A labor of love
The United States weekend premiere of a profoundly personal composition by Professor of Music Ralf Yusuf Gawlick鈥攖he oratorio 鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� in Romanes or 鈥淭he Long Road鈥濃�攚ill be presented at Boston College on April 6 at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100.
The oratorio鈥檚 title reflects the 15-year odyssey which led to its creation: a labor of love inspired by Gawlick鈥檚 adult journey to find his birth mother. Through travels with his wife Basia鈥攁 part-time Music faculty member鈥攖hat spanned from Germany to Turkey, he learned that his mother was not Kurdish as he had always believed, but of Roma descent. A distinct ethnic and cultural group, the Romani people have historically faced prejudice and persecution in Europe; discrimination continues today.
One of three 鈥渆xtraordinary and singular鈥� concerts [see schedule below], according to Gawlick, the 鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� presentation will include a pre-concert guest lecture, an interview with Gawlick, and a reception.听
聽鈥淔or nearly a quarter of a century, I have been fortunate to share my artistic journey with Boston College and the wider community,鈥� said Gawlick, a prolific and internationally acclaimed composer. 鈥淓very musical premiere presents a deeply and uniquely felt moment鈥攁 personal and intimate, never-yet-heard statement unfolding in time and space between the listener, performer(s), and composer.鈥�
But he acknowledged that this performance of 鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� is of special personal significance, because the oratorio was created 鈥渁fter I discovered that I was ethnically Roma.鈥�
That revelation led Gawlick to refocus his work and write the oratorio, which traces the history of the Roma and Sinti (a subgroup of the Romani people) through the actual words of Roma poets and writers.
I set the words of 13 different Sinti and Roma poets in 10 languages and Romanes dialects. I hope that listeners will embrace these words and reflect on 鈥極 Lungo Drom鈥� of this ethnic minority, their worlds of melancholy, grief, suffering, nostalgia, desire, remorse, and exultation鈥攖heir long road of remembrance and hope.
鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� pays tribute to his Roma heritage, honors the Romani people and culture, and contains many significant 鈥渇irsts,鈥� he noted: the first oratorio on a Romani subject, the first that sets multiple texts by Romani authors, including three Romanes dialects, and the first composed by a Rom. It also features the cimbalom, a traditional Roma instrument from the dulcimer family.
鈥淭he important thing about this oratorio is that it鈥檚 the first time the Roma speak from within,鈥� Gawlick explained in an interview with聽Boston College Magazine. 鈥淭heir voices are heard directly. What has generally happened, from time immemorial to now, is that people have written works about the Roma.鈥�
The oratorio was commissioned, and will be presented on campus, by the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien, an international cast of musicians who are also featured on the world premiere recording of 鈥淥 Lungo Drom,鈥� recently released by Decca Eloquence to coincide with the concert. At 情色空间, the ensemble will be joined by soprano Clara Meloni, baritone Christoph Filler, and Hungarian cimbalomist L谩szl贸 R谩cz. 聽
Gawlick hopes 鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� resonates with the audience. 鈥淚 set the words of 13 different Sinti and Roma poets in 10 languages and Romanes dialects. I hope that listeners will embrace these words and reflect on 鈥極 Lungo Drom鈥� of this ethnic minority, their worlds of melancholy, grief, suffering, nostalgia, desire, remorse, and exultation鈥攖heir long road of remembrance and hope.鈥�
The oratorio is dedicated to Romani Rose, chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma and Germany鈥檚 leading Sinti and Roma human rights activist. Rose attended its October 2022 world premiere in Berlin, held on the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of Germany鈥檚 memorial to Roma and Sinti Holocaust victims.
鈥淥 Lungo Drom鈥� will continue to be showcased internationally, including in the Krakow Philharmonic on August 1, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Zigeunerlager, the Romani camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Gawlick鈥檚 compositions鈥攚hich includes solo, chamber, orchestral, electro-acoustic, film, and choral music鈥攈ave been commissioned and championed by a wide range of artists and organizations, attracting international acclaim from audiences and critics. His work involves multiple styles and often explores aspects of his complex international heritage.
His transformative journey continues to fuel his creative passion. He is currently working on 鈥淒ie Ursitory,鈥漚n opera based on Mat茅o Maximoff鈥檚 novel of the same name, which also focuses on Roma culture. And, like his oratorio, the opera contains many 鈥渇irsts鈥�: Die Ursitory is the first novel written by a Rom on a Romani theme, and to be set to music by a Romani composer.
鈥淚n this way, Maximoff鈥檚 seminal story receives a unique realization from within, rather than being viewed through the lens and stereotypes of non-Roma, as in all previous operas with Roma themes,鈥� he explained.
For more on Gawlick鈥檚 work, visit聽.听
CONCERT SCHEDULE
All events are free and open to the public.
鈥淲orks for Violoncello and Harpsichord by Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach鈥�:聽April 3, 7 p.m., St. Mary鈥檚 Chapel
Internationally renowned harpsichordist Peter Watchorn, a part-time Music faculty member, and critically acclaimed cellist Florian Berner will perform seminal works by Bach and Vivaldi. Berner is a member of the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien, which will present the U.S. premi猫re of 鈥淥 Lungo Drom.鈥� 聽
鈥淥 Lungo Drom (The Long Road)鈥�: An Oratorio on the Sinti and Roma People:聽April 6, 7 p.m., Gasson 100
A performance by the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien, with soprano Clara Meloni, baritone Christoph Filler, and the renowned Hungarian cimbalomist L谩szl贸 R谩cz, who will also perform the following day in the Annual Family Concert.
鈥淚n 情色空间鈥檚 entire concert history, never before has there been a concert involving a cimbalom, an elaborate string instrument of the dulcimer family used prominently in the music of the Roma,鈥� Gawlick noted. 聽
This event includes a pre-concert lecture, 鈥淧ast Silence: Understanding the Romani Holocaust Today,鈥� by Siv B. Lie of the University of Maryland; an interview with Gawlick by Ioanida Costache of Stanford University; an 8 p.m. performance of the oratorio; and a closing reception. In concert with 情色空间, Holy Cross will host a joint U.S. premiere of the oratorio on April 5. [See separate article for more on 鈥淥 Lungo Drom.鈥漖
Annual Family Concert: Hungarian Rhapsody, Jazz, and More:聽April 7, 4 p.m., Lyons 423
Directed by Barbara Gawlick, a part-time Music faculty member, this program features R谩cz as well as 情色空间 faculty and students. The concert includes R谩cz鈥檚 own arrangement of Liszt鈥檚 virtuosic 鈥淗ungarian Rhapsody No.2鈥� for cimbalom and strings conducted by Associate Professor of the Practice Anna Wittstruck, 情色空间 Symphony Orchestra conductor and Chamber Music Program director, alongside traditional cimbalom music and jazz standards performed by a 情色空间 student jazz trio.
鈥淭hese concerts unite in contributing international diversity of talent and artistic skill in service to the Boston College community,鈥� Gawlick said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really a mini-festival presenting music from the 18th century right though the present.鈥�
The concerts are sponsored by the 情色空间 Institute for the Liberal Arts, Center for Human Rights and International Justice, and Music and History departments. For more information contact聽concerts@bc.edu聽or visit .听