One of the greatest masterpieces of music –
Symphony No. 8 in B minor Unfinished by Franz Schubert (1797-1828), a tremendous symphonic poem
Preludes by Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the world premiere of a new work by the Szczecin composer –
Janusz Stalmierski (born 1959) – we will celebrate the jubilee 30 years of artistic work of
Bogusław Jakubowski – since 1991, the first clarinettist of the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
Bogusław Jakubowski is one of the most distinguished musicians of our Orchestra and a recognised soloist. Therefore, this evening, as the first clarinet player in the world, he will perform the
Clarinet Concerto Green Horizon by Janusz Stalmierski, a composer well-known to Szczecin music lovers. Furthermore, Bogusław Jakubowski is an exceptional specialist in world premieres of works by contemporary Polish composers. In addition to the already mentioned Stalmierski, he has also premiered works by such composers as Marek Jasiński, Zbigniew Kozub, Artur Cieślak, Piotr Klimek or Waldemar Sutryk ...
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The second part of the evening opens with one of the most famous symphonies ever written –
Symphony No. 8 in B minor, Unfinished by Franz Schubert. The prematurely deceased composer wrote only two of its parts. Some speculate that it was at the beginning of the creation of the third movement that the brilliant Schubert learned about an illness that was also a death sentence for him (syphilis). Contemporary researchers, however, are more inclined to the thesis that the piece remained unfinished for a much more prosaic reason… lack of time. Unfinished, it begins with a phenomenal but very gloomy "murmur" of the strings. It is impossible to describe the profound originality of this work, written in the rare key of B minor (1st movement) and E major (2nd movement). The symphony has delighted listeners invariably for centuries, with the unique pizzicato of strings, the colours of the trombones, oboe and clarinet, the drama and delicacy of 1st movement, contrasted with the marching character of Movement II. The piece was first performed in 1865; Schubert died in 1828, so he never heard his eighth symphony. Since its premiere, its popularity has steadily grown, making
Unfinished one of the most beloved pieces of all time.
We will end the concert with the most famous symphonic poem by
Franz Liszt, or
Preludes. It is the third symphonic poem composed by a Hungarian master. Written in 1845-1853, the piece was first performed in public on February 23, 1854, in Weimar under the composer's baton. Preludes are undoubtedly the most popular of the thirteen symphonic poems he has left for us.
Initially, Liszt wanted this 15-minute piece to be an introduction to a choral composition based on the poems "Les Astres" and "La Terre" by Joseph Autran from 1845. However, he abandoned this idea and transformed it into an autonomous symphonic work, changing the source of poetic inspiration at the same time. The starting point for the Preludes was finally the poem by Alphonse de Lamartine "Les quatres éléments" (Four elements). This beautiful symphonic poem is a model example of the "musicalisation" of poetry. Liszt's mastery is fully manifested here when we hear him playing with this convention and how he creates suggestive, sound images that elude any literalness.
During this extraordinary concert, the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by the excellent
Jakub Chrenowicz, one of the most talented and appreciated Polish conductors in the world, former assistant to Antoni Wit at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw and also a permanent collaborator of the Grand Theatre – Polish National Opera ...
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