Modern music is a closed book for many people. People think of unclear and inaccessible sounds, they miss any idea of orientation and above all the appealing emotionality that is so prominent in 'normal' classical music. In the end, many audiences turned away from modern music or tolerated it only indifferently. However, in the last two decades of the 20th century it became clear that not only
… the general public thought that way, but also more and more composers. A kind of anti-avant-garde buzzism arose: composers who claimed to be proud that their music was appealing and who refused to avoid harmonious sounds, because the 'art popes' should not. Such composers undoubtedly include Ondrej Kukal (1964). He was born in Prague where he plays violin, studied conducting and composition. After his studies he was active as a chamber music player, but mainly as a conductor. In 1999 he won a grant that enabled him to work on his musical development for six months in Bamberg (Germany). During this period he completed his Symphony No. 1, Op.15, which he had started in 1996. The work is divided into two parts of more than ten minutes, both of which have a kind of short epilogue part of about one and a half minutes. According to Kukal, the idea of 'birth, quest for light and peace of mind' is the spiritual background of this work. Stylistically it fits in perfectly with the so-called 'new tonality': new music in which the sharp dissonance of the 'traditional' avant-garde has been exchanged for a fairly free reordering on tonal reads, in which consonants are clearly superior to dissonances. Much the same applies to the two other pieces, the Chamber Symphony op.16 (1999) and the Bassoon Concerto op.14 (1998). This music also demonstrates the problem of so much neo-tonal music: yes, it is euphonious and offers an appealing emotionality. At the same time, however, it is often also weak; as if you are hearing some kind of late romantic piece that is lacking in any fire. But that Kukal's music unmistakably belongs to this era is beyond dispute. The performances, realized by various ensembles, are of fairly good quality. (JvG) 16 (1999) and the Bassoon Concerto op.14 (1998). This music also demonstrates the problem of so much neo-tonal music: yes, it is euphonious and offers an appealing emotionality. At the same time, however, it is often also weak; as if you are hearing some kind of late romantic piece that is lacking in any fire. But that Kukal's music unmistakably belongs to this era is beyond dispute. The performances, realized by various ensembles, are of fairly good quality. (JvG) 16 (1999) and the Bassoon Concerto op.14 (1998). This music also demonstrates the problem of so much neo-tonal music: yes, it is euphonious and offers an appealing emotionality. At the same time, however, it is often also weak; as if you are hearing some kind of late romantic piece that is lacking in any fire. But that Kukal's music unmistakably belongs to this era is beyond dispute. The performances, realized by various ensembles, are of fairly good quality. (JvG) realized by various ensembles, are of fairly good quality. (JvG) realized by various ensembles, are of fairly good quality. (JvG)more
