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Polish spirit of Nigel Kennedy
2007-11-21
Nigel Kennedy has dedicated his latest recording "Polish Spirit" to the Polish composers Emil Mlynarski and Mieczysław Karłowicz.
Nigel Kennedy remains one of the few artists to make classical music accessible to Joe Public without dumbing down, and this CD is no exception. Underneath the snappy title and image of Our Nige reflected in a vodka bottle, the music is far from core repertoire, being a couple of almost forgotten 19th century Polish romantic violin concertos, Emil Młynarski's Violin Concerto No.2 in D major Op.6, and Mieczyslaw Karłowicz's Violin Concerto in A major, op.8. Both are more than worthy of receiving the Kennedy magic and will be enjoyed by 'experts' and beginners alike. The programme is rounded off with a sweet couple of musical vignettes; arrangements of Chopin's 1st and 2nd Nocturnes.
Whilst Emil Mlynarksi’s name may not be on the tips of our tongues today, our great grannies may well have heard of him. Between 1910 and 1916 he was conductor of Glasgow's Scottish Choral and Orchestral Union, and also conducted a couple of concert series in London. In May 1915, the Musical Times proclaimed that 'of the many courageous musical enterprises that have distinguished the war period, that presented by Mr Mylynarksi takes a high place'. His second violin concerto was completed in 1916, the year he left Britain. If the music suggests his state of mind, then the jubilant Allegro Moderato, the calm beauty of the Quasi Notturno, and the delicious folkiness of the Allegro Vivace, suggest he spent a happy time here despite the clouds of war. It seems only fitting that it is a Poland-loving Brit who has unearthed the work, and the enjoyment felt by Kennedy and the Polish Chamber Orchestra is almost palpable.
A whirlwind tour of the rest of the disc, and Kennedy brings across youthful exuberance and panache to the concerto by Karłowicz. Lastly, the Nocturnes are as we have come to expect from Kennedy’s arrangements of popular shorter pieces – enjoyable, surprisingly uncheesy, and the perfect way to round off a near-perfect disc.
by Carlotte Gardner
16 October 2007
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence 
More information : http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/vg54/
Pomaton EMI
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