My Polish Reflection My Polish Reflection | Page 6

Meanwhile, bear off my yearning soul to roam
Those little wooded hills, whose fields beside
The azure Nemen, spreading green and wide,
The vari-painted cornfields like a quilt,
The silver of the rye, the wheat fields’ gilt; *
This beautiful quotation from Pan Tadeusz by Adam Mickiewicz, one of the most prominent
works in the history of Polish literature, masterly renders the beauty of countryside.
Similarly, Polish music is full of characteristic charm too.
I am really glad I can continue my mission, that is to promote Polish music. My Polish
Reflection presents the works of 10 Polish composers from the 19 th , 20 th and 21 st c. Their
compositions were written over the period of 185 years, ranging from Chopin’s Variations
in B flat major that date back to 1833, to a series of compositions by M. Papara that were
created in 2018. I hope that thanks to this ‘musical kaleidoscope’ you will see how varied
Polish music is in terms of its imagery, character, colour and tone.
In the series of compositions by M. Papara you will hear many sound clusters. It was frequently
necessary to use the entire piano keyboard in order to produce some of them. That was
possible thanks to specially designed felt-padded panels that were placed on piano keys,
allowing in this way a simultaneous production of all piano sounds. Please listen attentively to
their exceptional timbre as this is the crucial and underlying component of this series.
I do hope that while listening to Polish music your yearning soul will be bourne off to roam
those little wooded hills, whose fields beside the azure Nemen, spreading green and wide…
I would like to express my thanks to all those who inspired me in some way to make this CD.
* Translation: Kenneth R. Mackenzie, Copyright Polish Cultural Foundation 1986
Anna Miernik