On December 8 at 15:00 at Liepaja concert hall “Lielais dzintars” at the end of the season of the “Personal” concert series, outstanding German chamber music greats will perform – violinist Florian Donderer, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff and pianist Kiveli Dörken. The musicians have prepared a refreshingly elegant concert program in which Maurice Ravel’s Piano Trio, Felix Mendelssohn’s Second Piano Trio and Pēter Vaska’s “Līdzenuma Ainavas” will be played, informs Anita Lazdeniece-Grīnberga, public relations specialist of SIA “Lielais Dzintars”.
“We have been playing together for a long time in various ensembles. Tanya and I have been playing at the chamber music festival founded by the great pianist Lars Vogt for many years. So has Kiveli, who was once Lars’ protégé. She is an amazing pianist who has an abundance of energy, lightness and sparkle. Mendelszon and Ravel’s trios are written with immense elegance and virtuosity.At the same time they are not pompous.It is pure and honest, invigorating and complicated music that deeply touches the soul. Perfect for this team of musicians,” Florian Donderer describes the collaboration in this program.
Florian Donderer is a genius concertmaster of chamber orchestras, or first violin, a passionate chamber musician, a passionate leader of master classes. He was a long-time concertmaster of one of the world’s best chamber orchestras – “Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic”, actively collaborated with Pāvo Jervis and the Estonian Festival Orchestra and is well known to Latvian musicians. She often performs in a chamber ensemble with her spouse, the excellent and versatile cellist Tanja Tezlafa, and lately they have been joined by the young pianist, the rising star of chamber music, Kiveli Derkena, the perfect manager of dynamics, strokes and moods. Joint concerts were held both in London’s Wigmore Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Critics have praised the musicians’ ability to express fascinating freedom of expression, emotional depth and close interaction.
Maurice Ravel’s Laminora Trio was composed in 1914 shortly after the start of World War I and shortly before Ravel volunteered to become a war nurse’s assistant. This composition has a significant influence of the folklore of the composer’s native Basque country. In the second part of the trio, called “Pantum”, Ravel aims to embody in sound the form of pantum, or Malaysian verse, where the second and fourth lines of one four-line verse are repeated as the first and third lines in the next verse, the first and last lines of the entire poem are the same, this verse was quite popular in French and also English romantic poetry. Music full of zest for life, light and vital, and the instrumentalists play witty.
Felix Mendelssohn’s Second Piano Trio was composed in 1845, dedicated to a good friend, composer, violinist Louis Spoor, and given to his beloved sister Fanny Mendelssohn on her birthday. Music permeated with the light of classicism, here thrillingly anxious, here steamily beautiful. Mendelssohn’s peer and close friend Roberts Šumanis confidently asserts: “Mendelssohn is the Mozart of the 19th century, the most brilliant of musicians – he clearly perceives the contradictions of the era and is the first to smooth them over.”
As a surprise for the listeners, the musicians plan to play an opus of a Latvian composer. And Pēteris Vasks and his “Līdzenuma ainavas” were chosen, originally composed for mixed choir, violin and cello after Gidon Krämer’s invitation to compose a piece for the youth choir “Until…” and some combinations of instruments. Pēteris Vasks says: “I chose the ones close to me – violin and cello. Nature is always close to me with its unique beauty, plain landscapes, the hills of Piebalga, the warmth of Latgale, the directness of Kurzeme. Also with the glow of the stars. In the composition, I have tried to reveal the meditative thoughts of man in connection with nature the rhythm, its awakening in the dawning sunlight, finally the glorious sunrise climax, a new day has begun! Then everything went silent… Was it just a dream?”. The chamber version of “Plain Landscapes” was commissioned by the Eindhoven Music Center.
Characteristic of the “Personal” concert series – after the concert, visitors are invited to gather in the gallery on the 2nd floor of the concert hall, where they will have the opportunity to meet the musicians in an informal atmosphere and ask questions about their creative path, sources of inspiration and challenges.
The concert “Mendelszon and Ravel. The elegance of chamber music” is organized by SIA “Lielais Dzintars” with the support of Liepāja municipality and the State Cultural Capital Fund. Tickets are available at ticket offices of the “Biļešu paradīze” network throughout Latvia, on the website www.bilesuparadize.lv and concert halls in the information center.
Mendelssohn and Ravel: The Elegance of Chamber Music
Ah, December 8—mark your calendars, folks! If you’re in Liepaja, get ready to experience the brainiacs of chamber music at the “Lielais dzintars” concert hall, which might just give your ears a mighty fine upgrade from the usual holiday jingles! At 15:00, you’ll be treated to an ensemble of musicians so talented, even Mozart might raise an eyebrow from the grave and say, “Alright, that’s pretty nifty!”
We have the illustrious German trio hitting all the right notes: the brilliant Florian Donderer on violin, the fabulous Tanja Tetzlaff on cello, and the dynamo Kiveli Dörken on the piano. They promise a concert program that’s like your favorite dessert—refreshingly elegant, beautifully layered, and guaranteed to make your heart skip a beat.
Now, let’s not beat around the bush—Ravel and Mendelssohn are making an appearance, so pack that pretentiousness away in your tux! Donderer himself describes their collaboration as the musical equivalent of a hearty handshake: “Mendelssohn and Ravel’s trios are elegant and virtuosic, yet they maintain that sweet simplicity—pure and honest, invigorating and complicated all at once.” Who knew music could have more layers than an onion at a cooking show? But the thing is, these musicians have been blending like a fine wine, performing together for ages. They’ve shared festivals with the likes of pianist Lars Vogt—if only I could get a gig under his wing, or maybe just a wingman to help me at those awkward charity auctions.
Speaking of which, let’s dive into Voltaire’s horror: Ravel’s “Piano Trio,” birthed during the grim gloom of 1914—just as the world was kicking off one of its most chaotic tours named World War I. It’s almost poetic, really, with influences from the Basque folklore twirling through its notes. And just wait until you hear “Pantum,” where the rhythm works harder than a middle schooler cramming for finals—like Malaysian verse hustling its way into the soundscape. Oh, the irony! Can you imagine soldiers tryna jam to this while dodging artillery fire? But I digress. The piece captures every bit of zest and life, with the musicians weaving in and out of wit and wisdom with every stroke of their instruments.
Now don’t even get me started on Mendelssohn’s Second Piano Trio, composed in 1845—it’s dedicated to a friend and gifted to his dear sister on her birthday—but part of me wonders, did she even like the piano? Or was she expecting a nice set of silverware? Regardless, Mendelssohn’s masterwork is a thrilling concoction of classical light and emotional depth. It exclaims, “I AM the Mozart of the 19th century!”—which is a bit flashy, don’t you think? But if you’re going to butter up the critics, you might as well go full throttle.
But brace yourself, concert-goers, there’s a sweet surprise lurking in the program: Pēteris Vasks‘s “Līdzenuma Ainavas”—an opus so beautifully crafted it was originally composed for a mixed choir, violin, and cello. And let me tell you, Vasks himself has described his creative process like trying to capture nature’s beauty in sound. Sounds easy? Not quite, but thankfully he’s done all the heavy lifting. Expect everything from meditative thoughts on sunrises to maybe a bit of cosmic wondering—because who hasn’t looked at the stars and thought, “Was it all just a dream?”
And here’s where it gets interesting: after the concert, you get to mingle with these musical marvels on the second floor gallery! Ask them anything—be it the secret behind their grace on stage or why Kiveli’s hair is always so perfect (seriously, it’s like it defies the laws of physics). It’s a “meet and greet” where you can peel back the curtain on the glamorous life of chamber musicians without any of the awkward small talk—just pure creative inspiration.
The concert is brought to you by the wonderful minds at SIA “Lielais Dzintars” with support from Liepaja municipality and the State Cultural Capital Fund. Tickets can be procured using the standard methods—head to the “Biļešu paradīze” network, scour the depths of the internet, or simply crash any concert hall like a true adventurer. You can find them here—don’t just take my word for it!
So there you have it, music aficionados!
Grab your friends, your family, or that weird coworker you’re still trying to relate to, and dive into the elegance of chamber music on December 8. It’s a night you won’t forget—unless you have memory foam like mine! Cheers!
On December 8 at 15:00, the prestigious Liepaja concert hall “Lielais dzintars” will host a remarkable performance by eminent German chamber musicians—renowned violinist Florian Donderer, highly regarded cellist Tanja Tetzlaff, and the dynamic pianist Kiveli Dörken. As the grand finale to the “Personal” concert series, the ensemble has crafted a delightful concert program that features Maurice Ravel’s intricate Piano Trio, Felix Mendelssohn’s lyrical Second Piano Trio, and the evocative “Līdzenuma Ainavas” by Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks, as confirmed by Anita Lazdeniece-Grīnberga, the public relations specialist for SIA “Lielais Dzintars”.
“We have been playing together for a long time in various ensembles. Tanya and I have been playing at the chamber music festival founded by the great pianist Lars Vogt for many years. So has Kiveli, who was once Lars’ protégé. She is an amazing pianist who has an abundance of energy, lightness, and sparkle,” Florian Donderer shared about the collaboration for this concert. He elaborated, “Mendelssohn and Ravel’s trios are infused with immense elegance and virtuosity. At the same time, they are not pompous. It is pure and honest, invigorating and complicated music that deeply touches the soul. Perfect for this team of musicians.”
Florian Donderer, celebrated as a distinguished concertmaster and passionate chamber musician, boasts a rich history with elite ensembles. He held the position of concertmaster at the Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic, one of the most acclaimed chamber orchestras in the world. His collaborations extend to working with acclaimed conductor Pāvo Jervis and the Estonian Festival Orchestra, establishing him as a notable figure among Latvian musicians. Often performing alongside his talented wife, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff, and their newest collaborator, the emerging talent Kiveli Dörken, they have graced prestigious venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Critics have lauded their ability to convey profound emotional depth and a remarkable sense of interaction on stage.
Maurice Ravel’s Piano Trio, composed in 1914 amidst the turbulence of World War I, showcases influences from the folk traditions of Ravel’s Basque homeland. The second movement, titled “Pantum,” embodies a unique poetic form where specific verses are crafted to echo throughout, embodying a playful yet profound musical dialogue.
Felix Mendelssohn’s Second Piano Trio, completed in 1845 and dedicated to his close friend violinist Louis Spoor, is a radiant work that captures the essence of classicism tempered with romantic fervor. The composition is marked by a thrilling urgency and striking beauty, reaffirming Mendelssohn’s status as the quintessential musician of the 19th century, adept at navigating the complexities of his time.
A particularly exciting element of the concert is the inclusion of Pēteris Vasks’ poignant work “Līdzenuma ainavas.” Originally penned for choir and instrumental ensembles, this piece reflectively explores the serene beauty of nature, resonating deeply with the composer’s own ties to his homeland. Vasks notes, “Nature has always been close to me with its unique beauty, plain landscapes, and the glow of the stars.” The evocative themes are further enhanced in the chamber version, commissioned by the Eindhoven Music Center, where the musicians aim to immerse the audience in a meditative experience through sound.
Characteristic of the “Personal” concert series, after the performance, attendees will be invited to a gathering in the gallery on the 2nd floor of the concert hall. This informal setting will provide a unique opportunity for audience members to engage with the musicians, exploring their creative journeys, inspirations, and the challenges they encounter in their artistic endeavors.
The concert titled “Mendelszoln and Ravel. The elegance of chamber music” is organized by SIA “Lielais Dzintars” with the generous support of Liepāja municipality and the State Cultural Capital Fund. Tickets can be purchased at ticket offices within the “Biļešu paradīze” network across Latvia, via the official website www.bilesuparadize.lv, and at the information center of the concert hall.
– How does Pēteris Vasks’s ”Līdzenuma Ainavas” contrast with Mendelssohn’s lyrical style in terms of musical inspiration and emotional expression?
Mendelssohn’s lyrical genius. Its blend of classical clarity and emotional warmth makes it a masterpiece that resonates deeply with audiences. The piece is characterized by its spirited themes and intricate interplay between the piano, violin, and cello. Mendelssohn captures a range of human emotions—from joy to melancholy—making it a favorite among chamber musicians and listeners alike.
Pēteris Vasks, the contemporary Latvian composer featured in the program with his piece ”Līdzenuma Ainavas,” offers a refreshing contrast. Originally composed for a mixed choir, violin, and cello, this work reflects Vasks’s unique ability to draw inspiration from nature, evoking the serene beauty of the Latvian landscape. It invites listeners into a meditative space, where the nuanced sounds transport them to a realm of tranquility and introspection.
This concert is a final flourish for the “Personal” concert series at “Lielais dzintars,” bringing together an exceptional lineup of musicians whose long-standing collaboration and shared passion for chamber music promise an exquisite experience. Whether you are a long-time fan of classical music or a curious newcomer, attending this performance will undoubtedly be a delightful journey into the world of elegant melodies and intricate harmonies.
So don’t miss this opportunity to witness an afternoon filled with the richness of chamber music, where the elegance of Mendelssohn and Ravel meets the evocative sounds of Vasks. Grab your tickets, bring your friends, and immerse yourself in an unforgettable cultural event!
