Szymanowski Quartet

The Last Seven Words of Christ - Szymanowski Quartet

The concert is held as part of the “Lublin 1918-2018. Freedom Inspires Us” celebrations.

Agata Szymczewska - violin

Robert Kowalski - violin

Volodia Mykytka - viola

Marta Sudraba – cello

Sławomir Holland - narrator

“The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross” (German: Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze) is an orchestral work by Joseph Haydn, commissioned in 1786 for the Good Friday service at Oratorio de la Santa Cueva (Holy Cave Oratory) in Cádiz, Spain. Published in 1787 and performed then in Paris, Berlin and Vienna, the composer adapted it in 1787 for string quartet and in 1796 as an oratorio (with both solo and choral vocal forces), and he approved a version for solo piano.

The seven main meditative sections - labelled "sonatas" and all slow - are framed by a slow Introduction and a fast "Earthquake" conclusion, for a total of nine movements.

Founded in Warsaw in 1995, the Szymanowski Quartet has developed into one of the most exceptional international string quartets of its generation. Their sophisticated programs present a perfect balance between intellect and passion, characteristics that have captivated audiences at festivals and concert halls on all continents.

The ensemble performs throughout the world in major concert halls e.g. New York’s Carnegie Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein, The Szymanowski Quartet is a regular guest at prominent international festivals including Schleswig-Holstein and Rheingau, "Schubertiade" and Schwetzingen as well as Lockenhaus.

In 2008 the SQ founded the Lviv Chamber Music Festival at the UNESCO World Heritage site on the border between the Ukraine and Poland.

The Szymanowski Quartet has received numerous prizes and distinctions for its extraordinarily high standards. In 2005 the Karol Szymanowski Foundation in Warsaw bestowed on them the Szymanowski Award, the first time this award was given to a string quartet. In 2007, the Polish government awarded them a Medal of Honour for services to Polish culture.

In 2017 the Szymanowski Quartet presents two new recordings:

the Piano quintet of Dmitri Shostakovich with Michail Lifits for Decca Records and “Les Vendredis”, a collection of 16 miniatures for string quartet from Belaiev's legendary Fridays with the guest composers and friends: N. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Borodin, A. Liadov, A. Glazunov and many others, released on SWR Classic.

Along with standard classical-romantic repertoire, the Szymanowski Quartet’s strong commitment to contemporary music includes music by Krzysztof Penderecki, Sofia Gubaidulina, Magnus Lindberg, Myroslav Skoryk, Matan Porat and other composers, several of whom dedicated their works to the Quartet.

Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival took place, for the first time in history, in 1997 and commemorated the 170th anniversary of death of the creator of Symphony No. 9. It became a permanent and important element of the cultural life of Europe. Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe EFFE (Gent) appreciated its importance and admitted it to the Association in October 2001.

The programme of every edition of the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival (held for the first 7 years in Krakow, and since 2004 in Warsaw) is different and shows achievements of European music in an interesting and varied manner. Every edition shows the music of Beethoven from different perspectives and allows the listeners to perceive his inspirations, the impact of his music on creators from different eras and the place of Beethoven in the world of contemporary art and in contemporary world alike. The Festival concerts in are held as part of the “Lublin 1918-2018. Freedom Inspires Us” celebrations.