Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra

Symphony in E-minor, Op. 16 by Grzegorz Fitelberg is the latest world phonographic premiere by Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded on 6 October 2023 during a concert at A. Mickiewicz University Auditorium, recording of the piece conducted by Łukasz Borowicz.

At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the lied increasingly took on orchestral garb. The boundary with opera became almost impalpable. That is what Samuel Hasselhorn and Łukasz Borowicz demonstrate here, in a splendid programme mingling smiles and disillusionment, where some of the most characteristic orchestral lieder and operatic arias of this Austro-German ‘fin de siècle’ era blend perfectly together.

Faniska is an opéra comique in three acts by Luigi Cherubini. The German libretto, by Joseph Sonnleithner, is based on the melodrama Les mines de Pologne (1803) by René-Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt.

The album contains one, but monumental work - the Neo-Romantic Symphony in F major by Emil Mlynarski, subtitled "Polonia" by the composer. Following its initial triumph, when it was presented under the baton of the composer himself on many world stages, the Symphony fell into an almost complete oblivion. The composer included a quote from Bogurodzica and the Albosmy to jacy tacy krakowiak; we can also find here other national dances. Mlynarski provided the work with an extensive programme commentary; his intention was to illustrate the history of Poland with music - in addition to the motif of fate, appearing throughout all four movements, one can also clearly hear weapons clanging, the thud of galloping hooves - called the knightly motif - fanfares and the tragic fates of the defeated heroes. In the musical layer, Polonia reveals typical sources of inspiration of young Polish composers of that time - pieces by Wagner, Liszt and Strauss. Under the baton of their artistic director, the Poznan Philharmonic appears as an ensemble operating with an exceptionally beautiful, coherent sound, which emphasises the values of the composition, the richness of its motivic material and instrumentation.

Symphony in E-minor, Op. 16 by Grzegorz Fitelberg is the latest world phonographic premiere by Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded on 6 October 2023 during a concert at A. Mickiewicz University Auditorium, recording of the piece conducted by Łukasz Borowicz.

Faniska is an opéra comique in three acts by Luigi Cherubini. The German libretto, by Joseph Sonnleithner, is based on the melodrama Les mines de Pologne (1803) by René-Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt.

At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the lied increasingly took on orchestral garb. The boundary with opera became almost impalpable. That is what Samuel Hasselhorn and Łukasz Borowicz demonstrate here, in a splendid programme mingling smiles and disillusionment, where some of the most characteristic orchestral lieder and operatic arias of this Austro-German ‘fin de siècle’ era blend perfectly together.