Held on June 15 in the traditional venue of St Lawrence Church in Prague, the last pre-summer concert of the Konvergence composers’ association was one of a very intimate atmosphere. The chief performers were Simon and Felix Nagl brothers (cello, piano), whom the evening’s dramaturges and founding Konvergence members Tomáš Pálka and Michaela Pálka Plachká, met in the Alpine countryside.
The duo played 6 pieces in the first half of the evening: Arvo Pärt’s Fratres, Ondřej Štochl’s Three Echoes Before Full Moon, Witold Lutosławski’s Grave and Michaela Pálka Plachká’s Proměny (Transformations), as well as the world premiere of Pálka’s Landscape: AlpenQuelle. The second half was dedicated to the premiere of Pálka Plachká’s scenic project Grasps, Touches choreographed by dancer and pantomimist Michaela Doláková. The solo clarinet part, accompanied by sounds recorded on Alpine hillsides, was played by Jiří Mráz.
15 June 2017, St Lawrence Church, Prague
Tomáš Pálka: Landscapes: AlpenQuelle (world premiere)
Simon Nagl – cello, Felix Nagl – piano
Michaela Pálka Plachká: Grasps, Touches (scenic project, world premiere)
Michaela Doláková – choreography, Jiří Mráz – clarinet