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https://www.7md.lt/muzika/2022-09-16/Arvydas-Malcys-ir-jo-Uzburtas-ratas

What is the “Vicious Circle” by Arvydas Malcys? The objective answer would be: it is the composer’s fourteenth album dedicated to his symphonic works, and its title is an imaginative metaphor borrowed from the first work of the programme. The album includes “Vicious Circle”, Symphony No. 3 “Grünwald”, concerto for cello and symphony orchestra “In Memoriam” and one more orchestral work “The Message”. The musical pieces are performed by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas, Juozas Domarkas and Martynas Stakionis.

Yet the image of the “Vicious Circle” is not an idyllic one, but rather one that carries connotations of anxiety linked to the doom of returning to the same point. This comes as no surprise to those familiar with Malcys’ works: from the very beginning of his career (we are talking about a period spanning four decades), the author has been characterised by a tendency towards an expressionist - non-romantic, non-idyllic - eloquence. At the same time, figurative metaphors always extend and explain Malcys’ musical narrative, as in contemporary art. So what does Malcys’ "vicious circle" really signify - a constant return, (un)learned lessons of history, the search for beauty?

Malcys is one of the most prolific Lithuanian composers - he is the author of nearly 150 works, starting with his earliest opus dated 1983. However, these figures would say nothing if it were not for the fact that Malcys’ music is widely heard around the world, his works are loved and played by performers from all over the world, and a new opus in any composer’s catalogue always means a new performance.

Pieces composed by Malcys belong to the philharmonic stream of new music. They are based on the classical models of the great masters, both in terms of composition (construction of form) and technology (knowledge of instrumentation). The modernity and contemporary character of music is reflected in the musical material itself: Malcys’ style is characterised by intonational spikiness, specific sound effects, impressionistic sound poetics combined with expressionistic imagery. However, his pieces of music are not intended to be performed in experimental venues, but in venues that uphold the traditions of classical music. The genres he uses are forms that are firmly rooted in the European tradition: symphonies, instrumental concertos, quartets, trios, quintets and other works for chamber ensemble, and among the original compositions there are also several orchestrations and even creative reconstructions of opuses of Lithuanian classics. The composer writes almost exclusively instrumental music - even his only stage work is a ballet ("The Master and Margarita") - and has an intimate knowledge of its specifics.

Being not only a composer, but also a performer, for many years playing the cello in the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Malcys tries to reveal the possibilities of the instruments, the play of timbres, and to give a space for the interpreters’ skills to shine.

Malcys’ orchestral style is distinguished, among other things, by the storyline of his works. According to the composer, the most important thing when starting a work is the idea, which can be very specific. As the work develops, bar by bar, the imaginary plot lines are drawn using orchestral colours, groups and musical effects. For example, all five of Malcys’ symphonies - from the first, “The Sense of You” (2000), to the fifth, “Yesterday's World” (2022) - allow us to observe the composer’s gradual transition from focusing on his own or the abstract inner world of a lyrical hero towards more global themes that move the composer (Symphony No. 3 “Grünwald”, 2010; No. 4 “European Sunset”, 2015).

The diversity of Malcys’ orchestral music is revealed on his latest CD, “Vicious Circle”. The opening work of the same name for symphony orchestra was composed in 2011 to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. The premiere of “Vicious Circle” was conducted by Juozas Domarkas, the orchestra’s long-time artistic director and current Conductor Emeritus. The structure of the work is based on seventy diatonic and modulatory sequences, and the repetition of these sequences creates a "vicious circle", which, however, can also be spun with an elegant dance rhythm. According to the composer, this is a musical gift to the orchestra, which is perhaps the composer’s second home, where he has been playing the cello for four decades and which has been the first performer of a number of Malcys’ works.

Symphony No. 3 “Grünwald” is a commemorative piece of music written in 2010 to mark the 600^th anniversary of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Battle</st1:place></st1:city> of Žalgiris. The premiere took place in 2011 at the Kaunas State Philharmonic. On the disc, we hear a newer interpretation by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the young generation conductor Martynas Stakionis.

The disc features the concerto for cello and symphony orchestra “In Memoriam”, dedicated to the memory of Mstislav Rostropovich, a brilliant 20^th-century performer and humanist. The Concerto, composed in 2009, was premiered in 2012 by Rostropovich’s student David Gering. The disc features an interpretation by Gering’s student Boris Andrianov and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martynas Stakionis.

The album’s grand finale is the “Message” for symphony orchestra, dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven. The work was premiered at the 2021 Vilnius Festival: the album features the premiere recording, performed by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and conducted by its Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Modestas Pitrėnas.

The disc “Vicious Circle” is like a novel of unexpected plot twists, engaging the listener right up to the last track.