news

Although in the modern world the works of art from the 1920’s created by artists coming from the Soviet Union is now triumphing and shown in the most renowned museums in the world, the music from this epoch is still waiting to be discovered.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Music Lovers

in the cycle presenting our fascination, and sometimes also inspiration for creating concerts repertoire, I would like to bring back the program of the concert, which was to be held last Friday, on the 13th of March. Besides well-known works of Beethoven and Prokofiev, also the music of Nikolai Roslavets was to be presented. His piece entitled „In den Stunden des Neumonds” has never before been performed in Poland.

Roslavets is the representative of the first generation of Russian composers, whose adolescence and the most creative period fell to the years of unusual development of art – the short period of avant-garde in the Soviet Union. It is a huge historical paradox of the 20th century that in the country who approved experiments in all artistic fields, not long afterwards the new political regime became the synonym of subjugation and totalitarianism. Avant-garde artists, who recently praised freedom (allegedly gained also for art), soon became the first victims of repression.

Although in the modern world the works of art from the 1920’s created by artists coming from the Soviet Union is now triumphing and shown in the most renowned museums in the world (I will just mention a few of the most famous names: Kazimierz Malewicz, Wassily Kandinsky, Natalia Goncharova, Marc Chagall, Lazar Lissitzky [El Lissitzky]), the music from this epoch is still waiting to be discovered.

The works of Roslavets didn’t appear in the program of the concert planned for the 13th of March by chance. We wanted to present the work of this revolutionary composer and remind that nowadays the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, apparently „softened and smoothed” by the perception shaped by pop-culture, at its time was a synonym of modern, breaching conventions and barriers of art, also the ones that seemed irrefutable.

We managed to have one rehearsal for the concert scheduled for the 13th of March. Roslavets’ music resounded. Along with the Orchestra of Poznan Philharmonic we had an impression from the first notes that the music transfers us to another dimension. Similarly like in the late works of Alexander Scriabin, we can hear the tutti sound intricately woven from the polyphonic layers, which reminds us of a musical stream, a spectrum of sound. The experience is hard to describe. What’s important, this type of narrative, present in some of the Prokofiev’s works, was practically abandoned by subsequent generations of composers. I recommend you to listen to Roslavets’ works available on the internet. I promise we will present you the premiere Polish performance of the aforementioned poem „In den Stunden des Neumonds”. Meanwhile you can listen to it on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5IWId9sLdE

In our repertoire recommendations that we are going to present on the profile of Poznan Philharmonic for listeners interested in this topic, I would like to recommend a few albums, which you may be able to listen to via websites (or maybe you have them in your personal collections). They are the renditions of works by composers from Roslavets’ generation, now almost entirely forgotten. Maybe in the current situation it will be easier to find time for this activity:

Russian Futurism – box released by ARTE NOVA (unfortunately, the company doesn’t exist anymore) features recordings of chamber and symphonic music of such composers as: Alexander Mosolov, Alexander Goedicke, Julian Krein, Georg Kirkor, Mikhail Gnesin, Lev Knipper and Nikolai Roslavets;
Symphony No. 1, Op. 7 by Gavriil Popov performed by London Symphony Orchestra led by Leon Botstein, conductor known to the listeners of Poznan Philharmonic; on the album published by TELARC label there is a most interesting piece Theme and Variations Op. 3 by Dmitri Shostakovich;
finally, the lovers of audiophile sound I would like to recommend an album released by ECM, dedicated to the piano works of Alexander Mosolow (Herbert Henck on the piano).
Wishing you poignant perception of this extraordinary music,

Łukasz Borowicz

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends of Poznan Philharmonic,

the events of the recent days have manifestly influenced the situation and plans of our institution. We sorely feel the lack of contact with you, as well as the inability to share the joy of participation in concerts. Our thoughts keep returning to the programs of scheduled concerts, the works and composers that we would like to present you or bring back. In the current situation we decided to intensify our presence on the internet.

We are going to prepare for you:

• recommendations of works (and their performances available on the internet), which were planned in the programs of our concerts;
• commentaries and personal reflections of conductors and soloists associated with Poznan Philharmonic, who will bring us closer to their favourite pieces of music and composers;
• surprises which, hopefully, will provide you nice and unforgettable experience.

We wish to be together with you, we dream that bond created thanks to music will endure the all the difficulties.

With cordial greetings,

the ensembles and the staff of Poznan Philharmonic

We would like to inform you that in relation to the current situation of preventing the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the box office of Poznan Philharmonic is opened between 1 pm and 5 pm on the 12th and the 13th of March, while from Monday the 16th of March it will be closed until further notice. The reimbursement of tickets for the cancelled concerts, bought in the box office, will take place after the reopening of the box office.

You can clarify any doubts by calling one of the following numbers: + 48 61 852 47 08, + 48 660 405 813.

In relation with the decisive steps aiming to stop the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 the crisis management, including the Minister for Culture and National Heritage, has decided to temporarily close from the 12th of March 2020 the cultural institutions, philharmonics, operas, theatres, museums, cinemas as well as schools, academies and art education institutions.

Poznan Philharmonic cancels the concerts planned for the forthcoming weeks. We will notify you of further decisions and actions through our website.

The reimbursement for tickets bought through Bilety24 website will be automatic and done the same way the payment was made, both via bank transfer and BLIK or card payments, subject to the dates indicated by the card operators, that is up to 31 days.

On the 8th of March in Katowice Fryderyk 2020 awards were given for classical music. In the categories of Best Symphonic Music Album and Most Outstanding Polish Music Recording the prize went to the 36-album „100 FOR 100. MUSICAL DECADES OF FREEDOM”.

The album features numerous performers, including Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra which recorded Tadeusz Szeligowski’s „Kaziuki” under the leadership of Łukasz Borowicz.

Before bishop Wojtyla became John Paul II he mainly spent his time in Cracow, though he often gladly visited Greater Poland and Poznan. It was not only because of his close relationship with Antoni Baraniak, Archbishop of Poznan, who Wojtyla valued, respected and who invited him to come to attend numerous church ceremonies, but also to relax and canoe on the rivers and lakes of Notecka Forest. During his pontificate he visited Greater Poland several times: he was twice in Poznan and Gniezno, once in Kalisz and Gorzow Wielkopolski, and during his last visit in 1999 also in Lichen. He passed away in 2005. The mourning in Poznan lasted many days after his death, some called it the 3rd – and the longest – pilgrimage to the “City of Przemysł”.

This text extract comes from the first of eight two-sided boards dedicated to the visits of John Paul II in Poznan and Greater Poland, which appeared in Adam Mickiewicz Square to commemorate this unusual figure. The exhibition accompanies “A Witness to God” concert (7th of March, 6 pm in AMU Concert Hall) prepared by Feel Harmony Foundation and Poznan Philharmonic. The special concert is held in the Year of Saint John Paul II, established in the 100. birthday anniversary of Karol Wojtyła.

Photo exhibition comprises of photo archives of Poznan photojournalists (Andrzej Szozda, Władysław Ruta, Tomasz Kamiński, Karolina Sikorska, Jan Boczko), but also pictures coming from the registry of the Franciscan monastery in Poznan, the Archdiocese Archive from Poznan, archives of “Przewodnik Katolicki” magazine and Gazeta newspaper agency, portrays the bishop visits of Karol Wojtyła in Poznan and Gniezno (since 1968) and papal visits of John Paul II in Poznan, Gniezno, Kalisz and Lichen. The last three boards commemorate the figure of John Paul II in Poznan. The photos are accompanied by descriptions and comments.

“John Paul II in Poznan and Greater Poland” exhibition was prepared by Posnania City Publishing House, the curator is Danuta Książkiewicz-Bartkowiak. The project is co-financed by the city of Poznan.

We encourage you to read the review of the Polish Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert in Frankfurt (Oder), which appeared in the Märkische Oderzeitung newspaper.

Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and the pianist Rafał Blechacz delighted the audience on the guest concert held in Frankfurt (Oder).

History of music has numerous examples of composers who travelled a lot, living out of a suitcase. In many cases these trips were voluntary, in other – forced by current situations. The reasons were various – from political, cultural, religious or ethnic to social. The guest performance of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Łukasz Borowicz held in Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Concert Hall in Frankfurt (Oder), attended also by many Polish listeners, enabled the audience to discover more about Polish emigrant composers. The Orchestra played pieces by Palester, Tansman and Chopin.

Roman Palester belongs to the bygone “forgotten” composers. He was born in the Austro-Hungarian town Sniatyn and died in Paris. His ballet “The Song of the Earth” received a gold medal on the World Exposition in Paris in 1937. An excerpt of this piece, “Wedding Dances”, filled with original rhythms and elements of folklore, could be heard at the concert. The musical meeting began with the thunderous sound of double bass, cello and piano, gradually transitioning into dance orgies. Many motifs remind of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”, depicting pagan rituals in a form of a ballet. Even in the fortissimo parts we could hear the orchestra’s specific way of playing, not exaggerating in means.

Brilliant interpreter of Chopin

After the impressive introduction the audience listened to Symphonie Concertante No. 3 for Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano and Orchestra written by Tansman. He was born in Lodz, and emigrated to Paris in 1919 to adopt French citizenship a year later. Then in 1940 he moved to USA due to his Jewish origin, and after six years returned upon the river of Seine to live out his days there. The musical story opens with an ensemble of four soloists of the Philharmonic, who also dominated the other parts of the piece by interlacing it with continuous waves of intense sounds. The second part is a distinctive swing in American rhythms, while the orchestra becomes almost a setting for the four soloists. The third part features mostly wind instruments, executing dynamic tones in a marching, rhythmic way. After a storm of dissonance beautiful themes appear, played by a piano quartet. The fourth part, filled with spontaneous, dancing joy is geared towards an explosive ending.

All three composers were drawn by Paris

Frédéric Chopin also chose to live in Paris after emigration. However, before he became the “ambassador of Polish culture” abroad, his Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor Op. 11 received a warm reception in Warsaw. The brillant style, used mostly in the piano parts, needs to be performed by a pianist who plays with pearl purity, dexterous agility and rich in ornaments fantasy. Polish pianist Rafał Blechacz appeared to be a brilliant interpreter of this masterful piece. After a long, romantic orchestra introduction a captivating wander on the keyboard of clear and brightly-sounding “Steinway” begins. Dynamic figurations, thunderous cascades of tones, reserved and lyrical trills filled with pearl colors and splendid arabesques – the pianist presents the broad repertoire of the sensual art of interpretation in an astonishing way. At the same time he evades different kinds of pastel mollifications, but aims to accentuate the internalized singing, almost like pure poetry. So inspiring! The Laureate of the Chopin Competition held in Warsaw in 2005 thanked for the standing ovation by Frédéric Chopin’ valse and mazurka.

Peter Buske

We recommend you another review from the European concert tour of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra – this time from the concert in Staatstheater Darmstadt. The text appeared in the Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

Rafał Blechacz amazes the audience. He plays Chopin like a child prodigy opening a present.

Silvia Adler

DARMSTADT – Rafał Blechacz has been considered as a complete artist for a long time now. At the age of 19 he won the 15. International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, as the first Pole after Krystian Zimerman. Due to his superiority over the other competitors, the second prize was not granted, and Blechacz was also awarded all four special prizes.

15 years has gone since that moment, though it is hard to believe it when on Friday night Blechacz sits at the piano in Staatstheater Darmstadt to play Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor by Chopin, along with the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra. He still has this unique aura of an ingenious, wonder child. This impression stems not only from the artist’s slender figure, but also this dreamy and fanciful approach to Chopin’s music. He immerses himself into it with a peculiar intuition, up to the deepest structures, as if he was unwraping a finest gift.

Solo part in Allegro maestoso is very delicate and enticing. With great virtuosity and fingers, the mobility of which seem not to undergo any natural limits, the pianist joins the art of “brillante” style with the depth of spiritual expression which doesn’t need any external additives. Blechacz does not have the tendency to caricature emotions, though his analytically clear play seems to be fueled by emotionality found directly in the score. Infinitely gentle sounds of descant, as if woven from golden threads, along with the microscopically perfect, absolutely precise phrasing and the culture of playing piano which makes even the most tender tones burning bright – all these factors give his interpretation a form of highly concentrated distillate in which the condensed musical ideas of Chopin seem to be captured in the purest form.

Works of Roman Palester and Aleksander Tansman

Łukasz Borowicz conducts with caution: he lets the orchestra draw the vital forces from the available resources, though at some point he demands an essential discipline in dynamics, which enables the soloist to play even the most subtle pianissimo without the fear of being covered up by the orchestra. The final rondo was also intricately refined, and Blechacz – who received applause and standing ovation from the audience – drew it out from the keys in a playful and masterful way, like some sort of an elaborately carved engraving.

Besides the performance of the world-famous Polish pianist, the gala concert organized on the 20th anniversary of partnership between the region of Greater Poland and Hesse was filled with other attractions. Under the title “Composers Living Out Of The Suitcase” the works of Roman Palester and Aleksander Tansman were performed, who – just like Chopin – spent many years abroad.

Strongly outlining the contours and basing on the temperamental rhythm, the Orchestra played “Wedding Dances” from the ballet “The Song of the Earth” which fluctuates between an archaic folklore and vibrant reverie suspended in void. The piece was written by Palester, born in 1907, whose works were considered by the socialist artistic doctrine to be too “formalist” and weren’t performed in Poland until 1977.

In Tansman’s Symphonie Concertante there is a relaxation of an intense dialogue between the orchestra and the quartet of soloists: Marcin Suszycki (violin), Dominik Dębski (viola), Józef Czarnecki (cello) and Michał Francuz (piano). Exuberant American swing and melancholy-tinted jazz meets classical piano quartet and baroque craft of the fugue.

The concert of Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra with the participation of Rafał Blechacz, held on the 14th of February in the Berlin Konzerthaus, finished with a standing ovation. The repertoire included Wedding Dances from the ballet The Song of the Earth by Roman Palester, Symphonie Concertante No. 3 for Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano and Orchestra by Aleksander Tansman and Piano Concerto in E minor Op. 11 by Frédéric Chopin.

Those who couldn’t attend this artistic event (or would like to listen to it once more) will have that opportunity on the 28th of February. That day at 8:03 pm the Berlin concert entitled “Composers Living Out of a Suitcase” will be aired on the national German radio Deutschlandfunk Kultur (online: www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de).