Before the Russian invasion, Valentine Silverstrov was just another post-Soviet composer sampling the freedoms of many genres.
Ever since, and following his dramatic escape, Silvestrov has been celebrated across Europe and North America as Ukraine’s finest living composer – which, of course, he is.
Tomorrow, Silvestrov turns 85.
The tenor Ian Bostridge shocked Symphony Hall Birmingham…
The Berlin Philharmonic chief conductor Kirill Petrenko has…
The orchestra’s president Gary Ginstling has engaged Katya…
He is already music director of the Metropolitan…
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What is it about music that makes it the chosen art of cultural nationalism?
Agreed. Goes back to where Aristotle and Plato both agreeing on how music affects the soul. It’s understandable how this can be abused.
Indeed. All these projections. Music is meant to overcome nationalistic borders and to express our common humanity.
Thank you, sir, for your gloriously strange, beautiful and ever so meaningful music. My thoughts and solidarity are with you and your fellow citizens of Ukraine. May peace return to your nation very soon.
I’ve been listening to his 5th Symphony for some 20 years now and it still gives me chills every time. A beautiful, haunting work that should be played everywhere.
Completely agree. I too have loved his music for years. The 5th Symphony of course, but also pieces such as Metamusik, the Requiem for his wife and much more. Not merely Ukraine’s greatest, Mr Lebrecht, but one of the world’s greatest
Maybe, but I hate to say this as someone from England that I hadn’t heard of him before the Ukraine-Russian war. Beautiful music.
Z dnem narodzhennya i dovhykh rokiv zhyttya maestro!
Maybe you could write in English for a basically English-speaking site based in London?
Wasn’t there a symphony of his played at the BBC Proms this year by the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra? Only saw it on the telly and not in person.