Wit, Brilliance, and Legendary Craftsmanship - NOSPR

The music of Witold Lutosławski was the antithesis of excess and verbosity. The composer condensed what he wanted to convey, refining his own conceptual forms over years to accommodate the listener's perceptual capabilities. He was also a master of miniatures – how else to describe it if not as mastery – the spectacular virtuosity of the “Wariacje na temat Paganiniego” (1941), performed during the occupation in the Warsaw café "Aria"? “Preludia taneczne” (1954) are pedagogical pieces, yet they are listened to with interest in the interpretations of professionals. In “Epitafium” (1980) and “Grave” (1981), he mourned deceased friends, giving each piece an individual shape. The short songs “Chantefleurs et chantefables” (1990) playfully echoed the content of surrealist verses for children, providing splendid entertainment for adults. 

Subito (1992), with its striking figure resembling a lightning strike, is Lutosławski's final composition. Grand and compact, it shows that the composer did not lose the discipline of his legendary craftsmanship until the end. 

Adam Suprynowicz

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Concert duration: approximately 70 minutes