Petr Eben – Jan Amos Komenský – The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart

“It is inherent to art to stimulate love in people and in this way to touch the eternity.” In the spirit of this belief the significant Czech composer Petr Eben was inspired by the well-known work of the philosopher, writer, teacher and theologian John Amos Comenius. The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart reflects also the composer’s inner world – unconcealed religious conviction, respect for the heritage of Antiquity, for poetry, both sacred and secular one. The whole-evening organ cycle was performed for the first time in 1991 in Australian Melbourne, and later at many important European festivals. Although it has been played also in Bratislava within a dissertation concert, on the professional stage it is now presented in the Slovak premiere. Programming it we hope to accomplish the composer’s idea: “music is not only something that sounds, but something that appeals. A piece is not a released balloon, but a ball thrown and waiting for the hands which would catch it…” We hope the concert performed by the organist Marek Vrábel with the narration of Comenius’ words by the composer’s son Marek Eben will only prove this.