Variacijos vieno profesoriaus tema: Eugenijus Ignatonis

LTStraipsnius, pokalbius ir atsiminimus apie Eugenijų Ignatonį (1935-2013) telkiantis leidinys skirtas šio ilgamečio Lietuvos muzikos ir teatro akademijos profesoriaus, pianisto ir visuomenininko 80-osioms gimimo metinėms. Jame prisimenamas E. Ignatonio kūrybinis kelias, aptariami jo charakterio bruožai, pomėgiai, nuveikti darbai, įvertinamas indėlis į lietuvių fortepijoninę kultūrą. Knygoje gausu nuotraukų iš įvairių profesoriaus gyvenimo etapų.Reikšminiai žodžiai: 20 amžius; Mokslo istorija; Mokslininkai; Biografijos; Muzika; Lithuanian XX c. history; History of science; Scientists; Biographies; Music.

ENThis year Prof. Dr. Eugenijus Ignatonis (1935-2013) would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Two years have passed since his death. Yet the traces of his efficient professional activities in various Lithuanian piano culture spheres are conspicuous. Having graduated from Prof. Stasys Vainiūnas’ piano class at the Lithuanian State Conservatoire, Ignatonis promoted performance art all his life. His chamber music concerts in which he played with violinists Kazimieras Kanišauskas, Petras Kunca, vocalists Danguolė Juodikaitytė, Aušra Liutkutė, as well as his monographic concerts of Alexander Scriabins piano music cannot be forgotten. From 1958 to almost his last days Ignatonis was actively working at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Giving lectures at the Academy, the Professor soon realized that the majority of Alma Mater graduates linked their work with pedagogy. This perception prompted him and the Conservatoire authorities to set up the Pedagogy Department. It was opened in 1974 and Ignatonis was its head for many years (1974-1986). Then for five years he was the Dean of Piano and Musicology Faculty (1989-1994); in 1994 he was elected Deputy Rector in charge of scientific research and art and performed his duties for a whole decade (1994-2005). It would not be an exaggeration to say that most of Lithuanian professional pianists are Professor s students: he gave lectures on piano art history and piano teaching methods, conducted pedagogical practice sessions, supervised Master’s and Doctor’s papers, taught general and specialist piano lessons.Ignatonis communicated with young people, was always very considerate of young piano performers, followed their professional advancement, and motivated their artistic self-expressions and artistic daring. In artistic performance he especially valued artists’ mastery, outbursts of individuality, expressive interpretations dictated by intellect, imagination or artistic visions. Dozens of young artists and research workers are developing artistic values, scientific research, and pedagogical insights inspired by their tutor. Ignatonis was a happy man because his activities coincided with his hobbies. He was always in the centre of varied musical events; he was interested in the art of different spheres, in the trends of the world piano art process, was a great reader, attended concerts, and he willingly wrote concert reviews. He was not entirely satisfied with practical work and plunged into research on piano music and artistic performance. His consistent research studies were summarised in his doctor’s dissertation, as well as a big number of articles and monographs The 20th Century Pianists, Variations on a Theme by Piano Duet, Alma Mater and Pianists. All of them are the result of sleepless nights, uncountable contemplation hours; but on the other hand, they maybe an outcome of joyful creative moments. The author managed to combine fundamental performance craft knowledge with a likeable literary style, thus extending the readers’ circle from music connoisseurs to amateurs without any musical background.This book is a small present from the Ignatonis family, colleagues and friends on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The essential features of his character, his constant striving for professionalism, active vocational practice; a deeply perceived artist’s mission stimulated them to remember his varied creative work. The Professor’s personal features, hobbies, and the tasks achieved are discussed by family members, friends and colleagues. [From the publication]