This year marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Vardar Rhapsody - one of the most popular Bulgarian classical music works, known in various transcriptions. Music written on a grand scale, glamorous, festive, colourful - what Pancho Wladigeroff’s musical legacy is all about. And it is certainly the most famous work of the celebrated Bulgarian composer, pianist and conductor.
A hundred years ago, the then 23-year-old Wladigeroff was living in Berlin. Having started his musical education in Bulgaria, in 1914, together with his twin brother - violinist Lyuben Wladigeroff, they went to the German capital, where they studied with famous teachers. The composer twice won the prestigious Mendelssohn Prize of the University of Berlin – first in 1918 - for his First Piano Concerto, opus 6, and in 1920 - for "Three Impressions".
No less remarkable is the fact that the great conductor Herbert von Karajan even as a student performed works by Pancho Wladigeroff, and in 1926 he graduated with his Piano Concerto No. 1.
As is known, the composer worked for the Deutsches Theater (from 1920 to 1932), at the invitation of Max Reinhardt himself. In this period (in 1922) the composer signed a contract with the famous Viennese publishing house Universal Edition.
In the same year, he wrote the Rhapsody "Vardar", which in its first version was for violin and piano. The story of creation is told by Wladigeroff himself in an interview with BNR.
Later they learned that the theme on which the composer built the final parts of the work was actually Dobri Hristov's patriotic song "Edinichuk chui se vik", included in the collection "Balkan songs". In the following year, 1923, the work was published by Universal Edition under the name Bulgarian Rhapsody "Vardar". Later (1928) Wladigeroff orchestrated it for a large symphony orchestra, made several more transcriptions, and in 1971 Lyuben Wladigeroff reworked "Vardar" for two solo violins. This, in short, is the story of this work, which is being truly performed all over the world and became emblematic not only for its author, but also for Bulgarian musical culture.
Now we will hear it performed by the SO of the BNR, the conductor is the son of the composer - Alexander Wladigeroff.
The lords of good vibes DEEP ZONE Project are preparing their top event of the year. For the first time they are organizing DEEP ZONE All Stars, bringing together all their vocalists and collaborations over the years. For the past 25..
The autumn edition of SoFest will attract fans of various arts with interesting events and participants from different countries. From November 14 to 17, Sofia Live Club will host two theatrical performances and various concerts. SoFest Autumn 2024 is..
The legendary rock artist and vocalist of Rainbow and Deep Purple Joe Lynn Turner has chosen Bulgarian pop star Maria Ilieva as a duet partner in his latest single . In the song "Forever", as a compliment to the Bulgarian audience, there is a..
The women's folk choir Dragostin Folk National is celebrating three decades of its existence with a spectacular concert. The concert will take place on..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy