Reviews

We move to another world. The space of the temple was filled with music evoking the thought of inevitable passing, but the thought was serene, calm, inspiring to the most daring associations. The music reminded us that the struggle of the spirit is indispensable in the search for new ideals. Maciej Zakrzewski's work shone with a calm, enduring faith in man and the victory of beauty and good over evil and ugliness. For Landowski's texts, the composer found in music a wonderfully adequate language for reflecting, analyzing experiences and evaluating the achievements of the lyrical subject and every human being. This poignant vibration of the saxophone, this beneficial influence of the Dankpsalm that crowned the work was a real balm for the heart.

``The new album by Zakrzewski and Nowak shows a humanistic vision of the world growing out of the symbolism of the tree: a symbol of stability and a living witness of what surrounds it. The album also refers to the roots, which in this case is the cultural heritage from which organ and accordion compositions grow (Silent Easter, recalling dances from the Oliwa tablature). From Gregorian music to jazz - this is a postmodern melting pot that does not lead the listener astray, but constantly seduces with its inspirations, phrases and a happy marriage of the accordion and the organ. Here is an album full of expression, freedom, full of music through which artists generously share emotions, taking listeners on a fascinating journey into the soul. I highly recommend it.``

``The most original program was brought by the performance of Maciej Obara (saxophone), Maciej Zakrzewski (organ) and the vocal quartet Silesia Sonans Ensemble, established for the needs of this evening. Although the musicians had not collaborated in such a group before, they delighted with their craftsmanship and precision. The vocalists always sang very cleanly, although the instrumental improvisations at the end of the motets sounded almost atonal at times. In the organ and saxophone fragments, the freedom of the musicians and their technical proficiency were delightful. The artists presented a very high, even level, and with their interpretations they created a moody, slightly ephemeral aura, well harmonizing with the peaceful interior of the church drowning in darkness. The seemingly crazy idea of intertwining Renaissance motets with improvisations turned out to be a hit, appreciated with thunderous applause and confirmed by an encore.``

`` Time is definitely presence - he writes in a commentary to the album. Looking at the titles of the seven-part suite The Allegories, it's hard not to get the impression that Zakrzewski criticized virtual reality. I think that Like, Face to book, Log out or finally existential paraphrase To be or not online are to constitute a clear contrast with the more important life truths presented in Death, Fire and Love. Of course, these titular dichotomies are reflected in the music layer. While the composer presents a virtual space full of delusion, creation and manipulation through very dense, overwhelming textures and monumental, symphonic sound - the interlacing from the world of real values appears as a pleasant breath, relief for the ear, sometimes even as harmonious compositions `` { ..`} `. The album Time to Time was recorded on the organs of the Łódź Cathedral. The subtle colors of the individual voices of the instrument are very interesting here in the conditions of extremely high reverb ... ''

The artist tamed time in his composition, and more precisely - he closed the present in it, writing the seven-part organ suite Allegories. But that's not all, because Zakrzewski goes even deeper into philosophical thoughts not only about the nature of time, but nature as such and does it in an unusual way, drawing us into a common musical prayer above confessions``

`` The title of the album refers to the idea accompanying the composition of two elaborate forms that fill the 76-minute record. Maciej Zakrzewski refers to the time that elapses during the creation of the work, and the time in music, perceiving it as a fleeting and transient phenomenon. The first part of the album is filled with the 7-part 50-minute form `` The Allegories ''. This is a conceptual suite regarding the artist's thoughts on the modern world, in which virtual reality, which often blurs his true image, plays an increasingly important role. The 4-part Psaltery, full of spiritual and prayer contemplation, perfectly complementing the program, is a musical reference to the Jewish prayer `` Shema Jisrael '' and Psalms selected from the Old Testament. Contemporary organ music is becoming more and more popular among lovers of classical forms. The original work of Maciej Zakrzewski, which is the album `` Time To Time '', meets the growing demand for this type of form, bringing music that is highly spiritual, but at the same time free from the excessive sacral weight of most organ works. ''

``Excellent! Bravissimo! Deep gratitude. Your playing is like fire!``

``Maciej Zakrzewski, while recording an album with Hakim's compositions, showed great interpretational flexibility and good technique, because the songs differ not only technically, but also in atmosphere, and in most compositions European heritage is clearly influenced by Arabic music. Reaching for this post-modern repertoire full of quotes mixing epochs, styles and musical traditions is a sign of artistic exploration and aesthetic curiosity ...``

``Zakrzewski, after the album `` Liszt & Widor '' from 2014, once again gives the listeners an album of not only artistic, but also educational values. The artist placed extensive considerations on the aesthetics and form of registered compositions in the booklet attached to the album, so in order not to spoil and spoil the fun of music lovers, I will focus only on the greatest advantages of this publication, and there are quite a few. The first is a perfectly selected repertoire, which - although showing how rich sources the composer drew inspiration - remains very coherent. In accordance with the composer's intentions, Maciej Zakrzewski has kept the balance between modern means of expression and the expressive presentation of numerous quotes. Music lovers, even without tiebacks in the form of a tracklist, will easily identify fragments of antiphon, sequences, Gregorian melodies, and even Christmas / New Year French song (Noël Nouvelet). The icing on the cake is the opening album `` Ouverture Libanaise '', in which Hakim developed popular Lebanese songs, and in the final link even the Lebanese anthem. The recordings were made on the organ of Janusz and Zygmunt Kamiński in the basilica of St. Bridget in Gdansk. And it was undoubtedly the right choice!

Maciej Zakrzewski proves that he has the right to deal with this difficulties pieces, demonstrating both superior technical performance, as well as the sense of design and creativity in the field of lush handling and various colors of organ registers. `{`...`}` Zakrzewski demonstrates these same qualities in the little-known but opening for the contractor grateful to maneuver- VI Organ Symphony in g Minor by Charles M. Widor `{`...`}` Zakrzewski nicely varying moods consecutive five parts of this widely extensive work. Contents of the disc Zakrzewski completed own intimate Improvisation, issuing a good testimony of his compositional abilities.