RSO Sunday Concert: Echoes from the Mountains

Polish conductor Justyna Grudzień, who leads RSO, has curated the autumn season's opening Sunday concert drawing from her homeland's mountain landscapes. Goralian folk music - the Tatra Mountains' violin tradition, rhythmic dances, and distinctive playing style - runs as a golden thread through the entire concert.

Karol Szymanowski lived for many years near the Tatra Mountains and wove Goralian elements into his own musical language. The concert features both of his string quartets, which reflect both the mountain landscape and local dance traditions. Mikołaj Górecki represents the second generation of mountain composers: his father Henryk Górecki lived and composed in the Podhalen region, and the son's 2000 Prelude brings tonal and atonal harmonies into dialogue. The evening concludes with Wojciech Kilar's Orawa, which depicts the Carpathian landscape and the atmosphere of harvest celebrations.

Performers: Justyna Grudzień (artistic direction and violin), Tami Pohjola (violin), Jakob Dingstad (viola), Katrīna Pelnēna (viola), and Tuomas Lehto (cello).