Programme
Program festiwalu
Accordion X2
Location: The Old Market Square
Entrance: Admission free
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
The concert during Toruń City Days
Artists:
Magdalena Miszewska-Zasadna - accordion, introduction
Kamil Szafrański - accordion
Programme:
A. Dvořák- Humoresque
M. Rodriguez - La cumparsita
E. Morricone - Theme from Misja
A. Piazzolla - Adios nonino
A. Piazzolla - Ave maria
G. Gershwin - Summertime
A. Piazzolla - Oblivion
A. Piazzolla - Tzigan Gypsy
C. Gardel - Por una cabeza
H. Giraud - Sous le ciel de Paris
mel. macedońska - Jovano, jovanke
Classic Hits List
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 40 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Dainius Pavilionis – conductor
Gabriela Ułanowska - introduction
Programme:
A. Vivaldi, J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, J. Brahms, E. Grieg, G. Bizet, A. Dvořák, J. Strauss, W. Kilar
The Golden Age of Hollywood
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 50 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Luna Voices - vocal
Adam Jarzmik - piano
Marcin Jahr - drums
Mariusz Bogdanowicz - bass
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Filip Torres - conductor
Programme: Charlie Chaplin, Pola Negri, Marlena Dietrich, Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Carmen Miranda, Marylin Monroe, Julie Andrews, Audrey Hepburn.
He could have seduced them all: Pola Negri, Marlena Dietrich, Rita Hayworth, Carmen Miranda, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Andrews, and Audrey Hepburn ‒ Charlie Chaplin (1899-1977), wonder of the international cinematics, one of the greatest actors of all times. He loved wine, women, and song. We know him mostly from his achievements in film-making, but we forget that he was a man of many talents and composed music to most of his films. This time we should keep our imagination in check ‒ Pola Negri (1896-1987) indeed had a romance with Chaplin, even Hitler adored her. The silent movie star, however, had at least one big complex: her low voice that was considered unwomanly and made it impossible for her to have a career in sound movies. The look and voice of Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) is and undoubtful proof that ‘the devil is a woman’ (it’s this movie she starred in that she cherished most). Sensual, charismatic, mysterious – it’s with these traits, and of course with her million dollar worth legs, that she compensated for her voice deficiencies. After the success of The Blue Angel, she went to the Mekka of American film-making and her career accelerated like the Shanghai Maglev train. Rita Hayworth (1918-1987) – another star of the Golden Age of Hollywood, hot-blooded Spanish femme fatale who loved dance and song, even though she never sang in her movies. The Brasilian sex bomb – Carmen Miranda (1909-1955) – starred in 14 Hollywood productions, but it’s in music that she made real career (she sold more than 10 million albums worldwide). Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) – an admirer of Abraham Lincoln and bookworm. Beautiful, sensual and multitalented, but deep down utterly unhappy. Frenetic, magnetic – she seduced not only with her perfect body, but also her original voice. Julie Andrews (born 1935) – unforgettable Mary Poppins starred in Broadway musicals with great success. In 1997, she lost her exceptional, four-octave voice due to a failed larynx surgery. Audrey Hepburn (born 1929) – charming and coquettish, she saw herself as an ugly duckling. Even though she won two Oscars for Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, she always said that for her ‘Hollywood is not everything’. Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was the most popular actor among dancers and the best dancer among the XX century actors, golf enthusiast and a lover of racehorses. This ‘shy boy next door’ became a real legend. The movie songs performed by the above-mentioned stars have gained similar recognition. Let ourselves be seduced by the indiscreet charm of Hollywood in the song!
Aneta Derkowska
Recital organowy z prelekcją
Location: St. James Church
Entrance: Admission free
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artist:
Dawid Wesołowski - organ/introduction
Programme:
F. A. Guilmant - Sonate No. 4 in D-minor Op. 61
L. Boëlmann - Gotic Suite
A. Wierzbicki - Preludium
Ch. H. Rinck - Variations on God Save the King
Félix Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911) – an organist-virtuoso, a great teacher, famous for his brilliant art of improvisation, appreciated especially for his interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach's music, revived with his activities the early organ music trend. He popularized the form of an organ recital, and thanks to his typically French sensitivity to timbre, he developed the art of using organ registers, obtaining a truly symphonic sound. His particular sensitivity to the timbre of the sound is reflected in his eight organ sonatas. Guilmant's organ work and virtuosity contributed to the development of the French organ school in the 19th and 20th centuries. Another representative of French neo-romanticism in the field of organ music is Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897). His four-part Gothic Suite op. 25 composed two years before his premature death, is characterized by daring harmonics and contrasts, especially in terms of pace and dynamics. Part III - the lyrical Prayer (orig. Prière à Notre-Dame) is remembered in a particular way. Almost our compatriot, Antoni Wierzbicki (1914-1994), for almost fifty years worked as an organist in the cathedral basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Włocławek. Thoroughly educated at the Salesian Organ School in Przemyśl, he left a real treasury legacy of organ music, with numerous collections of organ preludes. In turn, Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846) - the oldest guest composer at the Festival, was an organist, cantor and teacher at the music school in Darmstadt. He wrote mainly piano and organ pieces, and his compositional legacy is now owned by Yale University.
Aneta Derkowska Ph.D.
Wieczór Kameralny Wieniawski / Szymanowski / Bacewicz
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 20 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Aleksandra Kuls - violin
Marcin Koziak - piano
Aneta Derkowska - introduction
Programme:
H. Wieniawski - Polonise A-major Op. 21
H. Wieniawski - Chanson Polonaise G-minor Op. 12 No. 2
H. Wieniawski - Obertas in G-major Op. 19 No. 1
A. Zarzycki - Romance E-major Op. 16
K. Szymanowski - Mythes Op. 30
G. Bacewicz - Stained-Glass Window
G. Bacewicz - Sonate No. 4 for violin and piano
Wieniawski, Szymanowski, Bacewicz - these are important names on the map of Polish music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, also because they are important for the creation of a corpus of rich violin literature. Polonaise in A major, Op. 21 by Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) is a virtuoso work. The composer used effective means of violin technique. But as befits a late-creative work, expressiveness dominated its virtuosity. The concert program will also include other miniatures by Wieniawski: Polish Song in G minor Op. 12 No. 2 and Obertas Op. 19 No. 1.
In the youthful output of Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969) the most important role was played by instrumental pieces written in the style of then fashionable neoclassicism, based on a return to the musical past in terms of forms, styles and compositional techniques used. Bacewiczówna was also an excellent violinist, therefore she had an excellent sense for her instrument. Therefore, it is not surprising that other composers who were active at that time were delighted with her violin miniatures and other works intended for the instrument, beloved by Bacewicz. Witold Lutosławski recalled her first compositional concert at the Warsaw Conservatory in 1934 with the following words: "But I was particularly delighted at the time by the bizarre beauty of the miniature titled Witraż - Stained Glass, woven from colorful and delicate sounds like butterfly wings." The 4th Sonata for violin and piano, dedicated by Grażyna Bacewicz to her brother Kiejstut, is a deeply inspired and idiomatic work. There was no end to admiration for her, the reviewers wrote: "the composer has a high-level melodic invention with a varied style of expression (...), the Scherzo has reached the level of the best attempts of this kind, which have appeared in violin literature (...), the 4th Sonata is an extensive work in terms of structure, uncompromising use of dissonances, full of internal movement that proves the true, full vitality of the composer”.
Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) was not a violinist like Wieniawski and Bacewicz, but he was able to listen to the instructions of Paweł Kochański, who revealed to him the secrets of the violin technique. In this way, i.a. a masterpiece - the famous Myths triptych Op. 30 was created, in which the composer was seduced by ancient themes and aura of sounds created by musical impressionism. Szymanowski said about this piece: "In Myths and the Concerto, I and Pawełek created a new style, a new expression of the violin, something completely epochal in this respect." Well modesty was not a strong suit of the author of Harnasie, but in this case the lack of modesty is fully justified. An interesting and demanding program of this evening will be completed by the Romance in E major, Op. 16 by Aleksander Zarzycki (1834-1895).
Aneta Derkowska Ph. D.
Recital organowy z prelekcją
Location: The Church of Holy Spirit
Entrance: Admission free
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artist:
Dawid Wesołowski - organ/introduction
Programme:
T. A. Volckmar - Sonate No. 4 in G-minor
F. A. Guilmant - Sonate No. 4 in D-minor Op. 61
A. Wierzbicki - Preludium
Ch. H. Rinck - Variations on God Save the King
D. Buxtehude - Ciacona c-moll BuxWV159
Asian Perfection #1 / Wieczór Kameralny
Location: The Artus Court
Entrance: 20 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Concert of the Winners of the CMS - Artlab Competition
Artists:Yoon Seo Hee - fortepian
L. van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, "Appassionata", Op. 57, 1st mov.
Kim Ye Eun - fortepian
A. Ginastera - Danzas Argentinas Op.2
Kim Yoonji - mezzo sopran
W. A. Mozart - Vado! Ma dove?
A. Ponchielli - Voce di donna “La Gioconda”
Lim Chungman - tenor
W. A. Mozart - Per pietà, non ricercate KV420
G. F. Haendel - Every valley shall be exalted from Messiah oratorio
Song Eun Min - piano
L.van Beethoven - Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2 No. 2, 4th mov.
Han Naeun - piano
J. Brahms - Variations on a Theme of Paganini Op. 35
Ko Yoojin - piano
F. Chopin - Etude Op. 25 No. 5
Kim Do Kyeong - piano
E. Grieg - Piano Sonata in E minor op. 7, 1st mov.
Kim Hee Yeol - piano
F. Schubert - Impromptus nr 3 Op. 90 D.899
Bae So Young - piano
F. Chopin - Polonaise No. 6 Op. 53 ‘Héroïque’
Yang Jae Yeong - piano
B. Bartok - Romanian Folk Dances Sz. 56 no.1,4,6
Ahn Jungmin - piano
F. Chopin - Nocturne No. 13 in C minor Op. 48 No. 1
Yoon Yejin - piano
F. Chopin - Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, 1st mov.
Kim Geon Woo - piano
L. van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 21 in C-major Op. 53 Waldstein 1st mov.
Choi Seyeon - piano
F. Chopin - Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 31
Kim Ye Bin - piano
L. van Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op.110, 1st mov.
Ahn Tae Jun - piano
F. Chopin - Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52
Kim Seo Yeon - violin
C. Beriot - Violin Concerto No. 9 in A-minor Op. 104, 1st mov.
Oh Ryeong Kyeong - piano
F. Liszt / N. Paganini - Paganini etude No. 6
Shin Ji Hye - piano
F. Mendelssohn - Song Without Words in F-Major Op. 85 No. 1
Kim Jongdoo - baritone
L. Ronald - A cycle of life, No. 1 Prelude
Gabriela Ułanowska - introduction
Asian people simply love Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), therefore the program of this evening could not miss his compositions, among others Etude in E minor, Op. 25 No. 5 Polonaise in A flat major Op. 53 No. 6 "Heroic", Scherzo in B flat minor, Op. 31 No. 2 and Ballade in F minor, Op. 52 No. 4. Chopin was constantly balancing on the border of major and minor tonality, a sheer piano poet. However, who would guess how the music of the composers of the musical Romantic era would sound like if it were not for the figure of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), who fundamentally reevaluated thinking about musical art perceived in terms of absolute art (devoid of extra-musical meanings), adding to it meanings with an ethical dimension. Beethoven changed the perception of every musical genre that came within his reach. He also changed the meaning of the piano sonata, which for him also became "an arena for fighting his own weaknesses" (especially the late sonatas of the master from Bonn).
Piano Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata” was recognized as a revolutionary work. Charles Rosen, an expert in classical style, wrote once that Beethoven “finally reached (in this work) the concept of a sonata in which all three movements were formulated as one”. The changes that are crowned in “Appasionat” earlier focusing in the sonata, that also constitute a representation of the middle period of the author of Fidelio, namely in the Piano Sonata in C major, Op. 53 No. 21, namely “Waldstein”. Written with an already romantic momentum, it shows us the heroic Beethoven, who transforms the face of the sonata allegro and changes the sound of the piano, the volume of which would not be ashamed of the entire orchestra.
Nicolo Paganini (1782-1840) was a violinist - virtuoso, but also a guitarist... From his early childhood he gave concerts in Europe, quickly becoming a child prodigy. His talent did not disappear with age - quite on the contrary! Enriched with a balancing technique, it gave stunning results. Breakneck interval jumps, pizzicato performed with his left hand alternating with the bow play, playing right next to the stand - these are only some technical measures, known earlier but brought to the championship by Paganini. No wonder then that this violinist with a diabolical appearance and disposition was accused of having dealings with the prince of darkness. His virtuosity was an inspiration for many composers of the Romantic era, including Johannes Brahms (Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35) and Franz Liszt (Etude in A minor No. 6 after Paganine).
The program also includes other works of musical romanticism, including: Impromptus Ges-dur op. 90 No. 3 by Franz Schubert, Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7 by Edward Grieg.
Aneta Derkowska
Chamber music for Violin and Cello
Location: St Stephen's Church
Entrance: Admission free
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Bartłomiej Fraś - violin
Julianna Vinci - cello
Gabriela Ułanowska - introduction
Programme:
G. Ph. Telemann - Sonate in G-minor for violin and basso continuo TWV 41:g8
J. S. Bach - Sonate in G-major for violin and basso continuo BWV 1019
L. van Beethoven - Duet No. 2 for violin and cello WoO 27
G. F. Handel/J. Halvorsen - Passacaglia
R. Gliere - Huit Moreceaux op. 39
M. Ravel - Sonate for violin and cello
Let us will begin our musical journey, in which we will be guided by the violin and the cello, with the music of the Baroque. The five sonatas for violin and harpsichord obbligato by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) represent a type of trio sonata for violin and harpsichord with a bass part on the harpsichord or viola da gamba. Yet because in the Baroque period, the alternatim technique - which assumed freedom of instrumentation - was commonly used, these pieces were also performed on other instruments. The bass part especially was meticulously described by Bach and banned from any improvisation, as it was the case of most sonatas for solo instruments and basso continuo as well. His works were most likely written during Bach's stay in Koethen in the years 1720-1723.
Remaining in the circle of German baroque music, we will enjoy the Sonata in G minor for violin and basso continuo TWV 41: g8 by Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) from the collection of so called methodical sonatas written for the Habsburg merchant Rudolf Burmester and his brother Hieronymus. The compositions in question were a true compendium of musical styles and served as a textbook for the art of ornamentation.
The Passacaglia for violin and cello or violin and viola, composed by the Norwegian violinist and composer Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) was based on the final movement of the Harpsichord Suite in G minor HWV 432 by a good friend of Telemann, Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759). The four-bar main theme, constituting the basis for the later variations, is created on a sequence of eight chords with a dotted rhythm. In the further course of the work, the composer demands mastery and virtuosity from the soloists, sparing the musicians with technical acrobatics.
The three duets for clarinet and bassoon or violin and cello WoO 27 by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (yet, his authorship is uncertain) probably come from the composer's early period, but were published only between 1810 and 1815, in Paris. These true, ahead-of-the-time gems were written in an early-romantic style.
Our journey continues through Moscow, because Reinhold Moritsevich Glière (1875-1956) - a teacher of, among others, Sergei Prokofiev - was a lecturer at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow. His Eight Duets for violin and cello, Op. 39 from 1909 was written after the composer returned from Berlin to Moscow. Dedicated to Boris Kaliushno, they constitute a series of musical trinkets shimmering with various shades of virtuosity.
The festival we will end this year with a journey through French music, as we will hear Maurice Ravel's Sonata for violin and cello (1875-1937), dedicated to the memory of Claude Debussy. The composer completed it in 1922. In the piece, following the example of the late sonatas of the creator of Afternoon of Faun, Ravel limited the tonal richness, which previously determined Debusse's compositional idiom, in favour of the primary importance of the melody and the constructive function of the counterpoint, which gains special importance in the finale, which is the true culmination of polyphonic art.
Aneta Derkowska
The Poetic Chopin
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 20 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Grzegorz Niemczuk - piano
Lucyna Żbikowska - recitation
Programme:
F. Chopin:
- Nocturne in B-flat minor Op. 9 No. 1
- Rondo in C minor Op. 1
- 5 Mazurkas Op. 6
- Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31
- Tarantella in A-flat major Op. 43
- Ballade in G minor Op. 23
- Polonaize A-flat major Op. 53
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) was undoubtedly a piano poet. He preferred chamber music to grand stages. He put Pleyel pianos – delicate and more refined soundwise – before Erard pianos of greater sound volume. He loved only one instrument and took the development of the virtuosic style brillante to its peak, transforming and enhancing the expression. Chopin’s Nocturn in B Minor, Op. 9, No. 1, as Mieczysław Tomaszewski said: ‘emerges from silence and to silence returns’. In the middle part, one can hear the sound of mazurkas and the themes from the old song Chmiel (Hops).
The Scherzo in B Minor, Op. 31 has a true Beethoven-like sound. It was considered a true masterpiece and sparked the imagination of listeners who competed in expressing their uttermost admiration. Robert Schumann heard Byronic accents in it. To Frederick Niecks, Scherzo brought to mind the thoughtfulness of Gioconda (by Leonardo da Vinci), full of longing and premonition. Ferdynand Hoesick heard ‘demonic accents in this fiery poem’.
Chopin’s Mazurkas are not utilitarian in nature, though. They constitute a form of musical expression that combines the processed folk features and a sophisticated harmonic language. From the earliest Mazurkas, Op. 6, Chopin extensively used chromatics, merging the Slavonic sound of folk origin with the then popular orientalism.
During the evening, we will also hear the Polonaise in A-Flat Major. Irena Poniatowska wrote about it that: ‘[It is] a masterpiece of the genre, it bedazzles you with its monumentality, pathos, grandiosity, and virtuosity employed by the brilliance and power of the main idea that finds its apogee in the coda’.
The peak of romanticism in Chopin’s music are ballads inspired by Mickiewicz’s ballads. The first one, Ballad in G Minor, Op. 23, was considered by Shumann the most savage one, which is due in the most part to the frenetically energetic finale full of passages and chords.
The programme also includes the Rondo in C Minor, Op. 1 and Tarantella in A-Flat Major, Op. 43. We wish you great time with the angelic music by Chopin.
Aneta Derkowska
Asian Perfection #2 / Wieczór symfoniczny
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 30 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Soyung Yu - soprano
Kim Jongdoo - baritone
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Kim Jaeha - conductor
Gabriela Ułanowska - introduction
Programme:
G. Verdi – Overture from opera La forza del Destino
U. Giordano – Aria Nemico della Patria from opery Andrea Chenier
R. Stolz – Aria Spiel auf deine Geige from operetta Venus in Seide
F. Chopin – Spring No. 2, Op.74
R. Leoncavallo – Aria Si può?... Si può?... Signore! Signori! ... Un nido di memorie from opera Pagliacci
I. Kalman – Heia, heia, in der Bergen from operetta Die Csárdásfürstin
F. Lehar – Lippen Schweigen from operetta Die lustige Witwe
F. Mendelsshon – Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”
This time, Asian Perfection will reach mainly for opera and operetta. The programme includes the true masterpieces of these genres.
The evening tryst of Donna Leonora and Don Alvaro ends in tragedy: the death of the girl’s father: Markiz di Calatrava. Similarity of the plot to The Power of Fate by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) with Mozart’s Don Govanni is no accident. This ‘too long, chaotic’ and contrasting opera by Verdi opens with the most recognisable ouverture by the author of Traviata, based on the famous theme of fate.
Let’s move to the masterpieces of verismo. Andrea Chénier – the tragic eponymous character from Umberto Giordano’s (1867-1948) opera is, according to Piotr Kamiński, ‘a dreamer betrayed by his own dreams, an intellectual crushed by the history he trusted in a moment of weakness’. Maybe this is why at first Gérard couldn’t see him as an enemy of the state (the Nemico della patria aria). The concept of theatre within the theatre that is to reveal the true tragedy of the characters is presented to the audience of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s (1858-1919) Pagliacci (Clowns) by the hunchback Tonio, dressed in the costume of Taddeo – a character from the commedia dell’arte performing the Si può? aria. Si può?... Signore! Signori!... Un nido di memorie.
The Hungarian composer Emmerich (Imre) Kálmán (1882-1953) belongs to the pantheon of Vienna operetta creators, next to the king of waltz, Johann Strauss, and the Prince of Vienna music, Franz Lehár (1870-1947). The evening programme includes the hits such as: Heia, heia, in der Bergen! – Sylvia’s aria from the first act of The Gypsy Princess by Kálmán, Lehár’s famous waltz from The Merry Widow and the Spiel auf deiner Geige! aria from Venus in Silk by Robert Stolz (1880-1975).
The musical cornucopia will be overfilled with: Spring, Op. 74, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) and the Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1948) that is also referred to as Italian. This is because it was ordered by the Philharmonic Society of London in 1832 and coincided with the composers’ former stay in Italy. In his letters from the 1830 Italian voyages, Mendelssohn often mentioned his intention to capture the Italian ambiance in a symphonic form. The order from London only accelerated its completion.
The entire symphony is characterised by order, proportion and symmetry. The serene ambiance of the composition brings to mind the ancient beauty of Italy and its exceptional Mediterrenean climate. Throughout the piece, Mendelssohn used bright and delicate sounds. Even the temperamental, orchestral tutti in the finale can’t overshadow the lacey harmony, lightness, and elegance of the sound. Its expressive and very visual form makes listening to the piece a true pleasure.
Aneta Derkowska
Lonely Hearts
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 30 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Iza Połońska - vocal
Bogdan Hołownia - piano
Gabriela Ułanowska - introduction
Programme: Bronisław Broka, Wojciech Młynarski, Jeremi Przybora.
Everyone knows that ‘the song is good for everything’, as two great gentlemen – Przybora and Wasowski – once sang.
An excellent poet, satirist, actor, one of the pillars of Kabaret Starszych Panów (Elderly Gentlemen's Cabaret) – Jeremi Przybora (1915-2004) was a legend of the Polish scene. He became known as the ‘magician’, ‘child at heart’, ‘poet of premonition’ – labels all as graceful as true. He was smart, joyful, and seductive, full of charm and class, and so was his art. Wisława Szymborska got angry when he was referred to as a songwriter. She said: ‘Przybora’s mastery lies in the fact that you can’t see the stiches. The words in his songs can exist on they own, even without the beautiful melodies by Wasowski, and they will still bring tears to your eyes or make you laugh’.
Bronisław Brok (born Kaufman, 1906-1975) – songwriter, actor, director who cooperated with Stefan Rembowski, Jerzy Wasowski, and Władysław Szpilman. He wrote for Wiera Gran, Sława Przybylska, Hanna Rek, Rena Rolska, and Irena Santor, among others. He’s the author of the famous songs, such as: Jeszcze poczekajmy (Let’s Wait), Po ten kwiat czerwony (For The Red Flower) (music by Jerzy Wasowski), and Jesienna rozłąka (Autumn Separation) (music by Jerzy Gert).
Another silver-tongued artist without whom it’s hard to imagine the Polish music landscape is Wojciech Młynarski, who used the word love in all possible contexts. With his hawk eyes and acute hearing, he accurately portrayed Polish reality and us, Poles, always with fondness, sometimes even tenderness, but never with cheap sentimentality. In the socialist times, he proposed the maxim: ‘Róbmy swoje!’ (Let’s do our thing!) and when the strong wind blew into our eyes, he didn’t let us lose hope. A philosopher of song and artistic genius.
It’s true that excellent texts can stand on their own, but not this time. Iza Połońska’s and Bogdan Hołownia’s interpretations will make us succumb to their magic again.
Aneta Derkowska
Greatest hits from Opole and more
Location: The Amphitheatre of "Baj Pomorski"
Entrance: 30 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Kamila Sikorska – violin, vocal
Marcel Maniewski – piano, vocal
Przemysław Wawrzyniak - guitar
Bartosz Suliński – drums
Piotr Redmerski – bass
Paweł Trawczyński – saxophone
Jakub Szynal – trumpet
Karolina Smolarek-Szynal – introduction
Programme: A. Zaucha, Z. Wodecki, N. Kukulska, K. Krawczyk, E. Bem, M. Grechuta, Bajm.
Ewa Demarczyk (Karuzela z Madonnami), Kalina Jędrusik (Z kim ci tak będzie źle jak ze mną), Czesław Niemien (Dziwny jest ten świat), Jerzy Połomski (Bo z dziewczynami), Wojciech Młynarski (W co się bawić), Maryla Rodowicz (Jadą wozy kolorowe)... these are barely a small portion of artists whose songs resounded in Opole at the National Festival of Polish Song in the good old days. The Infected band - as the title of the concert announces- has started working on other hits from Opole as well.
Andrzej Zaucha sang in Opole such memorable songs like: Byłaś serca biciem, Czarny Alibaba, or Baby, ach te baby along with Ryszard Rynkowski. Rumour has it, that this last song was rejected by the singers themselves from the Festival. However, composer Włodzimierz Korcz, trusted his intuition and simply knew that this song would become a hit. After hours full of laughter and mockery, the duo eventually performed the song in Opole (1990) and achieved a spectacular success.
Zbigniew Wodecki, differently from his colleagues, did not become famous at National Festival of Polish Song in Opole for his greatest hits such as Izolda or Zacznij od Bacha, although, as he joked himself often, “if young people want to make a career here, they must make some connection with bigger names at the beginning”. He sang other miniatures of wonderful beauty, such as: Wspomnienie tych dni along with Krystyna Prońko and Sobą być.
Wodecki went to Opole for the first time with the Anawa band and Marek Grechuta in 1968, when he performed the song called Serce. In the following years, Grechuta won a number of prizes in Opole: in 1969 he was awarded for his interpretation of the song Wesele, in 1971 for Korowód, and in 1977 he won the first place for Hop, szklankę piwa.
The “lady of Polish jazz”, Ewa Bem, visited Opole many times and performed such songs as: Kolega maj (1979), Tak mało chcę (1980), S.O.S (1986), and (with Zaucha): Śpiewam i gram (1986). Another colorful bird of the Polish song scene, Beata Kozidrak, along with her band called Bajm, also performed at the Opole Festival many times, playing such hits as: Piechotą do lata (1978), Ok., ok., nic nie wiem, Żal prostych słów (1983). Krzysztof Krawczyk also excelled in the “Polish capital of hits” (Pogrążona we śnie Natalia ‒ 1978, Za tobą pójdę jak na bal ‒ 1986, Nie zostało nam już nic ‒ 1988). His song To co dał nam świat was performed also by others great talents in Opole, such as Natalia Kukulska, who - besides her own hits (Miau) - performed many songs from the repertoire of Anna Jantar as well (Tyle słońca w całym mieście).
So let us start the time machine and, together with the Infected band, get back to the old days in Opole and more ...
Aneta Derkowska
Balkan-Klezmer evening – Klezmafour symfonicznie
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 40 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Klezmafour
Andrzej Czapliński - violin, vocal
Mateusz Chmiel - clarinet
Rafał Grząka - accordion
Gabriel Tomczuk - contrabas, moog
Kamil Siciak - drums
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Jarosław Praszczałek - conductor
Let me start this text with a quote: “The music of Klezmafour is deeply rooted in Jewish folklore, but contains many original, spontaneous compositions as well (...). Klezmafour is more than just a breath of fresh air in Klezmer music, it's a real hurricane!”
Graduates of the Music University of Fryderyk Chopin in Warsaw from Lublin, Białystok and Warsaw itself, who found their inspiration from Klezmer and Balkan music - this is how the band may be presented in an aphoristic form. A more detailed description requires another quote: "The concert energy of Klezmafour combines the wildness of folk music with the roughness and vitality hip-hop."
What captivated the musicians in Balkan and Klezmer music, you may ask? Balkan music features the mix of Oriental and Western elements. It captivates with the Slavic melody, abundance of instruments and ornaments. And, at the same time, bursting with a wealth of rhythms and melodies, boils with life-giving energy and stuns with the power of improvisation.
How about the Klezmer music? It absorbed many different musical styles, thus hybridizing musical genres. It is worth remembering that the term “klezmer” itself is derived from two Hebrew words: “kle” (tool, instrument) and “zemer” (music). Therefore, a real klezmer musician had to master his instrument perfectly. In klezmer music, as in any art born of folklore, emotions counted the most. Hence the typical Jewish music chants (krechts) played most often on the violin or clarinet, imitating laughter or crying, ornaments such as glissandi and phlazolets, or improvisations resembling prayer lamentation. When we add this richness to lively dance forms, close to Hasidic dances, variations of melodies and the element of improvisation, a mixture arises, which the most sophisticated musical souls and minds must succumb to.
Aneta Derkowska
The Spanish Temper
Location: The Burghers’ Hall
Entrance: 30 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Quatuor Europa (Spain):
Cristian Ifrim - violin
Anna Radomska - violin
Fily Diakite - viola
Esperanza Hernandez Muñoz - cello
Programme:
E. Granados - Danza Española
I. Albeniz - Spain Suite: Asturias, Granada, Sevilla
G. F. Telemann - Suite Don Quijote
G. F. Telemann - Galop Rosinante i Sancho Pansa
G. F. Telemann - Odejscie Don Quijota
L. Boccherini - Fandango
Amparito la Roca - pasodoble
G. Bizet - Suita from opera Carmen: Habanera, Seguidilla, Marsz Torreadora
Overture from spain zarzuella
F. Chueca - Bateo
Propinas - Viva España
Agua azucarilo y aguaradiente
Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) and Enrique Granados (1867-1916) are composers who co-created the Spanish music idiom at the turn of the 19th century. They used the traditional folklore in their unique way, by bringing it into the national music. The Quautor Europa quartet will present their interpretations of: The Danza Española by Granados and the Spanish Suite by Albéniz (Asturias, Granada, Sevilla).
Baroque music also had some Spanish accents. Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) composed his own variations on Spanish music and presented the musical version of Don Kichote in his suite of the same title as Miguel de Cervantes’s novel.
The Fandango – Spanish folk dance in 3/8 accompanied by a guitar and castanets is a musical highlight of Spain, next to the bolero and pasodoble. Luigi Boccherini (1741-1805), Italian Classical composer, knew it best when he composed his fiery Fandango.
Other Spanish attractions include: Amparito Roca – pasodoble composed in 1925 by the Catalan musician and composer Jaime Teixidor Dalmau (1884-1957) and Bateo by Federico Chueca (1846-1908) – one of the most interesting representatives of the Spanish ballet form called zarzuela. It’s an entertaining music theatre, often compared to the Italian opera buffa, Vienna operetta or American musical. Agua, Azúcarillos y Aguardiente is another zarzuela with the libretto by Miguel Ramos Carrión and music by Chueco.
The Creator certainly didn’t spare musical Spanish temperament on Georges Bizet (1838-1875), representative of French verismo. ‘Carmen by Mérimée! Isn’t she murdered by her lover? And this milieu – thieves, Gypsies, working women!’ – that’s what you could hear from the stirred music lovers once they learnt that Bizet was writing his new opera: Carmen, based on Prosper Mérimée’s novel, as Piotr Kamiński wrote. The opera theatre hadn’t yet seen such a distinct character as Carmen. The phenomenon of this opera isn’t merely the composer’s melodic invention. It’s the harmonious structure and great instrumentation that immortalised the ouverture, corrida, toreador march, and many other parts of this opera. The Bizet themes capture the viewers with power and directness of expression. The famous ouverture already introduces three themes: the corrida, toreador march, and destiny. It emphasises the two basic aspects of the opera: its fanciful ornamentation and dark dramaturgy. The colour palette seems infinite and the instrumentation never loses its clarity while offering discreet symbolism to given instruments. An absolute musical masterpiece!
Aneta Derkowska
Polish Hits Night
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 50 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
ZAUCHA / WODECKI / PERFECT / KOMBI / ŁOBASZEWSKA / CIECHOWSKI
Artists:
Jacek Kotlarski - vocal, introduction
Patrycja Kotlarska - vocal
Piotr Wrombel - piano,
Zbigniew Wrombel - contrabas, bas
Sebastian Frankiewicz - drums
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Joanna Natalia Ślusarczyk - conductor
Programme:
Z. Wodecki - Izolda
Z. Wodecki - Walc Embarras
Z. Wodecki - Panny mego Dziadka
Perfect - Niepokonani
Perfect - Nie mogę Ci wiele dać
A. Zaucha - Bądź moim natchnieniem
A. Zaucha - W złotych kroplach deszczu
A. Zaucha - Myśmy sobie pisani
B. Mec - Jej portret
K. Prońko - Jesteś lekiem na całe zło
Kombii - Słodkiego miłego życia
G. Łobaszewska - Nad rzeką marzeń
G. Łobaszewska - Czas nas uczy pogody
G. Ciechowski - Nie pytaj o Polskę
Although they will never disappear from the landscape of Polish song, they are badly missed in real life. Zbigniew Wodecki (1950-2017) was one of the most popular artists in the Polish music industry. An excellent storyteller, smart and witty conversationalist who loved his work.
The queen of Polish song ‒ Irena Santor ‒ said: ‘He was able to create real intimacy between him and the audience, as if he were casually seeing all of them at his home. It takes great skill to conquer the audience. He could do it and did it tactfully.’ The programme includes the unforgettable hits previously performed by the prince of Polish song: Izolda, Walc Embarras (Embarras Waltz), Panny mego Dziadka (My Grandfather’s Ladies).
Andrzej Zaucha (1949-1991) ‒ singer, actor, and jazz musician from Kraków. His fellow countryman ‒ Zbigniew Wodecki ‒ used to say that Andrzej was a man of ‘incredible musical intelligence’ and that he was ‘born into swing’. We will be reminded what a real song sounds like when listening to the old Zaucha’s hits: Bądź moim natchnieniem (Be My Inspiration), W złotych kroplach deszczu (In the Golden Rain), Myśmy sobie pisani (We Are Meant For Each Other).
The leader of two bands: Republika and Obywatel G.C. – Grzegorz Ciechowski – is the veteran of Polish rock. Nie pytaj o Polskę (Don’t Ask About Poland) is an ageless and atemporal erotica for the homeland, and we need to admit that love for Poland isn’t easy, as Poland was and sometimes is being drunk, sad, dirty, and tired. But this love is true, uninterested, and unconditional. The song comes from the album titled Tak! Tak!, released at the end of the Polish People’s Republic, in 1988.
Other artists also sang about different facets of love: Perfect (Niepokonani / The Invincible, Niewiele ci mogę dać / I Can’t Give You Much), Bogusław Mec (Jej portret / Her Portrait), Krystyna Prońko (Jesteś lekiem na całe zło / You’re the Medicine for All The Wrong).
Grażyna Łobaczewska, freely balancing between different styles: from pop, through soul, funk, jazz, to rock, is an extremely versatile artist. There’s a reason for calling her our Polish Aretha Franklin. Her repertoire includes the genius miniatures, such as: Nad rzeką marzeń (By the River of Dreams), Czas nas uczy pogody (Time Teaches Us Weather).
All we can do now is wish you Słodkiego, miłego życia (Sweet and Lovely Life by Kombi) with the song.
Aneta Derkowska
BIG BAND SHOW SWING / FUNK / FUSION
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki
Entrance: 30 PLN BUY TICKET
Kujawy + Pomorze – promotion of the economic potential of the region – 2nd
Artists:
Pohjantie Junior Big Band (Finland)
Krzysztof Dobosiewicz - conductor
Programme: jazz standard, swing, Funk, Fusion
An invigorating mix of musical styles: jazz, swing, funky and fusion will be heard in interpretations by a young band from Finland - the Pohjantie Junior Big Band. The programme will include jazz standards to match such hits as: Lester Leaps in recorded by Kansas City Seven Count Basie in 1939 and attributed to saxophonist Lester Young.
Who doesn't know George and Ira Gershwin's famous 1924 song Lady, Be Good, later used in the musical of the same name and later made famous by the brilliant Ella Fitzgerald? Another hit we will listen to is Sing, sing, sing from 1936 with music and lyrics by Louis Prima. This synonym for swing was often performed in instrumental versions, the most famous variant resonating in Benny Goodman's interpretations.
Attributed to Goodman, the standard Stompin’ at the Savoy was created by Edgar Sapmson in 1933 and takes its name from the famous Harlem nightclub Savoy Ballroom in New York. Another jazz standard that will caress the ear of music lovers is Jumpin at the Woodside, a composition first recorded in 1938 by the Count Basie Orchestra. Admittedly, in this case it was the song that made the band famous. Another hit to listen to is Cantaloupe Island composed by Herbie Hancock and recorded on his 1964 album Empyrean Isles.
The English folk song Greensleeves will put us in a slightly different mood. Legend has it that its author was Henry VIII, who was in love with Anne Boleyn. It is highly likely that the composition was written in the second half of the 16th century, references to its melody being found in William Shakespeare's comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor, first printed in 1602.
There will be more surprises as the programme will also include other hits: Prelude to a kiss, previously functioning in the repertoire of Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, among others; The Lady Is a Tramp, a piece from the 1937 musical Rodgers and Hart; The Chicken, a funky-style instrumental composition written by Pee Wee Ellis and popularised by jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius. The evening of surprises is about to begin.
Aneta Derkowska