Born in 1943 and celebrating his 80th birthday this year, Krzysztof Meyer is one of the most versatile and prolific Polish composers. His achievements include nine symphonies, fifteen string quartets, and many orchestral, chamber and solo works for various instruments. The programme of the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, alongside Meyer’s compositions, features works by Arvo Pärt, Fazil Say, and Mieczysław Wajnberg. The orchestra will be led by Christian Danowicz.

Arvo Pärt’s Orient & Occident is a short, meditative composition from 2000 for strings. It was dedicated to Saulius Sondeckis, Artistic Director of the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. Krzysztof Meyer’s Concerto retro is a light and witty piece for flute, harpsichord and strings. In this concise piece in three movements: Maestoso, Allegro and Allegretto, the artist referenced Baroque aesthetics. The solo parts will be performed by flautist Jan Krzeszowiec and harpsichordist Gośka Isphording.

The second part of the concert will begin with the performance of the Chamber Symphony op. 62 by Fazil Say, a Turkish pianist and composer. This work was commissioned by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. The musicians premiered them at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 2015. The composer was inspired by the rhythmically complex music of his homeland. The work consists of three movements: a quick introduction, a slow, moody nocturne and again a quick movement, styling a temperamental Balkan dance. The evening will be crowned by Mieczysław Weinberg’s Symphony No. 7 from 1964, composed for string orchestra and harpsichord, and dedicated to the conductor Rudolf Barshai. It consists of five movements, varied and strongly contrasting with each other in terms of pace and moods. The solo part in this work will be performed by Gośka Isphording.