CD Album
Mlynarski: Violin Concerto in D major No. 2, op. 6
1. I Allegro moderato 2. II Quasi Notturno. Andante 3. III Allegro vivace Karlowicz: Violin Concerto in A major, op. 8
4. I Allegro moderato 5. II Romanza. Andante 6. III Finale. Vivace assai Chopin arr. K. Debski
7. Nocturne No. 1, op 9 (with Jakub Haufa, Concert Master) 8. Nocturne No. 2, op. 9 Andante
Nigel Kennedy, the violinist with a “unique ability to reach the furthest seats in the gallery with the blazing urgency of his music,” has dedicated his latest recording to forgotten romantic concertos by the Polish composers Emil Mlynarski and Mieczyslaw Karlowicz. Polish Spirit captures Kennedy’s incandescent performances with the Polish Chamber Orchestra and conductor Jacek Kaspszyk. Karlowicz’s violin concerto is a rarity even in Poland, and Mlynarski’s second violin concerto is virtually unknown. Rounding out the CD are arrangements of Chopin’s Nocturnes Op. 9 Nos. 1 and 2. It's a fascinating story: Nigel Kennedy was given an old state recording of the Mlynarski by a fan 6 years earlier. It had a profound effect on Nigel who then mislaid the recording. A two year search unearthed another recording and Nigel was then able to start researching into this forgotten composer and to start the Polish Spirit project. Nigel decided to couple this unknown piece with Karlowicz's Violin Concerto - also a rarity.