The work of Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz remains little known outside of Eastern Europe, where is both popular and critically acclaimed, but interest is developing. Situated somewhere between the raw experimentalism of Lutoslawski and the lushness of Szymanowski, these three violin concertos (she wrote seven), expertly performed by Polish violinist Joanna Kurkowicz, offer an excellent introduction to her music. We begin at the end, with Concerto No. 7 of 1965, the most dissonant and exciting of the pieces here, a thrilling, dense web of sounds based on a form of ‘sonorism’ (composing with tone colours) similar to that of Lutoslawski and early Penderecki. Bacewicz has the violin tug at a loose harmonic centre, creating fissures through which Kurkowicz pulls and teases, wrestling with the orchestra until it succumbs to her wishes, raucously. Interestingly this piece was adored in Belgium, where it received an award of the Belgian Government and Gold Medal at the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium International Competition for Composers.
Bacewicz was herself a professional violinist, and the more straightforward Violin Concertos No. 1 (1937) and 3 (1948) were both written for her to perform. The first explores French-influenced neoclassical modes reminiscent of Szymanowski, while No. 3 evokes the spiky rhythms of Bartok; both present novel dialogues for the soloist and orchestra to pursue. We also get her Overture of 1943, a sprightly war-time work, but this CD is really all about the stunning Concerto No. 7.
Joshua Meggitt
