Source: 7MD.LT
Author: Aldona Eleonora Radvilaitė
On June 9th, as sudden bursts of rain gave way to the brightly shining sun, the audience gathered at the beloved Paliesius Manor to listen to Andrius Žlabys, a distinctive pianist who regularly travels from the US to perform here. We did not even know exactly what he would play this time (only the composers’ surnames had been announced online). With the sun shining brightly through the window behind the piano, the guest appeared as if in a shadow theater, announcing what would essentially be a two-part concert: not only would music fill the air, but guests would also be invited to admire the photographs exhibited in the passageway behind the stage. Before every piece, Žlabys shared what he was about to play.
Both the choice of program and its interpretation proved surprising. Following his highly striking, brilliantly virtuosic, and inspired performance in this hall in July 2023 of Žibuoklė Martinaitytė’s “Būties polifonijos”—written in a modern musical language—and the premiere of his own “Echoes of Light,” this time the program choice felt like a return to his days as a student. In what new ways would the pianist reveal his desire to express his perspective on the interpretation of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms?
As always, Bach sounded first; it seemed to me that Andrius performed his Toccata in D minor differently than before. I enjoyed the more pronounced energy, the refinement, and the strict rhythm. The pianist treated Mozart’s three-movement Sonata in A minor dramatically, tensely, and sonorously, evoking associations with Beethoven’s music. Only the slow movement was meditative. Schumann’s Arabesque in C major surprised with episodes performed quite simply, without grand romantic warmth or flight, yet set apart by a heroic, highly resolute section and quiet slow passages that seemed to float peacefully in space.
The most surprising interpretations were of Brahms’s six Intermezzo, Op. 118, sounding almost as if we were hearing contemporary compositions. Previously, it seemed that Žlabys played Brahms with warmth, the sounds floating freely. This time, the vigorous pages of the Intermezzo unexpectedly became exceptionally stormy, heavily accented, and sharp, while the quiet flows turned thoughtful, still, and luminous. Could this be the influence of the works of the new musical language that he performs so wonderfully, a desire to bring the music of past masters closer to today’s listeners? Or was it the result of the pianist’s disposition and mood that day? The fact remains: it was fascinating to listen to what the pianist was striving to say.
After an encore (Bach), Žlabys invited Boris Taskov, the master behind the exhibited photographs, to the stage to present his work. Taskov first praised Žlabys for his superb musicianship, then briefly introduced his photography exhibition, “Įtrūkusio varpo pasakojimai”, in Lithuanian (!). The artist has written of it: “The selected photographs, reflecting a solitary life in Sicily, are illustrated with verses, as the artist seeks to tell stories and awaken the imagination. Perhaps you might even hear a song in the church with cracked bells, which stands above the tiled roofs of the houses and looks down upon the envious sea…”
Boris Taskov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He studied at the Technical University of Sofia and learned film directing at the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest, Hungary. He is a member of the Lithuanian Photographers Association. His photographs exhibited at Paliesius Manor are small-format, refined, high-quality, and black-and-white.
This afternoon of music and photography beautifully reflected the search for new event formats for the visitors of Paliesius Manor.