Programme

Programme

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki Three Pieces in Old Style [9’]
Edvard Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 [15’]
I. Morning
II. Ase’s Death
III. Anitra’s Dance
IV. In the Hall of the Mountain King
Fedir Yakimenko Nocturne in D major for string orchestra [4’]
Pablo Sarasate Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) for violin and orchestra, Op. 20 [9’]
Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances, BB 76 [7’]
I. Jocul cu bâta (Stick Dance)
II. Brâul (Waistband Dance)
III. Pe loc (On the Spot)
IV. Buciumeana (Hornpipe Dance)
V. Poarga româneasca (Romanian Polka)
VI. Maruntel (Quick Dance)

Concert description

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Programme

Franz Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished, D.759 [25’]
I. Allegro moderato
II. Andante con moto
Fryderyk Chopin Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1 [5’] *
Fryderyk Chopin Prelude in A flat major, Op. 28 No. 17 [4’] *
Charles Gounod Waltz from the 2^nd act of the opera Faust [5’]
Benjamin Britten Soirées musicales, Op. 9 [12’]
I. March
II. Canzonetta
III. Tirolese
IV. Bolero
V. Tarantella

 * arr. for orchestra

Concert description

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Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Queen of the Night, aria from the opera The Magic Flute, KV 620 [2’]
Antonín Dvořák Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém (Moon high and deep in the sky), aria from the opera Rusalka, Op. 114 [6’]
Manuel de Falla Nights in the Gardens of Spain [23’]
I. En el Generalife (In the Generalife)
II. Danza lejana (Distant dance)
III. En los jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba (In the Gardens of the Sierra de Cordoba)
Hector Berlioz Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath (mov. V) from Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 [10’]

Concert description

After dark, more can happen. Can you imagine a witches’ sabbath held in broad daylight? The last movement of Hector Belrlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is, without doubt, dark. One hears it already in the ominous sound of the cellos and double basses. Then comes the famous quote from the Dies Irae funeral sequence, introduced by the sombre tones of the bassoons and the tubas. Together, they form a backdrop against which the bells can really reverberate. Would Mozart’s Queen of the Night join a sabbath? Why not! The dream of vengeance on the high priest Sarastro simmering in her heart is very much in tune with the horrifying dance of Berlioz’s witches.

The night, however, also provides shelter for less scary creatures. Only after dark can Dvořák’s naiad Rusalka share her sorrow and sing her tender song for the Prince. Is the sound of the harp a depiction of the bright light of the all-seeing Moon? And what would the Moon see if it peeked into the gardens of Spain? According to Manuel de Falla, those certainly bustle: lovers meet for their trysts, and there is ecstatic, sensual dancing that only ends at the break of dawn.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Dream A Little Dream Of Me (mus. Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, lyr. Gus Kahn, arr. Manon Cousin) [2’]
The Green Moss (mus./lyr. Philip Barkhudarov) [3’]
Bel astre que j’adore (anonymous, 15^th c., arr. Manon Cousin) [2’]
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the ballet Nutcracker by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (lyr./trb. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [2’]
Khamei (anonymous medieval theme, lyr./arr. Élodie Pont) [3’]
Durme, durme, mi linda donzella (Sephardic chant, arr. Manon Cousin) [4’]
Lakota Lullaby (mus. Robert “Tree” Cody, arr. Élodie Pont) [5’]
Bejeht mima jeîs (mus./lyr. Manon Cousin) [2’]
Lorelei (mus./lyr. Manon Cousin after Heinrich Heine) [2’]
Sama Yoon, main theme from the film Unpredictable Nature of the River (Les Caprices d’un fleuve, mus. René-Marc Bini, lyr. Pape Dieye, René-Marc Bini, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [2’]
Clair de Lune from 2 Songs, Op. 46 No. 2 (mus. Gabriel Fauré, lyr. Paul Verlaine, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [3’]
La reine de cœur (mus. Francis Poulenc, lyr. Maurice Carême, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [3’]
Les moulins de mon cœur (mus. Michel Legrand, lyr. Eddy Marnay, arr. Élodie Pont) [3’]

Concert description

Programs like this one are hard to come across. In a way, it is a journey through music, both in space and in time. Our guides on that journey will be the Les Itinérantes vocal trio: Manon Cousin, Pauline Langlois de Swarte, and Élodie Pont. Its members met while studying musical theatre, but they came from slightly different backgrounds – jazz, world music, and early music.

Generally, the trio does not perform music as it came to as through original sources. They opt for rearrangements and pair the music with their own lyrics. Sometimes, it is not out of choice but necessity: after all, Les Itinérantes often use ancient, medieval or traditional sources, many of which are incomplete. On other occasions, the reason behind the rework is to make a piece work for a trio, on yet another: to give the music a personal touch.

In their programs, the artists juxtapose numerous kinds of music from different ages: folk and early music, popular compositions, musical pieces, film scores… On top of that, they are in many different languages: French and English, but also Gaelic, Sephardic Ladino, or Georgian. The audience is in for a true day-and-night journey!

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Jean-Philippe Rameau Dance suite from opéra-ballet Les Indes galantes (selection) [7’]
La Danse du Grand Calumet de la Paix
Menuet I
Menuet II
Tambourin I
Tambourin II
George Frideric Handel Sinfonia The arrival of the Queen of Sheba from the 3^rd act of Solomon HWV 67 [4’]
Ennio Morricone Gabriel’s Oboe from the film The Mission [4’]
Roberto Molinelli Four Pictures from New York, Concerto for saxophone and string orchestra [23’]
I. Dreamy Dawn
II. Tango Club
III. Sentimental Evening
IV. Broadway Night

Programme

Powróćmy jak za dawnych lat (mus. Henryk Wars, lyr. Jerzy Jurandot) *
Ach, jak przyjemnie (mus. Henryk Wars, lyr. Ludwik Starski) *
Na pierwszy znak (mus. Henryk Wars, lyr. Julian Tuwim) *
Szczęście raz się uśmiecha (mus. Henryk Wars, lyr. Emanuel Schlechter) *
Tango milonga (instrumental version, mus. Jerzy Petersburski) *
Odrobinę szczęścia w miłości (instrumental version, mus. Jerzy Petersburski) *
Ta ostatnia Sunday (instrumental version, mus. Jerzy Petersburski) *
Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą (instrumental version, mus. Henryk Wars) *
Ja się boję sama spać (mus. Jerzy Petersburski, lyr. Andrzej Włast) *
Nie kochać w taką noc (mus. Zygmunt Wiehler, lyr. Jerzy Jurandot) *
Już nie zapomnisz mnie (mus. Henryk Wars, lyr. Ludwik Starski) *
Nasza jest noc (mus. Stefania Górska, lyr. Julian Tuwim) *

* arr. Tomasz Chmiel

Concert description

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Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade Eine Kleine Nachtmusik KV 525 [16’]
I. Allegro
II. Romance: Andante
III. Menuetto: Allegretto
IV. Rondo: Allegro
Antonín Dvořák Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 [27’]
I. Moderato
II. Tempo di valse
III. Scherzo: Vivace
IV. Larghetto
V. Finale: Allegro vivace

Concert description

Not every serenade has to evoke an image of a wooer singing to his beloved one, a guitar or a mandolin in his hand. Even though Mozart’s Don Giovanni does perform a song like that, the more famous of the composer’s serenades is Eine Kleine Nachtmusik for string orchestra. In Vienna of the olden days, the term used to describe pleasant, light compositions (Mozart’s piece was called “A Little Night Music” for a reason) comprising several movements and performed by small ensembles, often in the open air. On some occasions, they were meant to celebrate important figures, but sometimes (why not!) they were performed to please a beloved person. Mozart’s composition is structured as if it were a miniature symphony: the first movement and the final one are fast-paced. Between them, we hear the lyrical Romanze and the lively Menuetto.

Whereas the most famous part of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is undoubtedly the first movement, in the case of Antonin Dvořák’s Serenade it is definitely the second. The Czech composer was a true master of exquisite melodies in dance rhythms, as exemplified by the beautiful waltz in question. Still, there is much more to the Serenade: the playful, energetic Scherzo, the soothing, song-like Larghetto, and the surprisingly dramatic opening to the Finale, which then unfolds like a masterful thrilling short piece in its own right.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Night Music (concert premiere of the album)

Concert description

Contemporary music is not always just about the sounds. Ever more often, composers come up with entire concerts or pieces written with particular venues or circumstances in mind. One of the devices applied here is awaiting the music in dim light: this way, the audience can isolate themselves from visual stimuli and focus entirely on listening. Some artists suggest closing the eyes, other hand out blindfolds, some switch all the lights off. There are even ones who expect the musicians to play in the dark.

Vitalii Kyianytsia’s second solo album includes Night Music, composed during the COVID pandemic and about to be performed live for the first time during La Folle Journée de Varsovie. It is best to experience it in almost entirely blacked-out surroundings, preferably even lying down. The piece, based on improvisation halfway between jazz and contemporary classical, comprises twelve movements. It takes the audience on a journey through a subtle, sometimes mysterious, musical landscape and, most of all, provides comfort. Then comes the last movement that seems to lull us to sleep.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Concert description

Between sleep and waking – fantasies, fairy tales and sometimes ephemeral music are released, with which the mysterious gnomes engage with mischievous delight. Fortunately, they are very musical, they can nicely listen to music and even dance. Together, we will play an evening concerto in the morning. Violin, piano, trombone and double bass will play serenade-like pieces by Beethoven, Mozart and Debussy, but there will also be room for some jazz.

Concert description

Who among us doesn’t like music in the evening? Some insects and birds say goodbye to the day with their cawing and beautiful trebles before going for their nightly rest. Mothers hum lullabies to their children at bedtime. When we light a bonfire on summer evenings, conversations over the cheerful flames easily turn into singing. Concert halls open their doors to listeners mainly in the evenings. And although Basil the dragon invites his friends to a concert before noon, he promises to conjure up the most interesting and beautiful music of the night. The word “conjure” is no mistake: as befits a fairytale hero, Basil knows many legends from all over the world and is not afraid of meeting magical creatures, be it the bear from Béla Bartók’s suite, the skeletons from a piece by Camille Saint-Saëns or the phantom from Manuel de Falla’s music. And courage and good humour will be added to the dragon and his guests by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s famous Little Night Serenade.

Programme

Glenn Miller Moonlight Serenade [12’] *
Nocna burza (The Night Storm) [3’]
John Field Nocturne in C major H.46 [7’] *
John Field Nocturne in E minor H.59 [7’] *
John Field Nocturne in D minor H.60 [7’] *
Ignacy Jan Paderewski Nocturne in B flat major from Miscellanea, Op. 16 No. 4 [16’] *

* jazz arrangement for string orchestra

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Concert description

Between sleep and waking – fantasies, fairy tales and sometimes ephemeral music are released, with which the mysterious gnomes engage with mischievous delight. Fortunately, they are very musical, they can nicely listen to music and even dance. Together, we will play an evening concerto in the morning. Violin, piano, trombone and double bass will play serenade-like pieces by Beethoven, Mozart and Debussy, but there will also be room for some jazz.

Programme

Kraków Young Philharmonic – The Symphony Orchestra of the Mieczysław Karłowicz State Music School Complex in Kraków:
Henryk Czyż Canzona di barocco for string orchestra [5’]
Franz Schubert Ständchen (Serenade) from Schwanengesang (Swan Song) D.957 (arr. for violin and orchestra Tomasz Chmiel) [5’]
Wojciech Kilar Vocalise from the film The Ninth Gate (arr. for violin and orchestra Tomasz Chmiel) [4’]
Luis Bacalov Main theme from film Il Postino (The Postman, arr. Tomasz Chmiel) [5’]
Tomasz Chmiel Variations on a Theme by Kreisler for two violins and orchestra [8’]

Symphony Orchestra of the Marcin Józef Żebrowski Music Schools in Częstochowa:
Fryderyk Chopin Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1 [5’]
Benjamin Britten Soirées musicales, Op. 9 [12’]
I. March
II. Canzonetta
III. Tirolese
IV. Bolero
V. Tarantella
Charles Gounod Waltz from the 2^nd act of the opera Faust [5’]

Programme

La complainte de la butte (mus. Georges Van Parys, lyr. Jean Renoir, arr. Manon Cousin) [4’]
Night And Day from musical Gay Divorce (mus./lyr. Cole Porter, arr. Manon Cousin) [2’]
Lai du Chèvrefeuille (Assez me plest e bien le voil…, mus./lyr. Marie de France, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [4’]
Heyamoli (traditional Georgian song, arr. Tamar Buadze) [4’]
La lune (mus. Manon Cousin, lyr. Bertille de Swarte) [3’]
Heiemo og Nykkjen (traditional Norwegian song, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [6’]
Mama compla (mus./lyr. Manon Cousin) [4’]
Khamei (anonymous medieval theme, lyr./arr. Élodie Pont) [4’]
Teir abhaile riu (traditional Celtic music, arr. Pauline Langlois de Swarte) [4’]
Bel astre que j’adore (anonymous, 15^th c., arr. Manon Cousin) [2’]
Akatombo (mus. Kosaku Yamada) [2’]
Blackbird (mus./lyr. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, arr. Manon Cousin) [4’]

Concert description

Programs like this one are hard to come across. In a way, it is a journey through music, both in space and in time. Our guides on that journey will be the Les Itinérantes vocal trio: Manon Cousin, Pauline Langlois de Swarte, and Élodie Pont. Its members met while studying musical theatre, but they came from slightly different backgrounds – jazz, world music, and early music.

Generally, the trio does not perform music as it came to as through original sources. They opt for rearrangements and pair the music with their own lyrics. Sometimes, it is not out of choice but necessity: after all, Les Itinérantes often use ancient, medieval or traditional sources, many of which are incomplete. On other occasions, the reason behind the rework is to make a piece work for a trio, on yet another: to give the music a personal touch.

In their programs, the artists juxtapose numerous kinds of music from different ages: folk and early music, popular compositions, musical pieces, film scores… On top of that, they are in many different languages: French and English, but also Gaelic, Sephardic Ladino, or Georgian. The audience is in for a true day-and-night journey!

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Concert description

Between sleep and waking – fantasies, fairy tales and sometimes ephemeral music are released, with which the mysterious gnomes engage with mischievous delight. Fortunately, they are very musical, they can nicely listen to music and even dance. Together, we will play an evening concerto in the morning. Violin, piano, trombone and double bass will play serenade-like pieces by Beethoven, Mozart and Debussy, but there will also be room for some jazz.

Programme

Johann Strauss Jr. The Night in Venice Overture (arr. for brass orchestra Jos van Braak) [9’]
Wolfgang Amadeusz Mozart Allegro (mov. I) from Concerto No. 3 in E flat major for French horn, KV 447 (arr. for brass orchestra Albert Loritz) [8’
Antonin Dvořák Slavonic Dances Op. 46 No. 4 (arr. for brass orchestra Siegmund Goldhammer) [8’]
Antonin Dvořák Slavonic Dances Op. 46 No. 8 (arr. for brass orchestra Stephan Ametsbichler) [5’]
James Bond 007 music from the film series (arr. for brass orchestra Johan de Meij) [8’]
A Tribute to Ray Charles: I Can’t Stop Loving You, Hit The Road Jack, Georgia On My Mind, Hallelujah I Love Her So, Unchain My Heart (arr. for brass orchestra Peter Kleine Schaars) [10’]

Concert description

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Programme

Leoš Janáček String Quartet No. 1 Kreutzer Sonata, JW VII/8 [19’]
I. Adagio – Con moto
II. Con moto
III. Con moto – Vivace – Andante – Adagio
IV. Con moto – Adagio – [Maestoso]
Arnold Schönberg Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) for string sextet, Op. 4 [30’]

Concert description

What defines expressionism? A piece including death, the night, and a woman. The origins of that joke probably have much to do with the early work of Arnold Schönberg, one of the pioneering figures in 20^th century music. Well, his string sextet Verklärte Nacht at least spares us death. The inspiration for the piece came from a poem by Richard Dehmel: in this story of betrayal and forgiveness, a woman confesses to her beloved one she is going to give birth to another man’s child. Despite learning the bitter truth, her lover embraces her. Then the two watch the break of dawn, a promise of new happiness.

The subtitle of Leoš Janáček’s 1^st String Quartet seems like a reference to a masterpiece by Ludwig van Beethoven, the Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, also called The Kreutzer Sonata. As it turns out, however, the piece, much like the one by Schönberg, was inspired by a literary work, specifically a novella by Leo Tolstoy. In it, since it is a story of a jealous husband killing his wife, we will indeed find both death, and a woman. The score is replete with instructions for musicians. “Serenely”, “expressively”, “harshly”, “sweetly”, “energetically”, “passionately”: those are just some of the words used by the composer. Janáček clearly wanted the quartet to reflect the various emotions underpinning the literary original.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Orchestra of the Tadeusz Szeligowski Primary and Secondary Music School in Lublin:
Glenn Miller Moonlight serenade [12’] *
John Field Nocturne in D minor, H.59A [4’] *
Ignacy Jan Paderewski Nocturne in B flat major from Miscellanea, Op. 16 No. 4 [16’] *

* jazz arr. for string orchestra

Symphony Orchestra of the State Music School Complex No. 1 in Warsaw:
Edvard Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 [15’]
I. Morning
III. Anitra’s Dance
IV. In the Hall of the Mountain King
Pablo Sarasate Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs), Op. 20 for violin and orchestra [9’]
Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances, BB 76 [7’]
I. Jocul cu bâta (Stick Dance)
II. Brâul (Waistband Dance)
III. Pe loc (On the Spot)
IV. Buciumeana (Hornpipe Dance)
V. Poarga româneasca (Romanian Polka)
VI. Maruntel (Quick Dance)

Concert description

The Bastarda Trio (Pokrzywiński, Górczyński, Szamburski) and special guest Jerzy Rogiewicz – set off into space with a new musical mission. Not only do they want to send valuable information and sounds to other civilisations, but they also want to acquire and obtain the same from the “aliens” they encounter on their way. What kind of exchange will it be? Will it be peaceful and harmonious? Or will it be full of tension and horror? We will find out on our journey into the unknown together. Fasten your seatbelts, put on your spacesuits, get your instruments ready. Let’s go!!!

Programme

George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue (arr. Sammy Nestico) [3’]
Henry Mancini Moon River (arr. Bill Byers) [3’]
Wayne Shorter Children of the Night (arr. Mark Taylor) [6’]
Glenn Miller Moonlight Serenade (arr. Mark Taylor) [4’]
Pat Metheny Every Summer Night (arr. Bob Curnow) [7’]
Fryderyk Chopin Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4 (arr. Wojtek Kostrzewa) [5’]
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherezade, symphonic suite, Op. 35 (arr. Sammy Nestico) [3’]
Antônio Carlos Jobim Quiet Nights (arr. Mark Taylor) [4’]
Dizzy Gillespie A Night in Tunisia (arr. Peter Herbolzheimer) [5’]

Concert description

The Big Band is one of the most attractive ensembles – one now considered classical – and not just in jazz, but in general. No other ensemble can play in a way that makes the audience not only hear the sounds but also get swept away by them and experience them in the most visceral way. For the truest experience of the Big Band and – in a broader sense – jazz music, in any of its genres, it is best to listen to them at night. If it has to be by day, it better be in a dim club where the sun shining outside does not matter.

The lyrics of many jazz standards, often omitted during performances, tell us about things that happen under cover of darkness. There are stories about waiting out front and singing a serenade to a beloved woman (Moonlight Serenade), of lovers meeting under a starlit sky (Quiet Nights), wandering through the city alone (Children of The Night), or about the night dispelling sorrow and bringing comfort (A Night in Tunisia). And sometimes, when there are no words, we are only left with our imagination. Then, it is up to us to imagine what can happen Every Summer Night.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Franz Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished, D.759 [25’]
I. Allegro moderato
II. Andante con moto
Władysław Żeleński Romance Op. 40 for cello and orchestra [10’]
Stanisław Moniuszko Fantastic Overture Fairy Tale (Conte d’hiver) [13’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Concert description

The Bastarda Trio (Pokrzywiński, Górczyński, Szamburski) and special guest Jerzy Rogiewicz – set off into space with a new musical mission. Not only do they want to send valuable information and sounds to other civilisations, but they also want to acquire and obtain the same from the “aliens” they encounter on their way. What kind of exchange will it be? Will it be peaceful and harmonious? Or will it be full of tension and horror? We will find out on our journey into the unknown together. Fasten your seatbelts, put on your spacesuits, get your instruments ready. Let’s go!!!

Programme

Claudio Monteverdi Madrigals, Book 8 (selection)
Il lamento della ninfa (The Nymph’s Lament), SV 163 (lyr. Ottavio Rinuccini) [7’]
Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda), SV 153 (lyr. Torquato Tasso) [20’]
Hor che’l ciel e la terra e‘l vento tace (Now That Heaven and Earth and the Wind are silent), SV 147 (lyr. Francesco Petrarca) [9’]

Concert description

Ricercar Consort *Philippe Pierlot travel around the world with the help of Wallonie-Brussels International

The title of Claudio Monteverdi’s Book VIII (published in 1638) simply implies that it contains madrigals. And yet, the compositions included in it are by no means homogeneous. For this fact to become patent, it is enough to compare Hor che’l ciel e la terra, The Lament of the Nymph, and The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda, three pieces drawing on the work of remarkable Italian poets.

The first one is akin to the kind of madrigal that in the beginning of the 17^th century was already slowly going out of fashion. Written for six voices, it comprises two parts and several contrasting sections. Seeking to modernise the piece, Monteverdi backed the vocal ensemble with instruments.

The Lament of the Nymph is a small dramatic scene in which a three-voice male ensemble comments on the pain of an abandoned woman (repeating miserella, meaning “poor”), and the woman herself complains about having been betrayed by her lover.

The Combat, on the other hand, is a whole epic story, a rendition of a tragic thread from Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso. Tancredi, a Christian knight, falls in love with Clorinda, a Muslim woman, and his opponent in the crusade. The feeling is mutual, but Clorinda values honour over affection. So, she puts on a disguise and takes Tancredi on in a duel. Having lost, with her dying breath, she reveals her true identity and asks for baptism.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade in D major Serenata notturna, KV 239 [13’]
I. Marcia: Maestoso
II. Menuetto
III. Rondeau: Allegretto – Adagio – Allegro
Mikołaj Piotr Górecki Concerto-Notturno, Op. 13 for violin and string orchestra [16’]
I. Lento
II. Allegro
III. Molto lento
Arnold Schönberg Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4, version for string orchestra [30’]

Concert description

The word notturno (“nocturnal”) is often associated with the nocturne, a piano composition genre. It is, however, a designation that had been applied to musical pieces long before piano nocturnes existed. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote over ten serenades meant for entertainment and often performed in the open air. Two of them are referred to as notturno, and the most famous one was dubbed A Little Night Music. The Serenade in D major for strings and timpani comprises three movements meant for dancing. The first is an elegant march, the second a somewhat sluggish minuet. The third movement makes no reference to a specific dance, but displays a joyful and lively character.

In Mikołaj Piotr Górecki’s Concerto-Notturno, the mood of the night is evoked by the initial and final parts, both lyrical and soothing. The central movement is an opportunity for the soloist to shine and can be seen as a depiction of a disturbing dream.

A nightmare is definitely the experience of the protagonist of Robert Dehmel’s poem, the very same one that inspired Arnold Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht. In it, the woman confesses to her husband that she is carrying another man’s child. Her beloved one, however, forgives her, and the night surrounding the two gives way to the light of dawn.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade in D major KV 239 Serenata notturna [13’]
I. Marcia maestoso
II. Menuetto
III. Rondo. Alegretto – Adagio – Allegro
Claude Debussy Clair de lune (mov. III) from Suite bergamasque (arr. for orchestra André Caplet) [6’]
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Nocturne from Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 [7’]
Mikhail Glinka Summer Night in Madrid (Spanish Overture No. 2) [10’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

Ernest Chausson Poème, Op. 25 for violin and orchestra [17’]
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherezade, symphonic suite, Op. 35 [42’]
I. The Sea and the Sindbad’s Ship
II. The Tale of the Kalendar Prince
III. The Young Prince and the Princess
IV. The Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Ship Goes to the Pieces on a Rock

Concert description

 According to an Arabian tale, Scheherazade, the vizier’s beautiful daughter, saved numerous women by wedding the sultan who married one wife after another, and killed every single one of them the very next day after the wedding. Scheherazade had a rare storytelling gift, so on her own wedding night, she began to amuse the sultan with a tale. The clever woman, however, suspended the story just before the most intriguing bit. The sultan was dying to learn how the story ended, so he put off her execution until the next day. Then he would postpone it over one thousand and one nights. Eventually, he fell in love with Scheherazade and chose to spare her life.

Among the composers who have used One Thousand and One Nights, we find Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The four movements of his symphonic suite are intertwined with the ominous sultan’s theme, the lyrical violin theme of Scheherazade, and the musical illustration of the sea swell.

The title of Ernest Chausson’s Poème is a less direct suggestion, but this work, too, was born thanks to literature (and to the violin virtuoso Eugène Ysaÿe, who commissioned it). The source of inspiration here was Ivan Turgenev’s Song of Triumphant Love, a tale of a man who falls for his friend’s wife and a celebration of “the song of love”. Thanks to the latter, those who truly love someone can perform miracles.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Karol Szymanowski Youth Symphony Orchestra – Symphony Orchestra of the Karol Szymanowski Secondary Music School in the Wojciech Kilar State Music School Complex in Katowice:
Mieczysław Karłowicz Symphonic Poem Lithuanian Rhapsody, Op. 11 [19’]

Symphony Orchestra of the Music School Complex in Białystok:
Sergei Rachmaninov Symphonic Poem The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29 [20’]

Programme

Edvard Grieg Holberg Suite, Op. 40 (selection; arr. Maarten Jense) [12’]
I. Prelude
II. Sarabande
III. Rigaudon
Ludwig van Beethoven Rondo (mov. III) from Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor Pathétique, Op. 13 (arr. Leonhard Paul) [6’]
Gerald Resch Grid (selection) [5’]
I. Semplice con fantasia. Senza metro e rubato, non troppo lento
II. Canone quasi Blues. Omaggio à Conlon Nancarrow
Chick Corea Spain (arr. Philip Marillia) [4’]
Christof Dienz Knödelpolka (arr. Johannes Weichinger) [2’]
Meraner Jodler, Steirer and Ischler Schleuniger (traditional tunes, arr. Rudi Pietsch) [5’]
Christian Maurer Surivisation [6’]
Steven Verhelst Song for Japan (arr. Tetsuya Watanabe) [6’]
Philippe Geiss Imaginary Dances [8’]

Concert description

Before sound recording techniques became accurate enough and commercially viable reworking music for smaller ensembles (and, especially, the piano) was a necessity. The most common transcriptions were ones of operas and orchestral compositions. The 20^th century first brought the rise of the radio and LPs, later: the commercialization of cassette tapes and CD’s, and nowadays, music is usually just a click away. All that has brought about an irreversible change to the way transcription is applied, but it has not rendered it obsolete. Peter Szendy, philosopher of music, once famously said: “I love them more than all the others, the arrangers”. We value them because they let us in on their way of listening to music and hearing it.

New arrangements give us a chance to rediscover musical pieces. Sometimes, the only thing that is left intact is the very framework. On other occasions, details are highlighted or we get to focus on a layer that was somewhat hidden in the original. Besides, reworks for more unusual ensembles (e.g. saxophone quartet) render repertoire limitations irrelevant. The Aureum Saxophon Quartett take full advantage of that: they will play anything, from Beethoven to Corea, and from Grieg to traditional melodies.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations BWV 988

Concert description

There is, arguably, no such thing as Johann Sebastian Bach’s most famous composition. Most of them are genuinely brilliant, and to many of them more or less credible stories are attached. Whether it is religious pieces (passions, cantatas, Mass in B minor, Magnificat…) or instrumental ones (Kunst der Fuge, The Brandenburg Concertos, the orchestral suites, Das wohltemperierte Klavier…) there almost always is one to be heard. Arguably, the most famous legend connected to Bach’s work is the one surrounding the Goldberg Variations, one relayed (or made up) by the composer’s first monographer, Johann Nicolaus Forkel.

Forkel claimed that the piece had been commissioned by Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, a great virtuoso employed by count Herman Karl von Keyserling, Russian ambassador to the court of Saxony. The Variations, reportedly, were supposed to alleviate the count’s insomnia. Most probably, the idea was not to make the ambassador fall asleep but to make his sleepless nights more pleasurable.

The piece, in typical Bach manner, is very cleverly structured: It opens and closes with the melodic, melancholic Aria. In between, we find thirty variations on it, divided into groups of three. Within the groups, the first part is usually meant for dancing, the second is virtuoso-focused, and the third is a canon.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Richard L. Saucedo Into Moonlight’s Mist [5’]
Johan de Meij Journey in the Dark (mov. IV) from Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings [9’]
Wojciech Kilar Suite from the film Dracula (arr. Grzegorz Duchnowski) [25’]
Alan Silvestri Themes from the film Van Helsing (arr. Jan Valta) [12’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

22:30
Adam Kośmieja music from the album Infinity. Adam Kośmieja plays Canto Ostinato (premiere, Warner 2023)

23:30
Bartek Wąsik music from the album Daydreamer (Mystic 2022)

Concert description

Attention! Due to the use of the surround sound system the best listening experience will be guaranteed in the middle of the first sector – in the stalls and the amphitheater.

At night, time slows down and seems different. In music, we can experience that kind of change when listening to pieces representing the trends jointly referred to as minimalism: ones comprising long, almost invariant sounds or using loops of short sections of music. Canto ostinato (1976) by Simeon ten Holt is one of the most famous compositions of that kind.

Canto Ostinato has no defined running time. The score includes 106 short, melodic (canto means “song”) episodes that can be repeated at the performers’ discretion. Originally, the piece was written for four pianos, but nowadays, it is usually performed by chamber ensembles. How does it sound with a single piano and pre-recorded sections? Adam Kośmieja, a pianist renowned for taking up unusual challenges, decided to find out. The result will be heard for the first time during La Folle Journée de Varsovie. Canto ostinato, as Kośmieja himself puts it, “is a musical journey evoking numerous sensations: from near-meditation and flowing, soothing sounds through eruptions of emotions, (…) the odd piquant accents and irregular rhythmic energy (…) to a beautiful melody that takes long to discover, but leaves a lasting impression”.

***

For the leitmotif of his debut solo album, pianist, arranger and composer Bartek Wąsik chose the music by Radiohead. He picked twelve tracks from the band’s discography and reworked them with piano solo in mind. When playing someone else’s music, we always bring our own emotions and experience into it, especially if it is music we can really relate to, as is the case with Bartek Wąsik and Radiohead. “These songs make me tingle, leave me restless”, explains the musician. “They evoke a world of connotations I wanted to share with the audience”.

The idea for the album came to Wąsik gradually as he played for himself in seclusion during the pandemic and performed the repertoire created at home afterwards. And it is not just a collection of simple piano arrangements. Some of the songs have been very much extended, sometimes with the use of means peculiar to virtuoso performances. In a way, the mood of some of the new arrangements seems to defy the original. What is even more important is that together the rearranged tracks form a new whole, a story: beginning with Everything in Its Right Place and ending with Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Concert description

Are you dreaming of a star from heaven? Join us for a concert during which the sounds of music will conjure up a sky full of dancing fairy stars. Serenades, nocturnes, songs and lullabies will make our dreams colourful and the starry sky within reach.

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture to the opera Magic Flute, KV 620 [7’]
Ludwig van Beethoven Romance in F major for violin and orchestra, Op. 50 [8’]
Jean Sibelius Valse triste, Op. 44 No. 1 [6’] *
Camille Saint-Saëns Danse macabre, symphonic poem, Op. 40 [8’]
Franz Schubert Allegro moderato (mov. I) from Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished, D.759 [12’]
Radosław Broda The Essence of the Night [8’]

 * conductor: Lena Czekaj

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 (selection) [37’]
Overture: Allegro di molto – Poco ritenuto
I. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
III. Song with Choir: Allegro ma non troppo
V. Intermezzo: Allegro appassionato – Allegro molto comodo
VII. Nocturne: Andante tranquillo
IX. Wedding March: Allegro vivace
X. Funeral March: Andante comodo
Finale: Allegro di molto

Concert description

We have always been attracted to the world of fantasy, from ancient myths, Scandinavian sagas and Arthurian legends to today’s fantasy films and literature. The idea of a universe in which intrigues are set and solved by magic is still attractive, present in works for children and young people.

William Shakespeare, the brilliant English playwright of the 16^th century, also created a fantastic reality, for some fairy-tale and cheerful, for others difficult and ambiguous, in his comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a tale of the amorous adventures of several couples in love in the Athenian forest, in the kingdom of Oberon and Titania – king and queen of the elves.

In 1826, 230 years later, the 17-year-old genius Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, fascinated by Shakespeare’s work, composed the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Felix had already been hailed as a child prodigy. He composed symphonies, played the piano, organ, violin and viola, studied history, geography and philosophy. Many years later, he composed another 13 movements of the musical setting of Shakespeare’s entire comedy, commissioned by the King of Prussia. In today’s concert we will hear a selection of 8 movements, including the famous Overture, Scherzo and Wedding March.

Concert description

Are you dreaming of a star from heaven? Join us for a concert during which the sounds of music will conjure up a sky full of dancing fairy stars. Serenades, nocturnes, songs and lullabies will make our dreams colourful and the starry sky within reach.

Programme

Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Première Leçon de Ténèbres pour Vendredy Saint (Tenebrae Responsories: The First Lesson for Good Friday) H.105 [22’]
Tristis est anima mea (My soul is sorrowful) H.112 [5’]
Magdalena lugens (Magdalena mourning) H.343 [9’]
Miserere (Have mercy on me) H.157 [19’]

Concert description

Ricercar Consort *Philippe Pierlot travel around the world with the help of Wallonie-Brussels International

Until the mid-20^th century, during the Holy Week the Catholic Church used to hold tenebrae services, or “dark laudes”. On the nights of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, people gathered to reflect on scriptures befitting the commemoration of the passion of the Christ. Candles in churches would be gradually put out, and the last remaining one would be hidden behind the altar. This way, the congregation would slowly immerse itself in the darkness surrounding the night of Jesus’s death.

The sombre tenebrae scriptures have inspired composers on numerous occasions, and none more than the lections from the first part of the liturgy, drawing on the Book of Lamentations. Each one ends with a call to Jerusalem to repent before the Lord: in musical compositions, that recurring item is often used as a musical refrain.

Charpentier also wrote responsories which were then performed during tenebrae services next to the lections. In them, we will find, e.g. the Miserere drawing on Psalm 51, and, arguably, the most famous line of the whole service: Tristis est anima mea, based on the words spoken by Jesus in the Gethsemane. Magdalena lugens is not technically a part of the liturgy, but it is definitely in tune with the spirit of the Passion and its dark, immersive mood.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Wind Orchestra of the Karol Szymanowski State Primary and Secondary Music School in Płock:
Johan de Meij Journey in the Dark (mov. IV) from Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings [9’]
Alan Silvestri Themes from the film Van Helsing (arr. Jan Valta) [12’]
Danny Elfman Main Theme from the film Batman (arr. Alan Catherall) [3’]

Ople Youth Orchestra – Wind Orchestra of the fryderyk Chopin State Primary and Secondary Music School in Opole:
Antonin Dvořák Slavonic Dances Op. 46 No. 4 (arr. for brass orchestra Siegmund Goldhammer) [8’]
James Bond 007 music from the film series (arr. for brass orchestra Johan de Meij) [8’]
A Tribute to Ray Charles: I Can’t Stop Loving You, Hit The Road Jack, Georgia On My Mind, Hallelujah I Love Her So, Unchain My Heart (arr. for brass orchestra Peter Kleine Schaars) [10’]

Concert description

Are you dreaming of a star from heaven? Join us for a concert during which the sounds of music will conjure up a sky full of dancing fairy stars. Serenades, nocturnes, songs and lullabies will make our dreams colourful and the starry sky within reach.

Programme

Jean Sibelius Symphonic poem Night Ride and Sunrise, Op. 55 [16’]
Mieczysław Karłowicz Lithuanian Rhapsody, symphonic poem, Op. 11 [19’]
Modest Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain, symphonic poem [12’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

Marcus Paus Portals – Double-Concerto for violin, cello and string orchestra (2023) [20’] *
Samuel Barber Adagio for strings [9’]
Edward Elgar Serenade in E minor for string orchestra, Op. 20 [13’]
I. Allegro piacevole
II. Larghetto
III. Allegretto

* world premiere

Concert description

CONCERT ALSO TO BE STREAMED ONLINE

Samuel Barber is most remembered for his wistful, deeply melancholic Adagio for Strings – even though he authored numerous other remarkable compositions, e.g. Knoxville: Summer of 1915. And yet, it is hardly a surprise: The Adagio is indeed an exceptionally powerful and emotional piece. In early 21^st century there was even a poll conducted by BBC radio in which Barber’s masterpiece came first and was named “the saddest classical work in history”. Nowadays, hardly anyone remembers that originally the Adagio was the second movement of the String Quartet in B minor, op.11.

The elegiac mood of Barber’s work makes it akin to many British compositions. The second, slow-paced movement of Edward Elgar’s Serenade in E minor is slightly less melancholic, yet just as romantic. The first movement has a faster pace and a certain sway to its rhythm: some call it a lullaby, others think of it as an aubade, a song about lovers separating at dawn. Its airiness corresponds beautifully with the finale, which is just as idyllic and melancholic.

How will Portals by contemporary Norwegian composer Marcus Paus sound amid such company of works? Well, that is the beauty of new compositions: one has to go to a concert to find out.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Astor Piazzolla Milonga del Angel [4’]
Marco Pereira Bate-coxa [4’]
Stephane Grappelli Les valseuses [3’]
Thibault Cauvin
Jeux Interdits II (Forbidden Games II) [4’]
Bach autrement I (inspired by Prelude in C major from Das wolhtemperierte Klavier I, BWV 846) [3’]
Bach autrement II (inspired by Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007) [3’]
Bach autrement III (inspired by Prelude BWV 855a) [3’]
Mathias Duplessy Chevauchée celeste (Heavenly Ride) [5’]
Sébastien Vachez Raga du soir (Evening Raga) [4’]

Concert description

Classical guitarists do not have it easy. Yes, there is some repertoire for their instrument (from classical sonatas to 20th century and contemporary pieces), but it is rather scarce compared to what almost all the other musicians can choose from. It is only natural, then, that guitarists use arrangements originally meant for the piano or other instruments. And so, during Thibault Cauvin’s recital we will both hear compositions written with the guitar in mind (e.g. Marc Pereira’s Bate-coxa or Raga du soir by Sébastien Vachez) and ones we have been used to in other versions, in some cases performed by ensembles (e.g. Milonga del Angel by Astor Piazzolla, Les valseuses by Stephane Grappelli, or Mathias Duplessy’s Chevauchée celeste).

Sometimes, composers go even one step farther and write pieces “in response to”. Doing just that, Cauvin entered into a musical dialogue with the great Johann Sebastian Bach. In his Bach autrement (“Bach: differently”) works, he not so much performs Bach’s music, but rather lets his mind wander and explore his thoughts on the original pieces.

The guitar is a relatively quiet instrument. It sounds best solo, without any competing sounds that could drown it out. Therefore, even in larger rooms it often creates a sense of intimacy and cosiness, perfect for Bach autrement.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Symphony Orchestra of the Karol Szymanowski General Primary and Secondary Music School in Wrocław:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Magic Flute Overture KV 620 [7’]
Ludwig van Beethoven Romance in F major for violin and orchestra, Op. 50 [8’]
Camille Saint-Saëns Symphonic Poem Danse macabre, Op. 40 [8’]

Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra – Orchestra of the Fryderyk Chopin Primary and Secondary Music School in Bytom:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade in D major Serenata notturna, KV 239 [13’]
I. Marcia: Maestoso
II. Menuetto
III. Rondo: Alegretto – Adagio – Allegro
Claude Debussy Clair de lune (mov. III) from Suite bergamasque (arr. for orchestra André Caplet) [6’]
Johannes Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor [3’]

Concert description

What is a dream? Where does our spirit wander, where does it go for a walk when we sleep? In a musical multidimensional journey through the the land of sleep, we will travel from the moment we fall asleep to the moment we wake up, from Poland through Africa to the Solomon Islands, from the original source texts and melodies to the minimalist, trance-like audiosphere of the state of transition from reality to dream and back again.

Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven Egmont Overture, Op. 84 [8’]
Henryk Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 [22’]
I. Allegro moderato
II. Romance: Andante non troppo
III. Allegro con fuoco – Allegro moderato (à la zingara)

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Allegro (mov. I) from serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik KV 525 [7’]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, KV 216 [24’]
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Rondo: Allegro
Joseph Haydn Symphony No. 8 in G major The Evening, Hob. I:8 [21’]
I. Allegro molto
II. Andante
III. Menuetto
IV. La tempesta: Presto
Karol Lipiński Finale (mov. IV) from Symphony No. 3 in B major, Op. 2 No. 3 [5’]

Concert description

History of music is taught in a simplified manner, and no wonder: it would be impossible to fit all the nuances in regular textbooks or even academic ones.

And so, it is a common belief that 17^th century Baroque music was often illustrative, with many pieces imitating natural phenomena and the sounds of seasons, or depicting events from history or the Bible. The 19^th century brought the rise of programmatic compositions, ones using sounds to convey entire stories. Classicism is perceived as the domain of the so-called absolute music which puts sounds, forms, and harmony first in order to emphasize the craft. It was an age of symphonies, string quartets, sonatas and instrumental concertos.

Yes, many works do corroborate such classification. It is enough to mention Mozart’s violin concertos, emphasizing the abstract relation between the virtuoso solo passage and the orchestra, or Karol Lipiński’s 3^rd Symphony in B flat major. And yet, some works do not fit the stereotype: let us just remind ourselves of Joseph Haydn’s three symphonies: Morning, Noon, and Evening. Of the three, the last one, with La tempesta (“The tempest”) as its finale, is arguably the most famous.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Concert description

What is a dream? Where does our spirit wander, where does it go for a walk when we sleep? In a musical multidimensional journey through the the land of sleep, we will travel from the moment we fall asleep to the moment we wake up, from Poland through Africa to the Solomon Islands, from the original source texts and melodies to the minimalist, trance-like audiosphere of the state of transition from reality to dream and back again.

Programme

HeNo.i Dutilleux Ainsi la nuit (Thus the Night) [18’]
I. Nocturne – Parenthèse I
II. Miroir d’espace – Parenthèse II
III. Litanies – Parenthèse III
IV. Litanies II – Parenthèse IV
V. Constelyrs.ions
VI. Nocturne II
VII. Temps suspendu
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 131 [40’]
I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
II. Allegro molto vivace
III. Allegro moderato – Adagio
IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
V. Presto
VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante
VII. Allegro

Concert description

Many believe the string quartet to be the most perfect among genres, especially when it comes to the so-called absolute music that has no room for extramusical inspirations. It supposedly resembles a conversation between four intelligent people, one in which everyone listens attentively to all the others. That form of the genre was first created by Joseph Haydn, and then brought to perfection by Ludwig van Beethoven. The works most unanimously considered masterpieces are the latter’s so-called late quartets: six compositions written near the end of the composer’s life. One of them is the famous Grosse Fuge. Those six works went far beyond what most people expected in the early 19^th century: they were considered challenging for both the performers and the audiences. As for the composer himself, the Quartet in C-sharp minor is said to have been one of his favourite works.

Already in the Romantic era, however, the string quartet lost its “purity”. Overtly or not, composers would ever more eagerly use literary or biographical inspirations and give their works suggestive titles. Both traditions continued into the 20^th century. Henri Dutilleux highly valued Beethoven’s quartets, but chose to come up with a work with persuasive titles, one evoking the mood of the night, the starlit sky, and of time slowing down.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Sergei Rachmaninov Symphonic Poem The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29 [20’]
Piotr Tchaikovsky Adagio and Waltz from ballet Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66 [11’]
Gustav Holst Venus, The Bringer of Peace (mov. II) from symphonic suite The Planets, Op. 32 [9’]
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov The young prince and the princess (mov. III) from Sheherezade, symphonic suite, Op. 35 [10’]
Erik Satie Gymnopédie No. 1 (arr. for orchestra Claude Debussy) [4’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

Programme

Isaac Albeniz Cantos de España (Songs of Spain) Op. 232 [26’]
I. Prélude
II. Orientale
III. Sous le palmier
IV. Córdoba
V. Seguidillas
Enrique Granados 6 Piezas sobre cantos populares españoles (6 Pieces on Spanish Folksongs) [25’]
I. Añoranza
II. Ecos de la parranda
III. Vascongada
IV. Marcha oriental
V. Zambra
VI. Zapateado

Isaac Albeniz Iberia (selection) [19’]

Evocación [6’]

Triana [5’]

El Albaicín [8’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

When we talk of “national” movements in music, we usually mean the revivals that took place in Czechia, Russia or Norway in the second half of the 19^th century, meant to rid the local scenes of German or Italian influences. We tend to associate those artistic movements with political ones, especially as regards places where music became yet another frontline of the struggle for national identity. With time, the group of countries aiming to leave behind foreign aesthetics was joined by England, France and Spain.

In the latter, among those who revived the music drawing on local forms we need to mention Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, Joaquín Rodrigo, Manuel de Falla, and Francisco Tárrega. For their inspiration, they would often use traditional and folk songs: it is enough to mention Granados’s Piezas sobre cantos populares españoles or Cantos de España by Albéniz. They saw music as a tool for portraying the landscape and the character of their land. In Evocación from Albéniz’s masterful Iberia we will hear dance music of southern Spain: fandango and jota. In Triana: there is reminiscence of the Gypsy music of Seville. El Albaicín, on the other hand, is meant to portray Granada.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Symphony Orchestra of the Stanisław Moniuszko Music School Complex in Łódź:
Ludwig van Beethoven Egmont Overture, Op. 84 [8’]
Henryk Wieniawski Allegro moderato (mov. I) from Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 22 [11’]

Orchestra “Józefina” of the Bronisław Rutkowski Primary and Secondary Music School in Kraków:
Władysław Żeleński Romance for cello and orchestra, Op. 40 [10’]
Stanisław Moniuszko Fantastic Overture Fairy Tale (Conte d’hiver) [13’]

Programme

Richard Strauss Wiegenlied (Cradle Song) from 5 Lieder, Op. 41 No. 1 TrV 195 for soprano and orchestra [5’]
Richard Strauss Morgen! (Tomorrow!) from 4 Lieder, Op. 27 No. 4 TrV 170 for voice and orchestra [4’]
Hector Berlioz Les nuits d’été (Summer Nights), Op. 7 for voice and orchestra (selection) [13’]
I. Villanelle: Allegretto
II. Le spectre de la rose: Adagio un poco lento e dolce assai
VI. L’ile inconnue: Allegro spiritoso
Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 [35’]
I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio di molto
III. Allegro, ma non tanto

Concert description

It seems that the sensuality of the French language makes it ideal for depicting the beauty and the richness of the night. One example of that would be the Les nuits d’été cycle by

Hector Berlioz, a true master of both instrumentation and vocal music. Admittedly, the opening Villanelle is about the spring, yet already in The Ghost of the Rose we hear memories of a summer night: a ball and the eponymous flower attached to a girl’s dress. The Unknown Island, the final song in the cycle, on the other hand, is a conversation between a sailor and a woman. When he asks where she wants to go, the woman says she has no real place in mind. Neither the Baltic Sea, nor Java will bring her joy. All she desires is to go to an island where true love will be awaiting her.

As it turns out, not only the French language can be subtle and sensual. Among the most affectionate songs are Richard Strauss’ works with German lyrics. Wiegenlied (“Lullaby”) and Morgen! (“Tomorrow!”) are both songs for the evening. The former lulls to sleep, and evokes a world of dreams and memories. The latter is a hopeful promise of love.

Deep feelings can also be expressed without words, just like in Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor, a piece that is both masterful and incredibly emotional.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”

Programme

Sammy Nestico Out Of The Night [6’]
Thelonius Monk Round Midnight (arr. Ethan Krodel) [6’]
Olivier Nelson Stolen Moments (arr. Chris Walden) [7’]
Glenn Miller Moonlight Serenade [4’]
Antonio Carlos Jobim Quiet Nights (arr. Mark Taylor) [5’]
Wayne Shorter Children Of The Night (arr. Mark Taylor) [6’]
Pat Metheny Every Summer Nights (arr. Bob Curnow) [7’]
Dizzy Gillespie A Night In Tunisia (arr. Peter Herbolzheimer) [5’]

Concert description

FREE ENTRY

The Big Band is one of the most attractive ensembles – one now considered classical – and not just in jazz, but in general. No other ensemble can play in a way that makes the audience not only hear the sounds but also get swept away by them and experience them in the most visceral way. For the truest experience of the Big Band and – in a broader sense – jazz music, in any of its genres, it is best to listen to them at night. If it has to be by day, it better be in a dim club where the sun shining outside does not matter.

The lyrics of many jazz standards, often omitted during performances, tell us about things that happen under cover of darkness. There are stories about waiting out front and singing a serenade to a beloved woman (Moonlight Serenade), of lovers meeting under a starlit sky (Quiet Nights), wandering through the city alone (Children of The Night), or about the night dispelling sorrow and bringing comfort (A Night in Tunisia). And sometimes, when there are no words, we are only left with our imagination. Then, it is up to us to imagine what can happen Every Summer Night.

Dominika Micał, “Ruch Muzyczny”