Recital to feature music by composer who struggled like Job

Published 1:30 am Thursday, November 1, 2018

The late Czech composer Petr Eben’s life was marred by angst, tension and unrest.

Eben, whose father was Jewish and mother was Catholic, survived internment in a Nazi concentration camp as a teenager in the 1940s, only to live under harsh Soviet oppression for the next 40 years. His refusal to join the Czech Communist Party kept his contemporary classical music largely obscured from the rest of the world until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989.

David di Fiore, a Seattle native and internationally acclaimed concert organist, will premiere one of Eben’s works from that period at a recital Nov. 4 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett.

“Job,” a liturgical composition written in 1987, consists of eight movements inspired by passages from the Book of Job. It tells the story of a rich man whose faith is tested when he loses his wealth, family and health because of a wager between Satan and God. Narrations written by Eben — which will be read by the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton — explain the lessons Job learns along the way.

It’s as much a tale from the Old Testament as it is a metaphor for Eben’s suffering under Nazi and Soviet rule, di Fiore said.

“There is absolutely a relationship between the two,” di Fiore said. “If you know anything about Job, his life was nothing but trauma.”

Eben, who died in 2007 at 78, was recognized for his contributions after the communist regime crumbled. His works made him a respected cultural figure in the Czech Republic. He received a number of high decorations and honors for his contributions to the country’s culture and arts.

Di Fiore, who moved to Slovakia in 2015 to teach music at Catholic University in the city of Ruzomberok, first heard “Job” this past year.

“I fell in love with it immediately,” di Fiore said. “The way he writes is more of a pianist approach than organistic. In that sense, it’s difficult to pull it off.”

Di Fiore said “Job” isn’t typically what’s heard in churches.

“It’s very serious and loaded with tension,” di Fiore said. “But the final movement is really hopeful. Job gets his reward.”

Eben’s work remains virtually unknown in the United States; di Fiore said his upcoming recital of “Job” will be the first time it’s heard in the Pacific Northwest.

Di Fiore, 66, has performed internationally for the past 31 years. The University of Washington graduate recently celebrated his 1,000th concert at an organ festival in Orléans, France, having performed in countries like Austria, Hungary and Poland, as well as Canada and Mexico.

He has also appeared as a recitalist, conductor, accompanist and clinician for the Archdiocese of Seattle and was honored by the American Guild of Organists for his contributions to performance art internationally.

During his travels, di Fiore had the opportunity to meet Eben before his death. He said he was touched by how kind and spiritual Eben was, despite having had a rough life.

“He was just an incredible human being,” di Fiore said.

Evan Thompson: 360-544-2999, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @evanthompson_1.

If you go

What: David di Fiore’s recital of (The Book of) “Job” by Petr Eben

Where: Trinity Episcopal Church, 2301 Hoyt Ave., Everett

When: 4 p.m. Nov. 4

Cost: Free; $20 suggested donation for adults, $10 for seniors and students

More: 425-252-4129