Pacta sunt servanda!
On June 15, 2025, in the intimate interiors of the Palace of Culture in Brwinów, a remarkable concert took place as part of the Open Gardens Festival. The evening was a true celebration of music—filled with emotion, masterful interpretations, and musical references to history. Performing for the audience were outstanding musicians: pianist Paweł Kowalski and the Prima Vista String Quartet. This time, the music resonated within historic interiors, which perfectly emphasized the significance of the event and provided ideal acoustic conditions for the classical repertoire.
The program of the concert’s first part was dedicated to Władysław Szpilman, an eminent pianist and composer, on the occasion of the upcoming 25th anniversary of his death. Paweł Kowalski, performing a solo recital, paid tribute to the artist whose life story inspired Roman Polański’s acclaimed film The Pianist. The repertoire included works by Fryderyk Chopin that appear in the film and which Szpilman himself played during the dramatic moments of his life. The audience heard: Andante spianato, Nocturne in C-sharp minor Lento con gran espressione, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23, and Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat major, Op. 22. The sensitivity of interpretation, technical precision, and the atmosphere of focused silence in the hall made the performance not just a musical presentation but also a spiritual experience—a return to history that speaks not only through words, but through beautifully resounding notes.
In the second part of the concert, pianist Paweł Kowalski was joined by the Prima Vista String Quartet, composed of outstanding instrumentalists: Krzysztof Bzówka – first violin, Jakub Grott – second violin, Marek Czech – viola, and Tomasz Błaszczak – cello. The ensemble is renowned for its refined and stylistically nuanced interpretations of chamber music. Together with Paweł Kowalski, they performed 19th-century classical works, including Juliusz Zarębski’s Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 34 in four movements (Allegro, Adagio, Scherzo. Presto, Finale. Presto) and Larghetto from Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F minor. Their performance was exquisitely balanced—full of emotion, subtlety, and harmonious artistic dialogue. It moved both classical music enthusiasts and listeners less familiar with chamber music.
www.primavistastringquartet.pl
The concert by Paweł Kowalski and the Prima Vista Quartet perfectly embodied the spirit of the Open Gardens Festival, whose mission is to promote and bring culture closer to all people in accessible, local spaces. The event in Brwinów demonstrated that even the most sophisticated classical music can find its place beyond grand concert halls—and can be experienced together: locally, intimately, and authentically. The audience that gathered at the Palace of Culture welcomed the artists with enthusiasm and emotion. The prolonged applause at the end of the concert was an expression not only of admiration but also of gratitude—for the beauty that could be shared together.
Open Gardens 2025 once again proved that culture knows no boundaries—neither spatial nor social. The concert by Paweł Kowalski and the Prima Vista Quartet was a moving event that inspired reflection and will remain in the hearts of the audience for a long time.
Tomasz Domański
Brwinów, June 15, 2025
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