Karol Szymanowski, villa "Atma" in Zakopane, 1935
The Karol Szymanowski "Music Without Borders" project comprises a series of concerts compised by the Polish "Fryderyk Chopin's Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra" of Gdańsk
Scheduled in Brussels, Minsk and Kiev, the performances were conducted by the ensemble's artistic director, Kai Bumann. The violin soloist Agata Szymczewska and organ instrumentalist Zbigniew Kruczek take part in the concert held at the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music in Kiev.
The I Violin Concert Op. 35 by Karol Szymanowski made up the axis of the musical performance. The highly emotional piece dedicated to Paweł Kochanowski, is considered to be the composer's greatest triumph. Performing the piece is the recent winner of the Henryk Wieniawski violin competition, 25-year-old Agata Szymczewska.
The music of Szymanowski has recently been experiencing a real renaissance; inciting a new fascination with Polish music around the world. Other musical arrangements performed during the concert are all recently written Polish compositions.The evening opens with a "Polonez" composed by Wojciech Kilar for Andrzej Wajda's film, "Pan Tadeusz". Kilar, one of the most renowned Polish composers in the world has written music for over 130 films. He is the author of the soundtrack of almost all of Zanussi's films, as well as Roman Polański's "Pianist" and Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula". Lutosławski's Concert for the Orchestra continues the recital. The composer used Polish folk melodies from the Mazowsze collection of Oskar Kolberg for this skillful arrangement.
The Karol Szymanowski "Music Without Borders" project presented a universal language of the contemporary world, capable of connecting beyond all divisions: the language of music.
Date: 15th of September, 2011
Venue: Great Hall, Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music, vul. Arhitektora Gorodetsky 1-3/11, Kiev
Organised by: Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Project cofinanced by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute
For more on Szymanowski, see: www.karolszymanowski.pl