Record Reviews

BARTOSZ GLOWACKI ~ GENESIS DUX 1585 (Barcode: 5902547015859) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish (based in London) accordionist Bartosz GlowackiFind albums by this artist. Most of the music is performed on solo accordion, except for the last piece which also includes guitar and string orchestra. The repertoire includes works by such diverse composers as Domenico ScarlattiFind albums by this artist, Jean Philippe RameauFind albums by this artist, Vaclav TrojanFind albums by this artist, Sofia GubaidulinaFind albums by this artist, Arvo PartFind albums by this artist, Victor VlasovFind albums by this artist and finally Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist – from Baroque via Avant-Garde to Tango. The music is absolutely delightful and taking into account the fact that these compositions are very rarely performed and even more so get recorded, this is a wonderful opportunity to get exposed to some exquisite non-trivial music. Glowacki´s playing is also extraordinary, and he seems to overcome effortlessly the many challenges involved with performing this often difficult music. His tone follows the mood of the compositions, always with great taste and true artistry, placing the much neglected accordion in the center of the listener´s attention and paying tribute to its full glory as an instrument. For accordion connoisseurs this album is an absolute must, but any serious music lover should be able to discover these little known gems, which deserve to be cherished. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 16/01/2020Posted: 16/01/2020

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KASIA KADLUBOWSKA / DOMINIK BUKOWSKI ~ TRANSIENT DUX 1221 (Barcode: 5902547012216) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2012 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish marimba player / composer Kasia KadlubowskaFind albums by this artist recorded in a duo format with renown Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, two of which are original compositions (one each) by Kadlubowska and Bukowski and the rest are by contemporary Classical composers like Terry RileyFind albums by this artist, Philip GlassFind albums by this artist, Steve ReichFind albums by this artist, Arvo PartFind albums by this artist, Eric SatieFind albums by this artist and American marimba player / composer Paul SmadbeckFind albums by this artist. As the names of the composers suggest, the music is mostly contemporary Classical Music, with belongs to the Minimal Music idiom. Although most of the music was not originally written for marimba or vibraphone, it was arranged and transcribed for these instruments by Kadlubowska and Bukowski. Marimba and vibraphone, although both percussion instruments, are of course capable of playing melody and harmony, which means that the music offers a lot of melodic content, kept within the limitations of Minimal Music, which calls for slowly developing themes and cyclic repetition. It can be quite demanding on the listener, who is not a priori a fan of the genre, but it is great for relaxation and meditation, in addition to its strictly musical values. Both Kadlubowska and Bukowski play with incredible feeling and obvious virtuosity, and despite the intrinsic lethargy of the music, the albums offers a diversified listening experience to open-minded listeners. Minimal Music has its fans around the world and enjoyed a peak of popularity during the New Age explosion between the 1970s and 1990s, but a steady interest in it remains in the Classical field over the years. Bukowski’s appearance on this album, which is rather unexpected since his main field of activity if Jazz, proves his diversity and well schooling, as well as highly aesthetic approach to music in general. The two original composition stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with the well-known Classical material, adding another level of credibility to this album. I have no idea why it took seven years for this album to arrive on my operating table, but as usual better late than never, as it is definitely worth exploring and a great fun to listen to.

Updated: 23/05/2021Posted: 23/05/2021

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend