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Czech television presents
Echo of the Prague Spring 2013
Part VI.
Hello! The music of ancient times,
man in movement and relatively modern means of transport
are the main themes of the concert in the National Technical Museum in Prague
performed by Schola Gregoriana Pragensis and Marek Eben.
For Czech performers, to perform at the Prague Spring is a dream, often unfullfilled.
I think we would agree on that.
But you will appear on stage this year even twice! What is your secret?
I don't know. That is how it happened. It is not my fault!
I am just happy about having been approached to participate.
I am happy about it, too. Today's concert was a wonderful experience.
How did you decide which texts to use in the performance?
It was more my brother who chose the texts, he managed everything.
It was originally his project, to make in the Technical Museum,
and he wanted to devote it to journeys,
both the spiritual journeys and the real ones.
Everyone would like to know what will happen. If anything.
Some of them are leaning forward and looking in front of them,
trying to catch the engine driver in the small one window cabin...
The impulse for this project emerged from the Prague Spring.
One concert took place here last year already,
it was a concert of avantgarde music, of John Cage.
And the programming department of the Prague Spring Festival came up with the idea
that we could reverse it this year and place medieaval chants in here.
It would create an antipole of the technical and pragmatic surroundings.
But I think you can say this space is in a way a kind of temple of the technique.
It is an edifying place, a monument of human spirit
and of things it was able to create in its time.
We found our journey thanks to the theme of *** viator - the Man as Pilgrim.
The metaphor of the "journey" has been very relevant both in the Middle Ages and today.
There is always a journey and the pilgrimage has always been a metaphor of human life.
That is why we tried to find
support in texts that would reflect upon the technique exhibited around.
But at the same time they should have a certain transgression.
That is the case with the first poem by Ferlinghetti
which makes a charming parallel between a train journey and human life.
Including its final destination,
when the passenger reaches the final destination and you hear the request:
Please get off the train!
That is why it was possible to make a link with chants
that reflect human finality and weakness, in a sense.
But there is always an element of hope in the mediaeval music.
Which was present in the first part of the concert.
Because...you are...as they say...
...dead!
You have reached your destination!
Please, get off the train!
The choreography with the locomotive wasn't very easy.
I don't know how it looked like
because I tried to show respect to the exhibit but at the same time to myself.
But it fit so well to Ferlinghetti's poem that we could not resist.
And since the staff of the Technical Museum allowed it
I climbed it up and then I climbed it down again.
I was happy when I was on the ground again. But it was a great experience.
You normally don't find many opportunities to recite a poem by Ferlinghetti about a train
while sitting on a locomotive, exhibited in a museum.
One is not so lucky every day.
The charged Saturday was concluded by Nocturne at the Theatre Na zábradlí
with Soňa Červená and the pianist Karel Košárek.
I believe you have prepared a very attractive programme
since the tickets were sold out immediately.
What does fascinate you on the conjunction of music and words?
First, I consider the dramaturgy we came up with together with Karel Košárek an excellent one.
It's the 20th century. Ullmann and Satie.
And as you know, one of the main features of the surrealists is madness...
That is why I am dressed like this.
So don't worry that I would have recited Ullmann like this.
Words and music - I mean spoken word, which is completely different from songs...
which I have been singing more than 30 or 40 years.
But what really fascinates me is the connection of spoken word with music.
And smile please! Since this is a work of fantasy!
To collaborate with Soňa Červená is a pure joy for me.
In her interpretation, the spoken word is a song. Singing.
She goes through so many colours, emotions, nuances and moods.
She comes with so many new ideas to every rehearsal,
that I sometimes have the impression
that so many things cannot fit into the programme.
Will the heart be willing to return to my chest?
I hope very much that this performance at the Prague Spring was not the only one.
I hope I will meet her at other concerts in the future,
since it is a great experience not only for the audience, but for me as well.
The band The Taptap was created 15 years ago.
Its members are students and graduates from the Jedlička institute of schools in Prague.
The band was created by Šimon Ornest who has been its director since.
How did prepare for the Prague Spring?
We have rehearsed very diligently,
because we appreciate the invitation of the festival very much.
And similarly to the Prague Spring, which is a modern festival, open to new genres,
we diversified our repertoire by classical pieces.
You will hear 24 pieces here, which is an overview of our repertoire,
there will be our songs and cover versions and you will hear some classical pieces as well.
The stage is empty, there is no one else in the auditorium.
So we will say good bye as well. But not for long. See you on Tuesday!