Jazz and film. It was here that Komeda’s talent manifested itself most fully. The pianist’s compositions thrilled audiences in his own performances (in concerts and films) and over the decades established the canon of Polish jazz. It is worth remembering their context: it is in his music for the cinema that we find the source of the characteristic narrative quality of Komeda’s music. The lullabies – from the films Two Men and a Wardrobe and Rosemary’s Baby – show his compositional path from an early Polanski study to a Hollywood hit. Interesting are the themes linked to lyrics, be they an original part of the song (‘Before the Day Rises’) or a later addition (‘Without Tomorrow You Can’t Live’ and ‘It’s Not Bad’ from Goodbye, Till Tomorrow, as well as the ‘Grey Carol’ from the theatre music for Breakfast at Tiffany’s). Even the masterpieces from the Astigmatic album have cinematic roots: ‘Kattorna’ and ‘Svantetic’, the main theme and a developed motif from Cats. Finally, ‘Ballad for Bernt’, a wistful motif beautifully fused with the Masurian scenes in Knife in the Water. As a jazz theme, it works equally well.
Mariusz Gradowski
The Polish Music Scene is a programme of music organised by the National Institute of Music and Dance in collaboration with the Warsaw Philharmonic and financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. We present Polish artists and Polish compositions – particularly works not often performed. We wish to promote the performance of Polish music, inspire musicians to turn to this repertoire and generate interest among audiences in Polish musical output as broadly understood. The programme is open to instrumentalists and singers, soloists and chamber ensembles. The programmes featuring Polish music, selected via a competition, will be performed in the Chamber Music Hall of the Warsaw Philharmonic and at other concert venues around Poland.
