You know, someone correctly said: everyone has his/her own Silvestrov. I was introduced to his music due to the album
"Meditation", but he really began for me with
"Sacred Works" performed by the choir
"Kyiv" – and this is, probably, symptomatic. Music of the tenderest spiritual motions, the deepest experiences beyond words, most intimate insights into the beauty of the visible and invisible – well, how else could one speak about it? I just do not know any other contemporary composer who could so easily, intelligently, naturally invite/encourage to contemplate the harmony of the unspeakable – who could so clearly express this in the sound, despite its a priori obscurity for the intellect. Although, I believe, this music is not so much for the intellect, but rather for more subtle and warm instruments... However, everyone gets what he/she should get, and others will hear something different. That's right – perception should not be unambiguous. As well as with any revelation, only one thing can be stated for certain here: the revelation did happen. Everything else is interpretation. But, on the other hand, the art of recognition is not limited to intuition – it is impossible without a thoughtful attitude, without the intellectual component. And here I would like to express separate compliments to Borys Demenko – in his performance, in my opinion, one can hear a harmonious proportionality of the first and second elements, due to which recognition, interpretation turn, in fact, into art.
Anton Yozhyk Leyba (Hedgehog)
The publication contains an 8-page booklet with photos and texts in Ukrainian, Russian and English.