Chopin University Press - Roman Maciejewski: Suita hiszpańska (2022)

2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of the death of Roman Maciejewski (1910–1998) - one of the most interesting, although still under-appreciated, Polish composers of the 20th century. His work is distinguished by a harmonious balance between traditional musical material and modern, bold, intellectually thoughtful and emotionally rich solutions. Maciejewski is known primarily for his monumental Requiem devoted to the victims of wars, and for the series of mazurkas he composed throughout his life. The least known area of ​​his work is chamber music, to which he returned for over 30 years of professional activity.

Composed between 1948 and 1952 in Gothenburg and Los Angeles, the Spanish Suite for two guitars, Nocturn for flute, guitar and celesta, and Lullaby for string trio, flute, two guitars and celesta waited a long time for studio phonographic recording. This album fills the gap.

The initiator and coordinator of the project involving the recording and printing of scores of these pieces is Marcin Zalewski, an outstanding guitarist, professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. The album is completed with interpretations of six selected Mazurkas for piano. The outstanding students of the FCUM have been entrusted with the task of performing this refined, extremely interesting music.

Maciejewski's music - as colorful and fascinating as the composer's biography - deserves the recognition of a wide group of music lovers.