Celebration of Mazurkas

Sunday, April 7, 2013 @ 1:30pm

Polish Hall
3832 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97227

Fine regional pianists: Colleen M Adent, Anne D Young, Christopher Schindler; perform mazurkas of three immortal Polish composers: Fryderyk Chopin, Karol Szymanowski, Roman Maciejewski.

Poland's most distinctive music is as sweet as its finest dessert; Mazur and Mazurek, respectively (Mazurka in English); baked only at Easter time. The weekend following Easter this year, we'll be enjoying both at Polish Hall - admission: $10, all inclusive (entertainment and desserts).
Mazurek cakes, baked in local Polish kitchens, will be served with coffee and tea. Selected fine Polish liqueurs will be available (in moderation, of course) at Grandpas' cafe, in the lower level of Polish Hall.

The musical mazurka (in Polish, mazurek ) traditionally accompanies a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, accented on the second or third beat, though there are slower, more lyrical ones as well. Show opens with a brief introduction by  University of Portland Professor Kenneth Kleszynski and includes a cameo appearance by Agnieszka Laska Dancers - a few pieces from the Chopin Project.

Those joining the celebration will be treated to mazurkas by 3 immortal Polish composers: Fryderyk Chopin, (best known), Karol Szymanowski (less well known) and Roman Maciejewski, (least known). His mazurkas, from a 2-volume collection of 39, are very likely Portland concert premieres. Maciejewski was born exactly 100 years after Chopin, was highly acclaimed by Szymanowski, a student of Kaimierz Sikorski and Nadia Boulanger; he is best known from his monumental Requiem for victims of war.