Between Oberek and Chardash

Although it is quite difficult to define what exactly Central Europe and its music are, most of us have some idea about it. NFM Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra takes us on a journey through the sonically diverse cultures of the region in which Poland lies, together with its artistic director Alexander Sitkovetsky and American violinist Paul Neubauer — one of the greatest living virtuosos of this instrument.

For most of the 19th century, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were within the borders of great empires. Over time, these powers began to disintegrate, and then many new states appeared on the map of our continent. The fate of dispersed nations, such as the Jews and Roma, turned out differently. Everywhere, however, along with attempts to give form to national cultures, composers in the spirit of nationalisms tried to define specific musical styles, characteristic of these groups. In Poland, for example, Grażyna Bacewicz was a representative of the folklore trend (though not only). This group (again not exclusively) can also include the Warsaw-born artist of Jewish origin Szymon Laks, prisoner of Auschwitz-Birkenau camp No. 49543. His Third String Quartet “On Polish Folk Themes” was the first composition created after his freedom. Imitation of the Jewish style can be heard in the work of Maurice Ravel. The concert will also feature authentic Russian (Tchaikovsky) and Romanian (Bartók) melodies.

After the break, the idiom “gypsy” will prevail. We quote this term in quotation marks not only because some Roma communities find it offensive. In concert halls and salons, fantastic “gypsy violins” stereotypically symbolized freedom, emotionality and nature, awakening the dreams of representatives of the then restrictive culture. Perhaps that is why the absolutely virtuosic Tzigane Ravela wore this robe. It was also worn by iconic miniatures fashionable at the beginning of the last century, such as works by Schulenberg, Valdez or the anonymous Canary, which requires the performer to skillfully imitate the singing of a bird.