IBERT | COPLAND | POULENC

Although the program does not indicate it, and it is in vain to look for such a name, we move into the world of "King of Swing", even though this genre will not sound during the Friday concert. But we should mention Benny Goodman, one of the most famous clarinetists of all time and a distinguished figure for both jazz and classical music.

Benny's father, David, was a Jewish tailor in Warsaw during the partitions. In 1892 he emigrated to the USA. He raised his Chicago-born son strictly but correctly. The avarice that Benny was accused of by all of his later associates stemmed from the instilled need to save, so common among poor immigrant families. He also took over an interest in music from his father, taking his first lessons organized by the synagogue. The rest of the story follows the well-known pattern "from rags to riches" – in a dozen or so years, Benny Goodman became a true icon of American jazz, and among his many achievements is the memorable concert at Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. The success was so huge that jazz became a full-fledged music genre in the most important concert venues in the USA and worldwide.

Benny Goodman also went down in history as the first performer of clarinet pieces, often commissioned by him, written by the greatest composers of that time. The prestigious list includes works by Bartok, Arnodel, Gould, Poulenc, Hindemith, Bernstein and Copland. Concerto for clarinet and string orchestra is an exciting piece. First of all, we hear clear inspirations from jazz and Latin American music. On the other hand – as the composer himself pointed out – the percussion strikes imitate the harp and double basses.

Benny Goodman will be followed by our wonderful colleague Piotr Wyselec, a graduate of the Academy of Music in Katowice, laureate of international solo and chamber competitions and a soloist of our Orchestra, led by the Spanish conductor Ramon Tebar, music director of the Florida Grand Opera, artistic director of the Naples Opera and the principal guest conductor of the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia.