A myth animated
The story is old. Very old. We know them from Homers Iliad. Troy. The horse. The war. And its consequences. We can find out how it all sounds in the Troy Sonata by Fazil Say. In this piece you can hear that the story of the Trojan War, apart from all cruelty, is also a story of faith, hope and love. In it lies, even if one would not suspect it, utopian potential, a touch of metaphysical sensuality. This is made possible by the dialectic of life and death; it is reflected in Say's sonata. Even at the first cursory listening one becomes aware of the antagonisms that collide in this sonorous decalogue. The composer was primarily inspired by Homer's epics, but also used other literary sources to translate the "phenomenon" of Troy into poetically impressive sound images - which are so vivid that you can even see some of the heroes, or at least feel them: There is Paris, that young man who was accused of having stolen the beautiful Helena. Then Menelaus the horned husband, Agamemnon the war strategist, Achilles the (apparently) invincible, and Hector the (slaughtered) butcher. Even the poet himself steps before the curtain and speaks in the very first sentence that bears his name. In addition to the well-known mythical figures, who find their musical equivalent in vividly formulated themes or (leading) motifs, other protagonists enter the imaginary stage. We see Tyche, and here and there the sun blinks through the tones. Only the gods that are missing. The music abolishes them the moment they sound. And although this overwhelming work is absolute music, it is ultimately people who, accompanied by the composer, are looking for their way through the Trojan thicket - and also a tiny piece of happiness. […]
Beauty will save the world
The first of 3 Ballads, an introverted cantabile piece, Fazıl Say wrote in homage to the poet Nazim Hikmet. The second ballad kumru (Dove) is a delicately flowing Andante. The third ballad is also of incomparable tenderness and beauty – no wonder, as its title suggests Sevenlere dair in German »For the Lovers«. A mild-toned Andante is followed by a passionate, but pianissimo, Allegro. The second Andante section then sounds like a memory of the most beautiful hours, at the end of which the lovers float away into the air.
From Ariel's arms the path leads straight to the totality of being. black-earth is Fazıl Say's most famous piano piece, it is based on the song popular in Turkey Black Earth by the blind folk poet Aşik Veysel, in which the poet laments the loss of life. The three-part ballad uses microtones as well as modal turns, jazzy particles - and prepared keys that mimic the sound of the traditional saz lute. Listening to this music, one inevitably has to think of Rilke's poem The Panther think of the loneliness that is expressed in these words and that is nevertheless magical.
Jurgen Otten
About the making of this recording
A theater double evening, which took place on February 8.2.2022th, XNUMX in the Stadttheater Kempten, initiated and staged by the theater director Silvia Armbruster, tells the myth of Homer about Troy from two perspectives: the play Cassandra by Christa Wolf and the Troy Sonata Op. 78 by Fazıl Say. A connection that visibly impressed the audience deeply. The theme of the war, which seems so old and at the same time so topical, also left behind emotional moments in music. After numerous thanks from the listeners, the idea for this recording was born: Music like this that »gets under your skin« must also be put on CD. Shortly thereafter, the recording of the was made in the large hall of the theatre Troy Sonata. At a later date, the 3 Ballads and the piano piece black-earth recorded.
According to the different character of the sonata and the ballads, I chose two different grand pianos. The large format Troy Sonata demanded the abysmal, deep bass sound of the Steinway grand piano D-274, the 3 Ballads and black-earth sound more impressive on the Steinway O-180 with its lyrical sound.
Nataliya Tkachenko
Program
Fazil Say (* 1970)
Troy Sonata op.78 (2018) 41:10
[01] I. Homer, the Bard Recounts 01:47
(Homer · Troy · Homer)
[02] II. Aegean Winds 01:34
(Aegean winds Threat Anxiety Sunrays)
[03] III. Heroes of Troy 02:55
(Hector Paris The bard recounts Troy Heroes Destiny weaves)
[04] IV. Sparta 05:58
(Sparta Agamemnon Destiny weaves Menelaus Agamemnon Night Menelaus)
[05] V. Helen, Love 02:02
(Helen Menelaus with a painful plea Paris Aegean winds Anxiety)
[06] VI. Troy 05:43
(Silence of the shore The bard recounts Troy Helena Destiny weaves Paris Menelaus Under the stars, when Paris and Helen make love Helen Homer, the bard recounts)
[07] VII. Achilles 03:07
(Achilles · Achilles' anger · Achilles)
[08] VIII. The War 07:48
(Archers Hector Achilles Paris The duel of Paris and Menelaus Paris escapes Achilles' anger Hector dies Odysseus Anxiety Homer Helen Death)
[09] IX. Trojan Horse 07:20
(Trojan horse Destiny Nightfall Odysseus And the greek soldiers sneak out of the horse at night to conquer Troy Destiny Achilles is shot and dies The annihilation of Paris The dead Agamemnon Menelaus The dead Agamemnon)
[10] X. Epilogue 02:56
(Homer Helen Troy Destiny has woven Night)
3 ballads Op. 12 (1995–2005) 10:42
[11] No. 1 Nazim 03:43
[12] No. 2 Kumru 02:41
[13] No. 3 Sevenlere dair 04:18
[14] black-earth (Kara Toprak) op. 8 (1997) 06:58
Total playing time: 59:08
Nataliya Tkachenko Piano