Leonovich - Cre(m)ation for Cello and Piano

Cre(m)ation, stylized “Cremation,” is a five-movement suite for cello and piano, also available in a version with string orchestra. The work is dedicated to the Kyiv Crematorium at Baikove Cemetery, an architectural masterpiece combining modernist and expressionist influences. For the composer, this structure stands as a powerful symbol of the cycles of life and death, joining dramatic visual form with solemn purpose.

The title Cre(m)ation points to the fragile distinction between creation and cremation, two concepts separated by a single letter. That small difference becomes a reminder of life’s ephemerality, the closeness of beginnings and endings, and the emotional space between making, remembering, mourning, and transforming.

This suite is suitable for early advanced cellists and works well for recital programming, contemporary music concerts, memorial programs, or performances exploring architecture, memory, Ukrainian cultural identity, and the relationship between music and place. Read more about the work here: https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/program-note-cre-m-ation/program-note-cre-m-ation

Listen here: https://youtu.be/3x5HWA0_ahU

ASTA level: 4