Myroslav Skoryk concertos continue to entertain
The final volume of Andrej Bielow’s traversal of Myroslav Skoryk violin concertos doesn’t disappoint. Ukrainian composer Myroslav wrote nine concerti, each with a different character, and yet all with a consistently high level of quality.
This volume covers his last five concertos, written between 2004 and 2014. When I play the 5th and the 9th concertos back-to-back, I can hear the development in Skoryk’s style. Concerto No. 5 has a strong folk element in it. The rhythmic shifts remind me strongly of Bohuslav Martinu.
In his most recent concerto, folk elements seem more fully integrated into the music. The harmonies, though tonal, are quite complex. The ensemble has an overall thicker sound, and the violin part seems both more lyrical and more technically challenging than the fifth.
That’s not to say the other concertos are transitional. Each has its own distinct character. The sixth and ninth concertos were composed for the same soloist. Each of the others was written for a different violinist. I suspect that their input helped shape the music, giving these works part of their distinctiveness.
The Sixth Concerto breaks out into a folk dance, complete with village fiddle, tambourine, and drum. The Seventh has some of Skoryk’s most dissonant writing (contrasted with some of his most lyrical).
The Eighth Concerto, subtitled “Allusion to Chopin” was composed fro the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. Skoryk quotes from Chopin’s works in interesting ways. Solo piano music is transformed into music for solo violin and orchestra — and the transformations aren’t always straightforward.
Andrej Bielow once again delivers some terrific performances. He seems quite at home with Skoryk’s classical/jazz/folk/gypsy blended style. And he’s adept at bringing to the fore the appropriate style for each phrase.
I was not familiar with Skoryk’s work before this series started. I’m very glad I gave these discs a listen. I hope Naxos records more music by this imaginative composer.
Myroslav Skoryk: Violin Concertos, Vol. 2
Andrej Bielow, violin
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Volodymyr Sirenko, conductor
Naxos
