Al niente: The last opus of Vasilije Mokranjac: After a quarter of a century

Abstract

This year we mark the 25th anniversary of the death of one of the most distinguished Serbian composers, Vasilije Mokranjac, whose diversified opus of predominantly symphonic and piano music, greatly influenced on composers of his and subsequent generations. The last opus by this author is his Preludium for clarinet solo written a few months before the tragic death of the artist, who, in this as well as in his entire opus, expressed his anxiety over life and death, his wonder at the sense and absurdity of the things man does, the things he longs for and what he is preoccupied with. Written in a simple and clear form, the work carries traces of excitement, expressionism and neoromantic dualism which is the basic characteristics of Mokranjac's composing handwriting.

Pre 25 godina napustio nas je izuzetni umetnik i stvaralac Vasilije Mokranjac. Njegovo poslednje delo stalo je da živi u sećanju pisca ovih redova od prvog izvođenja, jer je obeležilo ne samo kraj jednog bogatog opusa i stvaralačkog rada već i naše muzikološke osvrte. Sećajući se sopstvenih reči u tekstu napisanom povodom kompozitorove smrti, načinili smo još jedan pogled unazad i iz današnje perspektive, još jednom zaronili u autorov testament.