During this program, we celebrate Polish Constitution Day. May 3 is Polish Constitution Day, which celebrates the second oldest constitution written in the world. The Polish Constitution was signed on May 3, 1791, and it was the first constitution in Europe. It created a constitutional monarchy with three distinct branches of government and extended rights to all social classes. But such progressive reforms intimidated Poland’s autocratically ruled neighbors—Russia, Prussia, and Austria—who saw to it that the Constitution would never be put into practice by dividing Poland up between them. For 123 years of foreign occupation (1792-1918) and again from 1939 to 1989, the Third of May Constitution kept the Polish spirit alive as a symbol of freedom, generated strong pride among people of Polish ancestry everywhere and inspired them to fight to regain their lost independence. On May 3, 2016, the Polish American Cultural Center will have an artistic program and reception to honor this Polish national holiday.
Our guest during the program is David Krakowski, Music Director at the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, we discuss Polish Constitution Day, the upcoming Four Eagles Banquet, and the legend of the four eagles. The Four Eagles Banquet will take places on May 6, 2016, at 6 p.m. in the parish social hall. This year the Four Eagles Award goes to our very own Eugenia Stolarczyk. Congratulations!
Thanks to our guest, David Krakowski, we have the pleasure of listening to Te Deum Laudamus by Giovanni Paisello, one of the most interesting pieces in the history of early Polish culture. Composed in Naples, in 1791, this work was performed in Warsaw, under the initiative of King Stanisław August Poniatowski, to mark the first anniversary of the Constitution of May 3, 1791.
Later in the program, we recall the previous week's concert at Severance hall with guest conductor Antoni Wit, who lead a rarely performed concert overture "Polonia" by the opera composer Richard Wagner. And the guest pianist, Jan Lisiecki, who performed the solo role in Frédéric Chopin's Piano Concerto No.2, which showcases Chopin's early career as a symbol of Polish pride in 1830. Just in case if you missed the concert, we decided to share the incredible Jan Lisiecki as he performs Chopin Etudes - No.3 in E major, and No. 12 in C minor. We hope that you enjoy listening to him just as much as we do.
Our guest:
David Krakowski
Music Director at the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus