The Violin Alone

[UNUSUAL VIOLIN MUSIC] - [NARRATOR] IT EMBODIES THE SOUL OF TWO MODERN VISIONARIES.

IT'S A DARING AND REMARKABLE QUEST TO CHANGE THE WAY AN INSTRUMENT IS PLAYED.

IT COULD REDEFINE THE BOUNDARIES OF MUSIC AND OUR IDEA OF THE POSSIBLE.

- IT'S NOT ORDINARY MUSIC.

IT'S SOMETHING WRONG.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAY.

- [NARRATOR] A HUNGARIAN VIRTUOSO AND A MAVERICK COMPOSER FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF MONTANA ARE ATTEMPTING TO REALIZE A REVOLUTIONARY CONCERTO, UNLIKE ANYTHING WRITTEN BEFORE.

THE VIOLINIST MUST ACCOMPANY HIMSELF.

HE IS THE SOLOIST AND THE ORCHESTRA.

- I'VE ASKED HIM TO BE FLUTE, OBOE, CLARINET, IN THE NEXT MEASURE, HE'S THE SOLO VIOLIN, AND THEN HE'S A FRENCH HORN, THEN HE'S A SOLO TRUMPET, AND THEN THE WHOLE BRASS SECTION COMES IN, FOLLOWED BY THE TIMPANI.

- [NARRATOR] THE REQUEST FOR THE VIOLIN TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF OTHER INSTRUMENTS IS AN AUDACIOUS ONE.

- [VILMOS] SO HOW TO DO THAT?

TO IMITATING A TIMPANI.

- [NARRATOR] COMPOSER ERIC FUNK AND VIOLINIST VILMOS OLAH FACE A DAUNTING CHALLENGE.

[ATTEMPTS EMULATING TIMPANI] - HE HAS TO PLAY HIS VIOLIN IN A MANNER THAT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE ALL THESE INSTRUMENTS IN THE ORCHESTRA.

IS IT CONCEIVABLE THAT IT'S PHYSICALLY AND HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO DO THIS?

MAYBE NOT POSSIBLE.

- [NARRATOR] THE PROFOUND MUSICAL AND TECHNICAL DEMANDS ARE ONLY A MEANS TO AN END.

ULTIMATELY, VILMOS MUST REVIEW AN UNCOMPROMISING EMOTIONAL STORY.

IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE VIOLINIST, THE COMPOSER, AND A LEGACY OF STRUGGLE, HOPE, AND PERSEVERANCE.

COULD THIS BOLD ENDEAVOR BECOME A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE OF MUSIC?

- OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COMPOSERS IS TO BUILD NEW THINGS.

- [NARRATOR] TWO MODERN PIONEERS FROM DIFFERENT WORLDS, SHARING THE SAME VOICE, EMBARK ON A THRILLING JOURNEY TO REIMAGINE WHAT MUSIC CAN BE.

- [FEMALE NARRATOR] THIS FILM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY TONY J. WALLER AND BRUCE WALLER.

[BRUCE WALLER] IN HONOR OF OUR FATHER, SANDER J. WALLER, MY BROTHER AND I ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE VIOLIN ALONE.

[TONY WALLER] A FILM TRANSCENDING THE LIMITS OF LANGUAGE AND PURSUING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC.

- [FEMALE NARRATOR] ANDR J. MELIEF.

DONALD & SIGNE FARRIS THE GILHOUSEN FAMILY FOUNDATION.

THE GREATER MONTANA FOUNDATION, ENCOURAGING COMMUNICATION ON ISSUES, TRENDS, AND VALUES OF IMPORTANCE TO MONTANANS.

AND BY THESE GENEROUS DONORS.

- BA BA BA BA BA BA BA, BA BA, BA BA, BEE BA BEE BA, DEE DEE DEE DEE DEE, SO YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE THE SILENCE IS YAT, DEE DEE, DEE DEE, NO PROBLEM, DEE DEE DEE DA DA DEE DEE, THEN YOU'VE GOT A DIMINISHED OCTAVE, AND THEN AN AUGMENTED OCTAVE.

I'M ALWAYS PLAYING AROUND WITH THAT SORT OF INHARMONIC MINOR NINTH JUST BECAUSE IT'S MORE INTENSE OF A DISSONANCE.

THEN IS THIS QUESTION, IF THIS IS EVEN HUMANLY POSSIBLE?

I WANT YOU TO PLAY A DOUBLE STOP UNISON, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO GET IS SOME KIND OF GLISSANDO GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND WHAT I WAS THINKING, YOU CAN SLIDE YOUR FINGERS TOWARD EACH OTHER, THAT IT WOULD BE NATURAL, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THE MUSCLES WORK THAT WAY, SO WE MAY HAVE TO JUST SIMULATE.

THE IDEA IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PIECE, WITH THE DEEE UM, DEE EUM, NOW WE'RE GOING DEEE-UH BOTH DIRECTIONS DOING IT HERE AND THEN AGAIN HERE.

I DON'T KNOW.

COULD WE PLAY WITH IT AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A SOLUTION?

- I TRY TO FIND SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT EASY.

[ATTEMPTING GLISSANDO] AND NOW I'M IN TROUBLE.

- [FUNK] NOW MY QUESTION IS, CAN THIS FINGER GO THIS WAY AND THIS FINGER GO THIS WAY?

LIKE ZERT?

CAN THEY SLIDE?

- BUT THE RESULT IS.

- [FUNK] UGLY INTERVAL.

- IT'S NOT GOOD, SO IT'S.

[ATTEMPTING GLISSANDO] - [FUNK] THAT'S CLOSER 'CAUSE THE IDEA IS TO INCREASE THE TENSION, NOT RESOLVE IT.

("HUNGARIAN DANCE NO.

1" BY JOHANNES BRAHMS) - [NARRATOR] MUSIC CONNECTS US TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN OUR OWN EXISTENCE.

THE HARSH AND THE GENTLE.

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE UGLY.

THE SORROW AND THE JOY.

A BALANCE OF MATHEMATICAL PRECISION, EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION, AND ARTISTRY TAKES US ON A JOURNEY FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO PREDICTIONS.

-[TAMAS VASARY] WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT AN ARTIST?

AN ARTIST IS SPECIAL.

WHEN I SAY SOMEBODY IS AN ARTIST, IT MEANS THAT THIS PERSON IS CAPABLE TO MAKE MAGIC.

AND WHAT IS MAGIC?

THAT TO PUT PEOPLE IN ANOTHER STATE OF MIND, A HIGHER STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, NOT WITH WORDS, BUT WITH FEELING.

("HUNGARIAN DANCE NO.

1" BY JOHANNES BRAHMS) - [NARRATOR] NOW, TWO VISIONARY ARTISTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO REALIZE A NEW PIECE OF MUSIC.

NOTHING SHORT OF IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAY AND UNLIKE ANYTHING WRITTEN BEFORE.

IT IS RIDDLED WITH EMOTIONAL AND AESTHETIC CHALLENGES, DIFFICULT TECHNIQUE, AND PUSHES THE BOUNDARY OF MUSIC AND OUR IDEA OF THE POSSIBLE.

IT WILL TAKE ITS PLAYER TO EXTREMES.

ERIC FUNK, A CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSER FROM THE VAST LANDSCAPES OF MONTANA, CONCEIVED OF THE UNUSUAL PIECE ESPECIALLY FOR ITS PLAYER, WORLD RENOWNED HUNGARIAN VIOLINIST VILMOS OLAH.

– I CALL THE PIECE VILI: CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE, LITERALLY MEANING THAT HE IS ALL BY HIMSELF.

- [NARRATOR] DEVIATING FROM A TRADITIONAL CONCERTO, VILMOS MUST ACCOMPANY HIMSELF AS THE SOLOIST AND THE ORCHESTRA.

- I OPENED THE ENVELOPE, AND THERE WAS SHEET MUSIC, AND I JUST LOOKED.

OH MY GOSH.

LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S NOT ORDINARY HANDWRITING.

IT'S NOT ORDINARY MUSIC.

IT'S SOMETHING WRONG, POSSIBLY IT'S FOR TWO VIOLINS, OR NO NO NO, IT SHOULD BE PLAYED BY ONLY BY MYSELF ALONE, SO IT'S COMPOSED VIOLIN ALONE, SO TWO STAVES, TWO LINES, ONE IS VIOLIN SOLO, ONE IS AN ORCHESTRA PART.

IT'S AMAZING, AND I STARTED TO, NO IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAY.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

- [NARRATOR] HIS ABILITY TO CREATE ORCHESTRAL SOUNDS FUSED WITH HIS MUSICAL MATURITY AND DEPTH REVEALED VILMOS OLAH AS THE INSPIRATION FOR CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE.

HIS PRODIGIOUS TALENT ALLOWED HIM TO THRIVE IN EASTERN EUROPE, A REGION WHERE SUCCESS IS OFTEN OUT OF REACH.

HIS MUSICALLY RICH PERFORMANCES ARE IN DEMAND GLOBALLY.

HE EMBRACES THE UNUSUAL AND DIFFICULT ASPECTS OF FUNK'S VISION IN THE NAME OF INNOVATION.

- THE AUDIENCE AND THE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, STILL, IN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC INDIVIDUALITY.

THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE DIFFERENT PLAYERS PLAYING DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT'S NO MEANING IF EVERYONE SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME.

- [NARRATOR] BY PUSHING ONE PLAYER TO EXTREMES, WHAT UNDISCOVERED POTENTIALS WILL BE REVEALED?

- [FUNK] THERE ARE PLACES WHERE I'VE ASKED HIM TO BE TWO FLUTES.

IN THE NEXT MEASURE, HE HAS TO BE OBOE, CLARINET.

AND THE NEXT MEASURE, HE'S THE SOLO VIOLIN, AND THEN HE'S A FRENCH HORN.

AND THEN THE WHOLE BRASS SECTION COMES IN.

[IMITATING BRASS SECTION] [TIMPANI HITS] FOLLOWED BY THE TIMPANI.

THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS THING ARE, THEY REQUIRE A REAL VIRTUOSO.

[VILMOS WARMING UP] - AND NOW, HERE WE COMES, THE CLARINET, SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PLAY ON THE NORMAL POSITION OF THE BOW, THE CLARINET SOUND TO IMITATING THAT, WE SHOULD GO MORE LOWER ON THE FINGERBOARD.

- [FUNK] EVEN DEEPER?

- EVEN DEEPER.

- CAN WE SAY MOLTO SOLTASTO?

- YEAH, WE CAN SAY MOLTO SUL TASTO.

- DO YOU SEE?

I MEAN ARE THEY GONNA' THINK WE'RE CRAZY?

- YEAH, BUT LISTEN FIRST HOW IT SOUNDS, SO IF I PLAY IN A NORMAL WAY.

[VILMOS PLAYS NORMALLY] IF I PLAY SUL TASTO.

[VILMOS PLAYS SUL TASTO] IF I PLAY MOLTO SUL TASTO.

[VILMOS PLAYS MOLTO SUL TASTO] - OH YEAH.

IT IS LIKE MORE LIKE A TRIANGLE WAVE, IT'S MORE CLARINET.

THAT'S COOL.

- [NARRATOR] ALL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCE SEVERAL SIMULTANEOUSNESS VIBRATIONS OCCURRING AT DIFFERENT RATES AND IN DIFFERENT FORMS, A CONCEPT CALLED TIMBRE.

VILMOS MUST ALTER THE TIMBRE OF HIS VIOLIN SO THAT HE CREATES COMPLEX SOUND WAVES RESEMBLING THE TRIANGLE WAVE OF A CLARINET, THE SQUARE WAVE OF AN OBOE, THE SAWTOOTH WAVE OF BRASS, AND THE SINE WAVE OF A FLUTE.

- IT'S MY IDEA TO PLAY THE FLUTES IN DOUBLE HARMONICS, YEAH, IT'S GOING TO WORK, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW TO CONVINCE THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO CHOICES; IT'S COMING OR NOT.

THERE'S TWO THINGS BECAUSE IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PLAY THE DOUBLE HARMONICS ON THE VIOLIN, AND IT'S LIKE A LOTTERY.

YOU ARE LUCKY OR NOT.

GOOD LUCK.

YOU'RE LUCKY OR NOT, THAT'S THE THING.

[VILMOS ATTEMPTS TO IMITATE FLUTES] AH, AS YOU SEE, I WAS UNLUCKY.

[VILMOS ATTEMPTS TO IMITATE FLUTES] - YEAH, IT'S GETTING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON LUCK, YOU'RE GETTING IT JUST WITH SKILL.

- [NARRATOR] THE COMPLEX SCORE REQUIRES VILMOS TO UTILIZE EVERY FIBER OF HIS TECHNICAL ABILITY AND VIRTUOSITY.

- IS IT CONCEIVABLE THAT IT'S PHYSICALLY AND HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO DO THIS?

POSSIBLE, MAYBE NOT PROBABLE, MAYBE NOT POSSIBLE.

- [NARRATOR] EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN SIMPLY PLAYING THE PIECE IS ITS DEEP EMOTIONAL MEANING.

- [FUNK] I'M NOT TRYING TO DEPICT THE STORY.

I'M TRYING TO DEPICT THE ENERGY THAT THE STORY IS CARRYING.

IT HAS TO DO WITH EASTERN EUROPE.

IT HAS TO DO WITH COUNTRIES LIKE HUNGARY WHO ARE IN THE PERFECT GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION TO BE INVADED AND OCCUPIED AND HAVE BEEN.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THE VIOLIN ALONE AND THE VIOLINIST ALONE.

- TO BE AN ARTIST IS SO BASIC.

IT'S JUST TO BE HUMAN, TO TALK EMOTIONS.

- [NARRATOR] TAMAS VASARY, LONGTIME FRIEND OF VILMOS, KNOWS FIRSTHAND WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN.

THE RESPECTED AND ACCLAIMED CONCERT PIANIST AND CONDUCTOR ROSE TO PROMINENCE IN SOVIET DOMINATED HUNGARY BEFORE FLEEING TO THE WEST.

- IF I GO TO A CONCERT, DO I FEEL THAT IT IS COMING FROM HIS HEART?

- [FUNK] IS IT OKAY, APO APO, EVERY TIME?

UP UP OR YOU GO UP DOWN.

- I'M NOT SURE.

I THOUGHT IT'S BETTER TO PLAY DOWN UP, DOWN UP.

[VASARY] THE MAIN THING IS HUMANITY, THAT THEY ARE SPEAKING ABOUT ARCHETYPAL HUMAN AND EMOTIONAL THINGS, SO THIS IS VERY SIMPLE IN A WAY, AND THE MOST COMPLICATED BECAUSE THERE IS NO MORE COMPLICATED THING THAN A FEELING.

- [VILMOS] DOWN UP, SO THAT'S HOW I BELIEVE- - NICE.

- IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, HOW LONG SHOULD I KEEP THE FERMATA HERE?

CAN I KEEP LONGER A BIT?

- YEAH, I WOULD SAY DO IT BY FEEL.

I MEAN I FEEL LIKE IT'S A FIRST BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A PLEADING MOVEMENT.

IF YOU HAVE THE, VILI VILI, AND THEN THE DEE DAH DEE DAH, DEEEEE, DEE DEE DEE, JUST DO IT ALMOST MAYBE EVERY TIME YOU PLAY IT IT'LL CHANGE, BUT JUST KIND OF BY FEEL.

IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A TRAGIC PAUSE.

YOU WANT TO SUSPEND THE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE, SO THEY'RE NOT SURE EITHER, SO IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL TOO METRIC.

- OKAY.

(VIOLIN TUNING) - [NARRATOR] ON A CRISP MARCH EVENING IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, TWO MODERN PIONEERS WILL ATTEMPT TO MAKE THEIR INDELIBLE MARK ON MUSIC HISTORY AT THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE.

- [FUNK] NOW, WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF SOME PEOPLE IN THE WORLD GETTING TO HEAR WHAT'S BEEN IN MY HEAD AND THEN HAS BEEN IN HIS HANDS.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) I'VE KIND OF GIVEN HIM THE PLANS FOR A SOUND SCULPTURE, AND HE'S LIKE THE SCULPTOR, AND HE'S GONNA BUILD IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

(VIOLIN TUNING) ("VILI: CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE" BY ERIC FUNK) [FUNK] THERE ARE MANY UNUSUAL ASPECTS ABOUT THIS PIECE.

TECHNICALLY, THE DEMANDS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

NORMALLY, A VIOLINIST WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN FIVE LINES OF STAFF TO READ.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, SINCE THE VIOLINIST IS THE SOLOIST AND THE ORCHESTRA, I NEED TO SHOW THE VIOLINIST THAT WHICH HE HAS TO PLAY THAT REPRESENTS THE ORCHESTRA SOUND, SO NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE TO PLAY THE NOTES THAT ARE ON BOTH STAVES, BUT HE HAS TO KEEP THE SOLO PART SOUNDING LIKE THE SOLO VIOLIN, AND HE HAS TO KEEP THE ORCHESTRA PART SOUNDING LIKE THE ORCHESTRA PART.

ONCE HE FINISHES THE VERY FIRST PAGE, THEN THE SOLO VIOLINIST ENTERS.

HE HAS TO COME OUT LIKE, HE HAS TO SOUND DIFFERENT THAN THE ORCHESTRA HE WAS JUST EMULATING.

WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THIS POINT, SUDDENLY A TRUMPET FANFARE COMES IN, SO HE HAS TO CHANGE HIS BOW POSITION, SO THAT HE'S NEARER TO THE BRIDGE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A TRUMPET.

DAAA DIKA DAAA.

MUSIC ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I DO.

MUSIC IS SOMETHING THAT I AM.

IT'S PART OF MY FABRIC, JUST DEEP IN THE SOUL.

- [NARRATOR] FUNK IS AN ANALOG PERSON IN A DIGITAL WORLD.

HIS DRIVE IS THE PROCESS, NOT THE PRODUCT.

IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE USING THEIR LIFE ENERGY TO CREATE MUSIC.

THE HUMANITY CENTRAL TO FUNK'S ART AND CRAFT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR HIS ULTIMATE GOAL, ORIGINALITY.

HE STRIVES TO BRING BACK A WORLD IN WHICH CREATIVITY IS CHAMPIONED.

[FUNK] IT MEANS PLUMBING YOUR DEPTHS.

IT MEANS COMING TO FULLY KNOW WHO YOU ARE SO THAT YOU CAN TRIGGER THE COMPLEXITIES THAT HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY FOR YOUR ART TO BE SUBSTANTIAL AND SUBSTANTIVE.

IT TAKES SOME IMAGINATION, OBVIOUSLY.

A VIOLIN CAN'T REALLY SOUND LIKE A TRUMPET, BUT THE FACT THAT HE IS GETTING THAT TIMBRAL PUSH IN SUCH A STRONG OPPOSITE DIRECTION IN TERMS OF THE WAVEFORM AND SORT OF MODIFYING THE NATURAL SINE WAVE FORM BY THE WAY HE'S BOWING AND WHERE HE'S BOWING THE STRING, TO KIND OF SOUND LIKE A TRUMPET, THAT SOUNDS LIKE IF FUTURE COMPOSERS START WRITING MUSIC WHERE EVERY SINGLE PLAYER IN THE ORCHESTRA IS AN ORCHESTRA, NOW THE TRUMPET'S TRYING TO SOUND LIKE A VIOLIN, NOW THE FLUTE'S TRYING TO SOUND LIKE A BASSOON, AND EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE A GLOBE UNTO THEMSELVES, A FULL ON PHILHARMONIC SOUND OF THEIR INSTRUMENT BY DRAWING ON ALL THE IDIOMATIC POTENTIALS OF THE INSTRUMENT INSTEAD OF JUST PLAYING THE NARROW BAND.

- [NARRATOR] LASZLO DENES, OLAH'S CHILDHOOD MENTOR, HAS SEEN FEW PIECES OF THIS COMPLEXITY AND EVEN FEWER MUSICIANS WITH THE INNATE TALENT TO PLAY IT.

- I DON'T KNOW IF A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF VIOLINISTS WOULD EVEN GO NEAR SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEIR TRAINING HAS TAKEN THEM DEEP INTO ALL OF THE BAROQUE AND CLASSICAL AND ROMANTIC PERIOD MUSIC, LESS INTO THE NEW MUSIC, AND LESS INTO THE RIGHT NOW NEW MUSIC, YOU KNOW, THE REALLY EXTREME MUSIC.

- [NARRATOR] OCCASIONALLY, A CLASSICAL COMPOSER ENCOUNTERS A PLAYER THAT TRIGGERS PURE INSPIRATION, RESULTING IN A RARE COLLABORATION.

("CONCERTO IN D, OP.

77" BY BRAHMS) JOHANNES BRAHMS HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO CONSIDER JOSEPH JOACHIM AMONG HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS.

IN 1878, BRAHMS COMPOSED HIS FIRST AND ONLY VIOLIN CONCERT SHOWCASING THE VIRTUOSIC TALENTS OF THE HUNGARIAN VIOLINIST, ONE OF THE MOST EMINENT STRING PLAYERS OF HIS TIME.

("CELLO CONCERTO IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP.

107" BY SHOSTAKOVICH) CELLO CONCERTO NUMBER ONE WAS THE FIRST OF MANY WORKS DEDICATED TO MSTISLAV ROSTROPOVICH BY ACCLAIMED FELLOW RUSSIAN COMPOSER DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH.

THEIR MUTUAL RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOSTERED A CLOSE FRIENDSHIP AND ENDURING COLLABORATION.

THE MUSIC OF SHOSTAKOVICH AND THE UNMATCHED DEPTH OF THE CELLIST EXPRESSED UNSPOKEN TRUTHS TIED TO THE DARK ERA OF SOVIET RUSSIA.

("CAPRICE NO.

20, ALLEGRETTO" BY PAGANINI) ERIC FUNK WAS INTRODUCED TO VILMOS OLAH AT AN INTIMATE HOUSE CONCERT IN BOZEMAN, MONTANA.

HE HEARD EMOTION, TONE, COLOR, AND TIMBRAL REACH UNLIKE ANY STRING PLAYER HE'D EVER EXPERIENCED.

- [FUNK] HE'S ACTUALLY REALIZING AND MANIFESTING THAT WHICH IS IN MY MIND'S EAR WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY.

THIS GUY SOUNDS LIKE A FULL ORCHESTRA.

I MEAN I WAS HEARING CELLOS, I WAS HEARING OBOE, I WAS HEARING FLUTE, CLARINET, TIMPANI, FRENCH HORN, ALL THESE COLORS ALL COMING FROM THE VIOLIN, AND I THOUGHT I'M GOING TO WRITE HIM A CONCERTO WHERE HE IS THE ORCHESTRA AND THE SOLOIST.

HE'S GOING TO DO IT ALL BY HIMSELF 'CAUSE HE CAN.

(WOLVES HOWLING) - [VILMOS] WHEN I WAS A YOUNG CHILDREN, I READ A BOOK ABOUT AMERICAN INDIANS, AND I READ ABOUT THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN, THE YELLOWSTONE PARK.

BUFFALOS AND THE WOLVERINES AND THE GRIZZLIES.

I REALLY WANTED TO SEE IN ALL MY LIFE.

I WAS INVITED TO BOZEMAN, MONTANA TO PLAY THE MENDELSSOHN CONCERTO WITH THE MSU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

I WAS KIND OF SHOCKED BY THE BEAUTY OF ALL THESE MOUNTAINS AROUND AND ALL THE ANIMALS AROUND THERE, AND WHAT I WAS MORE IMPRESSED IS THE KINDNESS OF THE PEOPLE.

THERE ARE SO MANY KIND PEOPLE AND VERY SMART PEOPLE THERE.

[FUNK] MY THREE TEACHERS WERE ALL EASTERN BLOC.

- [NARRATOR] FOLLOWING THE MONTANA RECITAL, THE TWO PROGRESSIVE ARTISTS BEGAN THEIR UNLIKELY JOURNEY.

WITH OVER 100 COMPOSITIONS IN FUNK'S REPERTOIRE, TWO VIOLIN CONCERTOS PIQUED OLAH'S INTEREST ONE, A DEEP ARTISTIC PIECE IN MEMORY OF AUSTRIAN COMPOSER ANTON WEBERN, AND A FAST SHOW PIECE IN WHICH A VIOLINIST CAN DEMONSTRATE FLASH AND PROWESS.

- SO HERE THEY ARE.

HERE'S THE MOST RECENT, THAT'S JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, I MEAN BACK IN EARLY 2000, AND THEN THIS ONE'S FROM OLDER, THE WEBERN.

- [VILMOS] I SEE.

- [FUNK] SO VILI LOOKS AT BOTH PIECES, AND IT WAS GREAT 'CAUSE HE, THEY'RE BOTH THERE, AND HE JUST TAKES THE FLASHY ONE, AND HE CLOSES THE COVER AND PUSHES IT.

- [VILMOS] I LIKE THIS ONE MORE.

- [FUNK] I'M PLEASED.

I LIKE THIS ONE MORE TOO.

IT TOLD ME A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT WHO HE WAS, THAT HE WASN'T THE FLASHY GUY WHO WAS LOOKING FOR APPLAUSE, BUT HE COULD HEAR THE STORY.

- [VILMOS] CAN I TRY THIS ONE?

- YES, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY IT.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOU PLAY IT.

- YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY THIS ONE.

("VIOLIN CONCERTO #1, OP.

71" BY ERIC FUNK) - [NARRATOR] LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER OLAH'S TIME IN MONTANA, CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE ARRIVED IN BUDAPEST.

ERIC FOLLOWED, AND THE PAIR SPENT 10 STRAIGHT DAYS WORKING OUT EVERY DETAIL.

- WE SPENT NINE, 10 HOURS A DAY SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, NOTE TO NOTE.

- [VILMOS] SO HOW TO DO THAT?

TO IMITATING A TIMPANI.

SHOULD I DO THE COL LEGNO BATUTTO OR?

- [FUNK] LET'S TRY LEGNO BATUTTO AND SEE IF WE GET ANY PITCH.

WHAT I'M AFRAID IS THAT IT'S GOING TO GET TICK TICK TICK.

I MEAN SOME VIOLINISTS... [TICKING SOUND OF WOOD ON STRINGS] - IT'S NOT...

I THINK THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT POINT.

- [FUNK] YEA.

LET'S TRY OTHER... BECAUSE WE NEED THE DIGA DIGA DUM, FEET, DIGA DIGA DUM, YAM DIGA DIGA DUM, DUN DIGA DIGA DUM.

- IT'S TOO QUICK TO DO.

NO, I THINK IT'S NOT... - SO WHAT I NEED, I GUESS IT'S BEST TO SAY WHAT I NEED, IS I NEED THE PITCH, BUT I NEED IT TO SOUND DRUMMED.

YOU GO DEE DEE DEE YAH, THE BRASS BONG BEE VA VUNG, BA BA BA BA BUM, VA BA BA BA BUM.

IT'S PRETTY BRUSQUE.

- YEAH OKAY.

OKAY, THEN I PROBABLY NEED SOME MORE WEIGHT, SO I TRY TO... [ACHIEVES A TIMPANI SOUND] - THAT WORKS.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

THAT WORKS.

LIKE HALF WOOD HALF STRING.

- HALF WOOD, HALF STRING.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY NAME FOR THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CHECK IN SOME DICTIONARY.

- [FUNK] DO YOU HAVE ONE?

DO YOU HAVE SOME?

- YEAH, I HAVE SOME, BUT.

- [FUNK] THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE SYNERGISTIC RESULT OF THE TWO OF US FROM DIFFERENT WORLDS WITH THE SAME VOICE.

[FUNK] COL LEGNO... - COL LEGNO TRATTO OR COL LEGNO BATUTTO.

- [FUNK] EITHER WAY?

- YEAH, COL LEGNO TRATTO IS WITH THE DIRECTIONS.

- OH I SEE.

- AND THE COL LEGNO BATUTTO WITH HITTING.

- JUST STRAIGHT BOUNCE.

- STRAIGHT DOWN, YEAH.

- SO HOW ABOUT IF WE GO QUASI COL LEGNO BATUTTO.

- [VILMOS] YEAH, THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO.

- AND THEN THEY'LL KNOW USE SOME STRING.

[FUNK] I THINK WHAT'S BEEN INTRIGUING FOR ME IS THAT SINCE VILI AND I HAVE COMMUNICATED ALMOST ENTIRELY THROUGH MUSIC AND LESS THROUGH WORDS, NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE LUXURY FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS OF ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, TO FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY VERBALLY IS THE SAME THAT WE'RE SAYING MUSICALLY, THAT WE'RE KINDRED SPIRITS IN OUR SORT OF PHILOSOPHY.

WE HAVE WONDERFUL DIFFERENCES, NICE DISSONANCE, AND WE HAVE SOME OVERALL OVERARCHING DEEP SIMILARITIES IN TERMS OF OUR REALITY CONSTRUCTS, HOW WE PERCEIVE THE WORLD, WHAT WE THINK IS VALUABLE, WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT, WHAT DRIVES US.

("VILI: CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE" BY ERIC FUNK, MVT II) - [VILMOS] WHAT I'M DOING IS COMING FROM MY SOUL, FROM MY HEART, AND BEFORE I DO THE PIECE, I TRY TO EMPTY MYSELF AND GET ALL THE INSIDE SPIRITS AND JUST TRY TO TELL THE AUDIENCE WHAT IS IN THIS PIECE, THROUGH ME, SO I'M KIND OF MEDIUM TO TRANSFER HIS PIECE TO THE AUDIENCE.

YOU HAVE TO SAY THE TRUTH ON THE VIOLIN.

YOU CANNOT SAY ANYTHING WHICH IS NOT IN, SO I HAVE TO BE HUNDRED PERCENT HONEST WHY I PLAY THE PIECE, SO EVERYTHING IS IN.

EVERYTHING, ALL THE THINGS, ALL MY FEELINGS, AND ALL WHAT I BELIEVE.

[VILMOS] I LIKE THIS ONE MORE.

- [FUNK] WHEN I WENT INTO THE OTHER ROOM, HIS VIOLIN CASE WAS OPEN, AND HERE WAS A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS TWO CHILDREN, AND I REALIZED THAT WHENEVER HE TRAVELS AND HAS TO GO OUT AND TOUR, PLAYING CONCERTOS, HE'S TRAVELING THROUGH THE WORLD, AND HE HAS TO LEAVE HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER AND HIS LITTLE SON BEHIND, AND I HAD THIS STRONG FEELING OF HIM SORT OF MISSING THEM, THEM MISSING HIM.

AND THAT SORT OF VILI AND APA, WHICH IS DADDY IN HUNGARIAN, AND THEM CALLING HIS NAME AND HIM SORT OF CALLING TO THE CHILDREN.

I USED THAT MOTIVE TO BUILD INTO THIS RATHER TENDER SECOND MOVEMENT.

- [VILMOS] MY KID'S VOICE.

THERE IS DANIEL AND CSENGE'S VOICE THERE.

APA, APA, ALL THE TIME, COMING BACK, AND JUST REMINDS ME LIKE FROM THE FAR DISTANCE, THEY ARE CALLING ME AND APA, APA.

[FUNK] ALL THE MUSIC THAT I WRITE IS REAL RHYTHMIC.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS JUST LOADED WITH METER CHANGES.

WHEN I LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPOT IN THE THIRD MOVEMENT WHERE THE RHYTHM OF THE MELODY GOES BA BA DIGA DAT DAT DEE DA DIK DEE DA, BA BA BA DIGA DAT DAT DEE DA DIK DEE DA DEE DA.

[HURDY GURDY BEGINS PLAYING] THAT'S SO NATURAL IN EASTERN EUROPEAN FOLK RHYTHMS.

- [NARRATOR] "CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE" IS A MICROCOSM OF A BROADER PERSPECTIVE.

- [FUNK] IT'S LIKE THE ARCHITECTURE HERE, IT'S LIKE THE LANGUAGE HERE, AND THE PEOPLE HERE, AND THE DANCEY FOLK MUSIC HERE, AND THE DARK OPPRESSIVE SHADOW HERE, AND THE INDELIBLE SPIRIT HERE THAT I WILL NOT BE HELD DOWN.

IT'S ALL HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THE UNQUENCHABLE HUMAN SPIRIT.

(EASTERN EUROPEAN FOLK MUSIC) - [NARRATOR] FUNK'S MENTORS, CZECH COMPOSER TOMAS SVOBODA, POLISH COMPOSER KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI, AND HUNGARIAN COMPOSER SANDOR VERESS, ALL CARRIED A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE LEGACY THEY WERE PASSING ON, A LEGACY OF STRUGGLE, HOPE, AND PERSEVERANCE.

- THESE COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE, GEOGRAPHICALLY, ARE SITUATED PERFECTLY FOR INVASION AND OCCUPATION, AND SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY IN THE THROES OF WAR AND THEM BEING TAKEN OVER BY SOMEONE IS THAT THERE'S NOWHERE TO TURN.

(SINGING IN POLISH) ULTIMATELY, THEY HAVE TO TURN WITHIN AND DEVELOP A SANCTUARY OF THE SOUL IN ORDER TO HAVE CONNECTION WITH THEMSELVES.

THERE'S NO PLACE ELSE TO RUN.

WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A TREMENDOUS HEART.

(SINGING IN POLISH) [TAMAS VASARY] LIGHT NEEDS SHADOW IN ORDER TO REVERSE.

IF YOU NEVER MET DEATH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS LIFE.

- [FUNK] YOU CAN REPRESS ME, YOU CAN SQUASH ME, YOU CAN CONFINE ME, BUT YOU'LL ONLY MAKE ME STRONGER.

("VILI: CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE" BY ERIC FUNK) [TAMAS VASARY] THIS IS WHAT I CALL ARTIST WHO CAN MAKE THE PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THEIR SADNESS.

WHAT IS SADNESS?

THEIR DAILY LIFE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DAILY LIFE IS DIFFICULT, TO SAY THE LEAST, BUT VERY OFTEN SAD, AND SO THIS IS OUR JOB.

THIS IS OUR VOCATION, THE ARTIST'S VOCATION.

WHEN WE PLAY, THEN PEOPLE SHOULD PUT IN ANOTHER PLAN OF EXISTENCE WHERE THEY'RE FORGETTING ABOUT THEIR MISERIES ON EARTH.

NOW HE IS ABLE TO DO THIS.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) - [NARRATOR] FOR TRUE INNOVATION OF OCCUR, IDEAS MUST BE ALLOWED TO RUN FREE.

- [FUNK] OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COMPOSERS IS TO BUILD NEW THINGS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST TO KEEP WRITING DERIVATIVE WORKS.

I MEAN THERE'S NO POINT IN WRITING JUST ANOTHER CONCERTO.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT ALL COMPOSERS ARE TRYING TO BE GREAT COMPOSERS, TO REALLY GO AFTER IT.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) - [NARRATOR] CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE CELEBRATES AND PERSONIFIES ITS PLAYER AND INSPIRATION, VILMOS OLAH.

IT REFLECTS HIS VOICE PRINT, FINGERPRINT, LIFE PRINT, AND SOUL.

HE IS THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE COLLECTIVE.

- IT INFORMS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE COLLECTIVE, BUT ALSO THE COLLECTIVE TO THE INDIVIDUAL, AND PART OF IT IS CELEBRATING THE VALUE OF KEEPING THE INDIVIDUAL ALIVE.

[VILMOS] I DON'T COUNT MYSELF AS A VIOLINIST.

I COUNT MYSELF AS A MUSICIAN, BUT I BELIEVE LIKE IN OLD TIMES, LIKE ABOUT 50, 60, AND 100 YEARS AGO, ALL THE MUSICIANS WERE MUSICIANS FIRST AND NOT CATEGORIZED LIKE VIOLINIST, SOLOIST, ORCHESTRA PLAYER, OR THIS AND THAT.

THEY WERE MUSICIANS.

WHEN I PICKED UP THE PIECE, AND I JUST REALIZED IT IS SO COMPLEX, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, ORCHESTRA, VIOLIN, IT'S BRINGING BACK SOMETHING OLD, BUT IT REALLY GIVES YOU SOMETHING NEW AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME, SOMETHING FRESH, WHICH MAKES YOU JUST INSANE TO DISCOVER ALL THESE THINGS IN THIS PIECE TO PLAY AS AN ORCHESTRA MEMBER AND A VIOLINIST AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S ALWAYS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PRESENT SOMETHING NEW WHICH NEVER PLAYED BEFORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT ALL THE WAYS HOW TO PLAY THIS AND THAT.

YOU HAVE TO INVENT THINGS.

YOU HAVE TO INVENT ALL THE TIME.

- [FUNK] IT FIGHTS AGAINST, AND HOPEFULLY PREVENTS, SAMENESS THAT I THINK IS INFECTING THE MUSICAL WORLD NOW.

- [NARRATOR] MUSIC IS GRADUALLY BECOMING SIMPLY A COMMODITY, A GLOBAL SOUND.

PERHAPS, CONCERTO FOR THE VIOLIN ALONE WILL BECOME A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE AND ALTER THE WAY COMPOSERS AND MUSICIANS THINK AND CREATE.

- [FUNK] IT'S AGAINST THE ODDS.

I MEAN, THE PIECE IS AGAINST THE ODDS.

VILI'S AGAINST THE ODDS.

I'M AGAINST THE ODDS.

THE UPHILL BATTLE JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT'S DRIVING YOU.

AND THEN IF YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE HUMILITY THAT VILI HAS IN SPADES, YOU DISAPPEAR.

YOU TAKE THE LISTENER INTO THE MUSIC, NOT INTO THE MUSICIAN.

THAT COUPLED WITH THIS ABILITY TO BE SYMPHONIC - THE SKY'S THE LIMIT.

(ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)