Mariusz Godlewski; Radoslaw Kurek - Stanislaw Moniuszko: Piesni (Songs) Volume 2

Songs represent a crucial strand to the output of Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819�1872). The PWM Music Encyclopaedia gives a detailed list of more than three hundred works. On closer inspection, however, we see that Moniuszko himself, in the very titles, defined a large bundle of them as piesni and a somewhat smaller group as piosnki (the term piosnki sielskie, translating as 'idyllic' or 'rustic songs' was common at that time).

We can find analogies here with the German terms gesang and lied, and the French m�lodie and chanson.

Yet the distinction that automatically arises is misleading: not all of Moniuszko's piesni are serious works, and not all of his piosnki are lighter and humorous. In private, he called his songs piosenki, and he also used the widespread term spiewy.

In selecting the songs for their second Moniuszko disc (after NIFCCD112), baritone Mariusz Godlewski and pianist Radoslaw Kurek sought works which, even if representing smaller vocal forms, were closer to the category of piesni in terms of theirsemantic weight and their musical and literary qualities.

The authorship of Adam Mickiewicz constitutes an indisputable value in that respect.

The large collection of piesni on this disc is very varied; the collection includes also four vocal miniatures penned for the theatre. He left a wealth of songs and ditties to posterity. A gifted pianist himself, Moniuszko sometimes accompanied singers performing his works.

Today we can imagine how that sounded, as the pianistRadoslaw Kurek accompanies Mariusz Godlewski on this disc on anhistorical Erard instrument from Moniuszko's times.