26/02/20

New Venture by Feltz and the Belgrade Philharmonic

The Belgrade Philharmonic and Chief Conductor Gabriel Feltz are embarking on a new venture at Kolarac Hall on Friday, 28 February, at 8:00 p.m. After the Belgrade Philharmonic’s string quartet performs the String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135, Beethoven’s last major work, the orchestra will be joined by world-famous opera stars in performing the third act of Richard Wagner’s Siegfried.

Once more our audience is in for a genre spree because the concert evening begins in an entirely chamber atmosphere, with only four musicians on stage. The Belgrade Philharmonic’s string quartet: Jelena Dragnić, Vladan Lončar, Boris Brezovac and Aleksandar Latković, will perform Beethoven’s masterpiece, String Quartet No. 16, Op. 135, one of the most iconic chamber music creations of all time.

“The connection between Beethoven and Wagner is one of the most important in the history of music, especially if we know that it is not possible to understand Wagner unless we understand Beethoven. What Wagner learned while studying the score of this quartet had a major influence on his further creative work. We will take you a journey beginning with only four musicians on stage and going to over a hundred performing Siegfried, and both works are connected by the same philosophical thought,” Gabriel Feltz said.

Our chief conductor is fulfilling our promise made regarding operas presented in concert version. Especially for this occasion we are pleased to be hosting world-famous opera stars, soprano Elisabeth Teige, mezzo soprano Karin Lovelius (standing in for Simone Schröder, who is unable to perform due to illness), tenor Paul McNamara, and baritone Teruhiko Komori.

Wagner is rarely performed locally and this is an exclusive opportunity for the audience to enjoy the story of the young hero Siegfried in an epic that forms part of the famous Ring of the Nibelung cycle. The huge orchestra size typical of Wagner involves the addition of nine horns, a Wagner tuba, a bass-trumpet, a bass-trombone, and three harps, with musicians from the region joining us in this endeavor.

Viaggio in Italia, by composer Giovanni Sollima,  performed by Jelena Dragnić, Vladan Lončar, Boris Brezovac and Aleksandar Latković, with their guests Maja Bogdanović, cello and Vladimir Aleksić, actor.

Actor Vladimir Aleksić took us back through his performance to the Renaissance period, playing the roles of Giordano Bruno, the famous Michelangelo and one of the main representatives of baroque, architect Giovanni Borromini.

Maja Bogdanović, cello soloist conjured up the spirit and ambience of Italy by playing the movements from Sollima’s piece, accompanied by the quartet.

Viaggio in Italia by Sicilian Giovanni Sollima is a unique collage of personalities, landscape, folkore and artistic trends in Italy through centuries, which are of special importance for this composer.

Photo: Festival Ljubljana/ Mediaspeed

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet at Ljubljana Festival

At the opening of the chamber music cycle of the 65th Ljubljana Festival, the Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet gave a concert on July 27, at Križevniška Church, Križanke, which was filled to the last seat.

Featuring the Spanish flautist Claudi Arimany, the musicians opened the concert by playing two Quintets for flute and string quartet by Luigi Boccherini, rounding up the first part of the concert with the same composer’s Rondo for flute and string quartet. The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet presented Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 95 “Serioso“ in the second part of their concert.

According to the review written by the music critic Marijan Zlobec, the Quartet has proved to possess “the highest qualities in all respects, expressing perfection and ease in their interpretation of Boccherini, and matureness, softness, with rounded-up phrases and dynamic flexibility in their performance of Beethoven“.
Festival Ljubljana is well-known for gathering top stars in the field of classical music. In that spirit, performances will include artists such as Gian Maria Bonino, Martha Argerich, Elīna Garanč, and Valery Gergiev, who closes this year’s festival.

The musicians of the Belgrade Philharmonic orchestra: Jelena Dragnić, Vladan Lončar, Boris Brezovac and Aleksandar Latković founded their String Quartet as members of this orchestra, in 2011. godine. With their performance at the prestigious Festival Ljubljana, the Quartet closed their 2016/17 season, during which they have given concerts at the Salzburg Herbert Hall, Days of Mokranjac at Negotin, Sarajevo Evenings of Music, and in Vojvodina as part of the tour Philharmonic Plays North.

http://www.b92.net/kultura/vesti.php?nav_category=271&yyyy=2017&mm=07&dd=31&nav_id=1288201

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet and clarinettist Darko Brlek will perform at the Sarajevo Evenings of Music on Saturday, May 13. Works by Dejan Despić, and Viennese classicists Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are on the programme of the second Festival day taking place at Sarajevo City Hall. Slovenian clarinettist and director of the renowned Ljubljana Festival, Darko Brlek will join the Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet on their special musical journey.

http://www.maf.ba/Gudacki%20q.html

The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet kick off their mini tour titled ‘Philharmonic plays North’, from April 10 to 13.

“The musicians begin their tour in Zrenjanin’s Baroque Concert Hall, at the Town Hall, on April 10 (7.30 p.m.), and on the following day the audience of Kikinda will have an opportunity to hear them at the National Museum (7 p.m.). The following concert is scheduled for April 12, for the audience of Subotica, to take place in the Grand Concert Hall of the Town Hall (7.30 p.m.), whereas the mini tour will close with the visit to the Home for disabled children, ‘Cradle’ (‘Kolevka’) in Subotica “, as announced by the Belgrade Philharmonic for press release.
Together with clarinetist Veljko Klenkovski, the String Quartet will give performances in these three cities, featuring the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
The musicians of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Jelena Dragnić (first violin), Vladan Lončar (second violin), Boris Brezovac (viola) and Aleksandar Latković (cello), founded the String Quartet within this orchestra in 2011.
– We are striving to make every city feel “the most important of all” , at least while we are in it, because of the art and the music we are playing, hoping that all our cities will be equally important if permeated with culture. It is our mission to keep reminding people of that through our concerts – said Jelena Dragnić on behalf of the Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet.

http://www.blic.rs/kultura/vesti/gudacki-kvartet-krece-na-turneju-filharmonija-na-severu/41m6c36

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet

On Monday, 12th September, starting at 9 p.m., the Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet performs string quartets by Petar Konjovic and Dmitri Shostakovich at the Cultural Centre Concert Hall in Negotin.

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet – Masterclass Salzburg

It has been a week of inspiration and knowledge, thanks to the fantastic professor and person Wolfgang Redik!

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet – Summer chamber music camp

Summer chamber music camp is underway at Ivanova Korita. It is a pleasure to be the mentor to young, talented musicians!

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet

Cetinje, a city of special energy and people.
We thank our friend Jorg Winkler, who helped us make such a great performance.

BPO Quartet – Abu Dhabi / Liwa Oasis

After a successful winter workshop for the string quartet held in Podgorica in January and concert performed at the Modern Gallery in Podgorica, the Quartet will perform in August at Espressivo Festival Cetinje at the Concert Hall of the Ministry of Culture. The special guest at this concert will be Jorg Winkler, violist, who will play with the String Quartet in Mozart’s quintet for two violas

Aleksandar Latković, Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet’s cellist after the international presentation of this ensemble’s first CD edition

Whatever prejudices we might have, the audience in China is not the same as it used to be two decades ago. In those times, people could be seen nibbling seeds at concerts. However, it is different now, impressive concert halls are being built; here, too, everyone soon becomes familiar with Mozart.

We are in the open, under the stars, all is still; around us are orange dunes. The ambience is at the same time quite peaceful and spectacular. For the first time, while playing we felt that we were out of any time, season, law …

– said Aleksandar Latković, Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet’s cellist, trying to put together his impressions, after the international presentation of this ensemble’s first CD edition in the desert of Abu Dhabi.
Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet certainly seems to be becoming an international musical attraction. Not long after their first CD appeared with recordings of Beethoven’s and Brahms’s works, these four excellent artists – Jelena Dragnić, first violin, Vladan Lončar, second violin, Boris Brezovac, viola, and Aleksandar Latković, cello – first performed at the prestigious Abu Dhabi Classics Festival, and right at the beginning of 2016, in the Chinese city of Tianjin too, where they had no less than two musical roles. We are now talking with Aleksandar Latković – the Quartet’s cellist and Belgrade Philharmonic’s first cellist, about all this and about many other current topics concerning this ambitious chamber ensemble

What preceded the CD recording in terms of your quartet’s work, and what ideas came up after its appearance?

– – Our Quartet’s first CD was a followed-up of an ending to the Chamber music concerts at the Philharmonic in the concert season 2013/14, which we named “Quartet + 1. We thought out a concept, assuming performing with different visiting artists. After a series of concerts, we wished to make a recording of some of their parts. Following the recording, our disc appeared on the shelves of Dallas Records, in June 2015. We wanted to promote this CD in the best way, and that is what we have been doing, especially at festivals in foreign countries. We are not short of ideas, and while talking about our first CD, we are by far making plans for the next one.

Can you tell us something more about the main features of the Abu Dhabi Classics Festival, the repertoire, selected artists and, of course, the effect of the exotic ambience on the interpretation alone?

– – Imagine this. You land on one of the most modern airports on the planet and right afterwards you catch sight of yourself on a huge video screen advertising your next concert. All is clear – everything here will be on the dot and very professional. The people surrounding you – as if in a dream. You feel as if you were in some story, for the personalities appearing beside you bear the names of the celebrities with whose records you grew up: Argerich, Savall, Kremer. However, that was not all. Our successful and sold out first concert, performed at the Manarat Al Saadiyat compound, several interviews promoting our CD … but none of that had prepared us for what was yet to follow. The second concert, in the desert. Well, that was something! We are in the open, under the stars, all is still; around us are orange dunes. The ambience is at the same time quite peaceful and spectacular. For the first time, while playing we felt that we were out of any time, season, law …
and we heard later on that we were the first to give a concert in the desert. A real concert, in a real desert. And it was sold out, too.

Another unusual and extremely attractive destination was on your agenda already at the beginning of this year – your performance with the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra directed by the former chief conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic, maestro Muhai Tang, as well as your Quartet’s solo performance in this Chinese city. What is it like to be in a multi-million metropolis, before a completely unknown audience?

– – The Quartet’s first concert in China was included in the Tianjin Concert Hall Chamber Music Cycle. In contrast to the international audience in Abu Dhabi, the Chinese audience was waiting for us here. Whatever prejudices we might have, the audience in China is not the same as it used to be two decades ago. In those times, people could be seen nibbling seeds at concerts. However, it is different now, impressive concert halls are being built; here, too, everyone soon becomes familiar with Mozart. We were pleased to see that the audience listened with attention to the Homage to Stevan Mokranjac by Dejan Despić, which is full of quotations from the Garlands and Liturgy by Mokranjac. We succeeded in conveying to them the genuine sound of Serbian music. We also played with the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra. There was a special announcement for the four of us as the visiting quartet. Four leading sections of Haydn’s Symphony ‘Fire’ were intended for us, and thus the concert began with a lot of fire and smoke, all the musicians standing and playing without the conductor. This beginning was enough to make the four of us the main attraction on the stage to the end of the concert. A long applause, so many raised phones and cameras. When all was over, there remained a strong mutual impression, and an awareness of great respect coming from the musicians, who had on this occasion, given us their positions to replace.

How much does performing and listening to music differ among continents and regions, and in what way is the sensation of the artists, composers and audience identical?

– Music as the most abstract form of art allows absolute freedom of sensation. The listener, wherever he/she is, experiences music in a singular way. It is impossible to fit that sensation into any kind of national, tribal or geographic stereotype. That is why music remains timeless and outside of any space. What about the artist? The artist’s need to express himself, his dedication, his aspirations, his hardships and sacrifices are the same everywhere.

What is Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet working on these days?

– In addition to the new repertoire for next spring and autumn, during this winter Jelena, Vladan, Boris and myself, were mentors to young quartets. The first Winter Workshop for string quartets in Podgorica is just over. There was a good response, eight young quartets applied for work with us. It was a very intensive working week. The organization was excellent, classes, rehearsals, media attention and extremely good results at the final concert.

Fostering and refreshing our mutual sound

– After the first success and the first disc, it seems as if we were at a new beginning. We remain resolved to explore within the limits of original literature written for the quartet, covering all epochs. Which is such a repository! Finding a balance between four different temperaments and different heartbeats is already a great adventure. In that attempt, adventure and experiment called the quartet, our expression will mature, change and evolve in time. It is our duty to foster, refresh, nourish and nurture our mutual sound.

– concludes Aleksandar Latković.

Written by: Zorica Kojić

Tonight starting at 8 p.m., listen to Studio B!

The marvellous Milica Lapčević talked to Jelena and Vladan about the Quartet, music, art …stay tuned.

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet

Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet will give a concert on Tuesday, 24th May, beginning at 7 p.m. under the title “Excellent five!” on the occasion of celebrating five years of performing together. In the pleasant ambience of the Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall, where their chamber mission actually began, they will perform Mozart, Mendelssohn and Ravel quartets.
The Belgrade Philharmonic musicians, Jelena Dragnić, Vladan Lončar, Boris Brezovac and Aleksandar Latković founded their String Quartet within this Orchestra in 2011. In addition to gaining recognition during these five years of work in their own country, they also gave successful and well-reviewed international performances, among which was their performance in Izmir, Turkey, their performances on stages of the United Arab Emirates, their visit to China, where they played at Tianjin Concert Hall, and also their performance at the Serbian Cultural Centre in Paris.
Tireless in exploring the literature written for the string quartet, the musicians have fostered this genre with genuine dedication:

“When beginning our work in the Quartet, our initial motive was pure and simple, which can also be said about art and music. It is still so, and I believe that this will not change. That is why time is not the factor by which we measure anything, although we like to say that after five years we are at the end of our beginning”,

Says Jelena Dragnić, the Quartet’s first violin, and adds:

“The period behind us was marked by wonderful trips, tours and successful concerts, however, for a musician nothing can be compared with what we feel when playing at home!”

For their audience, the musicians prepared Mozart String Quartet K. 421 in D minor, Mendelssohn String Quartet Op. 44 No. 2 in E minor, as well as Ravel String Quartet in F major. Other than celebrating five years of their work, this concert also announces Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet’s upcoming performance at Herbert Hall Salzburg, on 30th May. Tickets for the concert are available at the Belgrade Philharmonic box office and online.

The Belgrade Philharmonic visiting Izmir, where their musicians gave a successful concert

The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet’s MUSIC-MAKING reached the Turkish City of Izmir, where the musicians gave a successful concert. Owing to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, the ensemble gave a performance at the Cultural Foundation Concert Hall on 11thApril, and the next day they made a visit to the Conservatorium of music in Izmir.

For the Turkish audience the musicians performed the “Homage to Stevan Mokranjac”, by Dejan Despic, String Quartet K 421, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and String Quartet in F major, by Maurice Ravel. The Quartet members are violinists Jelena Dragnic and Vladan Loncar, cellist Aleksandar Latkovic and violist Boris Brezovac.

Latkovic highlighted his impression after the Quartet had interpreted Despic’s composition:

– A deafening silence after our performance of Despic’s work told us that the audience had experienced the “Homage to Stevan Mokranjac” profoundly and authentically, after which there followed an applause.

Among their most recent successful performances, the String Quartet like to highlight their concerts in the United Arab Emirates, on the stage of Manarat Al Saadiyat, where they performed at the Abu Dhabi Classics Festival; their opening of concert season “Chamber Music in the Desert” at the Liwa Desert at Qasr Al Sarab; their first visit to China, where they performed at the Tianjin Concert Hall; and also their concert at the Serbian Cultural Centre in Paris. In collaboration with clarinetist Ognjen Popovic, they made a recording of their first CD, with the works of Beethoven and Brahms, published by the Belgrade Philharmonic.

Izvor: Večernje novosti

Welcome to the world of the Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet! After working together for five years, this excellent ensemble will give in the upcoming two months several important concerts, which they will wrap up by their performance at the Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall, scheduled for 24thMay, to celebrate their fifth anniversary. The first is their concert to open SOMUS Festival, at the National Theatre in Sombor, on 3rdApril, starting at 8 p.m., followed by their concerts in Turkey on 11th and 12th April and in Banja Luka on 22nd April.
In between their tiring rehearsals and preparations for demanding programmes, we briefly peeped into the world of the String Quartet, asking them four questions. This is what we found out:

1. This has been a year of travelling for the Quartet. How does such a dynamic schedule affect the development of your foursome?

We have been developing in all directions, on all four sides of the world, on five continents and in six languages, in three clefs … mostly openly, but occasionally secretly…
2. Compare the musical sensation in an intimate ambience of a chamber ensemble, with another discipline – playing with a larger group of musicians, with colleagues from the orchestra?

It is out of the question! We do not talk about intimate events, let alone compare them! However, as you ask, it is incomparable to anything else.

3. “The most perfect expression of human behaviour is a string quartet”, said Jeffrey Tate. To what extent are you rich owing to this experience?

We are Enriched, although still not rich enough, there is never enough of God.

4. The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet was formed half a decade ago. How will you celebrate this jubilee?
We will give a good whole-night’s concert at the Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall on 24th May, surrounded by our good audience, friends, good wine, and then good food and good tambura music and, and, and … in all good ways on that May day … until the late night ours!

The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet has put another destination on the map of their international guest performances, the city of Izmir in Turkey and port on the Aegean Sea. Their two concerts are scheduled for 11th and 12th April, 2016.
The audience will have the opportunity to hear this ensemble at the Cultural Foundation Concert Hall on 11thApril, and the next day at the Conservatorium of music in Izmir, as announced by Wind Communication.
The Quartet will perform the “Homage to Stevan Mokranjac”, by Dejan Despić, String Quartet K 421, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and String Quartet in F major, by Maurice Ravel.
The musicians of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Jelena Dragnić (violin), Vladan Lončar (violin), Aleksandar Latković (cello) and Boris Brezovac (viola) founded the String Quartet within this orchestra in 2011.
Among their most recent successful performances, the String Quartet like to highlight their concerts in the United Arab Emirates, on the stage of Manarat Al Saadiyat, where they performed at the Abu Dhabi Classics Festival; their opening of concert season “Chamber Music in the Desert” at the Liwa Desert at Qasr Al Sarab; their first visit to China, where they performed at the Tianjin Concert Hall; and also their concert at the Serbian Cultural Centre in Paris.

The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet open the Music Festival of Sombor at the National Theatre tonight, with Mozart’s and Shostakovich’s pieces, as well as Weber’s clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op.83, which they will perform together with clarinetist Ognjen Popović. The Quartet, comprising the musicians Jelena Dragnić (first violin), Vladan Lončar (second violin), Aleksandar Latković (cello) and Boris Brezovac (viola) have been performing together since 2011. Among their most recent successful performances, the String Quartet like to highlight their concerts in the United Arab Emirates, on the stage of Manarat Al Saadiyat, where they performed at the Abu Dhabi Classics Festival; their opening of concert season “Chamber Music in the Desert” at the Liwa Desert at Qasr Al Sarab; their first visit to China, where they performed at the Tianjin Concert Hall; and also their concert at the Serbian Cultural Centre in Paris. Their next two upcoming concerts, which will take place in the Turkish city of Izmir are scheduled for mid-April, 2016. They recorded together with clarinetist Ognjen Popović their first compact disc containing pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms.

Just before their performance in Sombor, we asked Jelena Dragnić, BPO String Quartet’s first violin, which were the basic postulates for defining the ensembles’s repertoire: personal affinities, an urge to research, a desire for something different…? On the other hand, how much do organizers of concerts affect the content of the programme?

– Some of all those elements apply, but the basic thing is to stand by what has always been and will always be the essence of the String Quartet, and that is the classical repertoire in every sense of the word, and moreover, without any compromise! The organizers, however, have full professional confidence that we will select an adequate programme according to the occasion.

* Do you have a different approach when preparing a contemporary piece on the repertoire, compared to Mozart or Beethoven? Do you feel an additional pressure, for instance, knowing that the piece you are preparing has already had thousands of performances, and that it can be found on many recordings?

– Through all the scores we perform, we seek our own unique expression, which is now already recognizable, as our audience tells us. Moreover, the fact that some piece has had many performances or recordings presents a challenge and an additional inspiration, which binds us together in our desire and idea to be on our own and to express ourselves through the music we play.

* Are your commitments in the BPO a limiting factor for your chamber ensemble’s activities, and if so, to what extent? 

– They are limiting only in physical terms. Sometimes we do not have enough time for all that we would like to achieve within a day. All other impacts, or, better said, impressions acquired in constant contact with top-class artists, are like an additional ear of an old friend attentively listening aside to everything we are playing.

* Is there any space for improvisation, playfulness within the score in the present orchestras? How much freedom in that respect do you allow yourselves as the BPO String Quartet?

– One should not play with serious matters! Joking aside, we always try to get to the secrets of the original, and when we discern all the hidden abundancy, we do not wish to abandon that space. All the freedom and boundless space for playfulness lie there! Compared to that, every improvisation seems to disturb that play.

* If the reality is such, knowing that less and less resources are invested in culture, does a young artist from these parts have any other prospects than to pack his/her bag, sooner or later, and go abroad?

– Of course he/she does! I am currently reading some books in parallel, letters by Beethoven, letters by Mozart and letters by Van Gogh and I can see that the reality and times were never good for culture anywhere. However, it seems to me that people were of quite another make. Stronger, of higher quality, more enduring, more persistent. That the hand measuring time was not in the middle of the “nose” of the aforementioned. Unfortunately, it seems that such generations are no longer “produced”. We have become weak, encumbered by instant solutions and pleasures, and that is not at all the path of an artist. To get out of someone’s way is noble, but to shunt aside from one’s own path, due to the feeling of helplessness of the present time in reality, is not at all good, but, speaking about genuine art, it is not even possible.   Especially if we are speaking in the context of time as eternity, not about time as – immediately and now. We, who have once packed our bags in the past and spent some time abroad acquiring education and working, have the feeling of greatest happiness when we set off into our world, the world of art, the world of music by crossing the borders of scores.  Behind such borders, love and freedom are the principle rule, and I am searching for such reality. A human being needs to search, love and be free! That is the real perspective and reality without any bar code.

-Miroslav Stajić

Source: Дневник