Presentation of 2008 'Indian Summer in Levoca' Festival

Indian Summer in Levoca 2008

…..a preliminary report…..


Intrepid foreigners and locals (both supporters and the intrigued) gathered to celebrate Levoča’s first international music festival, nine days, eleven concerts of music from Bach to Piazzola……


The Stamic Quartet opened the Festival with a magnificent recital of Janáček, Bella (a contemporary of Dvořák’s who was educated in Levoča) and Dvořák’s ‘American’ Quartet. A packed house was then invited to a reception by Levoča’s mayor….


Blüthner generously lent the Festival a magnificent ‘A’ model grand (2m. 80) from Vienna. After some drama getting it up the stairs to the Congress Hall, it became one of the stars of the Festival. On day 2, we had both a recital by the Czech pianist Ivo Kahánek, and a further recital by the Stamic Quartet ~ Mendelssohn, Suchoň , and Dvořák’s Piano Quintet (for which Ivo joined them).

This was within two days of the centenary of Suchoň’s birth – his quartet was an exciting and powerful revelation.

l to r: Pavel Uher and David Conway (joint artistic directors of the Festival) and Richard Sulc, our piano tuner who kindly

donated his much valued services


The Festival organised an exhibition of the graphic works of the Czech artist T. F. Šimon. His grandson Petr kindly lent us photographs taken by the artist in the 1920s and 1930s many of which related to the works displayed.

The motto of the Festival organisers


Monday saw a recital by Nicholas King at the organ of the historic St. Jacob’s Church, with its stupendous wooden altar carved by Master Pavol. Masterfully overcoming any limitations of the instrument, Nicholas gave powerful performances of Alkan, Liszt’s huge Fantasia and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’, and a transcription of Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures from an Exhibition’


Tuesday should have seen Petronel Malan’s concert with the Slovak Chamber Orchestra …..but disastrously her passport had been lost in the post by the US Hungarian embassy!! (She has promised to make the Festival by hook or by crook for 2009!) The SCO and their leader (Ewald Danel, bottom right with DC) played to a packed and enthusiastic audience, and substituted Suchoň’s charming Serenade, which they played alongside those of Dvořák and Suk.


Wednesday brought an attractive and unusual recital from the Holywell Ensemble, ranging from Beethoven to Cole Porter – the audience loved it! Afterwards the British Ambassador Michael Roberts (at the right of top picture, together with the Ensemble and DC and NC, by the picture of the city’s mysterious White Lady) - who just happens to be the husband of Holywell pianist Margaret Ozanne - gave a reception in the picturesque Old Town Hall.


Thursday and Friday saw astounding recitals of the greatest virtuosity by Tomasz Kamieniak (l.), and by Jonathan Powell (r.), who intrepidly flew in at the last minute to replace the stranded Petronel. Among other things, this gave Levoča (and Slovakia) the first opportunity to hear, on consecutive evenings, the Concerto for Solo Piano and the Symphony for Solo piano by Alkan. Jonathan also introduced to Slovakia the music of the British composer John White, including the Sonata no. 164 of which he is the dedicatee. The audience – which was now almost entirely local, as the large British group had left, but still filled the hall - applauded both pianists ecstatically.


The Festival ended with two theatrical spectacles. ‘Hry’ (Jeux), (l.) performed by students at the Slovakian Academy of Drama from Bratislava, directed by Pavol Uher, combined ballet, puppetry and black theatre. The Los Remedios ensemble (r.) on the final night gave a rousing evening of flamenco song and dance.


• Great music, both familiar and unfamiliar

• World class performances• Capacity audiences• Introducing Levoča and its beautiful

region to new visitors…..

Mission accomplished…….so…..

…..now for Indian Summer in

Levoca 2009 • October 2nd-October 8th

• Artists to include Vienna Piano Trio, Stamic Quartet, Zemlinsky Quartet…..

• Music by Haydn and Mendelssohn (in their bicentenary year), Rubinstein, Liszt and many others…..

•See you there!!!!!

We are grateful to our sponsors

for the 2008 Festival

Hotel U Leva

The Alkan Society

Richard Sulc/Atelier Piano

Hudobny Fond

Presentation of 2008 'Indian Summer in Levoca' Festival

Documents

Transcript of Presentation of 2008 'Indian Summer in Levoca' Festival