Repertoire

The piece was premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Normandy in January 1941. Some critics claimed that the Symphonic dances possessed an evident “Russian element” but the strong rhythmic drive, contagious energy, a pungent harmonic language, and optimistic mood of this music recalls more Stravinsky or Prokofiev than the sorrowful nostalgia so characteristic of many Rachmaninoff’s works. And this to such an extent to make some describe the Symphonic dances as the most “Amercian” piece ever written by Rachmaninoff. Indeed, the piece is conceived as a 3 movement symphony with the prominent use of the alto saxophone in the first movement’s glowing, and the lyrical second theme seems informed by jazz.

The optimistic nature of this composition should not make us forget that the Symphonic Dances were written at a very hard time for Rachmaninoff. The composer suffered from homesickness, worrying intensely over his daughter Tatiana who was trapped in France by the German invasion, and a surgery undergone in May. Despite this, the composer considered the Symphonic dances as his best composition and so did the public. After the premiere, both critics and the audience were delighted, and the Symphonic dances quickly gained popularity and international acclaim. Three years later the composer passed away at the age of 70, losing his battle against cancer.

Rachmaninoff summed up his life as a composer shortly before his death, in Beverly Hills, his final home: In my own compositions, no conscious effort has been made to be original, or Romantic, or Nationalistic, or anything else. I write down on paper the music I hear within me, as naturally as possible.

The initial version of the Little Suite was meant for a chamber orchestra, and Lutosławski completed it in 1950. The piece was commissioned by an orchestra performing popular music, but it drew the attention of Grzegorz Fitelberg – one of the most famous Polish conductors of the time. In fact, he was so amazed by the piece that he quickly commissioned a new version of the Little Suite designed for a symphony orchestra. He conducted its premiere a year later (in 1951) during the opening concert of the Polish Music Festival.

Musically speaking, the Little Suite is an unconventional, masterful in its kind, yet simple stylization of Polish folklore. Immediately recognizable by its infectious energy, the piece was one of the most frequently performed works in 1950s Poland, and its melodies are drawn from the town of Machowa, an hour’s drive east of Cracow.

In the first movement, the strings emerge from under the infectiously cheery piccolo melody, delivering punchy rhythms, a reference to the Rite of Spring, still as yet to receive its Polish premiere in the 1950s! The second movement is a polka, with a humorously unsettled meter. The third, Song, passes its melody between instruments in a charming way. The final dance includes music for a regional dance and a popular song.

As a composer, he drew inspiration from the works of Russian neo-romantics, especially his master, Rimsky-Korsakov, but also Glazunov. He wrote, among others: 5 excellent symphonies, 3 string quartets, the ballets Boruta and Syrena and a Requiem, as well as the Piano Concerto and Kuyavian Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, which we will perform this year together with pianist Aleksandra Świgut.

This is an extraordinary piece that combines elements of fantasy, suite and concerto, being an artistic embodiment of the leading ideas of its era. Maliszewski symbolically refers to the Slavic roots of Polish music, which is also visible in the programmatic reference to Kuyavia – the oldest historical region of Poland. We will find here the rhythms of Polish folk dances (polonaise, kujawiak, mazurka).

The piece also fits into Maliszewski's style, described as "classicizing romanticism". The composer was known for his respect for tradition and did not spare criticism of the modernist trends of his time. It is often said today in defense of new music that the old tonal system and the system of major and minor scales have become obsolete. – he said in an interview for the magazine Muzyka in 1934 – I consider this to be the first and most cardinal nonsense. The tonal system is based on the law of nature, and these laws are indestructible.