Oskar Kolberg died in Kraków on June 3, 1890 and was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery. On June 3 this year, Kolberg’s tomb was unveiled after undergoing extensive renovation. The ceremonies began at 1 p.m. with a procession and a short musical program presented by students from the Kolberg Music School in Radom. The rededication…Continue Reading Kolberg’s Tomb Renovated
As a corollary to the Kolberg Year Celebrations, please see an English-language interview with Andrzej Bieńkowski, a painter, photographer, and ethnographer who answers Agnieszka Grzybowska’s questions about Kolberg’s legacy and the social isolation of individuals living in rural areas of Poland. The full interview is available at culture.pl. I was lucky enough to have met three…Continue Reading Bienkowski Interview
The Symphony No. 4 of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki was given its World Premiere on April 12 at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The London Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Andrey Boreyko. This posthumously-premiered work was commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with generous support from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic…Continue Reading Górecki’s Fourth Lauded
The recent World Premiere of Górecki’s Fourth Symphony continues to invite comments and analyses from various quarters. Many interesting details emerge, especially pertaining to the role of Górecki’s son, Mikołaj, in completing and successfully helping to introduce his father’s unfinished work to the public. Read more at commdiginews.com/entertainment/revisiting-gorecki-part-2. Also of interest is an extensive interview…Continue Reading Górecki’s Fourth Inspires Deeper Investigation
The second Convention on Polish Music was held at the National Library in Warsaw on May 12-14, 2014. Organized by the Institute of Music and Dance (IMiT), Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP) and the Polish Music Council (PRM), the convention’s agenda included discussions on the future of music in Poland as well as setting goals and…Continue Reading Polish Music Convention
The Płock Symphony Orchestra led by Jakub Chrenowicz devoted its May 11 concert to Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz and music by other 20th century composers. A Sierpiec native, Paciorkiewicz was represented on the program with his Violin Concerto and his Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Other works featured on the program include the Polonaise and Orawa by…Continue Reading Paciorkiewicz In Sierpiec
The rarely-performed Cud mniemany czyli Krakowiacy i Górale [An Apparent Miracle or The Cracovians and the Highlanders] is the first example of Polish opera, composed by Jan Stefani to a libretto by Wojciech Bogusławski. Premiered in Warsaw in 1794 to a wild public reception, it was the first Polish work to prominently use folk melodies,…Continue Reading Oldest Polish Opera Performed In Bydgoszcz
Entitled Czterogłos [Four-part harmony], a series of concerts held on April 29, May 7, May 14 and May 17 commemorating the 80th anniversary of Karol Szymanowski’s visit in Katowice. Music by Szymanowski and other composers specifically linked to the Katowice Music Academy is featured, performed by some of the foremost musicians in Poland. The first…Continue Reading Four-Part Harmony
In its April issue, the prestigious British monthly Classical Music Magazine printed an article with the attention-grabbing title “King Jacek,” dedicated to Maestro Jacek Kaspszyk. Author Kimon Daltas, presents the work and figure of Warsaw Philharmonic’s artistic director on the basis of an interview that he conducted with Maestro Kaspszyk in March. The full text…Continue Reading Jacek Kaspsyzyk In Classical Music
Maestro Grzegorz Nowak presents two exciting programs in London in early May. His first concert includes Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sibelius’s Violin Concerto with violin soloist Ju-Young Baek, and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4. A few days later on May 10, Nowak and the Royal Philharmonic present an all-Tchaikovsky concert, featuring such war…Continue Reading Grzegorz Nowak With The Royal Philharmonic