Kozinova Hall, Slovenian Philharmony.
Dr. Žiga Stanič
Good evening, and welcome. Today, I have the honor of hosting this concert event. You can find some information about me in the concert program, but what will be far more interesting is hearing how today’s concert is structured and what it has to offer. So, welcome to Kozina Hall, formerly known simply as the “Grand Hall” of the Slovenian Philharmonic, a building rich in cultural history. Imagine the thousands of concerts performed on this stage, the multitude of musicians, soloists, and conductors who have stood here. What if we could hear all of them at once—how much noise would that be? As you can see, in these times of the pandemic, we must maintain appropriate distance, which is why the stage has been expanded—it is now twice its usual size. Imagine that decades ago, on this same stage, only half as large, over 200 musicians squeezed together to perform Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, a grand piece for orchestra, choir, and soloists. They sat side by side, packed like sardines. To make matters even more intense, television crews recorded the performance, surrounding the hall with hot spotlights, turning the room into a sweltering, humid space where condensation literally dripped from the walls.
Or picture this: decades ago, the roof leaked, and drops of water accidentally fell right onto the drumhead of the timpani, creating a loud rattling noise. The timpanist, thinking quickly, opened an umbrella. If that happened today, one might assume it was a musical performance piece, a contemporary installation. In today’s music world, everything is allowed—there are no taboos. The shortest musical composition lasts zero seconds, while the longest is an ongoing piece set to last 639 years, continuously played on an organ in a church in Germany.
As contemporary composers of serious music, we find ourselves navigating between the past, to which we do not wish to fully return, and the avant-garde, which, with its unconventional sounds, often leads to a dead end, far removed from wider audiences. Many composers struggle with the question: for whom should they compose? Should they write a symphony for ten musicologists, who will praise it and write glowing reviews? Or should they compose for a broad audience, knowing that critics might dismiss their work as shallow, uninspired, and commercial? On the initiative of the Society of Slovenian Composers (Društvo Slovenskih Skladateljev – DSS), five composers have written five completely new works for today’s concert. These compositions will have their world premieres this evening. What is DSS? It is a voluntary professional association of composers and musicologists, founded at the end of World War II, and for almost 80 years, it has been fostering the creation of new Slovenian compositions and ensuring their first performances. The society also has its own publishing house for sheet music and recordings. Today, it has around 120 members, some of whom are here with us tonight to hear their pieces performed for the first time. Returning to the stage—musical stages are like sanctuaries. You may experience today’s concert as a meditation or as a collective ritual performed by the orchestra under the guidance of the conductor. The Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, which stands before you, has been extensively documented. You can read a summary in the concert program. The painter Zmago Modic even captured the orchestra in a painting during one of their performances. Instead of repeating what is already written, let me share something that is not in the program: the musicians before you truly love playing their instruments. They have practiced persistently for at least 16 years before joining the orchestra. Being an orchestral musician is one of the longest professional journeys. Let’s do the math: six years of music school, four years at the conservatory, five years at the Academy of Music, summer music courses, postgraduate studies, and more. But if you are dedicated to this goal, you may one day find yourself on this stage—provided, of course, that you impress the audition committee, as passing an audition is a prerequisite for joining the orchestra. Out of respect for this profession, which unites all the performers tonight, let’s give a round of applause for the orchestra. But the orchestra is not the only star of tonight’s concert. Here is the conductor. Watch as he signals tempo, dynamics, articulation, and instrument entrances. This is his role during the performance. If you attended rehearsals, you would see how he conveys his interpretation of the music, rehearsing and shaping the ensemble’s performance through both gestures and words.
Tonight’s conductor is the German maestro David Niemann. The program lists an extensive array of orchestras from different countries that he has worked with. If you enjoy traveling, you might see this as one of the perks of being a conductor. A good conductor, one who is invited by numerous orchestras worldwide, spends at least 100 days a year on airplanes. The better the conductor, the more time they spend in the air. The very best conductors barely land before heading to their next destination. David Niemann is a young conductor who frequently conducts contemporary music, making him a perfect choice for tonight’s program.
Tonight’s Composers and Their Works
- Iztok Kocen – Speechless Water Iztok Kocen is a composer, pianist, and one of the most prominent young Slovenian conductors. His piece Speechless Water emerged from the turbulent times of the global health crisis and reflects the contrast between the abundance of free time and the distress caused by limited opportunities for personal expression and social engagement. Perhaps that is why the title is in English—to address a global audience. Let’s listen.
- Ivan Florjanc – Symphonic Picture Ivan Florjanc is a professor at the Academy of Music, an organist, a music theorist, and a composer. His composition is based on a ten-tone motif borrowed from the late Slovenian composer Uroš Krek. Borrowing musical motifs is common, though whether they can truly be “returned” remains debatable. The piece is structured in three sections: a prelude, a fugue, and a postlude. The work fades into silence, as all music ultimately does.
- Tadeja Vulc – The Story of… Tadeja Vulc is a versatile composer whose work spans didactic pieces for children to contemporary postmodernist compositions. Her piece The Story of… explores contrasts such as truth vs. lies, good vs. evil, and fear vs. love. Let’s hear how these opposing forces unfold in sound.
- Igor Štuhec – Suite, Movement 6 Igor Štuhec, a senior Slovenian composer, has maintained his creative energy throughout his career. His piece was inspired by whistling—a simple yet expressive musical gesture. Štuhec studied in Ljubljana and Vienna and was a pioneer of Slovenian electronic music.
- Tilen Slakan – Capriccio Tilen Slakan is a trumpeter and composer whose piece Capriccio is lively and colorful. The term “capriccio” originates from Italian and means “whimsical” or “playful.” Let’s enjoy its energy.
To conclude, I sincerely thank the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor David Niemann, and all the composers for their outstanding contributions to today’s concert. Let the music play!