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Next Friday 22nd of May at 7 p.m. we invite you to another Internet concert of Poznan Philharmonic. This time we will bring back the memories of a concert that we waited so long for; concert which was one of the artistic meetings that you never forget. It was a delight, but also a challenge for Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra to play under the baton of one of the most famous world’s known conductors of the 2nd half of the 20th century. Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra performed, among other works, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 by Ludwig van Beethoven. The album with the recording of the live performance was released a few months later by Poznan Philharmonic and DUX label.
Performers:
Sir Neville MARRINER – conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
Program:
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
Larghetto
Scherzo (Allegro)
Allegro molto
Stefan was his peer, they simply liked each other…
The choir sang, the Pope joined its ranks…
Millions of people… Never before or since I performed before such a huge auditorium…
These are only three quotes from the film prepared by Poznan Nightingales choir for the 100th birthday anniversary of Karol Wojtyła – Pope John Paul II. This unusual documentary was interlaced from memories of choristers and their photos kept at home albums, as well as the archives of Poznan Philharmonic and its Choir.
The emotions that accompanied choir singers performing for John Paul II (and having the opportunity to meet him) have remained written in their hearts for ever. And as the Nightingales sang for the Polish Pope numerous times – in Poland and in Vatican – many images can be brought to mind.
You will not hear these stories anywhere else. We invite you to the websites and Facebook profiles of Poznan Philharmonic and Poznan Nightingales on Monday morning, 18th of May.
Midori, an excellent violinist, resident artist of Poznan Philharmonic in the artistic season 2019/2020, was to perorm on Friday 15th of May with Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra. Unfortunately, the pandemic disrupted these plans and we will not listen to her playing the Violin Concerto in D Major by Ludwig van Beethoven. The third concert of the resident artist will not take place. We miss her, and she misses us. So today instead of music she will share a few words with us:
Music has survived through many world disasters and catastrophes. Moreover, it has also supported us and helped us gain strength to continue pursuing beautiful elements in our lives. I believe that music will again prove to be a powerful agent to unite all of us together, so that we can rejoice with and console each other.
I am so sorry that we do not have an opportunity this week to meet in Poznan, and I will especially miss collaborating with the Orchestra. Until we are able to be in each other’s company, I will keep my fond memories of Poznan and look forward to being able to be in your city again when it becomes possible.
Next Friday 15th of May at 7 p.m. we invite you to another Internet Concert of Poznan Philharmonic. This time it is a Chopin evening featuring Aimi Kobayashi (piano) and Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra led by Marek Pijarowski. The concert, which opened the “Chopin Our Contemporary 2010. Celebrating the 200th Birthday Anniversary” Festival organized by Poznan Philharmonic, was held on the 21st of February 2010 in AMU Concert Hall. The event was recorded on DVD and CD.
PERFORMERS:
Aimi KOBAYASHI – piano
Marek PIJAROWSKI – conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
PROGRAM:
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
- Piano Concerto in F Minor, Op. 21
Maestoso
Larghetto
Allegro vivace - Mazurka in C sharp Minor, Op. 63 No. 3
- Valse in E minor [op. posth.]
- Nocturne in C sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1
When 10 years ago she gave her first concert with Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marek Pijarowski, she was only 15 years old, though has already gained international recognition as a child piano prodigy. Aimi Kobayashi started her piano lessons at the age of 3 and performed the first time with an orchestra when she was 7. Two years later she started an international career. Then prizes in international competitions came, performances in prestigious concert halls and continuing education. Currently the Japanese pianist studies with Meng-Chieh Liu in Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
On Sunday, the 10th of May, at 6 p.m. we invite you to another musical surprise prepared for music lovers by the musicians of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and cooperating artists. This time on our website we will be able to listen to Wojciech Jeliński, our trombone player and soloist, graduate of Herbert von Karajan Academy, associate of Berliner Philharmoniker, as well as the pianist Natalia Domańska. They will perform “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, the most famous composer of Latin America.
It was 1974 when Astor Piazzolla, then residing in Rome, composed eight short pieces prompted by his Italian manager. Despite a variety of problems, the album was recorded and released in Milan the same year. As among these eight works “Libertango” particularly stood out, the whole album was named after this piece.
“Libertango” soon became a smash hit. As the composer said himself, ‘ I gave it that title, using the words “freedom” and “tango”, so it can sound like a hymn of freedom’.
“Libertango”, which originated as an instrumental piece, soon was also arranged as a vocal version – 1990 Uruguayan poet Horacio Ferrer, who cooparated with Piazzolla, added Spanish lyrics.
Today it is hard to count all the arrangements and performances of this hit. Wojciech Jeliński, trombone player and soloist of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and Natalia Domańska (piano) will play Astor Piazzolla’s “Libertango” arranged by Nikolaj Bentzon and Ebbe Ringblom.
Performers:
Wojciech Jeliński – trombone
Natalia Domańska – piano
Program:
Astor Piazzolla – “Libertango” – arr. Nikolaj Bentzon/Ebbe Ringblom
We would like to invite you to take part in the continuation of the unusual event based on the popular Q&A (questions and answers) formula. This time the responses to your inquiries will be given by Wojciech Pszoniak.
We all love his roles in such film as “The Wedding”, “The Promised Land”, “Danton” and “Korczak” by Andrzej Wajda, or “Austeria” by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, as well as countless theatre and cinema performances. However, in his teenage years the brilliant actor used to dream about becoming a musician. His family had musical traditions: his grandfather and mother played the violin. The actor himself began his musical education on that instrument. In music school in Bytom he attended the oboe class. In one of the interviews many years later Wojciech Pszoniak joked that he was to become the 2nd oboist in The Silesian Philharmonic, luckily it didn’t happen.
He played the clarinet in the military band in Gliwice. Then studies in the National Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow began and acting, to which he dedicated his life. He didn’t give up music, though – the list of instruments he plays enriched itself in saxophone (he used that skill in films and theatre), while a few years ago he started learning to play cello.
He appeared a number of times on the stage of AMU Concert Hall, as well as the auditorium of National Philharmonic, during the concerts of Poznan Philharmonic, which he enriched with narration.
The questions can be sent by an internet form till the 8th of May: the form
The answers to the most interesting inquiries will appear on our website and Facebook profile on the 13th of May. We encourage you to pose questions!
We present you three pictures which received the majority of votes in the contest for music lovers: “Philharmonic…. In your photograph”.
1st place was given to the picture of smiling musicians of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and equally pleased Carl Davies – famous British conductor and composer who led our Orchestra for the 2nd time during one of the outdoor concerts which usually gather thousands of listeners.
2nd place was awarded to the photo entitled “Our Great Resident and My Son – His Big Fan”. The author of the picture captured the moment when one of our young music lovers (and at the same time an admirer of the remarkable composer’s talent) approaches Rafał Blechacz, artist-in-residence of Poznan Philharmonic, right after he finished playing a musical piece.
3rd place was given to the photograph of the pipe organ in AMU Concert Hall – beautiful auditorium built over a hundred years ago and known in Europe from its perfect acoustics, as well as splendid Neo-Renaissance architecture, in which Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra has the pleasure to perform for you – our music lovers.
We cordially congratulate the authors of the winning photographs and we all thank you for the sent pictures and for your full commitment in the voting.
On Friday, the 8th of May, at the next INTERNET CONCERT you will have an opportunity to listen to Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22 by Henryk Wieniawski performed by Bomsori Kim and Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as “Krzesany” by Wojciech Kilar in the interpretation of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra. Both works were conducted by Maestro Marek Pijarowski. The concert was held in the Konzerthaus Berlin on the 23rd of October 2018 and it was broadcast by national German radio program Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
We encourage you to read the introduction to the program of the concert.
Henryk Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22
Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880), a violinist from Lublin educated in Paris, started his brilliant virtuoso career at the age of 11. Enthusiastically received in Europe and America, he was considered to be one of the most eminent performers and was admired by his excellent technique, passionate and energetic. Like other virtuosos of the era, Wieniawski also composed pieces he could perform himself. Though many of the works written by the others fell into oblivion, his artistic output survived to our day and appears in the repertoire of violinists all over the world. Out of two violin concertos by Wieniawski (probably his best works) Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22 is performed more frequently and regarded as more mature and more original. Other famous works of this composer are: Légende, Scherzo-Tarantelle, Kujawiak, Polonaises in D Major and A Major, mazurkas “Obertas” and “Dudziarz”, as well as Études-Caprices which are equivalent to Niccolo Paganini’s Caprices. The works of Wieniawski were published in almost 80 publishing houses in Europe and the United States, and the total number of issues reaches 600!
Wojciech Kilar: Krzesany
“Krzesany” by Wojciech Kilar (1932-2013) is an entrancing hit popular on all the continents. The word “krzesany” means a group of dance steps characteristic for highlander dances that includes striking one’s heels while jumping. The piece, written in 1974, was a real breakthrough in Wojciech Kilar’s artistic output, as his prior works were more avant-garde – mostly composed in the movement of sonorism. Wojciech Kilar, however, was greatly inspired by the whole range of elements deriving from highlander folk music, thus after “Krzesany” also other pieces influenced by this region appeared: “Kościelec 1909”, “Grey Mist”, “Orawa”. As the composer himself said about the piece, ‘the advantage of “Krzesany” is that it defends oneself from bad interpretations. They can’t harm it much, as it has a kind of multi-circuit security system found in cars or planes: even if one effect fails, we still have many more, etc. Luckily this work, which requires a large orchestral apparatus, is performed by excellent orchestras…’
Justyna Kroschel
(excerpt of the program of the concert in Konzerthaus Berlin, 23rd of October 2018)
We invite you to listen to the musical surprise prepared by our musicians: Marcin Suszycki, concertmaster of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, and pianist Michał Francuz, who has been cooperating with our ensemble for many years now. On the 250th birthday anniversary of the maestro from Bonn the musicians will perform his Romance in F major.
We would like to thank Wojciech Jeliński for video editing and Eryk Kozłowski for audio editing.
On Sunday, 3rd of May at 6 p.m., we invite you for another musical surprise prepared for the music lovers by the musicians of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and the artists who cooperate with it. This time on our website we will give you an opportunity to listen to the violinist Marcin Suszycki, concertmaster of Philharmonic Orchestra, and pianist Michał Francuz, who has been cooperating with our ensemble for many years. On the 250th birthday anniversary of the maestro from Bonn the musicians will perform his Romance in F major.
Romance in F Major No. 2, Op. 50 is one of the two works of this type written by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was originally arranged for violin with the accompaniment of an orchestra composed of a flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two French horns and strings. This roughly 10-minute-long piece is known for numerous arrangements for different instruments, but the most popular version is the one for violin and piano. There is no need to convince anybody of the beauty of that miniature. Although Romance in F Major for Violin and Piano was composed by Beethoven approximately three years before the famous “Spring” Sonata for Violin and Piano (also in F Major) – isn’t Romance like a flower in a May bouquet?