Topics in music – definitions, history, meaning

Sonate per uno o due Cembali con il basso cifrato by Bernardo Pasquini: A Simple Entertainment or an Elaborate Charade?

Duels of the Sound: Pietro Antonio Locatelli Versus Jean-Marie Leclair

The tradition of musical duels harkens back to the days of the ancient Greece. One of the earliest examples of a musical rivalry is the myth of Marsyas and Apollo, which ends tragically for the satyr. Without doubt, the battles of the ancients served as an inspiration for the next generations of musicians. In each era, they took a different form, tailored to the prevailing norms and customs. In the 16th century the singing competitions of the Meistersingers became extremely popular, and along with the development of instrumental music in 17th century, duels, in which the main subject-matter of the dispute was the superiority of one of the performers in terms of interpretation and fluidity in playing a given instrument, gained increased importance.

Reception of Joseph Wieniawski’s work in the light of nineteenthcentury literature – a review of sources

A Story Enchanted in Music – Historical Verismo in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s I Medici

ahat ilī – Sister of Gods by Olga Tokarczuk and Aleksander Nowak: From the Novel to the Opera Libretto

The Metaphor of Movement and Its Materialisation in the Spatial Music of the 20th Century

Concerts of the Jewish Orchestra in the Łódź Ghetto During the Second World War

Jewish Music and Radical Jewish Culture: A Brief Outline of the Definitions and Content of Jewish Music in the Past and Nowadays

The main purpose of the article is to describe John Zorn’s approach to klezmer music and Jewish music tradition in general. The text was split into shorter paragraphs. The first part of the article is dedicated to providing an overview of the problems concerning the definition of Jewish music. The second part focuses on analysing klezmer motifs in John Zorn’s selected works and Jewish symbols present in the visual layer connected with his works. The last paragraph contains a summary and conclusions.

Ergonomics and Physiology of Piano Playing

Much has been said about performance, styles and interpretation. However, we should ask ourselves where they come from, what they depend on, and what factors influence them. The answer is much more complex. This article deals with the problem of piano technique as an element on which interpretation, sound and expression depend to a large extent. The piano is an instrument with incredible tonal possibilities, but it requires fingering skills, the ability to “feel” the key and certain physical strength which is directly related to the technique we use. Achieving a high level in playing requires years of diligent work, perseverance and determination. Technical proficiency, in turn, facilitates the expression and appropriate interpretation, in line with the style of a given musical period and the feelings of the pianist-performer. So we are talking about two things that inexorably influence each other – the workshop and its result, the  hape of latter depends largely on the first. This article deepens the knowledge of piano workshop so that in the end nothing comes in the way between performers, listeners and music.