ELSNER – WIENIAWSKI – STOJOWSKI

Jagiełło in Tenczyn is, after King Łokietek, another opera in which Józef Elsner sought to evoke the glorious pages of Polish history. It is therefore no surprise that a number of Polish dances were woven into into the musical fabric of the drama, whose premiere took place on 1 January 1820. The overture itself – as Alina Romanowicz observes – represents an attempt “to combine the style of the Viennese classics with Polish folklore” and surely deserves to be restored to Polish concert stages. Next, we will hear the Violin Concerto No. 2 by the genius of the violin – Henryk Wieniawski. The first version of one of the most splendid compositions by the Polish virtuoso dates from 1862, yet it took many revisions and 17 years to appear in its final form. Today, it still captivates with the elegance of the dialogue between the soloist and orchestra and with its balance of virtuosity and lyricism, making it one of the most celebrated Polish compositions of its genre.

The program concludes with a work firmly rooted in the Polish tradition – the Suite in E-flat major for orchestra by Zygmunt Stojowski. This outstanding pianist and composer emigrated from Poland at the age of 17 – first to France for his studies, and later to the United States – yet throughout his life, he remained devoted to the Polish cause. His attachment to his homeland’s heritage is evident in the music he composed. In fact, one of the pieces that opened the way for Stojowski’s further career was the Suite in E-flat major of 1891, which won recognition among others from Hans von Bülow (the work’s dedicatee), Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and Johannes Brahms. The first movement consists of variations on a then-popular church hymn Witaj Królowo nieba i Matko litości (“Hail, Queen of Heaven and Mother of Mercy”), featuring an impressive final variation with a fugal passage and a radiant finale. In turn, the remaining two movements, allude to Polish dances. Intermède polonais is written in the character of a lively mazurka, while in the final movement a nostalgic, dreamy reverie introduces – and is then briefly interrupted by – the vigorous, joyful, syncopated rhythm of the krakowiak.

PROGRAM

Józef Elsner (1769–1854) – Ouverture to the opera Jagiełło in Tenczyn

 Henryk Wieniawski (1835–1880) – Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22

Allegro moderato
Romance: Andante ma non troppo
Allegro con fuoco – Allegro moderato (alla Zingara)

Zygmunt Stojowski (1870–1946) – Suite in E-flat major for orchestra, Op. 9

Thème varié (Andante)
Intermède polonais (Tempo di mazurka, con anima)
Revêrie et Cracovienne (Lento – Allegro – Lento – Allegro)

PERFORMERS

TOMASZ KULISIEWICZ VIOLIN

THE ORCHESTRA OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA

PRZEMYSŁAW NEUMANN CONDUCTOR

Duration: approx. 1 h 30 mins (with an intermission)