Presenting the world’s finest classical artists since 1919 2016|2017 INTERNATIONAL SERIES AT THE GRANADA THEATRE Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra JACEK KASPSZYK Conductor Fryderyk-Chopin-Institute/Bartek-Sadowski SEONG-JIN CHO Piano Soloist MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016, 8PM The Granada Theatre (Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts) Juliusz Multarzynski Jacek Kaspszyk Seong-Jin Cho D.Skurzak COMMUNITY ARTS MUSIC ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL SERIES BIOGRAPHY AT THE GRANADA THEATRE Sara Langdon WarsawOPUS 3 ARTISTSPhilharmonic PRESENTS Orchestra JACEK KASPSZYK, Conductor SEONG-JIN CHO, Piano Soloist MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016, 8PM The Granada Theatre (Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts) D.Skurzak JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897) Tragic Overture in D minor, Op.81 FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849) Warsaw Philharmonic Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 Orchestra I. Allegro maestoso II. Romanze — Larghetto III. Rondo — Vivace The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra itself as the main center of musical life Seong-Jin Cho, Piano Soloist gave its first concert on November 5, in Poland and one of the major musical 1901 in the newly erected Philharmonic institutions in Europe. Performances INTERMISSION Hall. This inaugural concert was were given here by nearly all the famous conducted by Emil Młynarski, the conductors and soloists of the day MIECZYSŁAW WEINBERG (1919-1996) Philharmonic’s first Music Director including Claudio Arrau, Edvard Grieg, Symphony No.4 in A minor, Op.61 and Principal Conductor and featured Arthur Honegger, Vladimir Horowitz, Allegro the world-famous pianist, composer Bronisław Huberman, Otto Klemperer, Allegretto and future statesman Ignacy Jan Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Adagio — Andantino Paderewski. The all-Polish programme Maurice Ravel, Artur Rodziński, Arthur Vivace of this historic concert included Rubinstein, Pablo Sarasate and Richard Paderewski’s Piano Concerto in A minor Strauss. as well as works by Chopin, Moniuszko, During the first post-war years the Programs and artists subject to change Noskowski, Stojowski and Żeleński. Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra was Warsaw Philharmonic’s rapid rise conducted by among others Olgierd CAMA gratefully acknowledges our sponsors of performance level soon attracted Straszyński and Andrzej Panufnik. In for this evening’s performance… distinguished artists from all over the January 1950 the post of Director and International Series Season Sponsor: SAGE Publications world. As early as pre-World War I and Principal Conductor was entrusted Sponsor: Ellen & Peter Johnson during the inter-war years it established to Witold Rowicki, who embarked on Co-Sponsor: Bob & Val Montgomery Co-Sponsor: Michele & Andre Saltoun 2 Co-Sponsor: George & Judy Writer 3 establishing a new orchestra. Despite On July 1, 1977, the post of Artistic the difficult working conditions related Director and Principal Conductor to a lack of venue (concerts were given was taken up by Kazimierz Kord who in various sport halls and theatres) held this position till the centenary of thanks to Rowicki’s efforts the orchestra the Philharmonic in 2001. From the regained its position as Poland’s leading beginning of his work with the orchestra ensemble. he placed emphasis on augmenting the The opening of the new Philharmonic repertoire thanks to which alongside Hall in Jasna Street on the site earlier symphonic compositions, successive destroyed by German bombing raids programmes of the artistic seasons D.Skurzak took place on February 21, 1955. On featured large-scale vocal-instrumental that day Warsaw Philharmonic received and operatic works as well as many the title of the National Philharmonic, pieces of contemporary music. New Penderecki, Górecki and Kilar) received as well as for Deutsche Grammophon highlighting its status as the leading initiatives included the concert cycle several awards, among them a Grammy – Chopin’s works, with Ingolf Wunder as musical institution of Poland. “The National Philharmonic presents,” in 2012. In August 2013 he concluded soloist (2015). During the years 1955-1958 the recorded live and released by Polskie his tenure in a performance with the The symphony orchestra of the Warsaw Philharmonic (for the first time Warsaw Philharmonic has to its credit orchestra’s Director was Bohdan Nagrania as well as concerts given by Lisa Marie Mazzucco Wodiczko, a distinguished promoter of undergraduates of Warsaw’s Academy in its history) at the BBC Proms Festival over 140 tours on five continents and contemporary music who collaborated of Music. Together with Witold in London. has appeared in almost every major with among others Arnold Rezler and Lutosławski, Kazimierz Kord put forward Since the 2013-2014 season the concert hall where it has been warmly Stanisław Skrowaczewski. The orchestral the idea of short contemporary music post of Music and Artistic Director, received by audiences and praised forces were transformed and enlarged. festivals centered on the concept of a responsible for the development of by music critics for its excellent and The enormous success enjoyed by rendezvous for various disciplines of the Philharmonic’s ensembles and dynamic performances. The orchestra performances of 20th century music the arts. The first of these festivals took repertoire as well as choice of guest has also performed at many prestigious led to the establishment at the National place after the composer’s death and artists, was taken up by Jacek Kaspszyk. international festivals among others in Philharmonic of the “Warsaw Autumn” in his honour was named “Lutosławski His historic “Warsaw Autumn” Festival Vienna, Berlin, Prague, Bergen, Lucerne, International Festival of Contemporary Forum”, since when it has been held concert in 2013, featuring the pianist Montreux, Moscow, Brussels, Florence, Music, which in time became one of the annually, then bi-annually through to the Krystian Zimerman, became one Bordeaux and Athens as well as the most important festivals of its kind in jubilee “Lutosławski Year” of 2013. of the highlights of the Lutosławski “La Folle Journee” festivals in Nantes, the world. From 2002 to 2013 the Managing Year (programme: Lutosławski’s Piano Bilbao, Lisbon and Tokyo. The National In 1958 Witold Rowicki was once and Artistic Director of the Warsaw Concerto and Symphony No.3) and Philharmonic also regularly participates again appointed Artistic Director and Philharmonic was Antoni Wit, who won the “Coryphaeus of Polish Music” in the F. Chopin International Piano Principal Conductor of the Philharmonic, continued the repertoire policy of Award in the category of “Event of the Competition, the “Warsaw Autumn” a post he held until 1977. The Orchestra’s his predecessor augmenting it by a Year.” Jacek Kaspszyk also conducted Contemporary Music Festival, the principal guest conductors at the time greater presence of Polish music often the first concerts in the history of the “Chopin and his Europe” Festival and the were Stanisław Wisłocki and Andrzej performed by foreign artists. Under Philharmonic to be streamed online. By Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival. Markowski. During Rowicki’s directorship his baton ensembles of the Warsaw the end of 2015 the Orchestra under It records for Polish Radio, Polish and Nicolas Brodard foreign concert tours and performances Philharmonic recorded over 50 albums, Jacek Kaspszyk had recorded three foreign record labels as well as film in prestigious concert halls throughout of these nearly 40 for Naxos. These CDs: for Warner Classics – music by companies. Since 2016 the Warsaw the world became a permanent feature recordings of mainly Polish composers Weinberg (2014), Brahms and Bach in Philharmonic has introduced regular of the orchestra’s artistic schedule. (Karłowicz, Szymanowski, Lutosławski, Schönberg’s orchestral versions (2015), online streaming of selected concerts. n 4 5 Fryderyk-Chopin-Institute/Bartek-Sadowski Festival, the Bolshoi in Moscow, Sadler’s SEONG-JIN CHO Wells in London, Hong Kong Arts Festival Pianist and three highly successful tours of Japan. The Opera Now critic wrote: “Teatr Wielki Seong-Jin Cho was brought to the world’s – Polish National Opera has filled the gap attention in October 2015 when he won between Berlin and Moscow on the map of First Prize at the Chopin International Europe.” Kaspszyk’s opera career has also Piano Competition in Warsaw. Four included productions for many renowned years before he had won Third Prize opera houses, including Deutsche Oper at the Tchaikovsky competition, aged am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Opéra Comique in only 16. With his overwhelming talent JACEK KASPSZYK Paris, Stockholm Opera, English National and natural musicality, Seong-Jin Cho Gergiev, and Vladimir Ashkenazy. Conductor Opera, Scottish Opera, Zurich Opera, is rapidly embarking on a world-class Future engagements in 2016 Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and most career and is considered one of the and 2017 include concerts with the Since his success at the renowned Karajan recently Nuremberg Opera. most distinctive artists of his generation. Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Competition (1977), Jacek Kaspszyk has Since September 2013 Kaspszyk is In January 2016, Seong-Jin Cho signed Salonen, St Petersburg Philharmonic conducted major orchestras throughout Music Director of the Warsaw Philharmonic an exclusive contract with Deutsche and Yuri Temirkanov, Accademia Santa the world, including the New York and Orchestra, opening his tenure with the Grammophon. Cecilia di Roma and Valery Gergiev, Berlin Philharmonics,