Two Pieces for Three Instruments (1978) - Denisov

Quasi Hocquetus (198485) - Sofia Gubaidulina

Sonata for Clarinet Solo (1972) - Denisov

Abel(1991) - Dmitri Smirnov

The composer Dmitri Smirnov introduced Concorde's recital of contemporary Russian music in the John Field Room NCH last Friday at lunchtime.

He claimed that Russian music was in part an expression of deep loyalty to country, to people, to tsar, to party and to leaders. It had qualities that differentiated it from both east and west. It could never be considered as mere entertainment or business or mental games because it always had a spiritual dimension.

Gubaidulina's Quasi Hocquetus, a trio for piano, viola and bassoon, was, he thought, about the Holy Trinity; his own Abel, for violin, cello, clarinet and piano, inspired by a picture by William Blake, was a musical drama where each instrument represented a character. Smirnov did not attempt to verbalise musical procedures; but he suggested that an awareness of an extra dimension would help us to hear the music in another way.

All the pieces played showed a fondness for giving each part an independent role. Denisov's Two Pieces, played on two violins and a viola, had rippling melodic lines that crossed so frequently that the listener lost the sense of separate lines and was entangled in a mysterious web of sound. Gubaidulina's piece started with flickers of ethereal sounds which slowly built up into a chorale which in its turn disintegrated. Smirnov's Abel allowed the various voices to retain their individuality so that when they came together they had a heightened dramatic force. Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel joined in an explosive lament.

All the works were receiving their first Irish performance.