VILNIUS STRING QUARTET:
DAINIUS PESECKAS (1st violin)
ALGIRDAS ŠOCHAS (2nd violin)
KRISTINA ANUSEVIČIŪTĖ (viola)
VIKTOR REKALO (cello)
Hostess of the concert JOMANTĖ ŠLEŽAITĖ-PAUKŠTĖ
JUOZAS NAUJALIS – Motet In monte Oliveti (arrangement by Viktor Rekalo)
ANTONIO CALDARA – Sinfonia a quattro No. 6 in G minor San Elena al Calvario (Saint Helena at Calvary)
JOSEPH HAYDN – Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze (The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross), Op. 51
ANTONIO CALDARA – Sinfonia a quattro No. 12 in A minor La passione di Gesù Signor nostro (The Passion of Our Lord Jesus)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN – String quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132, 3rd mvt.
The Vilnius String Quartet has selected the most subtle gems of religious music for this concert: from the adaptation of the Lithuanian quintessential music for choir, the famous motet by Juozas Naujalis, arranged for string quartet, to Beethoven’s musical prayer, in which the genius thanked God for having helped him to recover from his grave illness.
The dramaturgical centre of the programme is Haydn’s masterpiece Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze. The cycle of seven chamber sonatas, famous as a lyrical musical reflection on the seven last words of Christ, was first heard at the Good Friday service in the underground church of Cadiz in Andalusia. This work is special because, with almost no literary text, it creates a haunting sonic atmosphere that opens the door to a deep, contemplative meditative drama.
Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze is framed by two symphonies for four by the Baroque genius Caldara. Interestingly, music by Caldara, born in the same city (Venice) two years before the famous Antonio Vivaldi, was highly appreciated by his contemporaries, but today its former popularity is revisited just by the rather sporadic initiatives of early music enthusiasts. The Vilnius String Quartet offers a rare opportunity to hear the composer’s two lyrical opuses on religious themes.
Free admission
