In the rich and award-winning discography of the renowned pianist and chamber musician Marek Szlezer, there is an album featuring the piano works of Stanisław Moniuszko (Porta Musicae, 2019). Today’s recital by the artist will showcase this lesser-known aspect of the composer’s oeuvre, coinciding with the 205th anniversary of his birth this year.
For the author of the “Home Songbooks,” the song became the primary means of compositional expression, aimed at domestic music-making and sustaining the national spirit during a time when Poland did not exist on the map. Moniuszko’s piano miniatures were written occasionally and for pleasure, hence they possess characteristics of functional music. Among them are dance pieces (polonaises, mazurkas) and characteristic works (lullabies, epigrams, songs without words); the composer demonstrates his sensitivity as a melodist by highlighting memorable, lyrical themes, while the harmony and pianistic textures remain within the widely accepted norms of the time.
Moniuszko consciously focused on vocal-instrumental genres and directed his artistic aspirations toward creating a Polish national opera. His songs also fulfilled their role, as they were not only well-known and popular, but some even achieved the status of folk songs. During the recital, piano transcriptions of his most popular songs, arranged by Józef Nowakowski and Henryk Melcer, will be performed. Selected works by Fryderyk Chopin will also be presented, interpreted by Marek Szlezer.