Musical Chameleon
The sixth celebration of accordion music in all its glory is upon us!
Text: Wiesław Ochwat
The accordion is a fascinating instrument: it was first patented in 1829 by Cyrill Demian, an Armenian inventor based in Vienna, and it has taken the best part of the following two centuries for it to be fully appreciated in all music styles and genres. The Polish composer Zbigniew Bargielski perhaps describes it best, calling it a “musical chameleon” able to adapt to all other instruments and even replace an entire orchestra. Today, the instrument is celebrated in genres including early, classical, contemporary, experimental, tango, jazz, folk and ethnic music. It is as effective when played solo as when it is presented alongside other musicians. It comes as no surprise, then, that the event celebrating this extraordinary instrument is becoming increasingly popular every year.
The Kraków Accordion Festival was founded by Bożena Boba-Dyga, president of the Art Forum Foundation; every other year she and her team create a space for virtuosos and fans of the instrument from all over the globe. Following Prof. Bargiel’s idea, the musical chameleon is presented in myriad formats and contexts. The Kraków Accordion Festival is a perfect event for all those intrigued by the instrument and interested in discovering its vast range. The festival showcases classical music transcribed for the accordion as well as presenting its jazz aspects and the latest compositions for the instrument performed by acclaimed virtuosos.
This year’s event starts with the top C! The inaugural Sunday concert presents two concertos for accordion penned by Maciej Zimka and Mikołaj Majkusiak – the latter was written especially for the occasion. The soloists are Maciej Zimka himself and Wiesław Ochwat, accompanied by the Sinfonietta Cracovia orchestra under the baton of Maciej Tworek.
The following day opens with a workshop of graphic scores led by Bożena Boba-Dyga and the acclaimed soprano Olga Szwajgier. We will also see an exhibition of drawings with a multimedia presentation, providing stage settings for Iwona Siwek-Front concert Sketches from Israel. The intermedia concert in the evening presents graphic scores created during the morning workshop, the improvisation Special Accordion Plejrek and a world premiere of Wojciech Blecharz’s Field 6 performed by the Sirius Accordion Quintet, Marek Chołoniewski’s Muzyka Centrum and GrupLab, Artur Lis – Video Art and Hashtag Ensemble from Warsaw.
The following day abounds with world premieres, penned especially for the occasion by composers including Wojciech Widłak and Marta Śniady from Poland, Volodymyr Runchak from Ukraine and Thomas Cornelius from Germany. Performers include Duo Accosphere, Sirius Accordion Quintet, Maciej Zimka, Paweł Janas, Wiesław Ochwat (accordions), Piotr Lato (clarinet), Maksymilian Lipień (oboe) and Damian Lipień (bassoon).
The concert at the brings together the Zimka and Ochwat accordion duo with the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kulig presenting a Baroque repertoire with compositions by Georg Philipp Telemann and Georg Friedrich Haendel, as well as a solo performance by Maciej halfway point of the festival Frąckiewicz presenting works by Polish composers Andrzej Krzanowski, Marcin Bortnowski and Aleksander Nowak.
The festival culminates on Thursday with a special treat for fans of early music. The Italian accordionist Giorgio Dellarole makes a welcome return to Kraków – his first visit since 1997! – to present a selection of preludes and fugues by J.S. Bach. The artist performs on an instrument built and tuned specially for this kind of music.
The programme also features plenty of lighter music for accordion. François Martineau (vocals, guitar) and Mateusz Gurgul (accordion) present chansons by Georges Brassens, Charles Aznavour, Jacques Brel and Riccardo Cocciante, alongside the best-known compositions by Grzegorz Turnau, Seweryn Krajewski, Zbigniew Wodecki and Zygmunt Konieczny in French translation.
On its penultimate day, the Kraków Accordion Festival heads to the Galician Town and the Sądecki Ethnographic Park in Nowy Sącz. Artists work with students from music schools from early morning at instrumental workshops, followed by two chamber concerts in the park’s stunning setting. We will hear two duos: accordion and flute (Wiesław Ochwat and Wiesław Suruło) and accordion and violin (Maciej Zimka and Maria Sławek).
The festival returns to Kraków for its gala finale, where the Manggha Museum welcomes the world-famous ensemble breaking all musical taboos: Motion Trio. The artists present a live improvisation accompanying Charlie Chaplin’s silent film The Kid; the event is the culmination of a competition for short films for accordion music. A review of nominated films and the award ceremony are held before the concert.
The programme of the Kraków Accordion Festival once again explores the extraordinary sound and repertoire range of the instrument and shows its relevance in myriad artistic spheres, not just music.
- Dr. Wiesław Ochwat
Accordionist and lecturer at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków. He regularly performs a variety of music styles. Multi-award winner of instrumental competitions in Poland and abroad. His other passion is working with young people.
photo by Klaudyna Schubert
The text was published in the 3/2022 issue of the “Kraków Culture” quarterly.
Further information on the festival: [CLICK]
