Yevhen Stankovych: Concerto no. 2 for violin and symphony orchestra (2006)

[Toni Bernet]

It is wonderful that rarely performed and unknown violin concertos can not only be discovered on Youtube or on CD, but will even be performed live in the near future. For example, at the world-renowned Lucerne Festival 2023, violinist Valeriy Sokolov will perform Yevhen Stankovych's remarkable Second Violin Concerto (27 August 2023). Likewise, this violin concerto will also be performed by the same violinist at the famous Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg (30 August 2023). A truly highly impressive violin concerto from the rich musical heritage of Ukraine. More information on my homepage, which promotes the attention and performance of hitherto unknown violin concertos. For more information and a possibility to listen to this concerto see:
https://unbekannte-violinkonzerte.jimdofree.com/e-5/stankovych/

[pjme]

Music that is very sad at its core. I will listen again.
To my surprise, Stankovych wrote already 5 violinconcerti. The fifth is dedicated to Oleh Krysa and is on YT.

The 2nd Violin Concerto was written much later, in 2006, at a time when Ukraine had become a separate state and a kind of new universalism became possible. For Stankovych, new universalism is the combination of the most effective techniques of 20th century music with the deep emotions of the music of past centuries. It is the bridge that connects the past, the present and the future of music. In this sense, Stankovych seeks to give musical expression to the most fundamental factors of the condition humaine as he experiences it.
About the biographical background of the creation of his 2nd Violin Concerto, he said: " It so happened that several very near and dear people died. Such tragic events make one reflect on the meaning of existence and the short span of life in this world. This is what world music is about, the music of Palestrina, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Vedel, Berezovsky, Shostakovich, Britten and Liatoshynsky. In music, the drama of human life is condensed through tragic compositions. The world has always been like this: you have to fight to get what you really need. You have to fight for a good cause, because unfortunately evil is always there. Therefore, as long as we live, we must make every effort to fill this world with good things."
Something of this struggle to bring something good into a tragic and evil world full of the desire for power is told in this one-movement, through-composed 2nd Violin Concerto. The closely spaced melodies, probably influenced by Ukrainian folk music (a Western European listener like this writer knows little about this!), run through the entire concerto, sometimes tragic, sometimes consoling, sometimes fighting, sometimes breaking out in cries and unexpectedly ending in nothingness. I hear - especially because of the above biographical confession - the whole breadth of existential mourning, which is transformed into musical expression in this concert.
* (Lesia Olinyk in The Day Issue: №37, (2007)
https://www.talkclassical.com/threads/ukrainian-composer-yevhen-stankovych-and-his-violin-concerto-no-2.85136/

[Roy Bland]

WEB page

https://stankovych.org.ua/en.html

[André]

There's precious little Stankovych available for regular consumption. He's a really fine composer. I have 2 discs comprising 5 symphonies of his. His 'Symphony of Pastorals' in particular demands to be heard.

It would be a great thing if his 5 violin concerti were taken up by an enterprising violinist and label (didn't even know they existed, so: thanks Peter and Toni and thanks Roy for bumping the thread and providing fresh info !)