Chartres
Chartres (2012) for string orchestra
Performed by St.Christopher Chamber Orchestra conducted by Karolis Variakojis.
The inspiration of Chartres is an insight into Chartres Cathedral south rose, which depicts the Apocalypse according to Saint John. XIIIth century glass window is dominated by images of old-men holding string instruments. The Chartres key of the epitomized musical material is shaped to mirror the stained glass window and the visual form of the arc of the circle is embodied in the score. The musical parameters of this composition, which constantly follows the system focuses on the medieval proportions of ‘6:8:9:12’. The maximum instrumental divisi sounds for most of the time and expresses different layers, which are gradually joining and contrary to each other. Each of these layers is individual and generates a transformation in the timbre meanwhile each instrument, when entering produces a subtle supplement to the cluster, so creating monumental sonic blocks.
The Chartres key - epitomized material for the score.
Chartres was recommended work by International Rostrum of Composers in 2013 (composers under 30 category), represented Lithuania at World Music Days in 2015 and received the Best Debut of the Year 2013 Prize from the Lithuanian Composers’ Union. Chartres also appears in the ADORE project.
Chartres was performed by 9 different orchestras:
2023.03.24
Sinfonietta Rīga conducted by Normunds Šnē at Liela Gilde Concerthall, Riga, Baltic Music Days.
2022.08.04
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, conductor by Elena Schwarz, Obscura III program, Australia.
2021.12.09
Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra , – artistic director, cellist Mindaugas Bačkus, music and dance project Present Time, Šiaulių kultūros centras, Lithuania.
2021.09.30
Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra , – artistic director, cellist Mindaugas Bačkus, music and dance project Present Time, KKC / Kauno kultūros centras, Lithuania.
2020.11.13
BBC Philharmonic, conductor Ben Gernon , BBC Radio 3 live broadcast, UK.
2020.07.18
Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra , – artistic director, cellist Mindaugas Bačkus, music and dance project Present Time, 45th Klaipėda Music Spring Festival Klaipėda, Lithuania.
2017.11.12
Chamber Orchestra MODUS conducted by Robertas Bliškevičius concert Polilogas festival Muzikos ruduo, Vilnius, Lithuania.
2016.12.16
Ensemble 21 conducted by Elena Schwarz concert Compositrices d’aujourd’hui at Geneva HEM, Switzerland.
2016.05.17
ORFEJ String Orchestra conducted by Ivan Markovič concert Rostrum+ in Belgrade, Serbia.
2015.09.11
Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas festival Permainų Muzika, Klaipėda, Lithuania.
2015.09.29
Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra conducted by Simon Krečič at World Music Days, Ljublijana, Slovenia.
2013.05.31
International Rostrum of Composers recommended Chartres at the 60th edition, in Prague, Czech Republic.
2012.05.16
St.Christopher Chamber Orchestra conducted by Karolis Variakojis, Druskomanija festival, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Chartres (2012) appears in albums:
ZOOM in 10 (2014), St.Christopher Chamber Orchestra cond. Karolis Variakojis.
Reviews in EN:
UK premiere of Chartres (2012) played by BBC Philharmonic conducted by Ben Gernon and streamed live on BBC Radio 3 on the 13th of November, 2020:
“Chartres was composed and premiered in 2012 and has been performed a number of times since. Today Ben Gernon conducts the UK premiere. He told me earlier that he admires enormously the shifting textures of the work, the slowly moving layers of sound creating the same effect as the ever-changing light that illuminates the south side of the cathedral. A XIIIth century stained glass window, the depiction of the Apocalypse, brought to life in music by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Ben Gernon in the UK premiere of Justina Repečkaitė’s Chartres that was performed live for us here in Salford as part of today’s Afternoon concert on the BBC Radio 3 .” Presenter Tom Redmond.
Read Chartres review by Ben Davis on Sight Listen blog (2014).
Reviews in LT:
45-tasis “Klaipėdos muzikos pavasaris” suspindo vidurvasarį
“<…> perteikiant subtilųjį, mąslųjį, pirmapradžiu jausmu dvelkiantį J.Repečkaitės “Chartres” – Šartro (Prancūzija) Dievo Motinos katedros fasade švytinčios Pietų rožės vitražo Apokalipsė muzikinę raišką. Nenutrūkstama, intensyvėjanti, spalvomis mirganti ir vėl nutolstanti garso tėkmė tarsi panardina klausytojus į gilaus susimąstymo būseną. “
Daiva Kšanienė after performance by Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra , – artistic director, cellist Mindaugas Bačkus, music and dance project Present Time, 45th Klaipėda Music Spring Festival Klaipėda, Lithuania. 2020.07.18
“Labai džiugu, kad koncertą efektingai pradėjo jaunos lietuvių kompozitorės Justinos Repečkaitės kūrinys „Chartres“ (2012), prieš keletą metų pelnęs autorei Lietuvos kompozitorių sąjungos Debiuto premiją ir rekomendaciją Tarptautinėje kompozitorių tribūnoje (2013). Kompozitorei, po studijų Lietuvos muzikos ir teatro akademijoje studijavusiai Paryžiaus nacionalinėje muzikos ir šokio konservatorijoje, artima viduramžių meno estetika. „Chartres“ – grakštus, išgryninta estetika persmelktas kūrinys. Taikliai pasirinktomis muzikinėmis priemonėmis J. Repečkaitė interpretuoja pasirinktą įspūdingos Šartro katedros vitražą, tiesiog apčiuopiamai perteikdama ir šviesos bei stiklo žaismą, ir tamsokus, „sunkius“ vitražo tonus. Bendras potyris (vitražo „vaizdas“) kūrinio pabaigoje išsiskaido į mažyčius, trapius, skaidrius stiklo gabalėlius…”
Kamilė Rupeikaitė after Chartres performance by Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra conducted by Simon Krečič at World Music Days, Ljublijana, Slovenia. 2015.09.29
Musicologist Ona Jarmalavičiūtė wrote her bachelor diploma paper at LMTA „Komponavimo proceso atodangos J. Repečkaitės kompozicijoje „Chartres“ (vadovė doc. dr. Audra Versekėnaitė-Efthymiou) mentionned in 2020 by Ars & Praxis.
Conductor Normunds Šnē presents the concert SPARK by the Riga Sinfonietta.