Jerzy Semkow Polish Orchestra Sinfonia Iuventus under the direction of Agnieszka Duczmal will perform the symphonies of Franz Schubert and Gustav Mahler on May 10, 2019 at 7.00 p.m. at the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio in Warsaw.

Schubert’s symphonies share the same Viennese roots with the oeuvre of the three great Classics. Symphony in B Minor ‘Unfinished’ of 1822, brought with itself a ‘Romantic breakthrough’ – a transition towards freer, lyrical expression with clear song features. A popular Romantic legend also had it that the ‘Unfinished’ must have been his final piece, and that death had prevented him from completing the work. In fact, we do not know why Schubert abandoned the idea to write more movements in order to complement the initial two; most likely, however, his decision was motivated by artistic reasons rather than a stroke of fate.

Gustav Mahler, who also spent most of his lifetime in Vienna, represents the other pole of Romantic symphonic writing: its final phase, which opened the musical perspective of the twentieth century. He also had a high regard for a song – he considered himself a continuator of the Schubertian tradition and introduced a vocal element to his symphonies. This is also the case with Symphony No. 4 in G Major, where a charming song is sung by a soprano, expressing childish excitement about the prospects of ‘heavenly life’. This part will be performed by Joanna Klisowska, a coloratura soprano applauded on stages and bandstands worldwide in a very versatile repertoire.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Information on tickets at: https://sinfoniaiuventus.pl/