Szymanowski: Violin and Piano Works, Vol. 2

Witold Lutosławski’s String Quartet no. 2 comes from a time when his style had entered a 'Sturm und Drang' period. + Dissonant harmonies, vivid juxtapositions in musical color, and complex textures fill the majority of his works from the 1960s, including this 1964 work. + Its compositional craft places it directly among the most important works in the genre’s history. + Paweł Mykietyn’s String Quartet no. 2 belongs to his creative evolution that began in 2004 and continues to this day. + Works created in this time are more or less widely considered to be the greatest Polish works of recent years.

Violinist Krzysztof Jakowicz alongside the Witold Lutoslawski Chamber Philharmonic in Lomiza bring us this album filled with beautiful violin works from composers Jarzebski, Vivaldi, Bach, Pachelbel, Haydn, and Lutoslawski. Krzysztof Jakowicz (b. 1939) is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Warsaw, where he studied under Professor Tadeusz Wronski. He is known as one of the most exceptional violinists of our day, and has made numerous recordings for various labels. The Lomza Chamber Philharmonic was founded in 1977 as the Lomza Chamber Orchestra. The ensemble has given more than one thousand concerts across Poland and overseas, and has received countless awards for their achievements and contribution to the musical culture of Poland. They were renamed Chamber Philharmonic in 2008.

Bacewicz: Violin & Piano Works

SEA SONGS FOR MIXED CHOIR

MUSIC IN OLD WROCLAW

ARSO Ensemble is made up of the leaders and soloists of the Podkarpacka Philharmonic Orchestra - Robert Nasciszewski and Orest Telwach (violin), Anna Nasciszewska (cello) and Slawomir Ujek (double-bass). The ensemble plays Rossini's lesser-known Six sonatas a quarttro, penned by Rossini in 1804 at the age of 12.

"•The present CD brings together for the first time Marian Borkowski’s entire output of a cappella choral compositions in performances by the Polish Chamber Choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis directed by Jan Łukaszewski. • Mr. Borkowski has written choral music throughout his compositional career but recent years have witnessed his enhanced interest in the genre. Most of his choral pieces fall under the ‘sacred music’ category, being settings of religious texts, either short fragments or single words."

The harpsichord became a dominant musical instrument during the XVII and XVIII centuries. In the next centuries it started to lose it's position. It's short and dry sound was unsuited to the romantic aesthetic. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the XX century thanks to the renowned Polish performer, Wanda Landowska and she brought it to the attention of contemporary composers. The following generations of creators took the instrument to their hearts for both solo and chamber works, a fact demonstrated by over 5000 compositions during the last 100 years. It is important to mention that a significant part of this repertoire has been created by Polish composers. It is also worth noting that there are now many harpsichordists in the world today establishing their own widened repertoire, continuing the tradition of two famous Poles - Landowska and Chojnacka. To these we must add the extraordinarily talented and original Goska Isphording, the star of this recording. For this recording she has used two different types of instrument - an historical copy (produced by von Nagel, 2001) and a modern pedal harpsichord (Neupert). The baroque copy made it possible to faithfully reproduce the vision of the composers who wished to write in the 'spirit of the period', returning to the delicate sounds of the old instruments (8', 8'', 4' dispositions and a lute stop). However the contemporary harpsichord doesn't have quite such a subtle sound but does have a broader palette as a result of the varied registers made available with the help of the pedals, as opposed to the baroque method of using hand operated jacks. On this recording, 'Per clavicembalo moderno' we find compositions by contemporary Polish composers for harpsichord and for harpsichord and tape. There are contributions by the older generation - W. Kotonski, Z. Bargielski, Z. Krauze, through the middle generation - M. Ptaszynska, H. Kulenty, the younger generation - represented by M. Chyrzynski and W. Widlak, right to the youngest - A. Gryka. Some of the composers discarded the historical tradition and took on the sharp sound and wealth of the modern pedal instrument. In some of the other pieces they chose the simple colours of the baroque copy. In closing it should be noted that the CD 'Per clavicembalo moderno' released by PWM/DUX is the first collection of harpsichord compositions by Polish composers, firmly rooted in a near century of deep tradition. Magdalena Chmielowska Transl. Lindsay Davidson.

During the preparations for the recording of Concertos for Children, I remembered my very first steps in violin playing and the emotions which are an inseparable part of public performances. I still have fresh in my memory the joy and excitement which accompanied me during my performances, particularly in the first stage of my musical education. I would like the enthusiasm of music-making to be shared by all young musicians, no matter how their careers develop in the future. I hope that this CD with Concertos for Children will help music-school students to prepare for the requirements of the concert stage, at the same time allowing other listeners to recall the joyful and carefree time of their childhood.'

When we think today of the legacy of Leoš Janáček (1854-1928), it is the late masterpieces that most readily come to mind. However, the staple repertoire for string orchestras includes Janáček’s exquisitely crafted youthful compositions: Suite and Idyll (c. 1880). His earliest compositions come from his student years, with Znělka (1875), for four violins, being one of the most interesting. The disc’s final work, in an arrangement for string orchestra, is the great First String Quartet (1923).

The Great Organ of the Lichen Basilica

Kilar: Magnificat - Victoria

In his capacity as conductor of contemporary music ensembles, Kociuban has given premieres of many new pieces. As a cellist, he pursues a career as a soloist, an orchestral player and a member of chamber groups. He’s given many first performances of solo and chamber works. This includes the world premiere recording of Violoncello totale.

Krzysztof Penderecki's symphonies have a special place in the composer's legacy. In celebration of the composer's 80th birthday, DUX Recordings presents, for the first time in a box set, the symphonies as conducted by the Maestro himself, performed in collaboration with the Sinfonia luventus. These works have never been recorded in a series before under the artistic direction of the composer. He himself has said the DUX Recordings represent the best recordings of these works, making the series even more special. Founded in 2007, the Sinfonia luventus orchestra consists of the most talented graduates and students of music academies who have not attained 30 years of age. The orchestra has performed on many concert stages and at numerous festivals in Poland and abroad: in Austria, China, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Italy.