melodic gift comes directly to the fore, and there is an emotional transparency to the writing -- the composer was trained as a violinist himself -- that lifts the performance considerably."

Visit www.schott-music.com for more on Peteris Vasks’ music.

Peteris Vasks
Concerto (1996-1997)
"Distant Light"
for violin and string orchestra
dedicated to Gidon Kremer
30’

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