Poetry embedded in strings
Octopus Vocalis, František Nečas - guitar, Jan Čižmář - lute, guitar, Marta Čižmářová - traverso
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Romancero Gitano
Petr Eben: Songs for the lute
Štěpán Rak: Renaissance Temptation, etc.
The core of the program is the cycle Romancero Gitano by the Italian composer Mario Castelnuova-Tedesco from 1951. He was inspired by his love for Spain and its culture, the ideal expression of which he found in the poetry of Federico García Lorca. Passionate melodies and rhythmic variations are not only a musical expression of the content of Lorca's poetry, but also of the melody and rhythm of the Spanish language.
Petr Eben's cycle Songs for lute to the words of medieval love poetry, which was created in the same year as Romacero Gitano, brings a more intimate atmosphere with echoes of the musical practice of itinerant troubadours. The cycle written for a lower voice and guitar accompaniment will be heard at the concert in an arrangement for 4 voices and lute.
The 1981 Renaissance Temptation by Štěpán Rak contains six contrasting dances in virtuoso variations for solo guitar. "Renaissance music has always attracted me immensely. It was even tempting to come to terms with it in my own way."
The concert is organized with the financial support of the city of Brno.
The vocal octet OctOpus Vocalis was founded in 2013, but most of its members have been singing together since childhood, when they met in the Brno children's choir Kantiléna. Since then, they have collaborated on many projects, whether as part of larger musical ensembles, chamber ensembles or solo performances. Stylistically, the group focuses primarily on music from the older pre-classical periods and the classical repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries, and on the search for interesting thematic and musical connections between these historically distant poles. The program also includes compositions from other periods, the group sometimes leaves the framework of artificial music towards folk music, swing or jazz.
