This album is my tribute to the culture of Jewish towns in Poland. It was composed on the basis of sheet music for “Elegy of Jewish Towns” by Simon Laks with words from a poem by Antoni Słonimski. The album contains nine compositions devoted to nine selected towns. Nine different musicians reinterpret Laks’ classical piece and Jarosław Lipszyc’s contemporary take on Słonimski’s poem. Performers include, among others, Paweł Szamburski, Wojciech Kucharczyk, Raphael Rogiński and Jarosław Bester. As far as references go, Sztetlach is a reference to the midrashim, or interpretations and commentaries of holy scripts of Judaism through maxims, explications and parables. These new treatments are not mere sentimental returns to the past, but speak about the potential of new music. Simon Laks – who was a prisoner at Birkenau-Auschwitz where he headed the camp orchestra – experienced himself that music can be lethal. This album is dedicated to music that chooses life.
Ireneusz Socha
Dębica
