Episode #5 Valentyn Silvestrov’s Endless Melodies and the “End of History”

Extended Techniques

“I think that creativity, which is evidence of the artistic path, is not merely a set of examples of different stages of development; rather, it transcends the temporary cultural situation in some mysterious way – this is the hope of every author.” Ukrainian composer Valentyn Silvestrov (b. 1937) wrote this in a letter to a friend in 1978, and his creative work indeed exemplifies the balance between timeliness and timelessness that characterizes the most compelling art. While tracing his artistic path from the avant-garde period of the 1960s, to quietness and simplicity triggered by his interest in Zen Buddhism, to his never-ending postludes and sublime bagatelles, we contemplate his intriguing statements about music and “the end of history.” Having lived most of his life in Kyiv, Silvestrov recently began to respond to historical events. The episode ends with his vocal works dedicated to the 2014 Maidan protests and piano pieces motivated by his 2022 forced emigration to Berlin. Find the complete playlist and notes for this show at extendedtechniques.com Continue reading →