Grange Park Opera

ACCORDION ∙ BARTOSZ GLOWACKI

◈

Vivaldi probably wrote the four violin concerti, named the Four Seasons, in 1716-7. The manuscripts were sent to Vivaldi’s Bohemian patron, Count Wenzel von Morzin, whom he served from afar as maestro di musica in Italia.

In 1725, the concerti were sent to Amsterdam for publication by Estienne Roger’s family firm. He would advertise compositions in newspapers and offer a mail-order service across Europe.

It is unknown if the accompanying descriptive sonnets were written before or after the music. They appear as a preface to the solo violin part and in excerpts scattered about the orchestral parts.

Vivaldi wrote around 100 operas. At the time of the Four Seasons his operatic output included Arsilda Regina di Ponto, La costanza trionfante degl’amori e degl’odii, L’incoronazione di Dario, Tieteberga.

WINTER

Allegro non molto
Trembling in the icy snow,
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
Stamping our feet as we run to keep warm
Teeth chattering in the dreadful cold

Largo
Sitting before the fire to pass contented days
while the rain pours down outside

Allegro
We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously,
for fear of tripping and falling.
An abrupt turn we we slip, crash on the ground
and rising rush to cross the ice lest it cracks.
The chill north wind rips through the home
despite the locked and bolted doors…
this is winter, which nonetheless, brings its own delights.

◈

Bartosz plays an accordion by Pigini.

Bartosz was born in Brzozow, Poland. He won the 2009 Polish Young Musician of the Year and represented his country in the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition in Vienna, performing Mikolaj Majkusiak’s Concerto Classico with the ORF Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

As a soloist Bartosz’ appearances include opera and orchestral repertoire at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Royal Albert Hall – BBC Proms, La Salle Cortot, National Theatre, Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House and has played with London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Sinfonietta. He has collaborated with many great musicians including Nigel Kennedy, Trevor Pinnock, Rob da Bank, Atom String Quartet, Meccorre String Quartet and Dave Maric.

Bartosz is an active chamber musician and a founding member of Deco Ensemble, featuring on their CD Encuentro début album Encuentro of modern tango works. His solo début CD Out of the Depths comes out later in the year featuring contemporary music by Magnus Lindberg, Luciano Berio, Sofia Gubaidulina and Vladislav Zolotaryov.

Bartosz studied with Profs Grzegorz Bednarczyk and Andrzej Smolik, graduating from Royal Academy of Music in 2016. He is a City Music Foundation Artist and was selected for the 2016 Open Space residency at Snape Maltings.

◈

“The coup de foudre was Bartosz Glowacki. By instinct, a solo accordion is not my top choice for a good night out. Life deals its shocks . . .  the young Pole creates a poignant and distinctive sound world.” Fiona Maddocks, The Observer

Back to Interim Season