"Rhapsody on Jewish Themes" by Mieczysław Wajnberg announces the album "TIKTIN" recorded in the synagogue in Tykocin

Composed in 1949 by Mieczysław Wajnberg, 'Rhapsody on Jewish Themes op. 47' announces the album by Maria Sławk, Lutosławski Quartet, and Tomasz Januchta titled 'TIKTIN'. The material for the album was recorded during a concert at the Great Synagogue in Tykocin. In addition to the music of this Polish-Jewish composer, the album will also feature works by Andrzej Panufnik and Johann Sebastian Bach. The album 'TIKTIN' will be released on March 22 this year.

Joyful, full of vigor, referencing Jewish and Balkan folklore, 'Rhapsody on Jewish Themes' is one of Wajnberg's most famous works. This incredibly captivating piece, not devoid of a klezmer touch, resonated in the Great Synagogue in Tykocin – one of the most important monuments of Jewish culture in Poland – on October 22, 2023. Now, thanks to the most popular streaming platforms, listeners around the world can enjoy the recorded performance of that evening.

'For many years, I have been trying to popularize the work of Polish-Jewish composers, telling stories about Jewish history, music, and culture. Last year's autumn evening at the Great Synagogue in Tykocin was an emotional experience not only for me and the wonderful musicians accompanying me but also for the audience gathered in this exceptional place,' says Maria Sławk, violinist and initiator of the 'TIKTIN' project.

'This album would not have been possible without the support of several dozen people who decided to help realize my dream through an online fundraising campaign. I am very grateful to them. Thanks to them, the recordings made at that time can reach a wider audience,' adds the artist.

The music production is handled by Tomasz Lida. The album 'TIKTIN' will be released on March 22, 2024, under the Orphée Classics label. The single announcing the album is available on streaming platforms: li.sten.to/tiktin-rhapsody

ARTISTS:

MARIA SŁAWEK
Performs solo, chamber music, teaches, is a curator and initiator of many artistic events, co-founder and president of the Mieczysław Wajnberg Institute, and holds a habilitation doctorate in arts. She was born and raised in Gdańsk, studied and taught in Kraków, and currently lives and works in Warsaw. She performs both on large philharmonic stages and in small courtyards, bookstores, and art studios.
In addition to playing the violin, she is also involved in the history of Jewish music, collaborating academically with the POLIN Museum and the Jewish Historical Institute. Since 2011, she has been playing, researching, recording, and popularizing the work of Mieczysław Wajnberg.
'TIKTIN' is her third solo album, following the sonatas of Mieczysław Wajnberg recorded with Piotr Różański (CD Accord, 2015) and the album 'Rejoice' with Marcin Zdunik (CD Accord, 2019). Maria Sławek was an artist-in-residence at the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Kraków, a scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, and the capital city of Warsaw. She teaches students at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. She is also the initiator and curator of a series of micro-concerts in historical art studios in Warsaw.
She plays on a violin by R.& M. Millant (Paris, 1961).

LUTOSŁAWSKI QUARTET
Roksana Kwaśnikowska (violin) / Marcin Markowicz (violin) / Artur Rozmysłowicz (viola) / Maciej Młodawski (cello)
Founded in 2007, the Lutosławski Quartet is one of the most influential Polish string quartets. Performing worldwide, the ensemble is particularly valued for its unconventional approach to repertoire and building a new dimension of chamber music.
The Lutosławski Quartet has performed at prestigious festivals such as the Warsaw Autumn and Klarafestival. They collaborate with outstanding artists from the classical and jazz music worlds and record for renowned labels such as Naxos and DUX.
Their main area of interest is 20th and 21st-century music, with particular emphasis on the works of Polish composers (Lutosławski, Szymanowski, and Mykietyn), as well as pieces written specifically for the ensemble.
The Lutosławski Quartet is an ensemble of the National Forum of Music named after Witold Lutosławski (NFM) in Wrocław.

TOMASZ JANUCHTA
Bass player of the Grand Theatre – National Opera. As a chamber musician, he has performed at the most important music festivals in Poland. As a scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, he realized the project 'Forgotten Transcription – Tadeusz Pelczar's arrangement of J.S. Bach's cello suites for double bass', during which he recorded and published online all of J.S. Bach's cello suites in this arrangement. He is a member of avant-garde music groups such as STOP, ZPT, INLY TOUCH. Whenever the weather permits, he improvises on the double bass in the streets.