Silesian String Quartet

Silesian String Quartet
OriginKatowice, Poland
GenresContemporary classical
OccupationChamber ensemble
Years active1978–present
MembersSzymon Krzeszowiec, violin
Arkadiusz Kubica, violin
Łukasz Syrnicki, viola
Piotr Janosik, cello
Past membersMarek Moś (original member, 1978–98), violin

The Silesian String Quartet is a string quartet founded in 1978 by the graduates of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland. Its current members are:

  • Szymon Krzeszowiec (violin I)
  • Arkadiusz Kubica (violin II)
  • Łukasz Syrnicki (viola)
  • Piotr Janosik (cello)

History

In 1978, graduates of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice founded the Silesian String Quartet. They participated in masterclasses with such artists as, among others, the musicians of the LaSalle Quartet, Amadeus, Juilliard, Smetana and Alban Berg string quartets.

In 1993, the Silesian Quartet launched an annual chamber music festival held under the motto "Silesian Quartet and its guests".

Since 2005, the Self-Government of Gliwice has been the patron of The Silesian String Quartet and the Music Theatre of Gliwice has been its partner.[1]

Performances

Festivals

The ensemble performed at numerous festivals, including: Berliner Musiktage, Time of Music in Viitasaari (Finland), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), West Cork Chamber Music Festival (Ireland), Festiv´Alpes in Grenoble (France), Inventionen in Berlin, Musicorama in Hong Kong, Festival de Saint-Denis in Paris, Wien Modern (Austria), EuroArt in Prague (Czech Republic), Contemporary Music Festival Melos-Etos in Bratislava (Slovakia), Musique de Amitié Festival in Biel, Bornholms-Musik Festival, Musikhost in Odense and the World Music Days in Amsterdam, Warsaw Autumn (Poland), Penderecki Festival in Kraków (Poland), Poznań Music Spring (Poland), the Polish Contemporary Music Festival in Wrocław (Poland), Tongyeong International Music Festival (South Korea).[2]

Concert halls

The Silesian String Quartet has given over 1000 concerts, attracting enthusiastic critical response, in many European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Hong Kong. It has appeared at some of the world's most prestigious concert halls including Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Konzerthaus in Vienna, Vredenburg in Utrecht, De Unie in Rotterdam, De Singel in Antwerp, Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Tivoli in Copenhagen, Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, Wigmore Hall in London, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Merkin Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City and Jordan Hall in Boston. The Silesian String Quartet also worked with radio stations in Germany (RIAS, SFB, WDR), the Netherlands (NOS), Greece and the Czech Republic.

Cooperation

The Silesian String Quartet performed with other eminent artists such as: Dmitri Ashkenazy, Andrzej Bauer, Eduard Brunner, Bruno Canino, Martin Frost, Stefan Kamasa, Jadwiga Kotnowska, Eugeniusz Knapik, Karri Krikku, Waldemar Malicki, Jerzy Marchwiński, Janusz Olejniczak, Piotr Pławner, Ewa Pobłocka, Ewa Podleś, Jadwiga Rappe, Hokan Rosengren, Jan Stanienda, Hary Sparnay, Wojciech Świtała, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Krystian Zimerman.

Repertoire

The Silesian String Quartet's repertoire includes over 300 pieces of chamber literature, of which almost 200 were written by 20th-century composers. More than 100 works, by Polish and foreign composers, were premiered by the Silesian String Quartet. These were, among other works:

  • Rafał Augustyn – String quartet no. 2 (with flute, 1983)
  • Stanisław Krupowicz – Only Beatrix (with tape, 1989)
  • Grażyna Krzanowska – String quartets nos. 2 and 3
  • Andrzej Krzanowski – Relief no. 9 (with tape, 1989), Reminiscenza B
  • Aleksander Lasoń – String quartets nos. 2, 6 and 7
  • Edward Sielicki – String quartet
  • Witold Szalonek – Inside? Outside? (with bass clarinet); Symphony of rituals (2002)
  • Paweł Szymański – Five pieces for string quartet (1992)
  • Eugeniusz Knapik – String quartet (1980)
  • VSTO [version 1] – String quartet (1989)

Awards and decorations

The Silesian Quartet was awarded many prizes at international musical competitions got a number of Polish awards and decorations, including:[3]

Discography

Year Album details Recorded works Label
2011 STALOWA WOLA GENERATION

Chamber music album of 6 CDs

Agata Zubel – soprano
Maria Grochowska – flute
Jadwiga Czarkowska – clarinet
Mirosław Neinert – reciting
Krzysztof Jaguszewski – percussion
Piotr Połaniecki – percussion
Michał Klauza – conductor
Witold Serafin – viola
Józef Gomolka – cello
Marek Moś – violin
Silesian String Quartet

Andrzej Krzanowski
Aleksander Lasoń
Eugeniusz Knapik
Music with string quartet

 Stowarzyszenie Musica Pro Bono

www.musicaprobono.org.pl

2010 ALEKSANDER TANSMAN

TOMBEAU DE CHOPIN
from trio to octet vol.2
Joanna Liberadzka – harp
Elżbieta Mrożek-Loska – viola
Krzysztof Firlus – double bass
Adam Krzeszowiec – cello
Jan Krzeszowiec – flute
Roman Widaszek – clarinet
Silesian String Quartet

 Aleksander Tansman:

Sextuor á cordes for 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos
Sonatina da camera for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp
Tombeau de Chopin for string quintet
Trois pieces for clarinet, harp and string quartet

 Stowarzyszenie Promocji Kultury im. Aleksandra Tansmana

www.tansman.lodz.pl

2010 RAFAŁ AUGUSTYN

DO UT DES MUSIC FOR AND WITH QUARTET
Agata Zubel – soprano
Jan Krzeszowiec – flute
Silesian String Quartet

 Rafał Augustyn:

String Quartet No.1
String Quartet No.2 with flute
Dedication for soprano & string quartet
Do ut des for string quartet
Grand jeté. Quartet No.2½ with electronics

 www.cdaccord.com.pl

www.universalmusic.pl
ACD 165-2

2010 STANISŁAW KRUPOWICZ – “TYLKO BEATRYCZE”

String quartets and computer
Silesian String Quartet

 Stanisław Krupowicz:

Goodbye variations on a theme by Mozart
Tylko Beatrycze (Only Beatrix)
Prolongement

 Musica Pro Bono Foundation

FMPB CD004

2009 GET STRING

Danish contemporary string quartets
Silesian String Quartet

JENS VOIGT-LUND: Circuitous, Mountains (1999)
MORTEN RIIS: getString (2009)
CHRISTIAN WINTHER CHRISTENSEN: String Quartet (2002–03)
MORTEN RIIS: fromString (2009)
JEXPER HOLMEN: Intend/Ascend (2000/02)
MORTEN RIIS: useString (2009)
SIMON STEEN-ANDERSEN: String Quartet (1999)
MORTEN RIIS: toString (2009)
SIMON CHRISTENSEN: Towards Nothingness (2008)
MORTEN RIIS: quitString (2009)

 dacapo

CD 8.226530

2009 STRING QUARTETS / POLAND ABROAD

Silesian String Quartet

 Joachim Mendelson (1897-1943):

String Quartet no.1
Roman Padlewski (1915-1944):
String Quartet no.2
Simon Laks (1901-1983):
String Quartet no.5

 www.eda-records.com

EDA 34

2008 ALEKSANDER TANSMAN – OD TRIA DO OKTETU

VOL. 1
Chamber works
Silesian String Quartet
Beata Bilińska – piano
Piotr Szymyślik – clarinet

 A. Tansman:

Suite divertissement for piano quartet
Musica a cinque for piano and string quartet
Musique a six for clarinet, piano and strine quartet
Musique for clarinet and string quartet

 Stowarzyszenie Promocji Kultury im. A. Tansmana

CD257

2008 ANDRZEJ DZIADEK – chosen works

Silesian String Quartet

 A. Dziadek:

String quartet no. 2

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD086

2008 HELENA TULVE – LIJNEN

Silesian String Quartet
various artists

 H. Tulve:

nec ros, nec pluvia... for string quartet

 ECM New Series

ECM 1955 476 6389
"Bestenliste der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" 03/2008

2008 HENRYK MIKOŁAJ GÓRECKI – STRING QUARTETS

Silesian String Quartet

 H. M. Górecki:

Already It Is Dusk, music for string quartet (String quartet no. 1) op. 62
Quasi una Fantasia (String quartet no. 2) op. 64
...songs are sung (String quartet no. 3) op.67

 EMI Music Poland

EMI 50999 2 36313 2 8

2008 ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI IN MEMORIAM

Silesian String Quartet
Agata Zubel – soprano

A. Krzanowski – Audition no. 6 for soprano and string quartet
W. Widłak – ”Sotto voce”, Five songs for mezzo-soprano and string quartet
R. Augustyn – Dedication for soprano and string quartet
A. Krzanowski – String quartet no. 1, version B
A. Lasoń – Relief for Andrzej

 Musica Pro Bono Foundation

FMPB CD003

2007 ALEKSANDER LASOŃ

Silesian String Quartet

 A. Lasoń:

String quartet no. 1
String quartet no. 3
String quartet no. 7

Musica Pro Bono Foundation

FMPB CD001

2006 PAWEŁ SZYMAŃSKI

CHAMBER WORKS
Silesian String Quartet
Krzysztof Jaguszewski – vibraphone
Roman Widaszek – clarinet

 P. Szymański:

Five pieces for string quartet
Compartment 2, Car 7 for string trio and vibraphone
Two pieces for string quartet
Recalling a Serenade for clarinet and string quartet
A Photo from the Birthday Party (The Silesian String Quartet with a Shadow of Bartók)

 EMI Music Poland

EMI 0946 3 84393 2 5

2006 ALEKSANDER LASOŃ

Silesian String Quartet

 A. Lasoń:

String quartet no. 5 ”Five and a half of a string quartet”
String quartet no. 6
20 for 4

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD076

2005 REPUBLIQUE

Silesian String Quartet


CD of the Year 2005 – Award of the "Hi-fi Muzyka" Magazine
CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award

 songs composed by Grzegorz Ciechowski

arranged by Stefan Sendecki

 EMI Music Poland

EMI 0946 3 46038 2 9

2005 WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI / WITOLD SZALONEK

Silesian String Quartet
Michał Górczyński – bass clarinet

 W. Lutosławski:

String quartet
W. Szalonek:
Inside? – Outside? for bass clarinet and string quartet
Chaconne-Fantaisie for violin solo

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD069

2004 ERNEST CHAUSSON

Bruno Canino – piano
Piotr Pławner – violin
Silesian String Quartet

 E. Chausson:

Concerto in D major op. 21 for piano, violin and string quartet
String quartet in c minor op. 35

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD062

2004 ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI / ANDRZEJ PANUFNIK

Silesian String Quartet
Dominik Połoński – cello
Elżbieta Mrożek – viola

 A. Krzanowski:

Relief no. 5 for cello solo
Reminiscenza for string quartet, version B
String quartet
A. Panufnik:
"Trans Of Thought" for string sextet
"Song To The Virgin Mary" for string sextet

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD065

2003 SALON BIELAJEWA

Silesian String Quartet

A. Glazunov – Waltz from "Novelettes" op.15
A. Glazunov – Preludio e Fuga
N. Arcybuszew – Serenade
J. Wihtol – Menuet
M. d'Osten-Sacken – Berceuse
A. Liadow – Mazurka
N. Sokolov – Scherzo
A. Liadow – Sarabande
A. Borodin – Scherzo
A. Glazunov – Courante
A. Liadow – Fuga
N. Sokołow, A. Głazunow, A. Liadow – Polka

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD048

2003 MAX E. KELLER

Silesian String Quartet

 Max E. Keller:

2 String Quartet (1995)

 Musiques Suisses/Grammont Portrait

MGB CTS-M 84

2003 DANCES ...AND AFTER DANCES

Silesian String Quartet

CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award

 Dances:

Joseph Haydn – String Quartet D- minor Op. 103
Alexander Glasunow – Valse from "Novelettes" op.15
Anatoly Liadow – Mazurka
Alexander Glazunov – Courante
Anton Webern – Rondo
Dmitri Shostakovich – Polka: Allegretto (1931)
John Cage – Quodlibet
Igor Stravinsky – Dance from "Trois Pieces"
Astor Piazzolla – Four, for Tango
...and after dances:
Giacomo Puccini – Chrysanthemen
Ludwig van Beethoven – Prelude and Fugue in C Major
Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov – Fugue "Im Kloster"
Hugo Wolf – Italian Serenade in G Major WW XV/3
Anatoly Liadow – Fugue
Franz Schubert – Quartet Movement in C Minor
Krzysztof Penderecki – String Quartet No.2

 C&P POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A

PRK CD 054

2003 ANDRZEJ PANUFNIK / ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI

Silesian String Quartet

CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award

 A. Panufnik:

String quartet no. 1
String quartet no. 2
String quartet no. 3
A. Krzanowski:
Relief IX ”Scottish” for string quartet and tape

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD056

2003 WITOLD SZALONEK

Silesian String Quartet

 W. Szalonek:

1+1+1+1 per 1-4 strumenti ad arco
/version for violin and cello/
Symphony of rituals for string quartet
1+1+1+1 per 1-4 strumenti ad arco
/version for string quartet/

 Polskie Radio Katowice

PRK CD058

2001 GENERATION '51

Silesian String Quartet

Aleksander Lasoń – String Quartet No 2 (1987)
Andrzej Krzanowski – String Quartet No 2 (1978)
Eugeniusz Knapik – String Quartet (1980)

 POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A.

PRK CD027

2001 CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY

Silesian String Quartet

Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet in F-minor op.95 "Serioso"
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – String Quartet in F-minor op.80
Aleksander Lasoń – String Quartet No.4 "Tarnogórski"

POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A.

PRK CD042

2000 FRYDERYK CHOPIN:

Piano concerto No. 1
Kornelia Ogórkówna – piano
Silesian String Quartet

 Fryderyk Chopin:

Piano concerto No 1 E-minor op.11

 RECITAL COMPANY PRODUCTIONS (BELGIUM)

RCP 011

1999 GRAŻYNA BACEWICZ

Silesian String Quartet
Wiaczesław Nowikow – piano
and other artists

 Grażyna Bacewicz:

Piano Quintet No.1 (1952)

 C&P POLSKIE RADIO S.A. WARSZAWA

PRCD 126

1998 MINIATURES OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Silesian String Quartet

Charles Ives – Scherzo (1903–04)
Anton Webern:
Langsamer Satz (1905)
Rondo (1906)
Sechs Bagatellen Op.9 (1913)
Igor Stravinski:
Trois Pieces (1914)
Concertino (1920)
Double Canon (1959)
John Cage – Quodlibet (1950)
Dmitri Shostakovich – Elegy, Polka (1931)
Alfred Schnittke – Canon in memoriam
Henryk Czyż – Jazz etude
Krzysztof Penderecki:
Quartetto per archi No.2 (1968)
Der Unterbrochene Gedanke (1988)
Astor Piazzolla – For, for Tango (1987)

 POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A.

PRK 028

1998 THE MAGIC OF FUGUE

Silesian String Quartet


CD nominated for the "Fryderyk" Award


Ludwig van Beethoven:
Prelude and fugue in F major
Prelude and fugue in C major
F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – Fugue op. 81
E. Grieg – Fugue in F minor
Ludwig van Beethoven – Prelude and fugue in F minor for two violins and cello
Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov – Fugue "Im Kloster"
A. Liadow – Fuga Mykolajus Ciurlionis – Fugue in F sharp minor
Ludwig van Beethoven – Prelude and fugue in B flat minor for a string quintet
Jean Sibelius – Fugue for Martin Wegelius
Alexander Glazunov – Prelude and fugue
Ludwig van Beethoven – The Great Fugue op. 133

 POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A.

PRK 038

1997 KAROL SZYMANOWSKI, WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI:

STRING QUARTETS
Silesian String Quartet


"Fryderyk" Award for the best chamber music album of 1997;
Award "CD of the year" of the "STUDIO" Magazine

 Karol Szymanowski:

String Quartet No. 1
String Quartet No. 2
Witold Lutosławski:
String Quartet

 CD ACCORD

ACD 037

1997 STEFAN WOLPE

Silesian String Quartet
and other artists

 Stefan Wolpe:

String Quartet (1969)

 CPO 999 090-2
1997 MINIATURES

Silesian String Quartet


CD nominated to the "Fryderyk" Award

J. Haydn – String Quartet D- minor Op. 103
W. A. Mozart – Adagio and Fuge in C- minor, KV546
F. Schubert – Quartettsatz c- moll, D 703
F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – Tema con variazioni Op. 81
A. Liadow – Sarabande
A. Borodin – Serenata alla spagnola
G. Puccini – Chrysanthemen
S. Rachmaninoff – String Quartet No I
H. Wolf – Italian Serenade in G- major WW XV/3

 POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A.

PRK 021

1997 JOHANNES BRAHMS – JULIUSZ ZARĘBSKI:

PIANO QUINTETS
Paweł Kowalski – piano
Silesian String Quartet


CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award

Johannes Brahms:

Piano quintet in F minor op. 34
Juliusz Zarębski:
Piano quintet in G minor op. 34

 POLSKIE NAGRANIA
1995 EMSDETTENER TOTENTANZ

Silesian String Quartet
and other artists

 William Thomas McKinley:

Emsdettener Totentanz

 MMC Recordings

MMC 2046

1995 VI SILESIAN DAYS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC 1994

Silesian String Quartet

 Andrzej Krzanowski:

Reminiscenza b for a string quartet

 ZKP / Katowice

ZKP KE 001

1994 FESTIVAL MUSIQUE ET AMITIE

Silesian String Quartet
and other artists

 Claude Debussy:

Quatuor en sol mineur, Op.10
(live recording)

 R&C SONORIS RECORDS

SCD 105

1994 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Silesian String Quartet

 W. A. Mozart:

Divertimento D- major KV 136
String Quartet G- major KV 387
String Quartet B- major KV 458

 POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE

PRK 008

1994 ZYGMUNT KRAUZE

Silesian String Quartet

 Zygmunt Krauze:

Quatuor a cordes No.3
Stone Music for piano
Quatuor a cordes No.2
Quintette pour piano

 THESIS PARIS

TH 82059

1994 KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI:

MUSICA DA CAMERA
Silesian String Quartet

 Krzysztof Penderecki:

Quartetto per archi No.1
Quartetto per archi No.2
Streichtrio
Der unterbrochene Gedanke

 WERGO SCHALPLATTEN GMBH MAINZ

WER 6258-2

1995 HENRYK MIKOŁAJ GÓRECKI

Silesian String Quartet

 Henryk Mikołaj Górecki:

Sonata, Op. 10, for Two Violins
Genesis I – Elementi per tre archi
String Quartet No.1, Already It is Dusk, Op.62
String Quartet No.2, Quasi una Fantasia, Op. 64

 OLIMPIA COMPACT DISCS Ltd.& SOUND-POL WARSAW

OCD 375

1992 STRAVINSKY & SZYMANOWSKI:

COMPLETE WORKS FOR STRING QUARTET

Silesian String Quartet

 Karol Szymanowski:

String Quartet No.1
String Quartet No.2
Igor Stravinski:
Trois pieces
Concertino
Double Canon

 PARTRIGE B.V. THE NETHERLANDS

1138-2

1992 ALEKSANDER TANSMAN:

COMPLETE MUSIC FOR STRING QUARTET

Silesian String Quartet

 CD 1.:

Aleksander Tansman:
String Quartet No.2
String Quartet No.3
String Quartet No.4
String Quartet No.5
CD 2.:
Aleksander Tansman
Triptyque String Quartet No.6
String Quartet No.7
String Quartet No.8

 ETCETERA RECORDS B.V.AMSTERDAM

KTC 2017

References

  1. ^ "Kwartet Šl±ski - the Silesian String Quartet". Archived from the original on 2012-01-01. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  2. ^ Culture.pl. "Silesian Quartet - Biography | Artist". Culture.pl. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  3. ^ "Awards and Distinctions".