The narrated concert performed by Anna Dębowska on the piano and narrated by Marcin Jaroszek and the photographic exhibition entitled „Chopin’s Scotland” were a truly enchanting and informative experience. The concert took place in the concert hall of the Music School in Tarnów as part of the city’s annual celebrations, and it certainly set the tone for a month filled with music and culture.
The story of Jane Stirling and Frederic Chopin’s time in Scotland in 1848 was beautifully narrated by Marcin Jaroszek, giving a glimpse into the relationship between the two and the impact that Scotland had on Chopin’s music. Anna Dębowska’s piano performance perfectly complemented the narrative, showcasing her remarkable talent and deep understanding of Chopin’s compositions.
The concert was not only musically captivating but also visually engaging, as it was followed by a photographic exhibition displaying the places Jane Stirling took Chopin to in Scotland in 1848. This added another layer of depth to the storytelling, allowing the audience to see the actual locations that inspired Chopin’s masterpieces.
„Chopin’s Scotland” was a memorable and immersive concert experience that left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. The combination of music, narration, and visuals created a multi-dimensional exploration of Chopin’s time in Scotland, making for a truly unique and unforgettable evening.
Photo gallery
A ticketed event, invitations required
Time: 13 October 2018, 6 p.m.
Venue: Gargunnock House, Gargunnock, Stirling
This concert was a celebration of two anniversaries: 170 years since Jane Stirling broughtFrédéric Chopin to Scotland and 100 years since Poland regained its hard-fought independence. The event was, therefore, an opportunity to demonstrate the multitude of ties that connect the Polish and Scottish nations.
In 1848 Chopin visited a number of stately houses in Scotland, mostly the homes of Jane Stirling’s family, where he gave numerous concerts en famille. Most likely one of these was Gargunnock House, once the home of Jane’s brother – Charles Stirling. Its drawing room still houses the 7521 Broadwood Grand Pianoforte on which, as family rumour has it, Chopin played in 1848. It is on this very instrument that the music of Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt and Ignacy Jan Paderewski was performed to commemorate Jane Stirling’s involvement in preserving the Great Romantic’s legacy and to pay tribute to her and all those who have in so many ways committed their lives to the Polish cause on Caledonian soil.
Anna Dębowska: piano
Katarzyna Oleś-Blacha: soprano
Programme:
Part 1
F. Chopin – Nocturne No 2 in D flat major op. 27
F. Chopin – Etude No 12 in C minor op. 10
F. Chopin – Nocturne No 2 in F sharp minor op. 48
F. Chopin – Mazurkas op. 7
No 1 in B flat major
No 2 in A minor
F. Liszt – Etude No 3 D flat major from „Trois Etudes de Concert”
I. J. Paderewski – Nocturne No 4 in B flat major op. 16
Part 2
F. Chopin – Songs op. 74
No 1 Życzenie/A Maiden’s wish, lyrics by S. Witwicki
No 9 Melodia/Melody, lyrics by Z. Krasiński
No 2 Wiosna/Spring, lyrics by S. Witwicki
No 17 Leci liście z drzewa/Leaves are falling, lyrics by W. Pol
I. J. Paderewski – Naguere op. 22/4, lyrics by C. Mend?s
Nad wodą wielką i czystą/Above water vast and pure op. 18/4, lyrics by A. Mickiewicz
Chłopca mego mi zabrali/My love is sent away op. 7/4, lyrics by A. Asnyk
F. Liszt – Oh, quand je dors/Oh! when I sleep S. 282/2, lyrics by V. Hugo
O lieb S. 298/2, lyrics by F. Freiligrath
Photo gallery
It was to the apartment of his compatriot – Dr. Lyszczynski – located at 10 Warriston Crescent in Edinburgh that Frédéric Chopin repeatedly and eagerly returned. Chopin was granted the nursery in a small bedroom on the first floor, where he would seek both physical and spiritual recovery through his host’s homeopathic treatment and an opportunity to converse in the Polish language. This concert, given by Poland’s Marian Michalski and Scotland’s John Willmett, takes place in the very bedroom occupied in 1848 by the forlorn composer.
The artists represent different nationalities, different generations and most certainly different cultures. The concert can be thought of as a bridge connecting the two sides, much in the way that Jane Stirling did when she provided help for Frédéric Chopin, reconciling conflicting interests and rectifying numerous obstacles, and as she still does, connecting all those who are committed to honouring the past and seeking human unity rather than division.
A free ticketed event, invitations required
Time: 11 October 2018, 4 p.m.
10 Warriston Crescent, Edinburgh
Marian Michalski: piano
John Willmett: piano
Programme:
(John Willmett)
F. Chopin
Nocturne No 1 in E minor op. 72
Etude in F minor op. posth. from „Trois Nouvelles Études”
Fantaisie in F minor op. 49
(Marian Michalski)
F. Chopin
Nocturne No 2 in G major op. 37
Mazurkas op. 17
No 1 in B flat major
No 2 in E minor
No 3 in A flat major
No 4 in A minor
