[inspic=139,left,,0]Pasieczny’s new piece for brass quintet, based on Polish folk dances, will be performed on April 24th in the Canterbury Cathedral by the ‘Pure Brass’ (Tom Poulson, Samantha McShane ,Fraser Russell ,Gordon Seith and Mandy Murphy).
The concert is part of the festival ‘Sounds New’ and is called the ‘Cracov Connection’ . Apart from Pasieczny’s brass quintet, there will be works by Krzysztof Penderecki, Hanna Kulenty, Roxanna and Andrzej Panufnik. Both Roxanna Panufnik and Krzysztof Penderecki will be in attendance at this event.

“The Cracow Connection”
Friday 24th April
7:30 PM – Canterbury Cathedral Quire

trad. Hejnał Mariacki
K.Penderecki – ENTRATA (UK premiere)
M.Pasieczny – POLISH DANCES (world premiere)
H.Kulenty – BRASS NO.I (UK premiere)
R.Panufnik – PRAYER
P.Patterson – THE ROYAL EUROSTAR
A.Panufnik – PAEAN
M.Mussorgsky (arr. E.Howarth) PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

[inspic=142,left,,0] Interest in folklore often makes up a certain phase or episode in a composer’s works. Living beyond the borders of Poland, it naturally came to me with compelling desire to draw inspiration from Polish folk music. But folklore for me has always been subordinate as a creative aesthetic.
Three general kinds of treatment of folk materials can be distinguished in musical works: quotation, stylization and synthesis. Quoting occurs commonly in works for practical purposes, putting together schematic accompaniment, introduction, and ending to the approximate melody of the original folk tune. Stylization is a more frequent phenomenon. In this case there is a conscious awareness of the spirit of folk music. The linking to folklore is not as direct as quoting. However, composers turning to folk music usually have larger artistic needs than stylization or the simple working out of folk melodies. For those inspired by folk music, the most important factor is the expression of the spirit of this music. The regard is not only for melodic and rhythmical features, but also the sound, dynamic, and harmonic aspects. It’s about the „sensation of the music” as F. Chopin said. It’s about „refreshing” the composer’s skills by bringing to it expression through rhythmical diversity (this relates especially to works of the 20th century). As the result of my episodic symbiosis with Polish folklore, the brass quintet came into being. This is a seven movement – partial suite leaning on several faintly well-known folk melodies and Polish dances, such as kolomajka, olender, krzyzok and trojak.This is my personal synthesis with Polish folk music.