Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio

The evening's program will offer two exceptional works – Wieniawski's Violin Concerto and Schubert's composition arranged for string orchestra – that reveal Romanticism at its most poignant: as music of inner experience.

The first piece was composed between 1856 and 1862, at a time when Wieniawski was already a renowned violinist and teacher in St. Petersburg. Its premiere took place in 1862, with the composer himself as the soloist. This concerto is considered one of his most mature works – combining dazzling virtuosity with lyricism and the nobility of musical language. Its three movements – the dramatic Allegro moderato, the lyrical Romanze, and the thrilling finale in the style of Gypsy music – form a colorful, emotional narrative. The version we will hear at this concert was arranged for chamber orchestra by Agnieszka Duczmal.

The String Quartet in D minor, Death and the Maiden, is one of the most powerful chamber works of the 19th century. Its title comes from Schubert's song, which the composer used as the theme for the second movement – a set of variations. There, a calm, almost soothing dialogue unfolds: Death speaks to the girl in a gentle voice, without fear, offering comfort. But this is only part of a larger whole. In this four-movement piece, Schubert builds dramatic tension – from the stormy opening, through a contemplative interlude, to the final Tarantella: a wild, whirling dance that, in tradition, symbolized a fight against poison or madness, and metaphorically – against death. This dramatic climax undermines the earlier sense of calm – as if the composer, himself aware of his approaching death, could not fully reconcile with the idea of leaving. The entire quartet becomes a story of fear, the attempt to come to terms with death, and an ultimate rebellion against it.

Performing this evening will be the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra "Amadeus" – an ensemble that has long specialized in refined interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoire – conducted by  Anna Duczmal-Mróz. The solo part will be performed by  Agata Szymczewska, an outstanding violinist and winner of the International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition.

Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 22 (arranged for string orchestra by Agnieszka Duczmal) performed by Meruert Karmenova (violin) and the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio: