TRIPLE CONCERTO 2
For violin, harp, double bass, and orchestra Op139 2003 
In three movements.
2.2.2.1-1.1.1.0-perc-strings
Commissioned by London Symphony Orchestra. 
FP: 26 May 2004, Barbican, London Rinat Ibragimov, double bass, Bryn Lewis, harp, Gordan Nikolitch, violin, LSO, Sir Andrew Davis. 
Publi: MP, BH

The commission was made by the initiative of Rinat Ibragimov, the principal double bass of the LSO. Some years ago in Moscow he was participating in the performance of my First Triple Concerto, Op. 21 (1977) for alto saxophone, piano, double bass, strings and percussion. And he thought that possibly it would be a good idea to set a new triple concerto for him and his friends Gordan Nikolitch and Bryn Lewis. I was happy with this idea and soon began to think about the piece. I decided to use the following cast of the orchestra: 7 woodwind, 3 brass instruments, extended group of percussion (3-4 players) and a full group of the strings. My first intention was to create sort of a musical portrait of Russia, where originally I am from: kind of a retrospect view from outside, because I live here in Britain already since 1991, becoming a British citizen in 1998. This is very much diverse and multi-angle view, however it is rather poignant and not flattering one at all. 
The thematic material, which I used here, was partly connected to the music I wrote recently for the BBC-2 TV documentary “GULAG” about a huge and horrible system of Stalin’s concentration camps in Soviet Russia where over two million people were destroyed.  This musical material is based on two completely different principles: on one side it is atonal 12-tone row-series, on another – some very tonal folk tunes. These two opposite worlds constantly interplay and penetrate here one into another. The concerto has quite a traditional layout: there are three movements: 1. Con moto (written in a combined sonata and variation form), 2. Lento, and 3. Presto (Rondo Finale). The first movement is based on two song themes: 1. “The Sun is Hidden Behind the Mountain” and 2. “The Merry Talk”. The texts of the songs could explain a bit the character of the music: the parents do not allow to their son or daughter to marry the loved ones, and these son and daughter die from their despair or committing suicide. So, the music is also not a cheerful one.

ТРОЙНОЙ КОНЦЕРТ 2
Для скрипки, арфы, контрабаса и оркестра op139 2003 
2.2.2.1-1.1.1.0-ударные-струнные.
В трёх частях.
Заказ Лондонского Симфонического Оркестра 
Премьера: 26 мая 2004, Барбикан-Холл, Лондон, Ринат Ибрагимов, Брин Льюис, Гордан Николич (скрипка), ЛСО, дирижёр Сэр Эндрю Дэвис. 
Публикация Меладина Пресс и Бузи-энд-Хокс. 

It begins with the bell tolling (tubular bells with tam-tam and pizzicatos of the three soloists). If the first movement is rather robust and active, the second one is my reflection of the heartbreaking Crimea Tartar song sang in the film by one of the representatives of the population that was almost completely destroyed by Stalin’s Regime. By the way, Rinat is also a representative of the Tartar nationality, and this movement is sort of dedication to him. So, in the Concerto I gave the tune to Double-Bass and low strings echoing by Harp. The Finale is fast and brilliant, full of energy and poignant humour. It is partly based on the episode in the film named “Train 7” – the train, which is bringing a new portion of prisoners – the builders of a “Great and Shiny Future”– to Siberia. The themes of the 1st movement return in different almost unrecognisable appearance. And the very end returns the listener to the beginning.

The goals, which I wanted to achieve here, are the following: I was trying to write a piece with really virtuoso parts for the soloists and produce a rich orchestral texture. The episodes written for the soloists’ trio are clearly juxtaposed with the massive orchestral tutti, suggesting a real competitiveness – the most familiar concept of the concert genre. In spite of the contemporary musical language I also want it to be very clear and accessible to the broader listener.  I also did not try to avoid some sort of simplicity and a relation to the principles that deeply rooted in the Russian music tradition.  And not everything is incredible serious in this music – I also like to provide some fun for the musicians.  One day Renat Ibragimov told me that in his childhood he especially enjoyed listening to the popular song: “Sinij platochek” (“The Blue Headscarf”). So, I decided to introduce the tune in the Finale of the Concerto. 

Dmitri N. Smirnov, 8th of April, 2004, St Albans