How was the Philharmonic established?
1945-1953
The first steps contributing to the creation of the Philharmonic took place right after the end of hostilities in 1945. In June, Roman Kuklewicz began the formation and first rehearsals of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra in Sopot. The first concert inaugurating the activities of the Baltic Philharmonic took place on September 29 in the Catholic House Hall in Sopot. The 35-piece orchestra was conducted by Zbigniew Turski, and the program included works by Chopin and Moniuszko. In 1945 alone, the orchestra gave sixteen concerts with nine programs, conducted by the then director Zbigniew Turski, Bohdan Wodiczko, Jan Łukaszewicz, Stefan Śledziński and Zygmunt Latoszewski. The Baltic Philharmonic operated at the Municipal Board in Sopot, and later at the Gdańsk Music Society. Concerts took place in Sopot (Forest Opera), Gdańsk (Miniatura Theater, Wybrzeże Theater) and Gdynia (City Theater).
From the beginning of 1946, the government covered the institution's operating costs, which provided more lasting foundations for the future.
By 1949, the orchestra had grown to 81 members and was considered one of the best orchestras in Poland. Following this, in recognition of its high level, the orchestra was nationalized in April 1949 and was named the Baltic State Philharmonic. The year 1953 was another step in the history of the Philharmonic, when it merged with the Opera Studio under the management of Zygmunt Latoszewski and adopted the name of the Baltic State Opera and Philharmonic.
As the Baltic State Opera and Philharmonic
1953-1974
The new POiFB institution was artistically directed by Kazimierz Wiłkomirski, and Tadeusz Rybowski was its director until 1970. At that time, the orchestra had two purposes: symphonic and operatic. The main message of integration was the rapid development of opera performances and organizational and financial considerations. However, the benefits were ad hoc and short-lived, and it took over 20 years for a significant decision to be made. In the early 70s, the need to create a second orchestra and the division of symphonic and opera competences in the state Opera and the Baltic Philharmonic finally came to fruition.
Young Philharmonic
The organization of the "young philharmonic" was undertaken by Zygmunt Rychert, a young assistant to Witold Rowicki, and later the long-time artistic director of the Baltic Philharmonic. The inaugural concert of the Gdańsk Symphony Orchestra (January 1975) began a year of intensive work, which culminated in the orchestra being entrusted with exclusive symphonic activities, leaving the existing POiFB orchestra to perform opera and ballet performances. Over the following years, the cooperation of the young conductor and the orchestra gained recognition among critics and music lovers not only in Poland but also abroad.
The artistic image of the orchestra crystallized during philharmonic and festival concerts, tours and artistic undertakings, but also in everyday work under the supervision of Zygmunt Rychert - twice artistic director, Bogusław Madey, Wojciech Rajski and Janusz Przybylski.
The orchestra's first trip abroad was in 1976 in the Venice "Vacanze Musicali", and subsequent artistic contracts took it on concert tours to Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and to the concert halls of Vienna, Salzburg, Paris, Berlin, Bremen, Frankfurt and Leningrad. .
In 1987, the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wojciech Michniewski, performing at the 1989th Music Biennale in Berlin among such ensembles as the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, won the Critics' Award for the best Orchestra for the performance of Penderecki's First Symphony. In 1991, during a European tour, together with the choir "Cecilien Verein" from Frankfurt, the orchestra gave concerts at the Munich Philharmonic, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The year XNUMX included concerts with Verdi's Requiem in France - Tours, Marseille, in Switzerland - Zurich, Basel, Lausanne, Bern and concerts in Italy crowned with a performance for Pope John Paul II at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Independence and new headquarters
The final separation of the philharmonic from the opera, which had coexisted continuously for four decades, took place in 1993, when prof. Roman Perucki. An independent institution – the Polish Baltic Philharmonic. Fryderyk Chopin in Gdańsk – it urgently needed a new headquarters. Director Roman Perucki became the originator of an innovative project, which was the revitalization of the post-industrial area of the 1996-year-old heat and power plant on Ołowianka Island in Gdańsk, which was implemented after 100 and was innovative on a national scale.
After a month's journey, I was about to return to the country when my friends invited me to Norrkoeping, 150 km away from Stockholm. On the island, in the buildings of the old thermal power plant, there was a philharmonic hall with a waterfall in the middle of a spacious foyer. And apart from it - a museum, restaurants, taverns and pubs - in short, a real cultural center. Then I thought about Ołowianka Island and the old heat and power plant that was about to be closed down. Why not build something like this in Gdańsk? Immediately after arrival, as soon as I got off the ferry, I went to Ołowianka. I looked at it and said to myself – we will build a new philharmonic hall here! - recalls the Director.
The buildings and land donated to the Philharmonic by Elektrociepłownie Wybrzeże SA became the cornerstone for the innovative project. How valuable was this cornerstone?
The city power plant complex in Ołowianka was built in 1897-98 by the Berlin company Siemens & Halske, and further expansion lasted until 1913. The brick building delighted with its decorative neo-Gothic façade decorated with rosettes, flanks, turrets and even two towers. In the last months of the war in 1945, the facility suffered serious damage. Restarted in August 1945, the power plant operated until its closure in 1996. The architectural design of the new headquarters was created by Eng. Architect Marcin Kozikowski, Kozikowski Design, and the sources of financing were funds from the Pomeranian Voivodeship Marshal's Office and EU funds.
The investment project lasted continuously from 1998 to 2007, when the fully equipped music and congress center was officially opened.
Order of the Gdańsk Voivode on the division of the Baltic Opera and Philharmonic in Gdańsk
Present
During the 70-year history of the Baltic Philharmonic, the artistic supervision of the orchestra was held by: Zbigniew Turski (1945-1946), Stefan Śledziński (1946-1949), Zygmunt Latoszewski (1949-1952; 1955-1961), Kazimierz Wiłkomirski (1952-1955), Jerzy Katlewicz (1961-1968), Jerzy Procner (1968-1972), Zbigniew Chwedczuk (1972-1976), Zygmunt Rychert (1976-1981; 1998-2003), Bogusław Madey (1981-1983), Jerzy Salwarowski (1983-1984 Consultant artistic affairs), Wojciech Czepiel (1984-1986), Wojciech Rajski (1987-1989), Paweł Przytocki (1989-1991), Janusz Przybylski (1992-1993), Roman Perucki (1993-1998), Michał Nesterowicz (2004- 2008), Kai Bumann (2008-2012), Ernst van Tiel (2012-2017), George Tchitchinadze (since 2017).
The orchestra has recorded many radio, television and CD/DVD recordings: television and radio stations in Poland, Germany and Austria, record labels VIVART, DUX, POLMUSIC, SOLITON.
Recent recordings with a symphony orchestra include:
CD and DVD [2564627932] "Live From Gdańsk, Concert in the Shipyard" (Warner Music Poland, 2005), a musical recording of the historical multimedia performance by Jean Michel Jarre at the Gdańsk Shipyard (August 2005), during which he performed both his well-known songs such as Oxygene 4, Oxygene 8, Rendez-vous 4, or Shipyard overture, as well as Jacek Kaczmarski's own interpretation of Mury. The artist is accompanied by the University of Gdańsk Choir under the direction of Marcin Tomczak and the Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic under the direction of Michał Nesterowicz.
DVD [2354892] "David Gilmour Live In Gdańsk" (EMI Music Poland, 2008), the first concert album of David Gilmour, recording of a concert from the Gdańsk Shipyard (26.08.2006/40/XNUMX). For the first time during the "On An Island" tour, the six-piece band was accompanied by the XNUMX-piece Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zbigniew Preisner. This is the first ever recording of a concert performance of songs from Pink Floyd's repertoire with an orchestra, such as "High Hopes" and "A Great Day For Freedom" - the second song was performed especially on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of Solidarity. In the historic concert at the Shipyard, David Gilmour was accompanied by a band consisting of outstanding musicians: Richard Wright, Phil Manzanera, Guy Pratt, Jon Carin, Steve Di Stanislao, Dick Parry;
CD [2009, DUX 0713] “Elżbieta Sikora - South Shore. Concertino for blue harp and orchestra. Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. XNUMX in A major. Performers - Polish Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk, Isabelle Perrin - "blue" harp and computer transformations by Marcin Wierzbicki.
CD [2009, SCD137-138 3] "Sir Neville Marriner - Benjamin Britten - War Requiem", the CD was nominated for the FRYDERYK 2011 award. Live recording from the concert on September 02.09.2009, XNUMX conducted by the legendary conductor Sir Neville Marriner, with the participation of the Polish Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Bałtycka, The New College Choir Oxford, the Minsk Philharmonic Choir and soloists Anna Samuil, John Daszak and Artur Ruciński. The chamber orchestra was conducted by Edward Higginbottom and the boys' choir by Steven Grahl.
CD [2010, SCD160-161 3] “Russian music. Piotr Tchaikovsky - Maxim Vengerov", live recording from the concert on October 02.10.2009, XNUMX. Pyotr Tchaikovsky's works were recorded - "Violin Concerto in D major" and "Symphony XNUMX in B minor". The Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic was conducted by Maxim Vengerov, the soloist was Anna Maria Staśkiewicz.
CD [2010, PFB 0012] "Paweł Mykietyn - VIVO XXX", live recording from the concert as part of the "Solidarity of Arts" festival on August 29.08.2009, XNUMX. It was the world premiere of the work conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw, with the participation of the Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, the Minsk Philharmonic Choir.
CD [2011, PFB 002 2] "Krzysztof Penderecki - 28.02.2012th Symphony", live recording from the concert on February XNUMX, XNUMX with the participation of the Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in Gdańsk, the Philharmonic Choir in Minsk, Iwona Hossa - soprano, Agnieszka Rehlis - mezzo-soprano , Witold Żoładkiewicz – baritone and conductor – Kai Bumann.
DVD [2011, PFB 003 2] "La Revolte des Orgues", recording of the concert on September 02.09.2011, 5 with the participation of an authority and legend of the music world, titular organist of the church of St. Eustace in Paris - Jean Guillou and eight of the greatest organists in Europe - Martin Baker, Winfried Bönig, Bernhard Buttmann, Jürgen Geiger, Filipe Verissimo, Roberto Bonetto, Hansjörg Albrecht, Roman Perucki, Johannes Skudlik and Hélène Colombotti - drums. Pieces recorded on DVD: Jean Guillou - Improvisation for the film impression "Solidarity", Colloque No. 9, La revolte des orgues for 1065 organs and percussion; Johann Sebastian Bach - Concerto in A minor, BWV 4, transcribed for XNUMX positives and organ; Paweł Szymański - Four Hewelian Dances (world premiere).
Philharmonic organ
Description of the instrument
The organ was built in 1988 by the organ builder of Theodor Kuhn from Männendorf in Switzerland for the Lausanne Cathedral. Electric track, flap and latch wind devices. The assembly works at the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in 2007 were carried out by Zdzisław Mollin's company from Odrów near Chojnice.
Intonation: Jerzy Kukla.
The third manual locked in an expression cabinet (Récit).
Manual scale: C-c4; Pedal scale: C-g1. Pitch pitch: a1=443 Hz.
The Builder - Theodor Kuhn
properties
Number of votes - 91
Number of keyboards - 4+P
Gameplay - electric
Register structure - electric
