Wrong expectations...

Slovakia's music scene is relatively small. It's in fact just a small village. Only the lack of a good high-way system makes the country seem vast, where you travel almost a whole day to reach the other end (instead of just a couple of hours). One of the reasons, where one's focus on music is therefore determined to be confined to the capital itself - and thus even a smaller village.

Referring to my earlier articles, where I have encountered a detached type of provincialism in cultural life, something came along my path recently. Although I have marginally noticed this ensemble during one of my surf-sessions, it was only now, where I came across the "Baroque Quartett" from Žilina. My relatively intensive dealing with early music in Slovakia, caused my heart to skip a beat, as I realised why how come I haven't hear anything about this ensemble before. A recent concert in Trenčín would be able to give clarification.

Right at the onset, a serious concert-goer would maybe hear alarm horns sound: what in fact would a "baroque quartett" mean? Calling a group a quartett, would mostly imply perhaps a string quartett, yet the string quartetts became fashionable since the classical period... any other four-some group one would refer to as ensemble so-and-so. Nevertheless, this group is fixed and indeed officially called "Baroque Quartett Žilina". Well, baroque music can indeed be played in an almost unlimited variety of constellations, so let's see. First of all, it appears none of the instruments are period instruments - all modern. OK, I know of instances, where Jan Willem de Vriend also manages to create a fairly convincing baroque sound out of modern instruments. But this was a bit different: when seeing the programme, after Händel (pretty baroquish of course) there were works by Mozart (a bit classicism according to my books, but still ...) then 2 contemporaries and César Franck......... To be honest, a bit strange.

I shall not delve on the technical imperfections, the poor technique and not being able to understand any of the phrasing by the musicians (all professionals as I must believe). The only thing to say this big disappointing concert is this: If a professional musician, is not capable to do his job right - don't be a professional musician. Never mind that one doesn't want to agree with a bit more informed performance of pre-classical music. In that event, don't call your band a baroque quartett. It creates certain expectations. That's pretension to the fullest, and you make your audience look like a bunch of ignorant crowd. This is a 1970s Mantovani style kitsch. This was a level, one would not even send one's kids to as an educational concert. It is appalling and embarrassing. No wonder I never really encountered much of this ensemble, and perhaps better I never will.

MS

Sale season / All reduced prices....

Attended a festival. A baroque music festival. We have a dozens of them around the world. Let's be specific; I attended one in the Czech Republic. In Znojmo to be exact, a beautiful medieval town in Southern Moravia. Nice to be back in my native country. The programme booklets, which were royally distributed around in most restaurants and cafés were impressive. A long list of sponsors (prominent ones included!) and a top star virtuoso violinist was the focus of the whole happening. Nothing wrong here one would say. I was truly looking forward.

Like all major events, there's much to be organised and behind-the-scenes-stress is a daily occurrence. The preparations, contracts with the players, securing venues, and all the thousand other details... you name it. In the past, I was frequently involved in such and it's indeed tough. Glad I am out of there. Yet there is one big tendency, which was almost like a slap in the face, when I found out some of the practices of present day's festivals.

We are all aware, that culture is at the receiving end, and that the receivables are not always very generous. Organisers are faced with such a problem, when putting together their budgets, resulting in inevitable choices; where to apply cutting. Festivals are - or at least should be - prestigious events, adding up to cultural life of a certain town, reviving music practices, attracting extra tourist - which to a certain extent also increase overall revenues for the benefit of the local entrepreneurs (as well as the tax office).

What I witnessed, was on the outside a try-hard glamour; while at the inside, musicians not only enduring some unusual long rehearsal hours (sometimes under almost unacceptable climatic conditions) - but rehearsing is part of their job one would say - it is mostly the accommodations around it, which were shocking. Next to the just mentioned bad conditions (too hot, too humid, poorly ventilated rehearsal places) the housing accommodation was - to use an understatement - appalling.

Taking into mind, that this is not a high-school summer camp, where teenagers may feel OK with improvised or crammed housing conditions; these are professional players, specialists in early music, who are stashed away into a dormitory (where time since socialism seemed to have stood still), three floors, with only one toilet and shower facility for all - somehow the keys are lost, so even a basic given of your privacy to lock yourself while using the toilet is nowhere to be found. One communal kitchen, with a tiny fridge, barely enough for all attendants to put in their basic food supplies. Not that this is a weekend-off event; it lasts for three weeks. The chaotic (and nerve-breaking) organisational chaos in-between the rehearsals, I will not even touch.

When complaining, little is done - or can be done, as resources are limited of course. Yet the star of the event, the Czech violinist-star Pavel Šporcl proudly shines in the lime-lights, maestro Roman Válek (who de facto organises this festival) is complacently strutting around. Sure, Šporcl is an audience attraction - but in all decency; is this the way to pave your path of glory on the backs of exploited colleagues, who work under those appalling conditions for a fee, that is too ridiculous to mention? Since no Czech orchestra was willing to play for you any longer, you called on to Slovakia's musicians (with individual exceptions here and there), and it doesn't take much to figure out that there is much inequality how much people were paid. One should be rather ashamed.

And true, musicians for whatever reason have accepted this gig - they should stand more firm and demand at least unilaterally at least a minimum fee. Yet, only a minority knows how to be more business minded. And this is exploited.

Besides, an interesting observation might be, that the festival is under "ensemblebaroque.cz" - yet, Pavel Šporcl doesn't perform in the HIP style at all, and the attempts of violoncellist Jiří Barta to play authentic is overrated - to say the least. The text of their website would suggest differently.

Znojmo is a picturesque town, but the fact how this festival is run, spoiled my enthusiasm. Perhaps it is because it is the sale season; get the last pieces for a reduced price! That's how music is treated. Just imagine, you study many years on your instrument, researching on specialisations of early music, and this is where one ends up. Among music colleagues, one would expect more collegiality and a sense for respect and human decency. Instead: cheap labour. Cheap business. ... Sad!

MS