The Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Institute in Budapest are commemorating the regaining of Polish independence with two concerts: JMK Poniatowski's Mass in F major on November 7 at the Cathedral of Our Lady in downtown Budapest, and the concert of the Wroclaw Baroque Ensemble can be heard at the Academy of Music on November 11.

As recalled in the announcement of the Polish Institute, Poland regained its independence on November 11, 1918 after 123 years of division. On this day, Józef Pilsudski was appointed commander-in-chief of the Polish armed forces, and two days later the independent Polish state, the first Polish Republic, was declared.

On the occasion of the biggest Polish national holiday, a concert entitled JMK Poniatowski's Mass in F major - reworked for solo voices, choir and orchestra can be heard on November 7 at 5 p.m.

Józef Michal Ksawery Poniatowski (1816-1873) was the son of the brother of the last Polish king, Stanislaw August Poniatowski, in whose home music and politics became one. He was active as a singer and composer, as well as a politician and diplomat. He received musical training from Italian masters, sang in theaters in Florence and Bologna, and his operas were presented in Milan's Scala. His music has been lost in the thick of history, but thanks to the research of musicologists and the interest of performers, it is coming back to listeners.

The performers of the concert are the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Lwów and the Galician Chamber Choir, the conductor is Sebastian Perlowski.

The Wroclaw Baroque Ensemble's concert entitled "Music of the First Polish Republic" will take place on November 11 at 7 p.m. at the Academy of Music.

As highlighted in the review, already during the Renaissance, in the 16th-17th centuries. art flourished in the court of the Vasa rulers in the 17th century, and later on, a high-quality musical life that also influenced Western European music took place in the Polish-Lithuanian Union, which existed until 1795. In 2006, conductor Andrzej Kosendiak founded the Wroclaw Baroque Ensemble, which plays on period instruments, to discover and perform this diverse but forgotten Polish repertoire.

MTI

Photo: 2022plus