Beyond Generations
Tchaikovsky, Bartók, Vivaldi, Brahms, Beethoven, Bach, Ellington, Hendrix, The Doors – but what do they all have in common? Certainly the ability to compose outstanding music, but there’s another connection: they are all favourites of Nigel Kennedy. The British violinist recently added two new names to the list of his inspirations: on 15 September, he comes to Alvernia to present his interpretations of works by George Gershwin and Krzysztof Komeda.
The artists were separated by time and space – Gershwin lived in the US during the interwar years, while Komeda worked in post-war Europe – but their also had things in common. They were both pianists, they made major contributions to the development of jazz, they composed film music and they both died far too young (Gershwin aged 38, Komeda just 37). Kennedy frequently breaks down barriers between genres and generations, and he has found a common language with both musicians. He admires Gershwin’s skill of intertwining classical music with jazz, and he has been enchanted by Komeda’s nostalgic notes. We will discover the result of this fascination in an unusual setting: the violinist and his ensemble perform the programme Komeda Meets Gershwin at the futuristic Alvernia Planet complex. (bsu)
