Josepho Achrono kūrybinio palikimo reikšmė kompleksinio lietuviško identiteto suvokimui

LTIš Lazdijų kilęs smuikininkas ir kompozitorius Josephas Achronas (1886-1943) yra vienas žymiausių litvakų muzikų, pelniusių tarptautinį pripažinimą, tačiau dėl nepalankiai susiklosčiusių XX a. istorinių aplinkybių jis Lietuvoje dar nėra deramai įvertintas. Straipsnio tikslas - aptarti Lietuvoje iki šiol mažai žinomą Achrono kūrybinį palikimą, šimtmečio eigoje kitusį jo vertinimą Europoje ir JAV bei Achrono kūrybos sugrįžimą į nepriklausomos Lietuvos muzikinį gyvenimą. Tyrimui naudoti istorinis-analitinis, istorinis-aprašomasis, lyginamosios analizės, šaltinių analizės metodai. Raktažodžiai: Josephas Achronas, Sankt Peterburgo Žydų liaudies muzikos draugija, žydų liaudies daina, biblinė kantiliacija, žydų liturginė muzika, „Hebrajiškoji melodija“. [Iš leidinio]

ENUnderstanding the interactions of various cultures and historical processes is important for the formation of the modern Lithuanian identity, encompassing the cultural contribution of all nations living in Lithuania as part of the common national heritage. The violinist and composer Joseph Achron (1886-1943), born in Lazdijai, Lithuania, is one of the most accomplished musicians of Litvak origin. However, due to the unfavourable historical circumstances of the 20th century, he is still not known well enough in today s Lithuania. Achron is a characteristic example of the talented Jewish prodigy who had to leave his hometown in search of much greater opportunities and future prospects. When he was five, the family moved to Warsaw and later to St. Petersburg. Although Achron never returned to his homeland, he visited Vilnius and Druskininkai to play concerts during his 1896-1897 tour of the Russian Empire. One can assume that these visits, and perhaps even the very first childhood memories, led Achron to create the Lithuanian Dance for violin and piano. The manuscript of the piece is kept in the National Library of Israel. The aim of this article is to discuss the creative legacy of Achron, shaped by his spirited involvement in the activities of the St. Petersburg Society for Jewish Folk Music, as well as the changing perception regarding the significance of his music in Europe and the USA over the last century, and its rediscovery at the turn of the 21st century with the rise of new generations of performers and musicologists eager to reevaluate the unique cultural and musical processes of the 20th century that gave the impetus to the development of Jewish professional music.Another important topic discussed in the article is the return of Achrons work to the musical life of independent Lithuania. Although some of Achron’s works were performed in interwar Lithuania and even during the Nazi occupation, he was completely forgotten during the Soviet occupation. Achron returned to the Lithuanian stage after the 1990 s. His most popular work, the Hebrew Melody, is currently included in the repertoire of several Lithuanian chamber music groups of various generations and is often chosen as a nostalgic symbol of the irretrievably lost Lithuanian Jewish world, in order to honour the memory of the destroyed Litvak culture. In the 21st century, several other chamber works by Achron have already been performed in a number of concert halls in Lithuania. The only large-scale symphonic composition, prepared and performed once in Lithuania was the First Violin Concerto, premiered at the National Philharmonic Hall in 2016 to commemorate 130th anniversary since the birth of Achron. Significant initiatives by Lithuanian concert organisers and performers to include large-scale works by Litvak composers in the repertoire can be considered more as occasional, commemorative tributes to the multicultural Lithuanian music heritage rather than an instance of purposeful, lasting additions to their repertoire. However, the fact that Achrons works are gradually appearing in the repertoire of Lithuanian performers of various generations can be considered the result of the already ongoing processes of establishing a long-term, stable relationship with the multi-layered heritage that has been discovered. Keywords: Joseph Achron, Saint Petersburg Society for Jewish Folk Music, Jewish folk song, biblical cantillation, Jewish liturgical music, Hebrew Melody. [From the publication]

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