Drukh I. Song of Songs. Shir hashirim. Concerto for clarinet and orchestra. Score

Igor Drukh was born 1966 in St. Petersburg. Graduated from St. Petersburg Conservatoire. Attended the international mastercourses and seminars in Darmstadt (Paul-Heinz Dittrich), Berlin (Mark Kopytman), Stuttgart (Helmut Lachenmann). In 1994–1996 was in the circle of Edisson Denissov, together with the latter wrote sound-track to the famous movie “The Tsar’s Hunt”. In 1995 was awarded the Grand-Prix at the UNESCO Competition in Paris. Chamber music of Igor Drukh was performed by the famous “Arditi” and “Mozarteum” String Quartets, ensembles “Musica Da Camera” (Russia) and “Aleo” (USA). Member of the Russian Composers’ Association (since 1995) and “Brandenburg Collegium of Contemporary Music” (Germany, since 1993). Music of Igor Drukh was performed at the various contemporary music festivals in Russia and abroad. Creative art of Igor Drukh combines the most refined achievements of contemporary European music with Jazz and Russian church and traditional influences.

The concerto “Song of Songs” for clarinet and orchestra was composed in 2007. It’s based on the genre of the European concerto, linear features and the means peculiar for the Asian music tradition and the intonations of the European urban music-making.

The first performance took place during the festival “Music Spring in Petersburg — 2008” at the St. Petersburg Kapelle. It was presented by the St. Petersburg State Orchestra conducted by Alexander Titov, Honoured Art Worker of Russia and Ivan Stolbov (clarinet), laureate of the International Competition, soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra.

The Song of Songs (Shir hashirim) is the collection of Hebrew love canticles, referring to the 3ird century BC and even the earlier time. 

Legendary Solomon, King of Israel and Judea is considered to be its author.