Stare i Nowe Koledy Live Wroclaw 2020

Zbigniew Preisner

 
" The recognizable features of Preisner are presented throughout the album, often met with some less appealing features. "

Written by Joep de Bruijn - Review of the regular release

In his early years, Zbigniew Preisner was associated with the Piwnica pod Baranami cabaret in Krakow and collaborated with a lot of different people, such as in writing Christmas carols, and holding special evenings, and continued to do so throughout the years. They were always a reflection of his own experiences in life, which explains why there are some joyous, some more melancholy and bittersweet carols, interconnected with the conditions in Poland. The first album of these carols, Stare i Nowe Kolędy, surfaced in 1999, followed by W Poszukiwaniu Dróg: Nowe I Stare Kolędy (2015) and now this new 2022 release of the 2020 concert release of Stare i Nowe Kolędy Live Wroclaw concert. Just now, he finished his 2023 tour of Moje Koledy in 2023.

In fact, I do not understand the Polish texts being sung, just slightly (but more in further investigation), alike the culture, the context of every carol and other things considered, but the whole ambiance, the Preisner musical touches, the recurring instrumentalists - they have changed over the years, like the vocalists - and the emotions of the performers do offer an overwhelming tender, and intimate experience. The recognizable features of Preisner are presented throughout the album, often met with some less appealing features. A variety of carols have been carried over to different singers and musicians throughout the years, but by no means any original performer, like a carol sung by Elżbieta Towarnicka, is better than a newer take by Beata Rybotycka.

Many vocalists throughout Preisner' career are rarely familiar to me, upon hearing their speaking voices, but Preisner is, mainly due to the many audio interviews I have heard. Unfortunately, I consider the male vocals on the album are almost entirely inferior, especially the many carols by Jan Karpiel Bułecka accompanied by a Highlander band, and the overall most playful 'cabaret' feel, not the more minimal Preisner instrumentalists, also present and scattered throughout the album with the male vocals. Being so familiar and comfortable with the composer's own voice - he is not a particularly good singer, even compared to the other male vocalists on the album, with much more technical merit - his voice has an intimacy, a rawness, which comes to bloom best in track 9 on CD 2, which is an incredibly moving sing-a-long, with a memorable humming-quality in terms of melody, fine solo piano, enchanting strings and an extra Christmas ingredient.

Having said all this, Stare i Nowe Kolędy Live Wroclaw 2020' highlight is not a carol, despite everything alluring and less attractive, but the only instrumental track on Cd 2 (Pierwsza Gwiazdka), which offers a delightful solo piano by Dominik Wania and the string performers.

In evaluating concerts of any composer’s work, whenever they are extensively involved, the results are closest to their musical dna, which is felt throughout this release. Yet, I have no actual interest in Christmas and most traditional attributes within my own personal and cultural life. However, it does interest me in global transcending cultural range, of which Stare i Nowe Kolędy Live Wroclaw is an example.






Tracklist

CD 1

1. Całą noc padał śnieg - Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka
2. Śpij Jezu, śpij - Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka
3. Zapowiedź
4. Z tego będzie cud --Zbigniew Preisner. Edyta Krzemień
5. Zapowiedź
6. Betlejem polskie -Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka
7. Zapowiedź
8. Kolęda warszawska - Zbigniew Preisner, Maciej Balcar
9. Zapowiedź
10. Uśnij, chociaż lęk zagłusza -Zbigniew Preisner. Edyta Krzemień
11. Zapowiedź
12. Kolęda w drodze -Zbigniew Preisner, Maciej Balcar
13. Zapowiedź
14. Kolęda niepokoju -Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka
15. Zapowiedź
16. Zima w Betlejem -Zbigniew Preisner, Joana Pocica
17. Zapowiedź
18. Kolęda samotnych -Zbigniew Preisner, Joana Pocica
19. Zapowiedź
20. Kolęda dla Piotra - -Zbigniew Preisner
21. Zapowiedź
22. Zapowiedź Jan Karpiel Bułecka
23. To już pora na Wigilię -Zbigniew Preisner & Zespół Jana Karpiela Bułecki
24. Zapowiedź Jan Karpiel Bułecka
25. Przybieżeli pastuszkowie na grób -Zbigniew Preisner & Zespół Jana Karpiela Bułecki
26. Zapowiedź Jan Karpiel Bułecka
27. Góraliku, Góralecko -Zbigniew Preisner & Zespół Jana Karpiela Bułecki

CD 2

1. Zapowiedź
2. Pierwsza gwiazdka -Zbigniew Preisner, Dominik Wania
3. Zapowiedź
4. Kolęda na koniec wieku - Zbigniew Preisner, Maciej Balcar
5. Zapowiedź
6. Kolęda dla nieobecnych -Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka
7. Zapowiedź
8. Lulajże ojczyzno, lulaj -Zbigniew Preisner, Maciej Balcar
9. Milczysz - -Zbigniew Preisner
10. Zapowiedź
11. Kolęda dla nieobecnych [Bis] - Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka


Total duration: 115 minutes




(04-02-2023)
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Released by

Preisner Productions (regular release 2022)