St-Petersburg Double Duet “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al”
Cast:
Maksim Tolstyh- balalaika
Grigory Voskoboinik- double
bass
Igor Ponomarenko- domra alt
Aleksandr Matrosov- bayan
Art-director- Igor Ponomarenko
… Double duet was launced in April 2000, but its musical language
is permitted by a very individual lyrics. Its harmony is strongly
tonal, occasionaly bitonal and this is wedded to an accute rhythmic
sense and variety of texture to provide constant light and shade
and forward movement. “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al” was one of the best in philarmonical
part of the “Slavyansky Bazar” festival in Vitebsk. Igor Ponomarenko
as a founder and artistic director, could create a company which
performing with great sense of style, wide range melody and artistic
expression. The actual choice of exclusive musical pieces of French
composers, such as Satie, Fore,Meyerber,Plankett, Pulenk and opera
pieces from Bise and Guno were included in the concert “Ways of
Love” with outstanding soloist Andrey
Slavny, who could attract not only music fans, but also music
specialists.
“Very soon “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al” will be one of the most interesting
and original companies , presenting high musical art not only
in Russia, but also abroad”… (Dozorzeva Zh.G. Master of Arts,
Moscow, member of Art Academy).
Bright and extraordinary event took place in St-Petersburg musical
life. New company- Double duet “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al” appeared on theatre
stage. “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al” which sounds like “madrigal”, is not a small
poem-compliment, as was mentioned in a dictionary. Igor Ponomarenko-former
leader and soloist of the famous “Terem quartet”, organised the
new company in April 2000. Igor, as other musicians of “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al”
is a student of St-Petersburg Conservatoire named after Rimsky-Korsakov.
But being a students they also had experience as professional musicians
performed in different genres of instrumental music- classics, jazz
, folk and even avant-garde.
Double duet was born on the 4th of April 2000 on the
Maly Drama Theatre stage, participating in Nezhinsky and Nureev
memorial shows. On the 6th of April new company was invited
in the St-Petersburg State Concert Company “Peterburg Concert” and
by the end of season prepared several musical programmes. On the
15th of April duet performed with A. Chaikovsky opera
“Motya and Savely-Mozart and Saliery” in frames of Kuryohin’s festival
in Baltiisky Dom Theatre. On 30th of May Double duet
introduced their first solo programme “Ways of Love” which includes
works of French composers (together with A.Slavny-baritone, and
Ilya Ioff- violin) in the Palace of Beloselskye-Belozerskiye. On
the 31 May in co-operation with musical theatre “Zazerkalye” duet
showed “Passions for Kashtanka”, I.Ponomarenko work which was several
times nominated for St-Petersburg theatrical prize “Golden Sophit”
and for high Russian national prize “Golden Mask”. Celebrating A.Pushkin
birthday duet “Ma.Gr.Ig.Al” performed in Pushkin museum with their
new programme together with A.Slavny
( romances of Russian composers based on the Pushkin lyrics).
The combination of traditional Russian instruments and double bass,
which will bring the music onto a new level devoid of folklore symplicity
where it will exist on par with professional classical stage with
chamber music in modern interpretation. French music of “Silver
Age” is very extraordinary and unique at the same time. This music
turns into exulted trinket , look like golden rose in a bottle,
like… Style, art novae, melancholy.
In September 2000 first album “Satie and Debussy” was recorded
for MAZUR MEDIA Gmbh. Germany (presentation will take place 14 December
2000 in St-Petersburg Kapella). The album will be available in Europe
in January 2001.
The next premiere of the current season will be new solo programme
“Mozart-Rossini” (in co-operation with M. Lud’ko-soprano and A.Slavny-baritone,
January 2001-Smolny Cathedral). The nearest premiere after Mozart
will be the programme “Popular violin music” (with I.Ioff). Another
is based on music from “Carmen Suite” by Bize-Shedrin, which will
be recorded for the 2nd album in January 2001. Premiere
will take place in Moscow Conservatoire in April 2001. The programme
“Music from Russian films –20 century” is also preparing.
|
