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Stars of the Polish avant-garde / Penderecki, Górecki, Panufnik

Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, stars of the avant-garde 'Polish school' in the 1960s, turned to the classical music tradition in the following decade. The compositions present in the concert programme, however, do not involve this evolution of styles – they are simply stylisations. Górecki's Three Pieces is a masterwork response to the then head of the PWM Edition, Tadeusz Ochlewski's accusation that avant-garde composers cannot write melodies. Penderecki's suite is made up of compositions for two films: Passacagliato... Read full text

Keywords: Chamber Music, Subscription Concert

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Last update: Fri, Nov 22, 2024, 12:16

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Silesian String Quartet / British Fantasy on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Andrzej Panufnik

Sat, Oct 12, 2024, 18:00
Szymon Krzeszowiec (Violin), Arkadiusz Kubica (Violin), Piotr Janosik (Cello), Łukasz Syrnicki (Viola), Jonathan Plowright (Piano)
“Music is the expression of emotions and feelings. I hold as my ideal a piece in which poetic content is combined with excellence of musical craftmanship. Poetry alone does not determine the musical value of a piece, just as craftmanship alone risks falling into a pitfall of using worn-out formulas. Enduring beauty is only born from a balance of both” Andrzej Panufnik (1952) Silesian String Quartet – 45 years of experience, more than 150 first performances of chamber works, thousands of concerts in the world's most famous concert halls, more than 60 albums, more than 20 nominations, 10 ‘Fryderyk’ statuettes and the most important – the ‘musical Oscar’, i.e., the Gramophone Classical Music Award. The ensemble specialises in the discovery, promotion and recording of Polish music and is famous for its first performances under the guidance of composers. Ditching the traditional hierarchical model of performing music, the ensemble emphasises exchange and collaboration with other musicians. This season, the artists will introduce the work of Sir Andrzej Panufnik on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the only Polish composer to be awarded a title of nobility by Queen Elizabeth II. The programme will be complemented by works by native British artists, i.e., Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar. It includes one of the most beautiful chamber works of the 20th century – Edward Elgar's Piano Quintet in A Minor. Imbued with mystery, the piece was inspired by the charming yet somewhat murky atmosphere of the woods surrounding the cottage at Flexham Park in Sussex, near Brinkwells, where Elgar created his compositions. The impact of this setting is perceptible in the music, which impresses with its richness of expression and power of sound. The late Romantic style of the piece adds to its unique character, full of deep, dark tone, enhancing the impression of mystery and longing. [Alexandra Kozowicz]Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 120 minutes
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Silesian String Quartet / British Fantasy on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Andrzej Panufnik

Sat, Dec 21, 2024, 18:00
Silesian String Quartet, Szymon Krzeszowiec (Violin), Arkadiusz Kubica (Violin), Łukasz Syrnicki (Viola), Piotr Janosik (Cello), Piotr Sałajczyk (Piano), Alicja Matuszczyk (Oboe), Piotr Lato (Clarinet), Krzysztof Tomczyk (French horn)
“Music is the expression of emotions and feelings. I hold as my ideal a piece in which poetic content is combined with excellence of musical craftmanship. Poetry alone does not determine the musical value of a piece, just as craftmanship alone risks falling into a pitfall of using worn-out formulas. Enduring beauty is only born from a balance of both” Andrzej Panufnik (1952) Silesian String Quartet – 45 years of experience, more than 150 first performances of chamber works, thousands of concerts in the world's most famous concert halls, more than 60 albums, more than 20 nominations, 10 ‘Fryderyk’ statuettes and the most important – the ‘musical Oscar’, i.e., the Gramophone Classical Music Award. The ensemble specialises in the discovery, promotion and recording of Polish music and is famous for its first performances under the guidance of composers. Ditching the traditional hierarchical model of performing music, the ensemble emphasises exchange and collaboration with other musicians. This season, the artists will introduce the work of Sir Andrzej Panufnik on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the only Polish composer to be awarded a title of nobility by Queen Elizabeth II. The programme will be complemented by works by native British artists, i.e., Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Roxanna Panufnik. It includes Britten's composition Phantasy, op. 2, from which this year's entire cycle of the Silesian String Quartet concerts takes its name, i.e., British Phantasy. The piece is a fascinating example of his early work, as Britten was only 19 when he wrote it. Yet, it is already a reflection of both his personal musical experiences and the broader cultural context of England at the time. The composition was an artistic expression of his individuality and, simultaneously, a rebellious gesture against academic constraints. It was composed for a one-movement composition competition organised by Walter Willson Cobbett, a well-known chamber music lover, and draws on English music tradition from the 16th century. The programme will be complemented by Ralph Vaughan Williams' Quintet in D major and a work by Andrzej Panufnik's immensely successful daughter Roxanna, the string quartet Second Home, commissioned for the Festival of Premieres in 2007. Concert duration: approximately 100 minutes
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Silesian String Quartet / British Fantasy on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Andrzej Panufnik

Sat, Feb 15, 2025, 18:00
Szymon Krzeszowiec (Violin), Arkadiusz Kubica (Violin), Łukasz Syrnicki (Viola), Piotr Janosik (Cello), Elżbieta Mrożek-Loska (Viola), Adam Krzeszowiec (Cello)
“Music is the expression of emotions and feelings. I hold as my ideal a piece in which poetic content is combined with excellence of musical craftmanship. Poetry alone does not determine the musical value of a piece, just as craftmanship alone risks falling into a pitfall of using worn-out formulas. Enduring beauty is only born from a balance of both” Andrzej Panufnik (1952) Silesian String Quartet – 45 years of experience, more than 150 first performances of chamber works, thousands of concerts in the world's most famous concert halls, more than 60 albums, more than 20 nominations, 10 ‘Fryderyk’ statuettes and the most important – the ‘musical Oscar’, i.e., the Gramophone Classical Music Award. The ensemble specialises in the discovery, promotion and recording of Polish music and is famous for its first performances under the guidance of composers. Ditching the traditional hierarchical model of performing music, the ensemble emphasises exchange and collaboration with other musicians. This season, the artists will introduce the work of Sir Andrzej Panufnik on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the only Polish composer to be awarded a title of nobility by Queen Elizabeth II. Composed in 1987, the sextet for strings was named Train of Thought by Andrzej Panufnik. However, the Polish title translation does not fully reflect the composer's intention. Indeed, his concept considers the ambiguity of the word 'train', which can mean both train as a means of locomotion and flow of thought. Hence, it has come to be accepted that the Polish title of this work can be roughly translated as The Flow of Thought. This composition was inspired by Panufnik's experiences during a train journey, the monotonous rhythm of which induced a train of thoughts. The piece's distinctive rhythmic element was based on the train wheels hitting the rails. Nevertheless, Panufnik's work differs significantly from Honegger's Pacific 2.3.1; instead, it presents a metaphor of picturesque and mysterious landscapes and thoughts passing through a person's mind, just as the ever-changing images seen from the windows of a train pass through. The programme will be complemented by works by native British composers Gustav Holst and Joseph Holbrooke. [Alexandra Kozowicz]Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 100 minutes
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Silesian String Quartet / British Fantasy on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Andrzej Panufnik

Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 18:00
Szymon Krzeszowiec (Violin), Arkadiusz Kubica (Violin), Łukasz Syrnicki (Viola), Piotr Janosik (Cello), Joë Christophe (Clarinet)
“Music is the expression of emotions and feelings. I hold as my ideal a piece in which poetic content is combined with excellence of musical craftmanship. Poetry alone does not determine the musical value of a piece, just as craftmanship alone risks falling into a pitfall of using worn-out formulas. Enduring beauty is only born from a balance of both” Andrzej Panufnik (1952) Silesian String Quartet – 45 years of experience, more than 150 first performances of chamber works, thousands of concerts in the world's most famous concert halls, more than 60 albums, more than 20 nominations, 10 ‘Fryderyk’ statuettes and the most important – the ‘musical Oscar’, i.e., the Gramophone Classical Music Award. The ensemble specialises in the discovery, promotion and recording of Polish music and is famous for its first performances under the guidance of composers. Ditching the traditional hierarchical model of performing music, the ensemble emphasises exchange and collaboration with other musicians. This season, the artists will introduce the work of Sir Andrzej Panufnik on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the only Polish composer to be awarded a title of nobility by Queen Elizabeth II. The programme will be complemented by works by native British composers: a rarely performed Clarinet Quintet by Arthur Somervell and a work by John Metcalf, a contemporary Welsh artist known for combining traditional musical elements with modern compositional techniques. He entitled his quartet Llwybrau Cân, which means Paths of Song in Welsh. Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 100 minutes
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Silesian String Quartet / British Fantasy on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Andrzej Panufnik

Sat, May 24, 2025, 18:00
Szymon Krzeszowiec (Violin), Arkadiusz Kubica (Violin), Łukasz Syrnicki (Viola), Piotr Janosik (Cello), Anna Tilbrook (Piano), Jan Krzeszowiec (Flute), Jan Kotula (Double bass)
“Music is the expression of emotions and feelings. I hold as my ideal a piece in which poetic content is combined with excellence of musical craftmanship. Poetry alone does not determine the musical value of a piece, just as craftmanship alone risks falling into a pitfall of using worn-out formulas. Enduring beauty is only born from a balance of both” Andrzej Panufnik (1952) Silesian String Quartet – 45 years of experience, more than 150 first performances of chamber works, thousands of concerts in the world's most famous concert halls, more than 60 albums, more than 20 nominations, 10 ‘Fryderyk’ statuettes and the most important – the ‘musical Oscar’, i.e., the Gramophone Classical Music Award. The ensemble specialises in the discovery, promotion and recording of Polish music and is famous for its first performances under the guidance of composers. Ditching the traditional hierarchical model of performing music, the ensemble emphasises exchange and collaboration with other musicians. This season, the artists will introduce the work of Sir Andrzej Panufnik on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the only Polish composer to be awarded a title of nobility by Queen Elizabeth II. The programme will be complemented by works by native British composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar, whose String Quartet in E minor, op. 83 is an example of late Romantic aesthetics, demonstrating the composer's ability to combine deep lyricism with expressive formal structure. Hommage à Chopin is one of Andrzej Panufnik's most treasured pieces, demonstrating his deep fascination with the work of the great Polish composer. The original version of this musical homage was for solo piano. Later, Panufnik made arrangements for various instrumental ensembles, including flute and string quintet. The piece contains nuanced references to Chopin's style, both in harmony and melody. Panufnik employs variation techniques, developing the theme to draw on the Romantic tradition while introducing modern rhythmic and harmonic elements. [Alexandra Kozowicz]Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 110 minutes
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Hadelich / Piemontesi / Music of the masters from the banks of the Seine

Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 19:30
Augustin Hadelich (Violin), Francesco Piemontesi (Piano)
Stars up close! Today, Augustin Hadelich is a world-leading violinist who conquers the world's stages and performs with the best orchestras, including the NOSPR. He returns with a chamber programme, in duo with the versatile piano virtuoso Francesco Piemontesi. Their concert, which will be dominated by French music, is designed in a modern way. There is no shortage of the canon of violin music, represented by Franck's striking, emotional, late Romantic sonata and Debussy's subtle, intimate sonata. They are accompanied by a third, wonderfully melodic sonata by Francis Poulenc. Both predecessors will shine through, as Poulenc's sounds focus their qualities like a lens because our perception changes with the context. Old French music (by de Grigny and Rameau) will indicate the roots of the work of the masters from the Seine banks mentioned above. György Kurtág's handful of short musical gestures, meanwhile, will allow us to pause for a moment to take a fresh look at what we already know. Adam Suprynowicz Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 90 minutes
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NOSPR / Alsop / Yang / Polish sonorism and music of the north

Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 19:30
Marin Alsop (Conductor), NOSPR, Inmo Yang (Violin)
Although Sibelius’ Violin Concerto is not programmatic music, it is permeated by the same Northern colour and breadth of breath that can be found in nearly all works by the creator of Finlandia. This is because landscape is not present there merely as a decoration – as it was in 18th-century music – but to reflect the scenery of the soul. Part of the core violinistic repertoire, enclosed within the framework of classical form, for over a hundred years, the piece has not ceased to inspire a sense of wonder, not only with its mysterious atmosphere and richness of sound, but also with its symphonic elan and originality of themes. While the British musicologist Donald Tovey called the final movement of the Concerto a “polonaise for polar bears”, he granted it – and rightly so! – an honourable place among the greatest violin concertos of Romanticism. Another great classic of 20th-century music is Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, in which – as Alex Ross put it – the Hungarian composer and folklore researcher “decided to throw away his notebook and began dancing with them [peasants]. From the strings, there rise clouds of dust, setting on the feet of the frenzied dancers.”. While the musical language of this late work of Bartok’s is a softened one, its form is classicising, and the sounds are nearly euphonic, still what is the most important for his style was retained – distinct rhythms, colourful instrumentation, and subtle inspiration drawn from folklore. Piotr MatwiejczukConcert duration: approximately 110 minutes
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Turicum Quartet / Menuet of the witches

Thu, Oct 3, 2024, 19:30
Turicum Quartet
Joseph Haydn has been called “Papa Haydn”, both affectionately and pejoratively. Meanwhile, he was a composer whose mastery and unpredictability went hand in hand. Let us appreciate the emotional glimmering of the music, its surprising turns, sense of humour (the “menuet of the witches” quite unlike the court dance), or the finale inspired by music of the Romani people living in the borderlands of Austria and Hungary, where the composer spent most of his life. The spirit of Austria-Hungary is also referenced – already after the fall of the dual monarchy – in the modernist parodying miniatures by Erwin Schulhoff, who enhanced them with motifs of his native Czechia. Even though Szymanowski knew the capital of Austria-Hungary, he did not like it; his String Quartet No. 1 represents a different direction, as Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz wrote: “Never before has any of his works breathed such a scorching air of the South; not the heat of the Sicilian south or the mourning of the Greek heat, in which Pan’s flute kills hearts – but the juicy and ripe heat which smells like the crops of Ukraine.” Adam Suprynowicz Concert duration: approximately 60 minutes
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Virtuosity and charm / ECHO Rising Stars Recital (cancelled)

Sun, Dec 8, 2024, 19:30
Carlos Ferreira (Clarinet), Pedro Emanuel Pereira (Piano)
The concert has been cancelled. Refunds for tickets purchased online will be made automatically. Tickets purchased at NOSPR box offices can be refunded by visiting NOSPR box offices.While Charles-Marie Widor remains best known among organ music aficionados, clarinetists owe to him the Introduction et Rondo – a piece, in which they can show both virtuosity and a lyrical charm. Debussy’s Première rhapsodie, in turn, is a product made to a commission from the Paris Conservatoire: a school piece which exceeded expectations to such a degree that the composer was later happy to arrange in for the clarinet and orchestra. While doing so, he retained the characteristic fogged-up sound, thanks to which the solo instrument cannot be mistaken f other. The young virtuoso Carlos Ferreira finds satisfaction both in his work with the prestigious Orchestre National de France and in chamber music – in a duo with the pianist and composer Pedro Emanuel Pereira, who wrote the suite Duas Igrejas, ringing with the nostalgia of the Portuguese fado, especially for him. On their joint album, we can also find the neoclassical Sonatina by Joseph Horovitz. What else are they going to surprise us with? This we will learn from the concert... Adam Suprynowicz Concert duration: 80 minutes
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The power of brass, the might of the manuals

Fri, May 23, 2025, 19:30
Ireneusz Wyrwa (Organ), Piotr Nowak (Trumpet), Tomasz Hajda (Trombone), Michał Żymełka (Drums), Benedykt Matusik (Trumpet), Krzysztof Tomczyk (French horn), Jakub Urbańczyk (Tuba), Wojciech Morcinczyk (Drums)
Although the organ is traditionally associated with sacred music and grand concerts, it can also be a fascinating complement to less typical chamber settings. The untypical combinations in this year’s organ concert series provide unique sounds and new, unexpected combinations. The result? We become more open to new interpretational possibilities and free experimenting. The programme of the concert, including pieces by Petr Eben, Otto Hoser, Thierry Escaich and Craig Phillips, shows how well the organ can sound paired with brass instruments and percussion. Hear it for yourselves: a fascinating richness of new possibilities! [Alexandra Kozowicz] Concert duration: approximately 50 minutes