This year’s Warsaw Autumn, with the leitmotif of “permeations,” provides an excellent opportunity to explore interacting musical worlds.

The main idea for this concert is to show how early music can inspire contemporary composers and how modern techniques can enrich traditional sounds. Contemporary music often refers to early music, as shown by composers such as Paweł Szymański and Francesco Filidei, who draw on Baroque, Renaissance, and Classical conventions. Many contemporary compositions refer to these traditions, creating interpenetrating sound worlds. 

The {oh!} Orkiestra, led by the excellent Martyna Pastuszka, is one of the best ensembles in its field. What Martyna has achieved is a true phenomenon on a worldwide, and certainly European, scale. With such an excellent group of musicians, we decided to use their talent and showcase the ensemble at Warsaw Autumn. Early music scores are often not very specific, as much depended on the performance tradition which was not written down in detail. In contemporary music, direct contact with composers is an invaluable experience for musicians. Our aim was to create a space where composers could work directly with the ensemble, allowing them to become more familiar with the specificity of early instruments. We wanted them to work together in a workshop, in order to generate a better understanding and use of ancient instrumentation. 

Contemporary sound explorations, including microtonality, are extremely inspiring. The old temperament and tuning systems, replaced over time by the twelve-tone system, are again becoming a focus for composers. Experimenting with different temperament systems, as Krzysztof Penderecki or Paweł Mykietyn did, shows that the blending of ancient and modern practices allows for the development of new, fascinating sounds. 

This concert also responds to a longing for the past that often appears in music. This yearning can relate to specific musical references as well as to broader historical and cultural contexts. Each composer is completely free to express his or her feelings and beliefs. 

The variety of approaches to the subject promises to be a special event. Each piece contributes something different, and together they form a unique whole. We believe that both the experience of the ensemble and the creativity of the composers will create a concert that is not only unique, but also inspiring. 

Krzysztof Wołek, curator of the concert