Radvilovich A. Judas. Passions. For soloists, choir and orchestra. Score

The composer, pianist and teacher Alexander Yuryevich Radvilovich (born in 1955) originates from St Petersburg. Having graduated from the Petersburg Conservatoire, where he studied composition at professor S. M. Slonimsky, Radvilovich was the probationer at special seminars in Poland, Holland and Germany. Just there the composer conferred with W. Lutoslavsky, T. de Leeuw, P. H. Dittrich, B. Ferneyhough. 

Alexander Radvilovich adheres to the most modern tradition of the European music in his own art. He was awarded the Queen Marie-Jos? International Prize (Geneva, Switzerland, 1992) and the J. W. Stamitz International Prize (Esslingen, Germany, 1998). 

Alexander Radvilovich is the member of the Russian Composer’s Union, secretary of the St. Petersburg Composer’s Union. Once he established the International New Music Festival “Sound Ways”.

At present time Radvilovich carries on pedagogical activity in the Petersburg Conservatoire and in the Humanitarian University, taking part in concert tours as a composer, pianist and leader of the “Sound Ways” ensemble performing modern music, organizes lectures in Russian and foreign institutes and at master-courses in Europe, Asia and the USA. Alexander Radvilovich is the first Russian composer to have reported the International New Music Summer Courses in Darmstadt (1992, 1994).

His music is transmitted by Mass Media Companies in many countries, while his compositions are published in Russia, Holland and the USA. 

The Gospel of Judas, discovered and deciphered in the 21st century, had been long considered irrevocably lost. Although scientists proved the manuscript’s historic authenticity, the Christian church would hardly accept it more than an apocryphal work because of Judas, whose personality is interpreted rather extraordinary.

Judas’ character did not stop stirring minds of Ernest Renan, Jorje Borjes, Mikhail Bulgakov, Leonid Andreyev. Literary men were attracted by Judas’ spiritual pains; he was something different from other disciples.

The Gospels of Judas describes him as Jesus’ favourite follower, able to understand and to love more than others. Even his betrayal is committed in accordance with Jesus himself: thus the highest God’s destination is fulfilled by Judas, doomed to eternal forsakenness and condemnation.

The composer Alexander Radvilovich was the first to express theme in music. As the Gospel of Judas is not completed, Radvilovich resorts to Leonid Andreyev’s well-known story “Judas Iscariot” in the finale. The composer considers the title “Gospel of Judas” to be rather inexact, for unlike canonic gospels of (Mathew, Mark, Lucas and Johann) the narration is given on behalf of anonymous evangelist. That’s why Radvilovich called this musical interpretation of apocryphal text “Judas’ Passions”, adhering meanwhile to everything peculiar for classical passions. Among the characters are Jesus, Judas, and anonymous narrator. Choir acts simultaneously as Jesus’ disciples and crowd. Orchestra means are most significant here.

The ancient text lacks any mention of post-betrayal events, i. e. flogging, cross bearing, crucifixion and resurrection. These most important elements are depicted by the orchestra, imbibing the whole composition.