Grzegorz Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op.16 Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra & Łukasz Borowicz

• Grzegorz Fitelberg (1897 - 1953): Symphony in E minor, Op. 16:
• 1 Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op. 16: Andante - Allegro agitato 08:41
• 2 Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op. 16: Andante 08:46
• 3 Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op. 16: Scherzo. Presto 04:25
• 4 Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op. 16: Finale. Allegro agitato 05:39
• Total Runtime 27:31

Info for Grzegorz Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op.16

Symphony in E-minor, Op. 16 by Grzegorz Fitelberg is the latest world phonographic premiere by Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded on 6 October 2023 during a concert at A. Mickiewicz University Auditorium, recording of the piece conducted by Łukasz Borowicz.

This is what Łukasz Borowicz writes about Grzegorz Fitelberg and his symphony:

“Grzegorz Fitelberg was a person of many parts: an illustrious conductor, tireless promoter of his contemporaries’ art, and one of the pillars of the Młoda Polska, or Young Poland movement in music. (…) Written in 1904, Symphony in E minor, op. 16 premiered at the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1907. For decades, however, the piece was to languish in obscurity. (…) [its] modern-day record premiere closes an undeniably serious gap in Polish phonography. It is also a reminder that Fitelberg’s piece constitutes a very important link in the process of development of Polish symphonic music; together with early works by Mieczysław Karłowicz and Karol Szymanowski, it provides a meaningful contribution to its overall picture.”

Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra
Łukasz Borowicz, conductor

Łukasz Borowicz
Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Poznań Philharmonic, Principal Guest Conductor of the Cracow Philharmonic. One of the most versatile conductors of his generation, Łukasz Borowicz regularly leads the major European orchestras in the core Germanic repertoire as well as important Central and Eastern-European works. He conducts opera and has received numerous prizes for his over 120 recordings. From 2007 to 2015 he was Chief Conductor of the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw, and from 2006 to 2021 he was Principal Guest Conductor of the Poznań Philharmonic.

In the 23/24 season Borowicz debuts with Israel Chamber Orchestra and returns for concerts and recordings to Teatro Real, PKF – Prague Philharmonia, DSO Berlin, L’Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie, Basque National Orchestra, Pardubice Chamber Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice), Szczecin Philharmonic, and Teatr Wielki – National Opera of Poland (world premiere of the opera Dead End by Krzysztof Meyer).

In the 2020-2023 seasons Borowicz made his debuts with Israel Philharmonic, Orquestra Titular del Teatro Real (Madrid), Chœur de l’Opéra national du Rhin, Orchestre symphonique de Mulhouse, Brandenburger Symphoniker and returned to WDR Sinfonieorchester, Staatskapelle Halle, Orchestre National de Lillle, L’Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie, PKF -Prague Philharmonia, Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra (Ostrava) among others.

Łukasz Borowicz has appeared as guest conductor and recorded with London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Paris Opera (Les Huguenots), Akademie für Alte Musik, RIAS Kammerchor, SWR Sinfonieorchester, Bamberger Symphoniker. Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Hamburger Symphoniker, MDR Sinfonieorchester, Luzerner Symfonieorchester, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group and a number of other orchestras and ensembles, including all the major Polish symphonies. He has led concerts at the Rossini Festival in Pesaro, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and Kissinger Sommer Festival, and has an ongoing relationship with the Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw, which has seen twenty rarely played operas performed to date.

Borowicz made his operatic debut at Polish National Opera with Don Giovanni, which has been followed by over 190 performances at the house including several premieres. Recent opera premieres include a new production of Moniuszko’s Halka at the Theater an der Wien and the Teatr Wielki – National Opera of Poland as well as Janacek’s Journal d’un disparu and de Falla’s El amor brujo at the Opéra national du Rhin.

Borowicz’s recordings have been awarded four Diapason d’Or prizes. Symphonic recordings include the complete Violin Concertos by Grażyna Bacewicz (Chandos), the Complete Symphonic Works by Andrzej Panufnik (cpo), and several titles for Hyperion. The final installment of the Panufnik cycle was selected as an Editor’s Choice by Gramophone magazine, and Borowicz received the ICMA Special Achievement Award in 2015 for his pioneering work on the cycle. In 2018 he received another ICMA award for his recording of Quo Vadis by Feliks Nowowiejski (cpo). His collaboration with Piotr Beczała on Deutsche Grammophon’s recording Heart’s delight – Songs of Richard Tauber was met with wide critical and public praise. Recent DVD of Moniuszko’s Halka (Unitel) was awarded Critic’s Choice of the Opera News (July 2022). Ongoing recording projects include release of Hugo Alfven’s Complete Symphonies with the DSO Berlin as well as Bacewicz’s Complete Symphonic Works with WDR Sinfonieorchester (cpo).

Born in Warsaw in 1977, Łukasz Borowicz graduated from the Frederic Chopin Music Academy, where he studied under Bogusław Madey. He has received the Polityka Passport Award (2008), Coryphée of Polish Music Award (2011), Norwid Award (2013) and Tansman Prize honouring an outstanding musical personality (2014) as well as Honorary Award of Polish Composers Union (2021).

Łukasz Borowicz is a Professor of the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow.

Booklet for Grzegorz Fitelberg: Symphony in E minor, Op.16