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The outstanding Polish-Jewish-Soviet composer, marked by the drama of World War II, will be the hero of Sinfonia Varsovia's concert in Moscow – the place where he spent the last years of his life. The event is organized on 19 December 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Zaryadye Concert Hall on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but also at the end of the Moniuszko Year celebrations.

Mieczysław Weinberg is a composer whose work, so far poorly known, has recently aroused great emotions among music critics as well as the artists themselves, fascinated by his style and rich artistic output. For many years his work was influenced by dramatic war events and personal experiences, including loss of loved ones during the extermination of the Warsaw Ghetto and emigration to Russia. Referring to neoclassicism in the undertaken forms and genres, i.e. symphony, string quartet or solo concert, he created his individual compositional style, captivating with emotional depth, richness of references to Polish folklore, Jewish and Moldavian music and symphonic panache. Weinberg's work is characterized by balanced form and clarity of instrumentation.

The programme of the concert will feature Mieczysław Weinberg's Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 61 as well as Stanisław Moniuszko's the Fairy Tale ouverture and Fryderyk Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor. The concert will be conducted by a great interpreter of Mieczysław Weinberg's works – Gabriel Chmura. He was the first to record the composer's three symphonies: IV, XIV and XVI, which were released by the Chandos label. Yulianna Avdeeva will perform as a soloist.

More information at:: http://www.sinfoniavarsovia.org/pl/ 

Jak wskazuje tytuł utworu symfonicznego, Elżbietę Sikorę zainspirowała twórczość Wandy Landowskiej, która znana jest nie tylko jako znakomita klawesynistka, prekursorka wykonawstwa historycznego, lecz także kompozytorka. Elżbieta Sikora zaznaczyła: „Jestem przekonana, że Wanda Landowska, z jej apetytem na nowoczesność i żywiołowym charakterem także sięgnęłaby po gitarę elektryczną, gdyby żyła w naszych czasach”.

Premiery utworu Sonosphère V, Wanda Landowska dokona Orchestre Pasdeloup, którą poprowadzi Elena Schwarz. W roli solistki wystąpi Misja Fitzgerald Michel. „Ten utwór ma formę otwartego koła, w którego centrum znajduje się rozbudowane solo gitary, które, niczym czarny diament zatopiony w drogocennym metalu, determinuje kształt całej kompozycji. […] We wspomnianym solo chciałam wydobyć nerwowość i barwę brzmienia gry Jimiego Hendrixa, pozostawiając soliście wolność interpretacji”, komentuje Elżbieta Sikora.

Utwór został skomponowany na zamówienie Instytutu Adama Mickiewicza.

The outstanding Polish-Jewish-Soviet composer, marked by the drama of World War II, will be the hero of Sinfonia Varsovia's concert in Moscow – the place where he spent the last years of his life. The event is organized on 19 December 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Zaryadye Concert Hall on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but also at the end of the Moniuszko Year celebrations.

Mieczysław Weinberg is a composer whose work, so far poorly known, has recently aroused great emotions among music critics as well as the artists themselves, fascinated by his style and rich artistic output. For many years his work was influenced by dramatic war events and personal experiences, including loss of loved ones during the extermination of the Warsaw Ghetto and emigration to Russia. Referring to neoclassicism in the undertaken forms and genres, i.e. symphony, string quartet or solo concert, he created his individual compositional style, captivating with emotional depth, richness of references to Polish folklore, Jewish and Moldavian music and symphonic panache. Weinberg's work is characterized by balanced form and clarity of instrumentation.

The programme of the concert will feature Mieczysław Weinberg's Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 61 as well as Stanisław Moniuszko's the Fairy Tale ouverture and Fryderyk Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor. The concert will be conducted by a great interpreter of Mieczysław Weinberg's works – Gabriel Chmura. He was the first to record the composer's three symphonies: IV, XIV and XVI, which were released by the Chandos label. Yulianna Avdeeva will perform as a soloist.

More information at:: http://www.sinfoniavarsovia.org/pl/ 

Program tego niezwykłego wieczoru wypełnią utwory Jubilata – Hymn do świętego Wojciecha oraz Credo, którymi zadyryguje sam profesor Penderecki oraz Maciej Tworek. Pośród wykonawców znajduje się ponadto I, CULTURE Orchestra oraz grono solistów – sopranistki Iwona Hossa i Karolina Sikora, Anna Lubańska (mezzosopran), tenor Adam Zdunikowski oraz Piotr Nowacki śpiewający basem.

Uroczystość praską poprzedzi jubileuszowy koncert w tym samym kształcie wykonawczym, jaki odbędzie się dokładnie w dniu urodzin profesora Pendereckiego, czyli w sobotę 23 listopada br. o godz. 19.00 w Europejskim Centrum Muzyki Krzysztofa Pendereckiego w Lusławicach. W programie Credo Jubilata.

Małgorzata Koch-Butryn