Exceptional place, exceptional music and exceptional atmosphere… It must be Kloster Chorin in Brandenburg and the annual summer music festival, Choriner Musiksommer. Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra are regular guests there.

The festival is held in the walls of the picturesque post-cysterian abbey, partially ruined. The unusual scenery and the acoustics of this place is well-known to visitors of the local artistic events. Today we present a few photos from our concert which took place on Saturday, the 3rd of July. It is a souvenir for those, who spent last Saturday in Chorin, and a short impression for those, who couldn’t be there…

In Chorin Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and Tomasz Daroch (cello), led by Łukasz Borowicz, performed the Overture to the Opera “Castle of Czorsztyn” by Karol Kurpiński, Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb/1 by Joseph Haydn and Symphony No. 1 in G minor by Étienne Nicolas Méhul.

Due to pandemic restrictions the concert was held twice. Both performances were greatly applauded by the audience which led to encores.

Below we publish the review of the concert by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra which came out in Märkische Oderzeitung.

Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra charms at the Festival of Classical Music in the cloister

Kurpiński, Haydn or Méhul – Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra attracts the audience of Choriner Musiksommer with belligerent sounds and a greatly joyful play.

An overture, as befits, opens a conventional concert program or a dramatic and musical work. The Overture to the Opera “Castle of Czorsztyn” by Karol Kurpiński from 1819 stands for both variants. On Saturday Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra began with it the guest performance at the 58th Choriner Musiksommer.

The Polish composer’s work musically fluctuates between the classical and the romantic era. It is an exhilarating summary of a rather banal plot with a dose of horror, fainting and the joy of reunion. After a dramatic opening cheerful expectation and tones filled with buoyant elegance appear, followed by imminent resentment and a multitude of aggregated conflicts. Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Łukasz Borowicz presented this range of emotions with an entrancing engagement.

Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major by Joseph Haydn with Tomasz Daroch at the solo part, the playful virtuosity of which captures from the first movement (Moderato), vibrates with playful lightness. Adagio spreads a truly musical mood and comfort which resembles casual singing on the strings. The bright tone of the superbly prepared “accompanying ensemble” also supports the Allegro finale in the roaring and dynamic performance. The pure joy presented by the musicians in their play was appropriately applauded.

With equal commitment they interpreted the fascinating music of the Symphony No. 1 in G minor by Étienne Nicolas Méhul, an important composer from the period of French Revolution. Ludwig van Beethoven was very stirred by his concentrated energy, it was even reflected in his opera “Fidelio”. The Frenchman’s G minor also echoes Haydn and Mozart. The initial part is sinister, full of conflicts and gripping. While the rich variations of the succeeding Andante have contemplative character, the humorous Allegro moderato pizzicato provides delightful diversity. Poznan musicians effectively trail the refinement of the orchestral sound until the energetic finale.

The fact that the listeners and musicians can now have direct aural and visual contact and the invisible currents of energy between them flow once again is one of the hopeful impressions from the concert afternoon in the Chorin cloister, which was also pleasant thanks to the weather conditions.

Peter Buske 

Märkische Oderzeitung