Letters from
Chopin to
Bartók
Two countries.
Two legacies.
One musical
dialogue.
Hungarian-Polish cultural relations have long enriched the historical friendship between the two nations. The newest chapter in this story is a project connecting Chopin and Bartók, using their works as a starting point to build an imaginary bridge across the ages through musical adaptation and improvisation. All participating jazz musicians look to these classical composers as role models and sources of inspiration.
CHOPIN × BARTÓK
× JAZZ
Kuba
Stankiewicz
Polish pianist Kuba Stankiewicz, a Berklee graduate, has achieved significant success in the United States and has performed with top Polish musicians ranging from Zbigniew Namysłowski to Anna Maria Jopek.
He describes himself as having always been a romantic soul; it is no surprise that one of his albums, recorded in Los Angeles with Peter Erskine, explores the standards of Victor Young.
He has also released an album dedicated to a Chopin song cycle featuring singer Inga Lewandowska.
His first album with Kornél Fekete-Kovács was released six years ago, and he also contributed to the global invitational composition cycle of the MAO titled Art of Virus, which was performed live in Hungary two years ago.
STANKIEWICZ –
FEKETE-KOVÁCS
QUINTET
The trumpeter and leader of the Modern Art Orchestra, Kornél Fekete-Kovács, and the Polish pianist plan to build upon their earlier adaptations of these great national composers, but the program at the Opus Jazz Club will be entirely new. Selected Chopin songs (Op. 47) will be presented in instrumental versions, alongside newly arranged melodies by Bartók from the Mikrokosmos cycle and his violin duets. Another key member of the quintet—who also contributes his own Bartók arrangements—is Kristóf Bacsó, arranger and saxophone section leader of the MAO. The quintet is completed by members of the MAO rhythm section: dynamic drummer László Csizi and master bassist József Barcza-Horváth.
Listen
now.
Stankiewicz – Fekete-Kovács Quintet
Letters from
Chopin to Bartók
Listen to the album on your favourite streaming platform.