Tansman rediscovered
Artists:
- Anna Fedorowa – piano
- Norbert Twórczyński – conductor
- The Łódź Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Program:
- Maurice Ravel – Le Tombeau de Couperin [25']
- Prélude
- Forlane
- Menuet
- Rigaudon
- George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue [20']
- Aleksander Tansman – music for the „Lumières” ballet (premiere)
- Les Lampadaires (Streetlights)
- Les Fontaines lumineuses (Light Fountains)
- Les Enseignes lumineuses (Neons)
- Le Métro (Metro)
This kind of occasion does not happen often! We invite you for the premiere of a recently rediscovered piece by Aleksander Tansman – the world famous composer originating from Łódź, who sadly passed away less than 40 years ago. Tansman, who spent most of his lifetime abroad, was not renowned in Poland during much of his artistic activity. However, he was greatly valued abroad as one of the most outstanding neoclassical composers. As it has turned out lately, his rich body of work still hides some surprises. A previously unknown manuscript of music for a ballet was found in the archives of the Paris publishing house Durand Salabert Eschig by the musicologist Łukasz Kaczmarowski. The ballet, entitled ”Lumières” (”The Lights”), is comprised of four pictures that represent the light phenomena that occur in urban spaces. It is in this environment that the stage action and plot would take place. However, we do not have any information about the origins of the piece or its libretto. The music showcases inspirations taken from jazz music, which was close to Tansman’s heart, as well as those drawn from neoclassical music and film music. The two other pieces in the concert program will allow us to look at Tansman’s body of work in the context of what was happening in the music world at the time. Both Maurice Ravel (”Le Tombeau de Couperin”) and George Gershwin (”Rhapsody in Blue”) were acquintances of the Łódź-native composer.
Compere: Karol Furtak (The Polish Radio)
At 6:15 PM we invite you to the Henryk Czyż Chamber Room for a pre-concert meeting led by Karol Furtak.
Top photo: Anna Fedorova, phot. Nicholas Santangelo Schwartz
Partners:
We invite you to read Łukasz Kaczmarski's text about the music for the "Lumières" ballet
In order to celebrate the premiere of the music for the ”Lumières” ballet we share a text that was forgotten for decades in which Aleksander Tansman reminisces about his years in Łódź:
”Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin performed by Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony:
Rhapsody in Blue
