by Marek Zebrowski One hundred and ten years ago, on February 8, 1909, an avalanche took the life of great Polish composer, Mieczysław Karłowicz. Although he was only 33 years old, his opus already included several large-scale symphonic works, a violin concerto and a number of songs for voice and piano. To commemorate this anniversary,…Continue Reading Karlowicz in Memoriam
On January 17, the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio will host a second concert in the “Resounds: New Polish Music” series. The Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra will perform works by Mieczysław Weinberg and Grażyna Bacewicz from the 1940s to show the wider historical context of new Polish music and the changes that have occurred since then. There will be an opportunity to…Continue Reading Resounds: New Polish Music
A total of 22 symphonies, including seven for voice and orchestra, eight operas, 17 string quartets, concertos, sonatas, cantatas, and songs… One cannot stop marvelling at the richness and diversity of Mieczysław Weinberg’s life work. He was a composer “from three worlds”: a Polish artist of Jewish origin, an émigré who settled in the Soviet…Continue Reading 100th Birth Anniversary of Mieczysław Weinberg
2019 marks a double anniversary for Grażyna Bacewicz, who was born 110 years ago on February 5, 1909 in Łódź and died in 50 years ago, on January 17, 1969 in Warsaw. Despite the politically tumultuous time during which she lived and composed, many of her works were awarded top honors and prizes—including the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium…Continue Reading Grażyna Bacewicz Year
On 3 March 2019, the LA Museum of the Holocaust will present a rare Los Angeles performance by Polish-Canadian pianist Daniel Wnukowski, who will perform an all-Polish program of Mazurkas. The program will include works by Chopin as well as lesser-known Polish-Jewish composers who survived the Holocaust. Daniel Wnukowski has performed throughout Europe, North America, South…Continue Reading Daniel Wnukowski at LA Museum of the Holocaust
Saturday, 23 March 2019 | 4:00 P.M. Polish Music Spring: Celebrating Anniversaries Concert Alfred Newman Recital Hall, USC (see AHF on campus map) 3616 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA FREE Admission Campus parking: $12 – Enter campus at Vermont Ave & 36th Pl and park in the Downey Way Structure. Avoid Figueroa Blvd, which will…Continue Reading Polish Music Spring: Celebrating Anniversaries
A review by Marek Zebrowski Commemorating the centenary of regaining Poland’s independence, during the second half of November the Polish National Opera Theatre in Warsaw presented a spectacle, “Nasz Chopin/Notre Chopin,” featuring the Polish National Ballet dancing to live performances of Chopin’s Piano Concertos in E and F minor with pianist Krzysztof Jabłoński and Grzegorz…Continue Reading Dancing Chopin
The Jerzy Semkow Sinfonia Iuventus Polish Orchestra, under the direction of Marek Wroniszewski, will perform the works of Bacewicz, Szymanowski, Różycki and Karłowicz on January 19 at the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio in Warsaw. Piotr Pławner will perform as a soloist. Polish Neo-Romantic composers Ludomir Różycki and Mieczysław Karłowicz were inspired by the colorful…Continue Reading 20th Century Polish Symphonic Music
The Polish premiere of Epitaph for Paweł Adamowicz composed by Katarzyna Kwiecień-Długosz will take place on January 18. Monika Kaźmierczak will perform the piece on the carillon of the St. Catherine’s Church in Gdańsk. The composer dedicated the Epitaph to the recently murdered Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, whose name and city are referenced within the composition of the work…Continue Reading Musical Epitaph in Memory of Paweł Adamowicz
In Poland Held under the title “Kontrasty-Niepodległa” [Contrasts-Independence], the 56th Bydgoszcz Music Festival celebrated the centenary of Poland’s regained independence with a wide-ranging presentation of concerts at the Bydgoszcz Philharmonic Hall between September 14 and October 5. A widespread repertoire—representing compositions from the Polish baroque to music by such contemporary masters as Kilar, Lutosławski, Penderecki…Continue Reading PMC Celebrated Poland’s Centenary of Independence in Poland and France