Wrocław | Journey to Scotland

Travels have often been an important source of inspiration for composers, including Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Karol Szymanowski and Michał Ziółkowski. We will listen to their works during the concert on 15 December 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the National Forum of Music in the interpretation of the Karol Lipiński Academic of Music Symphony Orchestra in Wrocław under the direction of Wojciech Rodek.

Travels have often been an important source of inspiration for composers. Felix Mendelssohn first visited Great Britain in 1829. His visit to Staffa Island resulted in the creation of a concert overture of The Hebrides, while the view of The Ruins of Holyrood Chapel inspired him to start working on a symphony that went down in history as “Scottish”.

Karol Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 4 was written in just four months, from March to June 1932. The composer could not decide whether to write a piano concerto or a symphony, which is why he finally decided to create a symphony with a solo piano part. He adapted the technical difficulties to his own performance capabilities, and in one of his letters he described the composition as a “first-class trick”. The work is accessible to the audience, cheerful and attractive. This is due to the singing, charming melody and the skilful combination of the piano part with the shimmering orchestra.

This evening we will also hear the Black Swan by Michał Ziółkowski, a composer of the young generation, student of Grażyna Pstrokońska-Nawratil.

More information at: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/component/nfmcalendar/event/7758