news
Olli Mustonen, a prominent Finnish pianist, whose artistry we could admire in AMU Concert Hall, performs today (16th of April) in a Beethoven recital in the auditorium in Turku (Finland). The concert will be transmitted online. Start of the concert at 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. in Poland).
You are welcome to listen!
We invite you to take part in the special project based on the popular Q&A (questions and answers) formula. The responses to your inquiries will be given by Maestro Marek Pijarowski, Maestro Łukasz Borowicz and Director of the Poznan Philharmonic Wojciech Nentwig.
The questions can be sent by an internet form:
- We are waiting for the questions to Maestro Łukasz Borowicz till the 17th of April: form
- We are waiting for the questions to Director Wojciech Nentwig till the 21st of April: form
- We are waiting for the questions to Maestro Marek Pijarowski till the 24th of April: form
The answers to the most interesting inquiries will be published on our Facebook profile respectively on the 20th, 25th and 28th of April.
We encourage you to pose questions!
Next Friday, on the 17th of April at 7 p.m., we invite you to the next internet concert of Poznan Philharmonic. This time the hero of the evening is Krzysztof Penderecki, who passed away recently. We will recall him as a composer and as a conductor.
We are going to present music lovers the recording of a concert performed by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and soloists: Fumiaki Miura (violin) and Julian Rachlin (viola), under the baton of maestro Krzysztof Penderecki. The concert was held in AMU Concert Hall in Poznan on the 23rd of November 2012 and aired by Polish Radio Program II, which lent us this recording for the forthcoming internet concert.
The Poznan concert from eight years ago was special due to many reasons, though two of them were of particular importance to us – on the 23rd of November 2012 Krzysztof Penderecki celebrated his 79th birthday (hence the title of the concert, “Maestro’s Birthday”), and the composer suggested to perform with our philharmonic orchestra a Polish premiere of his recent symphonic piece – Double Concert for violin, viola and orchestra, which only a month ago had its world premiere in the Golden Hall of Musikverein in Vienna. In the capital of Austra Mariss Jansons conducted the work, while in AMU Concert Hall – the composers (in both performances Julian Rachlin, to whom the piece was dedicated, played the solo part on viola). In the second part of the concert held on the 23rd of November 2012 Krzysztof Penderecki led one of his favourite symphonies – No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Double Concert for violin, viola and orchestra surprises with its lyricism from the first chords, as well as its sensitivity to timbre and the perfection in building the suspense. Although it lacks the effects of spectacular virtuosity, the extreme difficulty of both parts is to show variability of themes and bring out the quality of the musical discourse. The piece is not a heated debate, but a smart dialogue of two mature personalities. The rich and multi-layered texture of the Concert is characterised by splendid instrumentation, intense tones which merge in the orchestral tutti. It perfectly blends with the expression of diversified emotions, thus the structure of the work is consistent and dramatized.
In the second part of the evening Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 by Ludwig van Beethoven resounded – a real orgy of rhythm and symphony of humour, as the piece was acclaimed a day after its premiere held on the 8th of December 1813 in Great Hall of the University of Vienna. Richard Wagner deemed the vigorous Symphony No. 7 by Beethoven the apotheosis of dance, and the composer himself admitted that while writing the work he wanted to refer to orgiastic Roman Bacchanalia. To him the following quote is ascribed: music is the wine which inspires one to create, and I am Bacchus who pours the mankind the delicious drink and make them spiritually drunken.
Performers:
Fumiaki MIURA – violin
Julian RACHLIN – viola
Krzysztof PENDERECKI – conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
Program:
- Krzysztof Penderecki – Double Concert for violin, viola and orchestra (Polish premiere)
- Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Poco sostenuto – Vivace
Allegretto
Assai meno presto
Allegro con brio
Next Friday, on the 10th of April, this time uniquely at 3 p.m. we invite you to listen to Symphony No. 3 “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” for soprano solo and orchestra, Op. 36 by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki. It was recorded by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra during the concert held on the 4th of February 1995 in AMU Concert Hall in Poznan. The recording is in the form of an album. It was produced by DUX label, but hasn’t been released until 23 years later – on the 10th of January 2018. Symphony No. 3 previously resounded in AMU Concert Hall on the 18th of January 2019 during the concert commemorating Paweł Adamowicz, the murdered mayor of Gdansk.
Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki is one of the most original masterpieces of the 20th century music (not only Polish). Adrian Thomas, the English biographer of the composer, wrote these words about the piece: “… The Symphony features a prayerful, transcendental aura supported by simplicity and straightforwardness. It evokes the ambience of concentration and inclines to quiet contemplation…”
The lyrics of the three movements are three laments, monologues – the 15th century lament of Virgin Mary to the dying Jesus, the prayer of a girl to Mary, engraved in the wall of the prison cell in the Gestapo headquarters in Zakopane during World War II, and a mother’s grievance after the death of her son in one of the Silesian Uprisings. Following subsequently, the lyrics plainly determine the piece the passage from divine to human things, from metaphysics to earthly reality.
“Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” is an exceptional piece to listen to just on Good Friday.
Performers:
Ewa IŻYKOWSKA – Soprano
Andrzej BOREYKO – conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra Henryk
Mikołaj Górecki (1933-2010)
Symphony No. 3 “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” for soprano solo and orchestra, Op. 36
Lento. Sostenuto tranquillo ma cantabile
Lento e largo. Tranquilissimo – cantabilissimo – dolcissimo – legatissimo
Lento. Cantabile-semplice
This week, every day at 10 a.m., Polish Radio Program II invites you to the cycle of meetings with Maestro Łukasz Borowicz, who has been the Chief Guest Conductor of Poznan Philharmonic since 2006. It is worth listening both to the radio broadcast, as well as the recordings suggested by the Meastro. We warmly recommend and invite you to listen!
Two concerts from the “Unknown Operas by Well-Known Composers” cycle were planned for the beginning of April in the repertoire of Poznan Philharmonic. On the 2nd of April the concert performance of “Faniska” by Luigi Cherubini under the baton of Łukasz Borowicz, performed by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, soloists and National Philharmonic Choir was to be held in Warsaw on the 2nd of April during the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, while on the 3rd of April – in the AMU Concert Hall in Poznan, also conducted by Łukasz Borowicz, along with the participation of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, soloists and Poznan Chamber Choir.
In relation to the Beethoven Festival, we will not meet today in the AMU Concert Hall but, for the next time, on the internet concert.
This time we are going to present a one-act opera by George Bizet – “Djamileh”. Its concert performance was held on the 7th of April 2017 in National Philharmonic in Warsaw at the 21st Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in the framework of the “Unknown Operas by Well-Known Composers” cycle, and repeated on the 9th of April 2017 in AMU Concert Hall. This opera, performed by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, soloists and Poznan Chamber Choir led by Łukasz Borowicz was also recorded – the premiere of the album released by the DUX label took place on the 26th of October 2017.
“Djamileh” (with the libretto by Louis Gallet) is a love story between the title slave Djamileh and Cairene sultan Haroun. The plot, held in the ambiance of “The Arabian Nights”, is a typical example of the romantic fascinations of the Orient in the 19th century. And though the composer himself saw it as difficult to be staged, he succeeded in balancing the flaws of the libretto by the expressive sound aura.
Performers:
Jennifer FEINSTEIN (Djamileh) mezzosoprano
Eric BARRY (Haroun) tenor
George MOSLEY (Splendiano) baritone
Poznan Chamber Choir Bartosz
Michałowski – chorus master
Łukasz BOROWICZ – conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
Wojciech Pszoniak – narrator (concert)
Piotr Kamiński – narrator (CD album)
John Paul II… Every one of us has his own picture of this figure in one’s memory. Today is the 15th anniversary of the Polish Pope’s death. During his pontificate Poznan Nightingales sang for him several times. Let’s go back to these moments and reflect upon them…
It happened almost 57 years ago. From the summer camps of Poznan Boys’ Choir in Człuchów, besides a beautiful lake, I also remember daily rehearsals. It was because we, then 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds, came into contact with the music that was entirely unfamiliar, even incomprehensible. Though we considered the motets of Bach or Wacław of Szamotuły as “ours”, these odd-looking notes and the sounds flowing from them (dissonances, tone clusters, exclamations) were entirely strange for our eyes and ears. These feelings accompanied me during the first rehearsals of a new piece – “Stabat Mater”. One of the rehearsals was attended by the composer himself. What an experience it was!
October 1963. Berlin. Komische Oper – our concert at the Berliner Festtage festival. The event’s culmination was the premiere foreign performance of the work – written for three choirs a capella, closing with a noble D major. Afterwards long-lasting applause and ovation, while the day afterwards – wonderful reviews.
This was my first contact with the music and… Krzysztof Penderecki. “Stabat Mater” became later a movement of “St Luke Passion”, a piece that opened the Polish artist doors to grand concert halls and musical centers of the world. And “Stabat Mater” – the key concert point of Jerzy Kurczewski’s choir, especially abroad.
Andrzej Lesicki, my peer, then 13-year-old, was one of the choirsingers at the Berlin concert. Now he holds the post of the rector of Adam Mickiewicz University – the title of doctor honoris causa from this institution was granted to Krzysztof Penderecki almost a quarter of a century later.
For many subsequent years my contact with the music of this composer was occasional. I remember that my choir friends recorded music for a children’s opera “The Most Valiant Knight” staged by Poznań theatre “Marcinek” (now The Animation Theatre). I also recall my surprise, when I listened to the soundtrack of the film “The Manuscript Found in Saragossa” (kind of a pastiche of the works of early masters). And a huge impression that the staging of the opera “The Black Mask” in Autumn 1987 in the Poznań Opera House made on me, same as a decade later – the monumental Symphony No. 7 “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” performed in the fara parish church.
In the 90s I talked to Maestro several times as a journalist, always admiring his erudition and brilliance. More and more I marveled at the consequence in creating music referring to the main human values: faith and truth. And also at the understandability of his works.
When I took over the Poznan Philharmonic I knew, that I should invite here the most prominent Polish composers. I didn’t manage to invite Henryk Mikołaj Górecki and Wojciech Kilar due to their health conditions, in spite of very nice conversations and great kindness from their side. While Krzysztof Penderecki had, like always, a tightly packed schedule. Knowing that in 2013 he would celebrate his 80th birthday and that he would be then sought-after not only in Poland, I figured we could suggest that he came a year before. Above all, his 79th birthday fell then (in 2012) on Friday, which is our habitual concert day. Maestro was so happy with his invitation to Poznań after many years that he suggested to perform with our philharmonic orchestra a Polish premiere of his recent symphonic piece – Double Concert for violin, viola and orchestra, which only a month ago had its world premiere in the Golden Hall of Musikverein in Vienna. In the capital of Austra Mariss Jansons conducted the work, while in AMU Concert Hall – the composers (in both performances Julian Rachlin, to whom the piece was dedicated, played the solo part on viola). In the second part of the concert held on the 23rd of November 2012 Krzysztof Penderecki led one of his favourite symphonies – No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
This evening (aired on Polish Radio Program II) the Jubilarian also collected the Jerzy Kurczewski Awards he was granted some time before as well as received numerous, mostly musical birthday gifts-surprises. The previous day in the Roman Maciejewski park he planted a beech tree grown in his own botanical garden. Besides music, trees were his greatest love. As he used to say, trees have roots both in the earth and in heaven. The unique park in the residence of Penderecki family in Lusławice confirms his love to trees. Maestro chose all the specimens and planted a majority of them himself.
After the Poznan concert we made a decision with the Hero of the evening that the Poznan Philharmonic will invite him a year before his “round” birthday to lead the concerts in a double role: as a composer and conductor. We entered the calendar a date in November 2017 and set the repertoire… It turned out later that Professor is to receive at that time his honoris causa doctorate from the Indiana University and conduct his “St Luke Passion” in Bloomington. We had to look for another date…
We met several time in different places and circumstances. In May 2018 in London we could have a longer conversation. Łukasz Borowicz conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Royal Festival Hall. The concert’s repertoire included Violin Concerto No. 2 “Metamorphoses” by Krzysztof Penederecki, with the solo part of Anne-Sophie Mutter. The composer arrived to this event with his wife, and at dinner we faced each other at the table. He always said that he would have to live a 100 years to complete all the orders he accepted, I asked what he was working on at the moment? And did he still start his daily work early in the morning? I heard that it’s history, he cancelled some of his commitments, like composing an opera for Wiener Staatsoper. That currently he writes mostly chamber music which absorbs him.
When saying goodbye, we referred to the next artistic meeting in Poznań. I asked what he would like to perform then?
‘Credo’, he said, ‘One of my most important works. Maybe even the best one? ….’
Recalling these moments in my memory today, I noted the statement of one of Maestro’s friends from the Academy of Music in Krakow: “Once Krzysztof Penderecki remarked: a human being reaches a point in his live when he needs to say: I believe. CREDO.”
Wojciech Nentwig
29th of March 2020
We were deeply saddened to hear that on the 29th of March 2020 at the age of 86 Krzysztof Penderecki died – a prominent Polish composer, one of the icons of Polish culture, an artist associated with Poznan Philharmonic for many years.
Maestro, you will always be among us, just like on the day of your 79th birthday, when you conducted our orchestra at the premiere Polish performance of the Concert for violin, viola and orchestra.
We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the closest family and friends for their loss
Wojciech Nentwig along with the Poznan Philharmonic ensembles and the staff
On Saturday, the 28th of March, at 8 pm on air of Polish Radio Program II “The Pariah”, the opera of Stanisław Moniuszko will resound, played by the Orchestra of Poznan Philharmonic. Its concert performance (in the Italian-language version) was recorded on the 10th of March 2019 during the 23rd Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. The Saturday program, part of the “Opera Under the Stars” cycle, will be led by editor Marcin Majchrowski.
“The Pariah” under the leadership of Łukasz Borowicz, performed by Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra along with the soloists and the National Philharmonic Choir, was also recorded on CD. The album was released by DUX label. The festival performance of the piece and its recording was connected with Poznan Philharmonic’s celebrations of the Year of Stanisław Moniuszko.
“The Pariah” is the last completed opera of Stanisław Moniuszko. The libretto of this three-act work, the action of which takes place in India, was written by Jan Chęciński and based on the motives of Casimir Delavigne’s tragedy under the same title.
Performers:
Katarzyna Hołysz (Neala) – Soprano
Robert Jezierski (Akebar) – Basso
Yuri Gorodetski (Idamore) – Tenor
Szymon Komasa (Djares) – Baritone
Tomasz Warmijak (Ratef) – Tenor
Justyna Jedynak-Obłoza (Sacerdotessa) – Soprano
National Philharmonic Choir
Bartosz Michałowski – Chorus Master
Łukasz Borowicz – Conductor
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
