All-Mechem Concert in Moscow

“A master symphonist —the audience reacted immediately. From the first notes, his scores attract attention by the originality of his unique musical signature and specific emotional atmosphere.” —Musical Observer, Moscow (Manashir Yakubov)

Russian Disc RD CD 10 005

Kirke Mechem: Symphonic Works

Liner Notes

This recording documents a unique event in Russian-American music history. Several months before the coup of August 1991 and the breakup of the Soviet Union, the USSR Radio-Television Grand Concert Orchestra devoted an entire concert to works of a living American composer, led by an American conductor. The following excerpts from articles written by two prominent Russian musicians tell how the event came about and describe the music and the audience's reaction.

The first excerpt is by Murad Kazhlayev, the orchestra's chief conductor and artistic director and one of Russia's best-known composers; his remarks have been translated from an article he published in Pravda just after the concert and from a preface he contributed later to a review of the concert.

 The second excerpt is from that review, written by Manashir Yakubov for The Musical Observer of Moscow, and from an article he wrote for a radio program on Mechem's music; the article appeared in the Russian radio magazine, Seven Days.

1.

My creative friendship with Kirke Mechem began three years ago, but we met in person only in July, 1990 in Moscow, where Mechem was guest of honor at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. At that time I was already acquainted with his music through recordings and scores. I offered to organize an all-Mechem concert in the Hall of Columns in Moscow with my orchestra. This would be the first time that a Soviet orchestra had ever devoted an entire concert to the works of a living American composer, so we spared no effort to make it an important event in the musical life of Russia.

The long-awaited event took place on March 30, 1991. In one of the most prestigious halls in Russia we heard the music of an American composer, who sat in the box of honor with his wife and three daughters. Mechem's music had already won the hearts of the orchestra, and the concert was an enormous, brilliant success. Great credit must also be given to the California maestro, Corrick Brown, whose concentrated energy brought out the riches of Mechem's scores. The concert was recorded live and telecast throughout the Soviet Union.

The music aroused great interest in the large audience and especially among the many prominent musicians who were present, including one of our best-known Russian writers on music, Manashir Yakubov. (His books on the music of Shostakovich are known throughout the music world.) Yakubov wrote the following article about a festival of American music that took place in Moscow in the first part of 1991, devoting most of his article to the Mechem concert. And I share his opinion of Mechem's music: it is great — it is music in which one can recognize the individual and his character. I love it, I value it, and I respect this man whose music brings to the world light and benevolence.
—Murad Kazhlayev, translated by A. Pokonov

2.

Orchestral compositions of Kirke Mechem, performed in the Hall of Columns, fully rewarded those listeners who had risked dedicating an entire evening to a previously unknown composer. Two symphonies and an overture afforded an opportunity to form a vivid impression of the work of this American master. 

In the construction and dramaturgy of these symphonies, Mechem follows the great tradition of the classic European symphony, perceived of course by a man of the twentieth century. In Symphony No. 1 (in three movements), the powerful energy of the first movement and the animated motion of the Finale are set off by the contemplative, pastoral Intermezzo. The four-movement Symphony No. 2 follows in broad outline the sequence of the traditional sonata/symphony form. In the music of both symphonies one can detect links with the art of Mahler as a young composer Mechem lived in Vienna. In certain passages one is reminded of the imagery of Honegger, Prokofiev, Shostakovich. These transient associations, however, do not define the symphonic character of Kirke Mechem. From the first notes, his scores attract attention by the originality of his unique musical signature and specific emotional atmosphere.

In these works Mechem reveals himself to be a master symphonist. The scores are in no way transcriptions of piano music; specifically orchestral, their polyphonic richness springs from freely developing independent voices, from lively combinations of inspired lines of sound. Alternation of instruments and timbres, their "dialogues" with antiphonies, pauses, rejoinders — all this brings to Mechem's music elements of theatrical games and balletic vividness. The emotional palette of the symphonies is determined in general by the blending of three expressive spheres. There is, first of all, the romantic-heroic. Then the bright and manly lyric, with wide melodic intervals evoking a feeling of space, freedom and inner energy. Finally there is his humor, which, it seems to me, has its roots more clearly than the others in folk music and in the cheerful optimistic national spirit of America. . . it is never a cruel humor.

Indeed , one of the most attractive things about Mechem's artistic image is the national character of his music. It appears not only in the literary, poetic and historical themes of his works but also in the very intonations and emotions themselves. They reflect some important sides of the national spirit, of a perception of the world which today is often called the "national mentality" of the Americans. Mechem's connections with the culture, everyday life, history and religious life of America are vast, various and often very concrete 

The audience reacted immediately to the overture "Jayhawk" (a fairy-tale-like magic bird, a traditional symbol of the state of Kansas). This is a programmatic piece with the kind of striking, expressive details which always find their way easily into the hearts of the audience: songs and cries of birds, flapping of wings, etc. The virtuoso score presented the orchestra with a difficult task, no less complicated and interesting than the two symphonies. The players overcame these with complete success. The conductor, Corrick Brown, deservedly shared in the success of Mechem's concert. He combines artistic enthusiasm with professional precision.

Irina Arkhipova sang three small vocal-orchestral compositions of Mechem, but I will not presume to judge his vocal compositions from these short samples. I would like to mention, however, that in his own country Kirke Mechem first became popular as an outstanding composer of choral music; in fact, he has been called the "dean of American choral composers."

 We hope that this first acquaintance with the distinctive world of a remarkable American musician will lead to many more performances of his music in our country.
— Manashir Yakubov, translatedby E. Pisetskaia