Giyah Kancheli - Symphony No. 7 "Epilogue" (1986)

Giya Kancheli (Georgian: გია ყანჩელი; 10 August 1935 - 2 October 2019) was a Georgian composer. He was born in Tbilisi, Georgia but resided in Belgium. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kancheli lived first in Berlin, and from 1995 in Antwerp, where he became composer-in-residence for the Royal Flemish Philharmonic. He died in his home city of Tbilisi, aged 84.
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Symphony No. 7 "Epilogue" (1986)
Dedicated to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin conducted by Michail Jurowski
Description by Chris Morrison
Intended to be the last in his series of symphonies, Kancheli's Symphony No. 7 was written in 1986 on a commission from the Czech Philharmonic, which gave the work its first performance under Vaclav Neumann's direction on December 11 of that year in Prague. After some revisions, the work's final version was presented for the first time in Berlin on March 24, 1992, by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Olaf Henzold.
The score of the Symphony No. 7 has an epigraph by the Georgian poet Galaktion Tabidze: "This was long ago..." This epigraph, along with the work's subtitle ("Epilogue"), gives the symphony an air of the retrospective. Many of the elements familiar from Kancheli's earlier symphonies, particularly the abrupt juxtaposition of quiet, static music with aggressive, militaristic passages, remain in evidence here. The work begins assertively with dramatic brass fanfares and cymbal crashes. Quiet woodwinds try to break through, and eventually do, leading to more mournful music. After another militaristic passage, an almost sentimental tune in waltz rhythm emerges. The music remains peaceful for a time, but turns tumultuous again with a violent march. The march winds down, and the symphony ends plaintively.
Kancheli wrote seven symphonies, and what he termed a liturgy for viola and orchestra, called Mourned by the Wind. His Fourth Symphony received its American premiere, with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov, in January 1978, not long before the cultural freeze in the United States against Soviet culture. Glasnost allowed Kancheli to regain exposure, and he began to receive frequent commissions, as well as performances within Europe and North America.
Championed internationally by Lera Auerbach, Dennis Russell Davies, Jansug Kakhidze, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Kim Kashkashian, Mstislav Rostropovich, and the Kronos Quartet, Kancheli saw world premieres of his works in Seattle, as well as with the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur. He continued to receive regular commissions. Recordings of his recent works are regularly released, notably on the ECM label.
His work Styx is written for solo viola, chorus and orchestra. It is a farewell to his friends Avet Terterian and Alfred Schnittke, whose names are sung by the choir at certain points.
Composer note:
I never commit myself to accepting or rejecting a previously established technical or stylistic system as my goal/objective. Of course, every person who starts writing music encounters the whole set of traditions, whether they be centuries old or contemporary. I am as close to the music of the pre-Bach composers as I am to those of the twentieth century. While I am attracted to that mysterious spirit of Georgian folk polyphony, I am still unable to comprehend it. True artistic perfection is always a mystery; there is no point I taking it apart in the hopes of creating something similar.
When composing, I never think of using specific means of expression. I establish basic themes, a dramaturgical scheme of the whole, and then gradually, note by note, create a musical progression. This progression should soar in the listener’s imagination. It should convey the sensations of beauty and eternity streaming in the height of light. Above all, it should inspire the widely understood feeling of religiousness which is manifest in all the music dearest to my heart.
Certainly, I want my music to live on. However, I do not work for the future, nor do I concern myself with my contemporaries’ evaluations of my work. Instead, I fill in the space left by the artists of past centuries who left behind unfulfilled goals. From piece to piece, my language becomes simpler, and
I can’t do anything about it. At times, other pieces have shocked me so much that I have lost my desire to write for long periods of time. To compose music, one must have the ability to rejoice in the success of others, the capacity to maintain a critical attitude toward one’s work, and the determination to find at least one step leading up instead of down.
Giyah Kancheli

[@davidrehak3539]

Gia Kancheli:7. Szimfónia ,,Epilógus"
1. Allegro maestoso 00:00
2. Adagio assai 17:25
3. Allegro sostenuto 23:15
Berlini Rádió Szimfonikus Zenekara
Vezényel:Mihail Jurovszkij

[@fransmeersman2334]

A deep sensitive and very touching last symphony of a great composer, a masterful epilogue. Thank you !

[@elmiramuradova561]

O,he was unordinar composer ... grand composition. Thank you❤

[@Craig_Wheeler]

Such a great work‼️
Thank you for sharing it here.

[@samyarforoughnia1825]

Duuuudddeeee
I was just searching for kancheli’s music and you uploaded this!!!!!!
How?????
It’s not random youre illuminaty🫵🫵

[@steveegallo3384]

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