The Music of the Silver Screen - Polska Orkiestra Sinfonia Iuventus

It was in the 19th century that the idea of music as a medium for images, narratives and symbols – capable of telling stories, building dramatic tension and evocatively influencing the listener's imagination – took full shape. This aesthetic, developed especially in opera overtures and symphonic poems, found a natural extension in film music in the 20th century. The overture to Gioacchino Rossini's William Tell is a prime example of musical narration: from an idyllic picture of nature, through a violent storm, to a triumphant finale. We find a similar power of suggestion in Paul Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice – a brilliant symphonic scherzo in which masterful orchestration and emotional crescendo perfectly capture the grotesque nature of Goethe's ballad about a magic apprentice who lost control of his enchanted broomstick. The famous symphonic works featured in the concert programme have been used many times on the big screen. This kind of compositional imagination finds its continuation in film music. The work of John Williams, one of the most outstanding and influential film composers in history, occupies a special place in this context. Composer of music for over a hundred films, five-time Oscar winner and record holder in terms of the number of nominations (over 50!), Williams is beloved for his extraordinary ability to create memorable themes and his masterful, colourful orchestration. His music for the Harry Potter film series builds a world of magic and fantasy using clear motifs and colourful instrumental textures, while the Star Wars symphony, with its heroic fanfares, lyrical themes and expressive drama, has become an icon of music that co-creates cinematic emotions, repeatedly imitated since.

The music written for the films of the great Polish director Andrzej Wajda occupies a special place in the concert. With his versatile talent, Andrzej Korzyński perfectly captured the atmosphere of this extraordinary tale of love and death in Brzezina. Wojciech Kilar's film scores for such masterpieces as The Promised Land and Pan Tadeusz have become widely recognised, becoming autonomous musical works in their own right. The year 2026 has been designated the Year of Andrzej Wajda by the Polish Senate to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth (6 March 1926) and the 10th anniversary of the death (9 October 2016) of one of Poland's most outstanding film directors.

The work of outstanding film music composers proves that music written for cinema can achieve the highest artistic level and successfully function on concert stages. From the romantic visions of Rossini and Dukas to the symphonic frescoes of Kilar and Williams, there is an unbroken line of thinking about music as the art of storytelling – evocative, emotional and communicative, which is why it is so widely admired and loved by listeners.

The Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra will be conducted by its director, Wojciech Rodek.