Silesian Quartet and guests/Fifth concert from the series: Aleksander Tansman in France

The Silesian Quartet came into contact with the music of Aleksander Tansman at the very beginning of his artistic path. In the author's series of concerts, artists return to their important and inspiring work. Concerts under the slogan Aleksander Tansman in France create a coherent story about the composer born in Łódź, who found his artistic home in the environment of Parisian intellectuals of the early 20th century. Together with the invited guests, the Silesian Quartet discovers the richness of Tansman's chamber music and looks at other composers belonging to his French circle.

The closing concert of the series will focus on the sound of the strings, and this time the violin will take over the role of guide. The evening will be opened by Alexander Tansman's Sextuor à cordes from 1940 — a work dedicated to Igor Stravinsky, a close friend of the composer. Critics from the first moments emphasized the poetic nature of the work and the expressive features of Tansman's style. The quintessence of poeticism will become Ernest Chausson's Poème, known mainly in the version for violin and orchestra, and here performed in a chamber arrangement with piano and string quartet. The piece was created under the influence of a short story by Ivan Turgenev, set in a 16th-century Ferrara, in which the melody played on the violin plays an important role. Chausson dedicated the work to Eugène Ysaÿe. Although the outstanding violinist hoped that a concert would be created, the composer ultimately chose a freer form, which turned out to be more adequate to the nature of the work. The final will be the Concerto in D major, Op. 21, in which Chausson combined the features of a double concerto and a sextet. Violin and piano lead the narrative here, but the string quartet is not limited to the role of accompaniment and remains their equal partner.

Julia Broniowska/NOSPR

Duration of the concert (including the break): approx. 110 minutes

This concert may be part of the “My Pass” offer. Check the details and compose “My Pass” at will, choosing from concerts of different series in the chamber and concert hall — more information.

Performers: Silesian Quartet; Szymon Krzeszowiec — 1st violin; Arkadiusz Kubica — 2nd violin; Łukasz Syrnicki — viola; Piotr Janosik — cello; Piotr Pławner — violin; Piotr Sałajczyk — piano; Elżbieta Mroczek-Loska — viola; Adam Krzeszek Cello — cello

Program: Alexander Tansman — Sextuor à cordes; Ernest Chausson — Poème for violin, piano and string quartet; Ernest Chausson — Concerto in D major for violin, piano and quartet, Op. 21