Bacevičius's Symphony No. 3, written in 1944 after his arrival in the United States, expresses his initial optimism for his new home, culminating in a citation of 'The Stars and Stripes Forever'.
Compositional Technique
The two piano concertos on this album incorporate well-known Lithuanian folk melodies, which are often marked in the score as 'Le thême lithuanien'.
Composer Biography
Bacevičius's family was highly artistic; his elder brother Kiejstut was a successful concert pianist, and his younger sister Grażyna also became a composer.
Performer Biography
Gabrielius Alekna, the pianist on this album, was awarded Second Prize at the 2005 International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna.
Composer Biography
Vytautas Bacevičius, the composer, was born in Poland but chose to abandon his Polish name and accompany his Lithuanian-born father to Kaunas, Lithuania, at age 21.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bacevičius developed a concept of 'cosmic music', perceiving his artistic heritage in common with the aesthetics of composers like Scriabin, Bartók, Jolivet, and Varèse.
Notable Performances
The Symphony No. 3 by Bacevičius was never performed during his lifetime, making these recordings from 2021 its world premiere.
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