Borys Lyatoshynsky. Slov’jans‘ka uvertjura. (Slavonic Overture)

The name of Borys Lyatoshynsky causes associations not only with the enormous and maybe the most glorious period of Ukrainian Soviet music development, but also with memory about the great talent, courage and honesty. In the most difficult times for his country, at the bitterest minutes of his own life, he remained a sincere, brave artist. Lyatoshynsky is foremost a symphonies composer. For him, sympyonism is a way of life in music, the principle of thinking in all pieces without exception, from the widest canvas to a choral miniature or an arrangement of a folk song. In the First Symphony (1918), the polyphonic gift of the composer, his brilliant mastering of orchestral timbres, extensive scale of intensions were brightly revealed. In 1926, the Overture based on four Ukrainian themes appears signifying the beginning of a new period, for which intent attention to Ukrainian folklore was characteristic of. And the 1950-60s are noted for the composer's intense interest in Slavonic culture. In search for common roots, unity of Slavs, he intently studied Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian folklore. As a result – there appear the "Slavonic Concert" for fortepiano with orchestra, 2 mazurkas based on Polish themes for violoncello and fortepiano, romances for poems by A. Mickiewicz, symphonic poems, "Slavonic Overture", the Fifth (Slavonic) Symphony "Slavonic Suite" for the symphonic orchestra. Lyatoshynsky interprets pan-Slavism grounding on high humanist positions, as a unity of feelings and understanding of the world.
based on materials of the Music Dictionary: www.musdict.com

Performed by: Symphonic Orchestra of Ukrainian Television and Radio.

Conductor: V.Hnedagi.