“Without Saying Goodbye”, and without wanting to insult anyone. Completing a great masters work has had a varied success. Which is why I took on this work with apprehension. After studying Čiurlionis’ incomplete Violin Sonata, it became apparent that it was beyond my talent to do so. It would also have meant coming up with the main theme for the first movement, which started to feel like actually insulting his work.

However, after spending much time with his sketches, I started toying with the idea of writing a piece on aspects of his unfinished Violin Sonata. Inspired by, if you may. I wanted to keep as much original on display as possible, also as much of it as I could without changing anything. Not everything tonal in this work belongs to his hand, but every element is inspired and developed from his sketches. I have also used small quotes from some of his other works, like for instance harmony and partial melody line from his tone poem “In the Forest” at the point when I introduce the musical material of the slow movement of his Violin Sonata for the first time. As much as I enjoyed working with the material, I also wanted to make sure that everything complete in his sketches would be presented accurately and brought out clearly to the listener. I wanted this piece to be like a platform for his sketches

I managed to put every single note (I think) that he wrote into this work. Some of them a little hidden, perhaps.

The setting in this musical play is at the very end of his life where he has gone out for a walk in the forest. He is taking in the sounds and the emotions and remembering his youth. Some memories are clear, some are not. The cold is getting him, but he doesn’t notice. He is calming down. A beautiful image appears from his childhood, which reminds him that he is due to see his little daughter for the very first time the next day. He shut his eyes for the very last time.

Mihkel Kerem

Mihkel Kerem embodies the tradition of renowned violinists who are not only virtuoso soloists, but also concertmasters of renowned orchestras, versatile chamber music performers, and prominent composers. The Estonian-born violinist focuses on the music of Estonia and the Baltic States, often incorporating works by composers from these countries into his repertoire. Currently Assistant Concertmaster of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (UK) and the Brandenburg Symphony (UK), Mihkel Kerem completed his studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the Royal College of Music in London.

Kerem's oeuvre currently comprises around 160 works, including 7 symphonies, numerous concertos, orchestral works, 10 string quartets, a string sextet, a string octet, 3 sonatas for violin and piano, 2 wind quintets, sonatas for alto and piano, cello and piano, and a solo piano. Kerem's works have been performed in the USA, Russia, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and many other European countries. Kerem has been Composer-in-Residence at the renowned Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany and the Aurora Chamber Music Festival in Sweden. His works have been performed by the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra with Neeme Järvi, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Oulu Sinfonia, Joensuu City Orchestra, Camerata Nordica and Chilingirian String Quartet.

In 2012 Toccata Classics released a CD of Kerem's 4 violin sonatas. The second CD of Symphony No. 3 for Lamento viola and strings and string sextet was issued in 2013.

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