THE BOOK “SPEECH AND DEEDS” BY KONSNANTIN ILIEV ENRICHED THE POSTER OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE OPERA AND BALLET ARTS – STARA ZAGORA

29.11.2024 https://dolap.bg/
On 27 November 2024 in the lobby of the Stara Zagora State Opera was held the presentation of the new edition of the autobiographical book “Speech and Deeds” by the great Bulgarian musician, composer, conductor and civil activist Konstantin Iliev and a conversation with the first-born son of the Maestro – Architect Ventsislav Iliev.
The first edition of “Speech and Deeds” was published in 1997. Architect Iliev publishes for the second time the book on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the creator. The architect made a short review of the life and the creative activity of the musician with a presentation, including interesting photos and extracts from his father’s diaries. He managed with his eloquence to present to the audience the image of a cosmopolitan personality, creator of the Bulgarian Modernism in music. Appreciated, insulted, glorified and ignored by the musicologists and critics of socialist conservatism, he outlived them and the time in order to take an honourable place in the Bulgarian music chronicles.
“Speech and Deeds” presents a bright picture of the music life in Bulgarian from 1945 to 1986 through the eyes and assessment of Konsantin Iliev. The three parts of the book are specific literary fragments in which the author presents unknown features of the characters of his contemporaries, the established classicists and the then young bearers of the avant-garde music art.
Glorified as a conductor and sharply criticized as a composer, the author self-defines himself rather as a composer than a conductor, as such as he was glorified.
“His creative work, performing art and civil position inspired and excited… Some prefer Iliev the composer, others the conductor, third – the inspirer, but with this they tell only part of the truth. For me these three essences in him are indivisible. Namely this defines and explains his great influence over both the young and old, over those who walked with him, over friends and opponents”, writes Ivan Spasov – a composer and conductor.
The autobiographical book “Speech and Deeds” is a rare document about the life and personality of the great Bulgarian musician, composer and civil activist Konstantin Iliev. Its presentation as an accompanying event during the 54th Festival of the Opera and ballet Arts in Stara Zagora is a sign of respect, devotion and the lasting power of his creative work.
Konstantin Iliev was born on 9 March 1924 in Sofia. In 1946 he graduated from the State Music Academy /today State Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” Sofia – SMA/. He studied composition taught by Prof. Pancho Vladirerov, conduction taught by Prof. Marin Goleminov, and violin taught by Prof. Vladimir Arnaudov. In 1946-1947 he specialized in the Prague Academy for Music Art in conducting guided by Prof. V. Talich and composition guided by J. Rzidky, he attended the classes in one-fourth-tonal composition by held by Prof. Alois Haba.
In 1947 Konstantin Iliev returned to Bulgaria and for a short time worked as a musicologist in Radio Sofia. In 1947-1948 he was the first conductor of the newly-founded State Symphonic Orchestra in Ruse, and for the next season 1948-1949, he was appointed conductor of the Ballet of the Sofia Opera. Since 1949-1952 he was chief conductor of the State Symphonic Orchestra and the People’s Opera in Ruse. Here he realized a big part of his creative ideas by significantly enriching the thematic range of the symphonic and opera repertoire – they began performing works by young Bulgarian composers, enforcing the contemporary European styles and means of expression. In the period 1952-1956 Konstantin Iliev is chief conductor of the Varna Symphonic Orchestra.
1964 is the beginning of the pedagogical work of Konstantin Iliev at the State Music Academy, and since 1970 he was professor in orchestra conducting.
Konstantin Iliev left the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra in the period 1969-1971 and realized a cycle of concerts and recordings for the gramophone firm “Balkanton” with the Orchestra of the State Music Academy. In the years 1971-1972 and 1978-1984 he was again appointed chief conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Sofia.
From 1972 to 1978 Konstantin Iliev lived in Dobrich, where he initiated the Festival of Chamber Music. His last appearance is at the conductor’s stand in 1988 in Ruse. He died on 6 May 1988 in Vidin.
Starting his creative work in the 40-s of the last century, Konstantin Iliev is a personality imposing its presence in the Bulgarian music life. His conducting art embraces works of different styles and epochs and is marked by temperament and expressivity, which are brilliantly shown in the interpretations of works by contemporary authors. For the first time in Bulgaria under the baton of Konstantin Iliev are heard numerous works by A. Honegger, P. Hindemith, B. Bartok, I. Stravinsky, O. Messiaen, B. Britten, Fr. Poulenc, A. Schoenberg, A. Berg and others. Among his strongest creative-interpretational achievements are Symphonie Fantastique by H. Berlioz, Symphony by C. Franck, Requiem by G. Verdi, the symphonies by Dm. Shostakovich, and by the Bulgarian composers there stand out the works by L. Pipkov, P. Vladigerov, P. Staynov, V. Styanov, F. Kutev, M. Goleminov and others. For his conducting art he received recognition in many countries in Europe, America and Asia and he has an extremely large role in the popularization in Bulgaria of the music of the 20th century. Konstantin Iliev is also an excellent opera conductor. Successful are his appearances on the stage of the Ruse and Sofia operas, as well as during the concert tours in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia and other European countries.
Konstantin Iliev is one of the most eminent contemporary Bulgarian composers, his works are related to the so-called Bulgarian music avant-garde. The composer worked in different genres: he is the author of the ballet “Broadcloth Jacket” /1958/ and the operas “The Boyana Master” /1962/ and “Deer’s Kingdom” /1974/; the cantata-oratorio works, among which the oratory “Eulogy to Konstantin Philosopher, called Cyril” /1970/ and the cantatas “He was Supposed to Come”, “Poem to the Deceased, Dedicated to the Living” /1972/, “Spring Festivities” /1975/; of 6 symphonies and other works for a symphonic orchestra; 7 Tempi concertati for different instrumental ensembles, 4 string quartets, a wind quintet and others; chancer ensemble and solo music; of 5 songs for voice and piano; choir music for different formations, repertoire works for the performers; film and theatre music.
Konstantin Iliev is author of monographs about the composers Lyubomir Pipkov and Lazhar Nikolov and many musical-publicity materials related to the works by P. Vladigerov, D. Nenov, P. Hadzhiev, D. Shostakovich and others.
Rositsa Rancheva