Vitaliy Hubarenko: Chamber Symphony No. 1 for violin and orchestra op. 14 (1967)
Vitaliy Hubarenko:
born 13 June 1934 in Kharkiv
died 5 April 2000 in Kiev
Date of composition:
1967
Recording on Youtube:
Valeriy Sokolov 2018 (live)
The programme of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and its European tour in the year of Russia's brutal war of aggression in 2022 have drawn attention to this Chamber Symphony No. 1 for
violin and orchestra by the Ukrainian composer Vitaliy Hubarenko (1934-2000). Vitaliy Hubarenko (also spelled Gubarenko) composed during and after the Soviet era especially for music theatre, but
also revived many other genres and especially the Chamber Symphony for solo string instruments.
In an interview, he described his composing as follows: "In short, I am concerned above all with the refinement of themes and the variety of their inner relationships that emerge in the course of
symphonic development. Without a solid thematic foundation, I cannot imagine expressive, lively music. The ideal is a work in which all the components are thematically rounded and part of a
general system of transformations." His Chamber Music No 1 in particular is full of lyrical moments and intense expression, based on polyphonic techniques and a free transformation of folklore.
It is emotionally touching, yet clear transparent music.
Listen here!
Listening Companion:
I. ANDANTE CANTABILE
Quiet beginning and soft accents in the orchestra call for attention, as it were, to the silvery entry of a longing native melody in the violin. This is carried by a swaying movement in the orchestra, which is then abruptly replaced by cadential violin figurations. The violin slowly leads out of this lyrical mood and moves on to a more narrative violin passage. The violin rushes ahead on clouds of orchestral sound, then darker notes are heard from the orchestra for the first time, but the violin again takes the melodic lead, bringing folkloric melodic reminiscences. But an orchestral rhythm insistently pushes itself under the rapturous singing of the violin. Flute and bassoon contribute their own melodies and in the duo of solo violin with first violin, the polyphonic melody lines slowly fray....
II. ALLEGRO ENERGICO – MENO MOSSO - ALLEGRETTO
Silence and a new approach: the violin starts wildly and rhythmically and is supported by the percussion. Start-up after start-up of violin and orchestra, the music increases in violent
eruptions. Wild movement in the orchestra! But no sooner is an eruption over than the violin resumes its exuberant run....to exhaustion.
Then, all alone, a bassoon begins a three-fourths time dance fughetto, the violin takes over the dance, clarinet and flute join in dance-like. The violin fights for its leading position, but the
orchestra sways along and sings a nostalgic horn melody to the violin's pizzicati, finally leaving the violin all alone in a cadenza, a violin cadenza that suddenly seems to lament loneliness and
being lost....
Soon, however, the orchestra catches the violin again with gentle sounds... until the violin remembers its native melody, quietly following a longing that fades into dreaming.