The series “Paintings” by composer Jēkabs Jančevskis premiered in Sweden

“It was a very, very beautiful time. It was a beautiful meeting, it was a wonderful day in that small, lovely town. ”2020 visit to Piteo remembers the competition Laureate of Rostrum 2019 Jēkabs Jančevskis. There he met his predecessor – the winner of last year’s competition, attended his new work rehearsals and, of course, got to know the ensemble “Norrbotten Neo”. “I didn’t really have a sketch at that time. I didn’t even have such a specific idea yet, to be honest.

I wanted my first trip there, including meeting and participating in musicians, and just listening to what they were doing, so that it would give me some bright impulses, ”says Jančevskis.

Eventually, the new work was created when Janchevsky realized an old dream – to write musical paintings. He was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s work, personality and life story; collected various materials, watched films, read the artist’s correspondence with his brother Theodore. “When it was time to start writing music, I went through his paintings hundreds of times and chose three paintings that somehow appeal to me. I printed those paintings, placed them over the piano and started working.

I wanted the music to come completely clean so that it would happen just by looking at these works of art.

It was the only solution available to me – I couldn’t really see those works of art in person, ”says the composer. “New work is a cycle of three parts. They are three parts, three works of art, and the titles of these works of art are also “Almond Blossoms”, “Wheat Field under Thunderstorm Clouds”, “Mulberry”.

“I am glad that I managed to do it, that I got to work in such a new form. I would very much like to repeat this principle over and over again, ”concludes Jančevskis.

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