What remains to us in a world of uncertainty, chaos and loneliness? Poulenc's answer is freedom. Lauridsen seeks solace in tender attentiveness. Although their music springs from entirely different experiences and aesthetic worlds, both composers lead us towards what is most deeply human – hope, the need for closeness, and the preservation of our inner sensitivity.
Francis Poulenc’s Figure humaine is one of the most extraordinary works of the 20th century. This cantata for double a cappella choir, composed to poems by Paul Éluard during the German occupation of France in 1943–44, became a symbol of the struggle for humanity. Across its eight movements, the work grows progressively darker and more unsettling. Yet the final movement, Liberté, reverses that trajectory, becoming one of the most important musical manifestos of freedom. Despite the work's subject, Poulenc, whose music is renowned for its refined lightness, does not create a monument to pathos. Quite the opposite: his cantata pulses with tenderness and hope, leading us from darkness towards the liberating power of community.
In Morten Lauridsen’s Nocturnes, night envelops a special and diverse experiences of human sensitivity. Drawing on poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke, Pablo Neruda and James Agee, the American composer creates music imbued with admiration for the fragility of human experience. The choir's profoundly intimate sound, suspended between contemplation and a sense of inner peace, gradually tempers the emotions. Out of the darkness of night, dawn begins to emerge – a dawn we greet with hope.
The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir is one of Poland's finest vocal ensembles, acclaimed for its exceptional refinement of sound, precision and versatility, with a repertoire ranging from early music to contemporary works. The choir regularly collaborates with many of the world’s leading conductors and orchestras, and its recordings have received numerous prestigious awards, including Grammy Awards.
Its chorus master, Bartosz Michałowski, is one of Poland’s most highly regarded choral conductors, renowned for his exceptional attention to colour, detail and the emotional depth of every performance. Under his direction, the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir has developed a distinctive sound and remarkable interpretative intensity.
Maria Peryt