The prominent violist will sponsor a Ukrainian-language book on himself
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Had Yury Bashmet’s father not begun to order his archive in 1971, this book would have remained a figment of the imagination. A small article in a local newspaper gave impetus to enormous work which in fact became a lifetime goal for Abram Borysovych (father). Newspaper clippings, letters, school essays, diaries, citation papers, musical notes, the first musical works, and photographs have been filed and catalogued yearly and by word of mouth. Abram Bashmet says his archive collecting effort is the mission of a father and dreams that “this work will be a monument to mother, the great mother” of Yury Bashmet. Of course, his father could not know for sure in the early 1970s that his son would become a world renowned musician, that the most prominent contemporary composers would write especially for him and dedicate their works to him, with an eye to Bashmet’s unbounded performing abilities. Still, the paternal heart felt that the son was an extraordinary person.
As to the book, Abram also thinks he has hit the target: he has found an excellent author, Chernova-Stroi, who managed to combine her musical knowledge with a philosophical approach to the maestro’s creative work; a talented designer Heorhy Behliarov: and, of course, Pyramida, an enthusiastic publishing house.
As the book says, “In February 1998, asked by a journalist what — the family or some external circumstances — prompted him to become a musician, Yury Bashmet replied, ‘Both. My parents were not professional musicians but loved music very much. And the external circumstances are that I was born and raised in Lviv.”
The medal of honor awarded to Bashmet by the Ministry of Culture and the Arts of Ukraine on the day the book was presented really moved the musician, and he offered his sincere gratitude:
“Do not believe those who say that official ministrations do not matter to them. For if this happens, it means the authorities cannot avoid reacting to the great public love for the artiste. Yet, the greatest award is not even packed houses or stunning success but something mysterious, like the feather of a firebird, when a moment of enlightenment dawns upon you. God forbid one loses this! It would be a tragedy indeed!”
Many perhaps wondered at first why such a small hall was chosen for the presentation. Standing in the aisles were not only rank-and-file Lviv residents but also composers, sponsors of the book, and even the master of the house, Lviv Picture Gallery curator Borys Voznytsky, a person much venerated in Lviv. Then God must have sent down His blessings and established a uniquely warm atmosphere. Bashmet could speak to all his Solomiya Krushelnytska School friends, strike everybody with his unique memory and crack a wealth of jokes. He said that he had again seen how wise his father was and wished he had always heeded him.
“Whenever I returned on vacation, I always visited my relatives. Father would say, ‘Let’s go, it’ll take you two hours, but then you will feel free for your entire vacation.’ This lasted for five years. I once came to Lviv for a concert. Father said, as usual, ‘Well, let’s go to our kin.’ Mother stood up for me, ‘The child is not on vacation here, leave him alone.’ I was nervous because I was to play for my classmates, teachers, friends, and more. Then the concert began. I played and then suddenly saw out of the corner of my eye someone approaching me. Uncle Sashko, grandfather’s brother, was walking down the aisle. He comes limping up to the stage and says loudly ‘Hello, Yurko!’ pronouncing the ‘r’ in a French way. I wish this were written in some book.”
Incidentally, Moscow recently saw the publication of the book, A Dream Railway Station, by Yury Bashmet himself. It should be noted this book is a spiritual reflection of Lviv’s cultural approach to his creative work. And that such a study is needed has long been common knowledge.
