The instrumental concerto occupies a very prominent place in the music of Krzysztof Penderecki. This fact is related to the great life force exhibited by this genre in twentieth century and in contemporary music. It is stimulated by commissions from virtuosos and by audience expectations; also favourable is the composers’ flexibility in approaching the form, whose chief idea continues to be the juxtaposition of the solo instrument and the orchestra. The violin and viola works presented on this CD are not only interesting, concrete realizations of the concertare idea in Penderecki’s music, but also examples of this composer’s sonic language and style in the period of his creativity which Mieczyslaw Tomaszewski called a “time of dialogue with the regained past”.

Wojciech Kilar created a sensation some years ago with his exciting dance-like orchestral piece "Krzesany" and other works including the film score for Francis Ford Coppola’s "Bram Stoker’s Dracula". His scores often express through rhythmic repetition, a minimalism that differs from the American minimalists possibly because of the reminiscences of European music of the past. The piano concerto contains strong hints of the romantics, particularly Beethoven and Brahms viewed through a prism of cubist sectional abstractions. The mood ranges from bold to serene much like a romantic piano concerto but without the direct stylistic trappings. Melodic turns of phrase and gestures of Polish folk music also play role in his works and Kilar sometimes psychologically shocks his audience not only with a dramatic use of dissonance but also by suddenly embracing major/minor tonality and triadic harmonies. - Greg La Traille, ArkivMusic.com

Missa Pro Pace by Wojciech Kilar, composed in 2000 on the centenary of the National Philharmonic, is soaked with the spirit of the medieval church music – the prevailing moods are meditation, contemplation and prayer concentration. At the forefront there is singing and liturgical text, completed with a modest set of simple means of the compositional technique, which is used in order to obtain conscious archaization. The mass was built in the traditional manner, it includes five parts: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, preceded with the organ Introitus, while the climax of the musical course of the work falls on the final fragment of the last link – Dona nobis pacem. In Kilar’s composition, Credo and Sanctus, which usually dominate the whole cycle, are moments of silence and pensiveness.

When profiling the Polish composer and violinist Karol Lipinski (1790-1861), the focus is usually placed on his skills as a performer. Apart from having an incredible virtuoso technique, he had fine achievements as a composer. Somewhat forgotten these days, Lipi?ski occupies an important place in Polish culture and deserves a broader recognition.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)Richard Strauss (1864-1949) NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic OrchestraJacek Kaspszyk, conductor Suites for Orchestra - Stravinsky, R. StraussStravinsky: The Pulcinella SuiteStrauss: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Op. 60

HALKA

HAGITH

The Symphony No. 3, called the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, for solo soprano and orchestra, Op. 36 by Henryk Mikolaj Górecki (1976) is often mentioned in different contexts as one of the most original masterpieces of 20th-century music not only to come out of Poland, but from the world. This release presents the listener with a live recording of this extraordinary piece performed in the concert hall of the Poznan Philharmonic on 4 February, 1995. It is an outstanding artistic creation of Andrzej Boreyko, a conductor who was just about to launch his world career then, and Ewa Izykowska – one of the most interesting and versatile Polish singers.

Fratres

Classical Music from Brazil

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in F?; Barcarolle; Impromptus: in A?, Op. 29; in F? , Op. 36; Tarantella in A? • Danil Trifonov (pn); Wojciech Rajski, cond; Polish CO Sopot • DUX 0832 (63:30)


It’s too bad that this disc, filled with brilliant, energized, and subtle piano playing should start almost anemically with an impassive statement from the chamber orchestra on the Chopin Piano Concerto. Of course this is a string orchestra, a defensible choice, but I still think the opening should be more emphatic. We see what we were missing the second Danil Trifonov enters, for he is a dynamic pianist, and yet one who plays the delicate pages of this concerto exquisitely without ever losing its forward thrust. There are few recordings of the Romance as beautiful as Trifonov’s, and few of the final Rondo as delightfully playful. The solo works are just as distinguished, including the quicksilver rendition of the Impromptu in A?. Trifonov has all the technique, and all the temperament that he needs, and yet everywhere he seems to be delighting in the music and not in what he can do with it. Some listeners might come to this disc for the novelty of hearing the concerto played by a string orchestra. They should be delighted with the pianist.


FANFARE: Michael Ullman

Chopin; Scriabin; Bill Evans; et al Kevin Kenner, piano Chopin Resonances

The Orchestra of the Royal Capital City of Krakow, Sinfonietta Cracovia is a high profile ensemble, which is famous for its precision and flexibility of a chamber orchestra also in teh symphonic set. The beginnings of the Sinfonietta Cracovia are closely related to the creation of the ensemble Young Krakow Chamber Players. The Sinfonietta has worked with a number of excellent artists from all over the world, among whom there are, Krzysztof Penderecki, Valery Gergiev, Gidon Kremer and many others. The ensemble is lead by Jurek Dybal, a respected conductor, animator of cultural life, adn musician of the famous Vienna Philharmonic. Dybal captivates European audiences with his dynamic presence on the podium, conducting such orchestras as the Wiener KammerOrchester, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and many others.

BACEWICZ RADOM CHAMBER ORCH.; BUKOWIAN (CELLO); DOBROWOLSKI (CELLO); KROL(VIOLIN); KRZEMIEN (CELLO); PIOTROWSKA (CELLO); GRUSZCZYNSKA (VIOLIN); BALWAS (VIOLIN); TAGASHIRA (VIOLIN) MUSIC FOR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA VOL. II- SINFONIETTA FOR STRING ORCHESTRA; SYMFONIA FOR STRING ORCHESTRA; QUARTETTO PER 4 VIOLONCELLI; QUARTET FOR 4 VIOLINS

There is a great deal of excellent music outside the staple repertoire calling out for attention today. These are, by and large, works written by outstanding, mostly original composers with usually interesting personalities. The four composers on this Dux release – Ignacy Feliks Dobrzynski (1807-67), Maurycy Moszkowski (1854-1925), Juliusz Zarebski (1854-85) and Roman Palester (1907-89) – fit that bill. The Ravel Piano Duo, Agnieszka Kozło and Katarzyna Ewa Sokołowska, one of Poland’s leading piano duos, concertize throughout Europe and maintain a large two-piano and four-hand repertoire.