To mark the 80th birthday of Ukrainian composer Valentyn Sylvestrov, who was born in Kyiv on September 30, 1937, the collection "Hieroglyphs of the Night," comprising his compositions for one and two cellos, was published. German cellist Anja Lechner, who has maintained a close artistic relationship with Sylvestrov for some time, performs several works, including "Moments of Silence and Sadness," "Lacrimosa," "Waltz of the Alpine Bells," and "Elegy," playing both cello and tam-tams in the latter. For duet performances, Lechner is joined by French cellist Agnès Vestermann, with whom she performs pieces such as "Three Pieces," "June 8, 1810...for the birthday of R.A. Schumann," "Two Serenades," and "October 25, 1893...in memory of P.I. Tchaikovsky." Sylvestrov's compositions often represent metaphorical dialogues with composers from different eras. Besides Tchaikovsky and Schumann, there are also references to his friend Tigran Mansurian, to whose music the piece "Lacrimosa" is a response. "My own music is a response to and an echo of what already exists," explains Sylvestrov, who views his work as a series of "codas" to music history. The recording "Hieroglyphs of the Night" was made at the Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
