Although in 1999 Krakow joined the prestigious pantheon of Europe’s cultural capitals, the city’s disordered cultural life, especially its musical stage, still makes visitors (and at times also Cracovians) a bit confused. Newspapers and Internet websites merely mention the coming events, while the brief notes are written by dabblers whose sole task seems to be filling in the empty space under the headline ‘Culture’. In this article you will find a guide to both those annual musical events in Cracow which are a must and those which should be avoided. We hope that it will help you find your way through the labyrinth of Cracow’s musical life.
While in January most Europeans recollect the New Year’s party, Cracow, like any other place in Poland, has good fun and helps sick children together with Wielka Orkiestra Swietecznej Pomocy (charity action held annually to raise funds for hospitals). The highlight of the event is a great concert in the Main Square with the most popular Polish artists and bands as performers. At 20.00 people throughout Poland get together to take part in the happening called Swiatelko do Nieba (let’s send light to heaven), in which they light candles, torches and fireworks and thus symbolically send good Angels to heaven. What follows suit is good fun well into the night.
Wielka Orkiestra would not be a typically musical event were it not for the great jazz concert organised by Cracow’s artists and featuring the greatest Polish jazz stars. The concert is accompanied by an auction of valuable and unique objects. All of the money collected is spent to buy specialist medical equipment for children wards in hospitals. Here are some of the most distinguished jazz musicians who have taken part in Jazzowa Orkiestra so far: Lora Szafran, Ewa Bem, Jaroslaw Smietana, Wojciech Karolak, Jan „Ptaszyn” Wroblewski and many others.
April is the month of classical music. During Easter Cracovians and visitors can enjoy the Ludwig van Beethoven Festival. For more than ten days the House of the Cracow Philharmonic, the National Museum, the Cloth Hall, the Juliusz Slowacki Theatre and the Musical Academy reverberate both with the most popular and the less known works of Beethoven and other composers. Lovers of classical music will certainly choose something for themselves from among the many concerts of symphonic and chamber music as well as solo concertos. Those who appreciate well known names of soloists and conductors will also be satisfied. Among the many distinguished guests of the Festival the following stand out: Anne-Sophie Mutter, Rudolf Buchbinder, Matthias Hölle, Antoni Wit and others.
Famous as it is, the Festival lacks freshness and atmosphere. Its organisers seek pomp and famous names rather than truly virtuosic music. The numerous ads and billboards promoting the event have made the organisers forget that it is only through most profound intimacy that one can get in touch with real art. It is definitely a pity that the Festival does not promote young musicians, who often surprise with freshness, logic and translucence of interpretations, unlike some of the ‘celebrities,’ who seem not to be able to defend themselves against performers’ greatest enemy - routine. Naturally, I am not questioning the very need for the existence of the Festival. Yet, its organisers should think more about the audience, who, when leaving Easter tables, do not wish for a mass show in a flood of lights, but seek for contemplation and reflection.
The International Festival named Starzy i Mlodzi, czyli Jazz w Krakowie (the old and the young – jazz in Cracow), which is held towards the end of May, is a very interesting, though specific event. According to the formula of the Festival, ‘the young’ (students of jazz schools from all over the world) and ‘the old’ (jazz stars and teachers) play jazz together. Joint sessions give young people inspiration and let them have insight into their mentors’ creative mind and personality. Students perfect their skills under the guidance of such distinguished jazz musicians as Frank Gambale, Brad Terry, Michal Urbaniak, Jay Clayton.
Cracovians associate June with the Jewish Culture Festival, which offers a variety of cultural and artistic attractions. These include film presentations, Jewish dance workshops, practical classes of Jidish, lectures and workshops presenting different kinds of Jewish music: Klezmer, Chasidic, folk, Sephardic, jazz, etc. Traditionally, the Festival ends with a great Final Concert in Szeroka Street with Klezmer musicians from all over the world as its guests. Even rain cannot discourage thousands of spectators from dancing and having fun.
July is the month of jazz in Cracow. This is because of the Summer Jazz Festival in Piwnica pod Baranami, which lasts throughout the month. This year, apart from day-to-day concerts, jazz lovers were able to participate in the opening concert in the House of the Cracow Philharmonic, during which the Jazz Ram Award (Baranek Jazzowy) was granted. Enthusiasts of Jazz had also a chance to listen to four special concerts in the yard of Radio Kraków and an all-day-long plain-air concert in the Main Square entitled New Orleans Sunday. On the whole, 40 concerts were given and 200 artists performed, including: Urszula Dudziak, Jaroslaw Smietana, Michal Urbaniak, Tomasz Stanko, Wojciech Karolak, Janusz Muniak and others.
If you are planning to visit Cracow in the second half of August, we strongly recommend the Festival called Muzyka w Starym Krakowie (Music in the Old Cracow). The event consists of a series of concerts held in the city’s most beautiful interiors. The founder and artistic director of the Festival – Stanislaw Galonski (also the head of Capella Cracoviensis – the leading orchestra of the Festival), invites renowned Polish and foreign musicians, who represent a variety of music genres, ranging from medieval to contemporary. The performers who have participated in the Festival so far include: Gwendolyn Bradley, Emma Kirkby, Andrzej Hiolski, Paul Esswood, The Hilliard Ensemble. Also young and talented musicians are invited. The audience consists of both Polish and foreign music lovers.
Until recently also lovers of contemporary music had been able find something for themselves in Cracow. Since 1998 Cracow had been home to the Krzysztof Penderecki Festival, preceded by the International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition, also named after the composer. This year’s edition was supposed to be unique, as it was to commemorate Penderecki’s 70th birthday. Yet, on account of a conflict between the artistic director of the Festival – Elzbieta Penderecka (composer’s wife), and the organiser - Kraków 2000 Office, this year’s edition seems to be doomed. And although both the Pendereckis (dissappointed that their beloved city will not celebrate with them) and Kraków 2000 (who will have to face budget cuts) have a case, it will be music lovers who will suffer the greatest loss. What is more, the audience will lose sentiment for the institution and event which are in the centre of a conflict over money.
In early November, the Music of the Centre Association (Stowarzyszenie Muzyka Centrum), attached to the Academy of Music in Cracow, organises the Audio Art Festival. The event consists of a series of concerts, performances and presentations of audio installations whose authors use modern technology and the multimedia. The concerts are held in the Bücklein Theatre, the Goethe Institute and the Academy of Music. The head of the Festival, Marek Cholowniewski, not only invites well-known and experienced composers but also promotes young musicians. And although some of the ‘young lot’ put to many ‘inventions’ into one piece, thus making their music absolutely unbearable, Audio Art probably provides the only opportunity to listen to a good dose of electronic music in Cracow. The Festival should satisfy all these who are not keen on listening to music in concert halls, where no contact with the audience is established. During the concerts listeners often take active part in whatever is going on. This should be a change for those who are bored with the stiff etiquette of traditional concerts. The relaxed formula of the concerts also provides an opportunity to discover the secrets of electronic music.
The above description of Cracow’s cultural life is just a brief sketch. Certainly the way it looks now is not perfect. Although from time to time Cracow sees interesting events, the city authorities and organisers of musical events still seem to be entertaining the idea that Cracovians are too busy, tired and lazy, and tourists too much fascinated with the city’s night life, to think of going to concerts. Well, it’s a pity. Sometimes we need to put aside ‘classical’ forms of entertainment and try something new. In this respect Cracow has little to offer both for its inhabitants and visitors. The city definitely lacks a person who would come up with a good idea as to how to animate the city’s musical life and clean up the mess. We should not be too much pessimistic, though. After all, the situation is not too bad. Planning your visit to Cracow, you should consider sparing one night and going to one of Nigel Kennedy’s famous concerts or jam sessions. |