Harmony in dialogue with the “Chopin Piano Fest” of the holiday and the bridges

With Natascia Gazzana on violin and Raffaella Gazzana on piano, the audience began the musical experience of what has been described as the Italian night of the festival at the opening of the 16th edition of the “Chopin Piano Fest”. It was a harmonious dialogue across an itinerary of musical styles and periods in an event that transcends the format of a music festival by building bridges between cultures.

It is now among the major and traditional events in the country. “Chopin Piano Fest” brings the sounds of international stages to Pristina. Since the opening night of the 16th edition, the importance of the festival with the piano in focus has been noticeable. In the packed hall of the Amphitheater of what is now the University Library in the capital, the festival has started its new month-long journey with 12 concert evenings. The welcoming speeches, not short, have paved the way for the content, where the Italian duo known as “Duo Gazzana” has begun the interpretation.

With Natascia Gazzana on violin and Raffaella Gazzana on piano, the audience began the musical experience of what has been described as the Italian night of the festival. The duo chose to start the evening with “Homage to Bach” by Ukrainian composer Valentyn Silvestrov. He is one of the contemporary Ukrainian composers and in this work he brings contemporary melodies that are always based on the classics. It is a work with minimalist doses and nuances that test the audience, but also the instrumentalists themselves.

The Italian duo, known for a successful career and who have since traveled from Pristina to Warsaw for another concert, have brought Silvestrov's work to the "Chopin Piano Fest" at a time when the world is also paying homage to the Ukrainian victims as a result of the Russian aggression in this country. The Italian duo has not quickly changed geography, but style. Antonín Dvořák's "Sonata in G major, Op. 100", one of his famous works for violin and piano, came as the second on the program. Dvořák is known for his European-based compositions, but in this case this work was written during his stay in the United States of America and doses of local influence are noticeable. It is about warm melodies and an equal dialogue between the violin and piano. With a more intimate atmosphere and not so great liveliness, but always with emotional depth, the work interpreted by the duo has received due attention. How much attention can a performance get in a hall that is not only intended for concerts, and with an audience where private conversations are not uncommon even during concerts. On Thursday night, in one case, members of the audience, to put the conversations aside, even consumed small items such as peanuts, adding to the "notes" of the bag of nuts.

The duo, with a certain homage to the Italian tradition, continued the evening with Niccolò Paganini's "Sonata in A major", a work that reflects the virtuoso and brilliant style of the composer, known as one of the greatest violinists of all time. The sonata, also through the playing of the Gazzana sisters, has come with virtuosity, fast and challenging passages and melodies that require considerable skill to highlight all the ornaments. In this work, the main focus is on the violin, while the piano serves as harmonic support. But, with the new piano in the hall, it is as if the two instruments have walked in parallel.

The duo has returned to the geography of Eastern Europe with Sergei Prokofiev's "Five Melodies". Composed in 1920 as "Five Songs Without Words", the work was adapted by the famous Russian composer himself for violin and piano, giving the violin the role of the "voice" that sings without text. It is noted for a lyrical and intimate style, soft melodies, often melancholic, modern harmonies and a sensitive dialogue. Prokofiev is among the composers who brought modern colors to classical music. The duo, who plays this work quite often, also masterfully brought out the details of the composition. This work is part of their latest album, recorded two weeks ago. They are very experienced instrumentalists and have brought "recreations" in the interpretation of the works to the city. But, perhaps also because of the hall, as if there was no brilliant concert magic.

“Duo Gazzana” has moved further north in the Old Continent to close the evening. “Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45” by Norwegian Edvard Grieg is one of the most powerful and dramatic works for violin and piano in the Romantic repertoire. It is a profound combination of Nordic feeling and classical form. The strong drama of the work is clearly revealed in the interpretation, along with the pronounced contrasts. The emotional intensity, with shades of Norwegian folk music, is masterfully deciphered by the instrumentalists.

"We were very enthusiastic, as the audience followed us and was very warm. This is the first time in Pristina and Kosovo and it is a pleasure to be at the opening concert tonight in this collaboration with the Italian Embassy. We constantly play sonatas, but we also wanted some contemporary music like Silvestrov, who is a Ukrainian composer, and we wanted to have a tribute to our country by choosing Paganini's sonata. Meanwhile, Prokofiev's 'Five Melodies' are already part of our latest album, released two weeks ago", said violinist Natascia Gazzana.

Even pianist Raffaella Gazzana described the energy of the evening.

"The energy was very good and we were really pleased. The staff is very dedicated. They did their best for us and that made us feel very good. Everything went well and the audience was very warm. I believe everyone was pleased," she said.

With the support of local institutions and a number of diplomatic representations in the country, the organizers are bringing a rich program this year. According to them, it is now an emblematic event for Kosovo.

"'Chopin Piano Fest Prishtina', over the years, has become an emblematic cultural event in Prishtina, which with its rich artistic content has created a strong identity. With its sustainability, it has created credibility with the audience and the artistic community, while with its internationalization it has built bridges and cultural connections with the world. The festival has encouraged respect, inspiration, reflection and dialogue, enabling freedom of critical thought and the expansion of new horizons of musical perception," said piano professor Lejla Pula, artistic director of the festival.

Such events are not seen only as concert evenings. The list of sponsors this year is much longer. The legal opportunities offered for sponsoring cultural activities have been utilized.

"The 'Chopin Piano Fest' festival is more than a musical celebration. It is a representation of the true art of pianism. It is also an event that connects states, countries and pianists. It is a bridge and a tool for cultural diplomacy to represent Kosovo on the international stage, but also a tool for development, because in Kosovo, especially in recent years, we have begun to see the music sector not as a simple sector for relaxation, but as a sector that develops the country, increases capacities and brings benefits to society, also in economic terms," ​​said Besa Luzha, managing director of the festival.

The Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Maurizio Antonini, and the Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Eva Palatova, also addressed the attendees. These two institutions were the main supporters of this evening.

Until June 10, the “Chopin Piano Fest” will bring to Pristina proven names of the piano on the international stage. It will also create opportunities for the country's youth to present their talent to the public through various programs.