In the atmosphere of hunting, ecstasy and battle

De Natura Sonoris II, Kaddish, Violin Concerto No. 1 and Concerto for Horn and Orchestra “Winterreise”, and on the stage great stars of classical music. Before us another event of the jubilee Krzysztof Penderecki Festival in Warsaw, marking the composer’s 80th birth anniversary.

„Classical proportion combined with the folly of romanticism, 20th century grotesque and absurd (Shostakovich!), ecstasy of dance (Stravinsky or Mahler), dread and humor. The soloist adds here what is his. Radovan Vlatković plays the notes with passion, perfection, mastery. When needed, his horn sounds sweet and inviting, another time sharp and ecstatic. Just like in the main part of the work – Rondo da caccia – immersed in the atmosphere of hunting, ecstasy and battle. He does not however (luckily!) deprive the notes of humor, thanks to which the work shimmers with colors” – admired the first recording of Concerto for Horn and Orchestra “Winterreise” Tomasz Cyz, a musical critic and chief editor of “Ruch Muzyczny”. After listening to this composition it is in fact difficult to imagine a better performer of the solo part. Five years after the premiere, during the jubilee Krzysztof Penderecki Festival, we will again hear Vlatković in this role. Accompanying him, The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice will be conducted by Leonard Slatkin.

Another important work in the program of this evening is Penderecki’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Its world premiere took place in Basel in April 1977, with the phenomenal Isaak Stern as soloist. First, just after Stern, to perform this work was the leading Polish violinist Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, who played it numerous times in Europe and the USA, usually performing under the baton of the composer. Kulka also did the first Polish recording of the Violin Concerto. It is not surprising then, that within the Festival it will be this great violinist who will perform this composition. The artist will be accompanied by The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice under the baton of Gabriel Chmura.

The program of the concert will be completed by two special works of Penderecki: De Natura Sonoris II (behind the conductor’s stand again Leonard Slatkin) and, written in 2009 on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the liquidation of the ghetto in Lodz, Kaddish, to which the composer enclosed a special dedication: “To the Abrameks of Lodz, who desired to live. To the Poles who saved Jews.” Kaddish in the Jewish tradition is a prayer said in the intention of the dead by their close ones. “Writing the Kaddish was for me a great challenge, because such works are not created often, and in our Polish culture probably not at all,” recalls Penderecki. And adds that while writing the Kaddish he often recalled his long-lasting friendship with a deceased Polish Jew born in east Galicia. “He always tried to convince me to write a kaddish, but I did not know then if I would be able to do it. He then sang to me different kaddishes, which he knew from his grandfather. And so I drew on what I heard from him, when writing my work.”

The performance of this work will be led by Gabriel Chmura. Solo parts will be sang by Olga Pasiecznik (soprano) and Alberto Mizrahi (tenor). In the part of the narrator we will hear Daniel Olbrychski. The concert will take place in the Warsaw Philharmonic on Friday, 22nd November at 7 p.m.

Earlier, in the Chamber Hall of Warsaw Philharmonic (6 p.m.) we will hear Agnus Dei (version for 8 cellos), Sinfonietta No. 3, Viola Concerto (cello version) and Serenade for Strings. The cellists will be: Arto Noras, Daniel Müller-Schott, Magdalena Bojanowicz, Bartosz Koziak, Karolina Jaroszewska, Marcin Zdunik, Tomasz Daroch, Marta Kordykiewicz led by Ivan Monighetti and Rafał Kwiatkowski (cello) and Radom Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Maciej Żółtowski.