"Before starting any enterprise, you should first reckon whether you are sure to succeed", warns ever-didactic Kozma Prutkov. The first "Five Evenings" in September 2000 aroused great expectations in the producers. Successful performance by renowned musicians from several countries, repertoire novelties, unexpected interpretations of pieces that had seemed to be known from A to Z - all that called for a sequel, because the very idea of reunited performing that is free of cliches (sometimes free of canons, too) has proved to be efficient, and really needed by our troublesome social being. With new energy and inspiration, we are opening the musical pages of the Second International Five Evenings Festival, and invite everybody to the concerts at the Glinka Philharmonic Hall. The philosophy of the festival remains the same: interesting performers, premieres of compositions never played in St. Petersburg before, ensembles diversified in instruments. In a word, everything that makes chamber musicianship so

"Before starting any enterprise, you should first reckon whether you are sure to succeed", warns ever-didactic Kozma Prutkov. The first "Five Evenings" in September 2000 aroused great expectations in the producers. Successful performance by renowned musicians from several countries, repertoire novelties, unexpected interpretations of pieces that had seemed to be known from A to Z - all that called for a sequel, because the very idea of reunited performing that is free of cliches (sometimes free of canons, too) has proved to be efficient, and really needed by our troublesome social being. With new energy and inspiration, we are opening the musical pages of the Second International Five Evenings Festival, and invite everybody to the concerts at the Glinka Philharmonic Hall. The philosophy of the festival remains the same: interesting performers, premieres of compositions never played in St. Petersburg before, ensembles diversified in instruments. In a word, everything that makes chamber musicianship so attractive and enriching.

Chinese clarinetist Fang Song is a European Mozart Prize winner. His style of performing combines the technical and acoustic flawlessness of European woodwind schools with pliability and delicate elegance representative for musicians of Asia. Fans Song, together with Petersburg's musicians, will unfold nuances of interpretation of the Great Viennese music. The clarinet quintets of Mozart and Brahms were written by the composers in the years of their creative apogee, and are among the most inspired masterpieces of music.

The Russian premiere of The Passions According To St. John by Arvo Part promises many interesting discoveries. The core trends of music development in the second half of the 20th century encounter and resonate in these Passions written as far back as 1982. The supreme spirituality of Arvo Part, one of the most important composers of today, shows itself in The Passions According To St. John with a strange, captivating power.

The fourth evening is awarded to French music, as represented by works of Henri Duparc and Erneste Chausson. Sad songs of Duparc have never been performed at our concert halls in such a number (all works of the composer for high voice will be presented). The admirable Concerto for violin, piano and string quartet by Chausson may be heard from time to time, but still it is not familiar enough to Petersburgers. The European guests of the evening will be distinguished masters, tenor Zeger Vandersteene from Belgium, and French violinist Pierre Hommage.

Finally, in the gala concert of the festival, the audience will hear, along with performance of actually all the participants in one evening, also most intriguing repertoire novelties. The program will be opened in On Wenlock Edge, an event-laden, picturesque and dramatic vocal cycle by Vaughan Williams for tenor, piano, and string orchestra. A refined arrangement of one of numerous waltzes of Johann Strauss Jr. by Arnold Schoenberg made in 1922, after the famous dodecaphonic system was created to overturn the development of music in the 20th century, will present the originator of the New Viennese School in a somewhat different aspect. You will hear the best composition of Erneste Chausson, his enchanting Poem for violin, so moving and so perfect. Piotr Laul will perform the extravaganza Fifth Piano Sonata of Alexander Skriabin (it will be even more interesting since the pianist is winner of the last international competition dedicated to that great Russian composer). The four-hand piano and choir "Love Song Waltzes" cycle of Johannes Brahms famed for its melodic abundance and luxurious harmonies will top the festival's program, becoming a kind of summation of the five evenings of chamber music.

Different techniques and schools of performers, their age, traditions, or language - all this becomes absolutely irrelevant when measured against reative art, the Art of Music. We wish the audience of the Five Evenings pleasure and discoveries in music, new knowledge and new emotional experience. We wish you everything that makes life plentiful, diversified and fascinating.