During the concert of the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra conducted by Andrzej Kosendiak, the musicians will present works of the Baroque and Classicism – both early and those presenting the fully crystallized styles of the two eras. The repertoire will therefore include compositions created over the years, starting with works by Johann Sebastian Bach, and closing the concert with a piece written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The solo parts will be performed by the acclaimed clarinetist Darko Brlek.

The first part of the concert will be filled with the sounds of works by the master of polyphony, Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, to whom their father passed on the enormity of his knowledge and love for music. Over time, they became important composers with individualized styles. Die Kunst der Fuge is the last and one of Johann Sebastian’s most important works. The composition impresses with its precision and is a breakthrough both in the context of the Baroque era and the entire history of music. This evening we will hear the first two movement: Contrapunctus 1 and Contrapunctus 2. The Ouverture in G minor BWV 1070 is a work whose author cannot be clearly indicated. Although the impressive piece is included in the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis catalogue, it is highly probable that its author was in fact the eldest son of the Leipzig cantor, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. The Sinfonia in B minor, full of stormy expression, by another outstanding descendant of the Johann Sebastian, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, will also be heard.

Franz Xaver Richter is a composer belonging to the Mannheim school, who contributed to the flourishing of the Classical style in music. Even though his legacy is of impressive proportions, it is not as popular as it deserves to be. The Sinfonia in D major, captivating with its radiant character and colourful orchestration, is a perfect example of this. The concert will be crowned with the last instrumental work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, completed just two months before his death – the Clarinet Concerto in A major KV 622. The piece representing the mature Mozart style was written for a superb musician and Mozart’s friend, Anton Stadler.