1 minute read
PROGRAM NOTES
Sylvie Bodorov
Bruromano (U.S. Premiere)
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Composer: born December 31, 1954, České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic)
Work composed: 2019. Hommâge à Bohdan Warchal, founder and chief conductor of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra
World premiere: Ewald Danel led the Slovak Chamber Orchestra with guitarist Miriam Rodriguez Brüllová and bassist Roman Patkoló at Slovak Philharmonic Concert Hall in Bratislava on January 26, 2020
Sylvie Bodorová is one if the foremost Czech composers working today, and her music has been both commissioned and performed by renowned artists and ensembles around the world. “I have known Sylvie Bodorová for 25 years,” says FSO Music Director Christopher Zimmerman. “She has made an impact on the national and international stage, and her music is direct, completely without pretension, beautiful, and sometimes very powerful.”
“Bruromano is a rare work composed as a double concerto for Guitar and Double Bass and String Orchestra,” adds FSO Principal Bass Aaron Clay. “This combination works very well for this concerto. The colors of the two instruments mix well and produce different shades of musical expression throughout.”
Clay is joined by Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux. “I’ve never performed a concerto with double bass before,” says Vieaux. “There’s a lot of dialog between the soloists and the orchestra, particularly in the outer movements, and I think the balancing of the ensemble writing with two relatively quiet solo instruments is handled very well. There are also moments of reflection and lyrical playing for both solo instruments.”
Bodorová’s music combines the rhythmic snap and sharp accents of Spanish guitar music with Slavic-flavored melodies. The music reflects moments of high drama, pensive reflection, and agitated exuberance.
Bruromano premiered in January 2020, just before worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns began. “For me, music is the best encouragement; it brings hope for a better future,” says Bodorová. “I would like to share the spirit of this hope with all of you.”
© Elizabeth Schwartz 2023
