Works by Vyacheslav Artyomov are a remarkable phenomenon in the contemporary musical scene, presenting a rare in its variety range of styles – from the meditative “Symphony of Elegies” of a subtle, astral phonation through the mighty passions in the Symphony “Way to Olympus”. Works of various genres landmark Artyomov's artistic career of 2 decades: pieces of chamber music for different ensembles – cantata “Moonlight Dreams” (lyrics by ancient Chinese poets, 1982), “A Garland of Recitations” (1975–1981), “Hymns of Sudden Wafts” (1983–1985), “Star Wind” (1981), “Mattinate” (1979– 1984); music for percussion ensembles “Totem” (1976), “Sonata of Meditations” (1978), “Invocations” (1979–1981) for soprano and percussions; pieces for large and small symphony orchestras “Symphony of Elegies” (1977), symphony with a violin solo “In Memoriam” (1968–1984), symphony “Way to Olympus” (1978–1984), concertos “Tempo Costante” (1979–1980), “Concerto of Thirteen” (1967), “Gurian Hymn” (1986), poems “Tristia” (1983), “Lamentations” (1985). Such monumental vocal-symphonic canvasses as “Requiem” (1987) and the ballet “Sola fide” (“By Faith Alone”) (based on the A. Tolstoi's novel “The Road to Calvary”) (1986–1987) have been created for recent years.
To speak of Artyomov as of a master of musical coloring, drawn by a subtle play of timber hues, a rare elaboration of sound, scattering sparkling expressive intonations and inflections, is to touch only one aspect of his style. All this is present in Artyomov's music, but there are still another, high, not immediately perceived strata, making a keen listener aware of the inner sense of the movement of musical events. For those who do not spare an effort and tune their spiritual self-conscience to the wave irradiating by this music, its lofty meaning transpires clear as well as the ideal goal of an overwhelming stirring to perfection, to the complete self-realization of the personality.
Such is the symphony “Way to Olympus”, monumental in size and inner contents, the first part of the tetralogy “Symphony of the Way”. The idea of a continued indefatigable making, which overcomes obstacles and temptations and is, therefore, painstaking, bursting with thoughts and feelings – is the spiritual pivot of the “Way to Olympus”. This idea displays itself in developing sound production from a single tone to the polysyllabic complexes which fill the musical space. Olympus is recognized by the composer as a symbol of an unattainable ideal of perfection, the goal of spiritual striving of the man.
The symphony is introduced by a single quiet tone. This unchangeable tone – an image of a stagnant being is represented by various harmonic and timber devices, acquiring phonic overstate. Gradually, melodically more pronounced and perfectly shaped inversions enter, the rhythm gets more energetic music acquires an element of efficacy, phonic fiber gets every time denser, countless. New voices and timbers are taking their parts up to the first peak culmination, which is perceived as a presage of the cherished goal. An obvious parallel of the most modern phonic architectonics of the “Way to Olympus” to the compositor’s conception of the major one-part works of Scriabin, and first of all, to his “Poem of Ecstasy”, appears where the final peak is also attained through the development of the extended dynamic waves.
The ascension of the general (second) culmination of the symphony, on which threshold the rhythms firmly and repeatedly reenter, provides gripping impression. The might of both culminations is contrasting to episodes of brief digressions and plunging into a pure contemplation. On the background of these episodes, choral sounding of the organ and fine melody of the violin solo acquire a particular expressiveness. The Symphony is saturated by the theme, with distinctly distinguished, brief, relief-like these are heard very distinctly, keep transforming with an unexhanstable inventiveness and become the "building material" of the solid, monumental composition.
Pronouncements of various instruments go in combination with their solidarity actions, changeable interrelations of various timbers and rhythmic combinations summarize to a wholesome image-like impression. This multiple phonation reflects the perspective profoundness, opening to human conscience both at hard efforts of spiritual dedication and at still moments of contemplation.
It is quite easy to perceive a successive connection of the “Way to Olympus” with the basic traditions of Russian artistic culture, which best creations send us, from a misty past, a call for an ascension to the peak of spirituality, to the moral perfection.
An antithesis of the grandiose and refined, an exuberant lacing of intonationally identified voices and the might of culminations, mobilizing all the potentials of the orchestra in richest symphonic range of the “Way to Olympus” is after Scriabin. At the same time, Artyomov's Symphony enters as an integrate part in the development of the contemporary European music, offers an appreciation of the value of its characteristic turn towards the cognition of the infinity, which opens when plunging into the foundations of the inner world of the man, and simultaneously towards the highest being, discernable at the contemplation of the unlimited horizons of the space.
Mikhail Tarakanov, Dr. in. History of Arts
The Symphonic poem “Tristia” (“Sorrowful Songs”) is an example of the fine script of voices, characteristic for works of Vyacheslav Artyomov and endowed by almost tangible sensual expressiveness. The multicolored phonic complexes keep the audio conscience alert in the process of the development, swirl dangerously, accumulate, provoking a tragic, profound suffering. An image of the time is incarnated in a slowly dragging harmonic layers, made heavier by the underground roar of the low timbers of the organ. It is countered by nostalgic voices of the soloing piano and trumpet, working in a special rhythm, independently upon the strings and with their fragile individual lifes pulsing in the poem against the background of the sorrowful expiration of the ecumenical life. Laconic, regrafting remarks of the soloing voices, sliding down the line of the endless melody of violins, merge in a code with equirhythmical actions of the masses of the string orchestra, in which sounding the treat of the tragically perceived flow of the time is heard there. Intonational treatment of the musical discourse, close in its comprehension and clarity to the live pronouncements, adds an indestructible personal notion to the impersonal cosmic process.
The multi-dimensional message of the poem is materialized in the crossing of two image-and-symbol trends – the one of inexorable course of time and that of the will of the man for immortality. When taken as a whole, it amazes with its contradictions and excites a sense of lucidness in the intimate depth.
Valeria Lyubetskaya
On the cover: Otari Kandaurov. Portrait of V. Artyomov
