Here are three outstanding Polish composers from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Their music was once admired from Odessa to New York, a time marked by the eruption of many compositional talents. Unfortunately, the vast majority of this work now resides on the fringes of the repertoire. The global tendency, not new by any means, to favour well-known and frequently performed pieces has led to a situation where masterpieces still need to be discovered. The vicinity of Independence Day provides an excellent pretext to invite music lovers to a shared and highly satisfying listening experience of forgotten gems of Polish music.
The evening will open with Variations on an Original Theme by Zygmunt Noskowski, a creator of many expansive orchestral works and splendid chamber pieces. Following this will be Ignacy Jan Paderewski's Piano Concerto in A minor – a piece written with extraordinary flair, full of sparkling sounds, yet also profound, capable of captivating audiences.
Paderewski's Piano Concerto interpreted by Szymon Nehring and the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic under the baton of Giancarlo Guerrero:
We will also hear Symphony No. 1 by Witold Maliszewski, a convinced neoclassicist. This symphony conceals a full spectrum of musical emotions; we will find both themes rich in internal drama and almost playful and joyous dance motifs here.
Fragment of Maliszewski's Symphony No. 1 performed by the Opole Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Przemysław Neumann:
