Dear Friends,
Perhaps, each of us, sooner or later in life, faces the fact that a ‘love triangle’ transcends a philosophical abstraction and becomes part of our real experience. For me, this theme is not just a theoretical concept but, fortunately or unfortunately, a part of my past.
A love triangle is not just a social conflict or a plot for a soap opera. Exploring love triangles through the prism of the lives and creativity of such genius figures as Wagner, Mahler, Wolf, and Schiele, we can try to unravel the mystery of true love, honor, and dignity.
Wagner found himself involved in a love triangle more than once. Initially, his feelings for Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his benefactor, remained platonic (at least, that is the belief), but then his relationship with Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Franz Liszt and the wife of his friend Hans von Bülow, developed into a true passion and led to marriage. These relationships caused scandals, but for Wagner, they were an expression of true love and striving for harmony - both in music and in life.
Gustav Mahler, in turn, who fully dedicated himself to music, essentially relegated his wife Alma to the background, limiting her creative ambitions. Alma, whose desire to express herself through music was suppressed, found consolation and self-realization in the arms of other men. Was this to be seen as her sacrifice in the name of art or an injustice that spawned even more passions?
Hugo Wolf, having fallen in love with the wife of his benefactor, found himself in a complex emotional trap where his feelings collided with duty and gratitude. This secret affair, invisible on the surface but reflected in his music, raises questions about where the line between personal happiness and loyalty lies.
Even more scandalous love triangle formed in the milieu of Viennese Modernism between Gustav Klimt (who also had a brief affair with Alma Mahler), his student Egon Schiele, and their common muse Wally Neuzil. The relationship between the teacher and the student, both of whom shared a passion for exploring human emotions (both were accused of promoting pornography!) and relationships through art, adds an extra layer of complexity to their creative and personal lives. Egon Schiele, in particular, left us portraits filled with emotion and tragedy, reflecting his deep contemplation of the dark side of love - both as erotically destructive and as a purifying and elevating force.
These stories show how love triangles can be not only a source of personal drama but also a path to self-discovery, to understanding the eternal values of love, honor, and dignity. On this path to self-discovery, I will be aided by the delightful German-Austrian singer Ute Gfrerer, the magnificent artist and filmmaker Ilya Kalnitsky, and excerpts from the film by the outstanding Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni.
Musically yours,
Leon Livshin
The definition of a term 'dandy' generally implies an elegantly dressed socialite, emphatically focused on his appearance, behavior, and sophistication of speech. Some dictionaries simply state that dandy is a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance.I think that trying to define dandyism is as difficult as trying to define charm. One cannot become charming - you are either charming or not. Nevertheless, let’s try to look and understand the dandy phenomenon.
During our concert let’s try to delve into the minds of our Dandy-composers and Dandy-performers. And how about we try to get in touch with and discover a little bit of dandy in each of us? The more I read about this subject, the more I find it fascinatingly complex and thought-provoking. First of all, I think the definitions above are somewhat misleading because they focus only on the appearance of a dandy. An elegant man in an impeccable suit, a bow tie, an expensive smoking pipe, nonchalant yet minimal (lazy and precise) movements, a contemptuous smile, etc. Is that really all?
The very first dandies made it clear that it was not only about fashion and style, but about a state of mind, about a person and his soul, about a search for something inexplicable. As a dandy himself would put it, if one needs to be explained what dandyism is, then there is no need to try and explain!In my view dandyism is a philosophy, a specific outlook onto the world, a particular kind of artistic expression.
Above all, it implies an impeccable taste, something you have to be born with… In the context of our concert, I would like us to consider two manifestations of Dandyism: inner (real, essential), and imitative - external. During the evening we will try to touch on both, but I am especially interested in understanding inner dandyism in order to understand such great dandy composers as Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and, of course, our main hero, and perhaps the most guarded and mysterious of them all, Ravel.
What led all of them to dandyism? Perhaps their detachment or maybe inner vulnerability? For example, could Beethoven or Shostakovich ever care so much about their looks?So what makes one a dandy? The Dandies rejected the understanding that dandyism is a panache, simply “an art of tying a tie” (although, apparently, it was truly an art).
As far as I understand, the following are the basic principles of the behavior of a Dandy: 1) Attire should always be elegant but... at the same time appear (surprise surprise!) unnoticeable, and not draw attention to itself; 2) actions should be... unpredictable and/or unexpected, "so that the mind, accustomed to the game of rules, could not logically predict them"; 3) one should strive to surprise and shock rather than to please, impress or to be liked; and last, and most importantly: 4) the real authentic Dandy has no rules (see above)! Independence is above all else! Confusing? Contradictory? Yes, indeed! If there were clear rules of conduct or instructions then everyone could become a dandy, right? Yet, there were only a few of them...
And if fashion is not the defining characteristic of Dandyism, then what is? "Creating myself is my whim!" said Brummell, “the prime minister of elegance” of 19th century England and the first “official” dandy in history.
On the evening of April 4th I invite you all to create or recreate yourselves! Rules or no rules at all! We welcome all forms of shock or surprise, whether by means of your attire, hairstyle or misbehavior.
Musically yours,
Leon Livshin
Dear Friends,
Let me begin by saying that the amazing fashion show by our amateur dandies and quaintrelles (a female-dandy) at the last concert was truly inspiring. It was a real pleasure to see such avid participation from the salon’s audience. It proves that our concept and ideas truly resonate with you - during both our concerts and our somewhat "heated" discussions.
So, let’s continue to engage, contribute and provoke! As Oscar Wilde said: “Give a man a mask and he’ll tell you the truth.” So, please bring your mask (or your inner mask?), your attire (costume), and your spirit, but if any of you choose to participate by not participating (in a true dandy’s tradition) - you are welcome to do so as well!
On May 14th, yet again, we combineD a story, music, and movies in an effort to unfold the enigmatic life of Maurice Ravel. Once again, I was privileged to work with fantastic musicians: a brilliant Dmitry Berlinsky (violin), poetic and virtuosic Sergey Antonov (cello), a renaissance film-performer Inessa Gordeiko, and, last but not least, our charming aspiring architect/actor and a dandy-in-the-making, Daniel Berlinsky.
We played the ecstatic and powerful Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, and also a composer’s jewel Pavane Pour une Infante Défunte.
This concert was an effort to intimately explore Ravel - the man and his music. A deeply moving novella about Ravel by a wonderful novelist Jean Echenoz helped us hear Ravel’s music in a new light. The novella opens in 1928 as Maurice Ravel - a dandy, an eccentric, and a curmudgeon - crosses the Atlantic to begin his triumphant grand tour of the United States.
”To live is the rarest thing in the word. Most people just exist” (Oscar Wilde)
So let’s live!!! Here was your playful chance to expose (or perhaps even seduce?) Ravel - by either reserve or provocation; picked your strategy, found an appropriate attire, weared it well and … tried to UN-RAVEL!
Musically yours,
Leon Livshin
During this performance we try to figure out the phenomena of popularity. We are not going to limit ourselves to our times only. Quite the opposite! What if we, like Odyssey, went on voyages to various times and to the hearts of various civilizations?
We begin with Ancient Greece... We create a time bridge between ourselves and Homer and recite his poems in Greek but … in rap style.
Our next voyage is to the Renaissance era. We travel in Tempo a la Tarkovsky through the “hits” of paintings: Leonardo, Durer, Bruegel, Rublev, and perhaps see all of their masterpieces in the new light? For this voyage through the old masters paintings we used all seven of Tarkovsky ‘s films, but the resulting collage is infused with new resonance.
After that you hear the biggest hit of the 19th century - Schubert Serenade. We try to figure out the secret of its popularity by "recreating" the piece as if we were preparing a meal in front of the audience.
And after, we will travel through the labyrinths of the art of film and will trace the development of film from silent to Hitchcock, Chaplin and Tarantino…
Then we present a premiere of a short quintet by our inimitable composer in residence, Renaud de Jardin. In this particular case, he is recycling the most popular pieces by Schubert. It is served as an appetizer before our main course with which we will finish our concert - THE TROUT quintet by Schubert.
Everything will be presented lightheartedly, joyfully and gracefully (in the true spirit of the holiday season.)
А totalitarian mind might be more susceptible and vulnerable to the effect of true art than one might think...
During the performance we delve into the conformist dilemma of each artist when they have to face their tyrants in order to save their own artistic freedom. All three, faced with tyranny, found their special way to maintain their integrity, their transcendental connection (they all played as if they played for God, not the audience).
What is fascinating is that most dictators valued culture one way or another. In fact, one wonders why under their dictatorships the culture blossomed and the artists were allowed the unprecedented freedom of expression (as long as they did not interfere with the politics).
This concert have a prologue, three novels, and a coda. So, in addition to Leon Livshin playing Bach, Schubert, Chopin, Scriabin and Rachmaninov (each piece is homage to the great artists), we use chronicle materials, excerpts from movies, letters and other real documents describing the relationship between Stalin, Hitler (as well and Mussolini and Franco) and "their" artists.
The topic is relevant today considering the current horrible war. The threat of totalitarianism is very much present today and lives with us. Are we capable of making a choice here? The question is whether beauty can provide a cure this time.
This performance is especially unusual, even compared to our already unusual and non-traditional concerts. It is especially striking due to its very subject - Silence - and because we try to avoid using words.
We attempt to “see” silence in film, to “hear” it in music, and sense (grasp? perceive?) it in our hearts. In this process we are guided by the great geniuses of the past - Mozart, Beethoven, Webern, Cage, Bergman, Norstein and Sokurov – but also by our phenomenally gifted Resonance artists (working as a team) – Leila Josefowicz, Inessa Gordeiko and Renaud Déjardin.
From our guest star - Leila Josefowicz:
"I am thrilled to collaborate and play with Leon in his latest salon concert, Silentium. Both Webern and Beethoven are dear to our hearts. These works explore the most profound dimensions of human existence in completely different tonal languages. The exploration is through deep stillness, spaciousness, and serenity, but also through soul stirring passion, agitation, and excitement.
We, performers, rarely acknowledge the power we hold to transform a work into our own creation.
We often hold the destiny of a piece in our hands – it greatly depends on the quality of our performance. On the very special evening of February 28 a new piece will be born into the world. Leon and I will perform the world première of “Midnight in New York” by Renaud Déjardin, the brilliant cellist and composer. To me, this is the greatest excitement of all, since there can only be one world premiere in a piece’s existence. For us, the performers, to express and deliver it to you, our listeners, will be a joyful adventure!l!
Do we convince you, the audience? Are we able to convey the full expression of the piece through our delivery of the composer’s wishes to you? We are messengers. What holds excitement for me is that I can use my skills to bring people sensations that are new and memorable.
Sincerely,
Leila"
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We present an enigmatic and somewhat puzzling story of a great Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke," Beyond Love…On the Other Side of Air."Rainer Maria Rilke confided some of his most intimate thoughts to a woman whom he had never met. Magda von Hattingberg, a Viennese concert pianist, sent him an admiring letter in 1914. For three months after that the poet, who was separated from his wife, poured out his anguish and yearnings to her. He renamed her "Benvenuta" - the Welcome One. After 26 days of letters exchanged almost daily, a meeting - proposed by the young woman and consented to by Rilke who was in a feverish state of half anticipation and half dread - took place in a Berlin hotel.
Then the letters ceased. The couple’s sojourn together lasted only a few months and …we don’t what happened. Rilke refers to his letters to Benvenuta as “the testament of my whole past and future existence.”
Yet, years later, when Magda (Benvenuta) wrote her memoir and disclosed the swift breakdown of their relationship, she downplayed all the intimate “juicy” details of their love affair, and left a lot to our surmise and imagination. She referred to her rendezvous with Rilke as "friendship- love.“
I wonder whether if she were to publish her memoirs today, she would be shouting from a rooftop: "I had an affair with the great Rilke.”
Times have changes, I guess…Yet, what is interesting in Rilke’s love story is NOT in its scandalous allure. This enigmatic affair raises many questions for me: What is love?
Does it exist only while it is unattainable? Does it have to last? Can it last? Is its duration significant? Why can something short and fleeting impact your entire life while something long and tangible sometimes leaves minimal recollections?
In this concert we mix letters and solo piano works by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Chopin.
But Rilke himself has somewhat estranged relationship with music and sometimes even tended to avoid it. Magda, an accomplished pianist, played for him and resurrected his connection with music, so we will try to unfold this dynamic between them . In addition I will use the work of another great artist, Ingmar Bergman! Both Rilke and Bergman are the perfect examples of the art to explain the unexplainable... What else can we hope to achieve this evening ?Well…
We have two wonderful surprises for you!!!! First of all, we are super fortunate to have a “real’ wizard, a fantastic actor, Ronald Gutman!! who is joining us on this project to breathe life into Rilke’s genius.
And ..Don’t be shocked, but there is another (Benvenuta -related) surprise awaiting for you!
This project had been brewing in my mind for a long time, so I’m thrilled we have a chance for this labor of love to finally give birth... As always, we invite you to share your thoughts and conclusions. Please bring your own intimate story to the salon: you don’t need to tell it; simply share your vibrations and we’ll all feel it. Better yet, dig up that ring, that old hanky, a dusty book with a love note in it. Bring it to the salon and let’s dive into Rilke’s world together!
Dear Friends,
I have long wanted to explore anti-Semitism from an artistic perspective (not a political one!) due to my admiration for certain anti-Semitic artists. However, after the events in Israel on October 7, discussing tolerance and acceptance in the context of killings and torture is not only difficult but perhaps impossible.
Tolerance here is abhorrence, regardless of where it occurs, whether in Germany, Ukraine, or Israel; it is no longer "politics" but simply a crime. Yet, despite all the terrible things in the war, I still want to raise some questions that have bothered me for some time: Can one separate life from art? Is it acceptable for a normal, reasonable person to read or listen to the works of anti-Semites? Do works of literature, music, theater, and cinema transmit a political or moral message? Can art really be amoral?
Musically yours,
Leon Livshin
Emotional Resonance
of a Triangle
Episode I
The relationship between the Schumanns and Johannes Brahms, both personal and musical, has received an abundance of attention. It has also been a source of speculation, particularly with regard to the supposed love-triangle aspect of their relationship, and it has even made its way into popular movies and theater.
However, despite the rich variety of information devoted to the Schumann-Brahms circle, there remain many musical connections that have yet to be fully uncovered and discovered.
Episode II
We continue to open the door to the understanding of the Schumanns' and Brahms' pieces. Hidden meanings, insider jokes, and private messages are encoded into the music and are likely to be recognized only by those who really know. Are we meant to understand them? We will let you decide...
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