Wladislaw Zelenski

[Alan Howe]

I was wondering whether any friends have come across the music of Zelenski (1837-1921). Like Noskowski, he occupies the ground chronologically speaking between Chopin and the Karlowicz/Szymanowski generation - and there is an awful lot of music to explore. I have the following: the Overture In the Tatra Mountains, Violin Sonata, Piano Quartet and Piano Concerto (the last-named in a radio recording).

Broadly-speaking his music seems less immediately appealing than that of Nokowski, but it is nevertheless full of the sort of Romantic melody that makes you wonder why he is so rarely performed. There also seem to be definite signs of development from his earlier music, which may be described as being in the Schumann orbit, to the later stuff (e.g. the Piano Concerto) which is much more adventurous harmonically. 

Does anyone else know Zelenski's music at all?

[Mark Thomas]

In addition to the works quoted by Alan, I have a radio recording of his op.47 Suite of Polish Dances. Zelenski has a strong melodic gift but I'm afarid that so far I have found his music rather thin and uninvolving in comparison with Noskowski's. He has little of the latter's harmonic richness and his orchestral palette is much less varied - not too far removed from Schumann and Mendelssohn. Compare his In the Tatras with Noskowski's The Steppe, or their Piano Quartets. Not a bad composer, but not in Noskowski's class IMHO. There's a short biography and werk list here.

[Alan Howe]

I would say that they are quite different composers: Nokowski is to, say, Dvorak as Zelenski is to, say, Brahms. Noskowski's music seems definitely to have greater melodic appeal, whereas Zelenski may well be the more 'serious' composer. Certainly the latter's late (post-1900, I think) Piano Concerto has passages almost foreshadowing Reger - quite different from the more folk-inspired idiom of Noskowski.

[DennisS]

Hello Alan

Re-Zelenski, I too am interested in Polish classical music. I note that you referred to Zelenski's Overture in the Tatra mountains. I don't know his music but recently I ordered the CD Accord CDR 019 Polish symphonic music in the 19th century, mainly for Noskowski's The Steppe. The cd has not yet arrived but I notice that the Zelenski piece is also on the same cd, along with a piece by Moniuszko (another Polish composer I've heard good things of). Is this the cd you have? Can you say a little more about the Zelenski piece?

cheers
Dennis

[thalbergmad]

Did anyone manage to capture the Radio Broadcast of the Zelenski Piano Concerto, as i would love to hear it?

Only if legal of course.

Regards

Thal