Record Reviews

MELLUSYA ~ Z SERCA SOLITON 660 (Barcode: 5901571096605) ~ POLAND ~ Sung Poetry Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble MelluSyaFind albums by this artist led by vocalist Kaja MianowanaFind albums by this artist and including Russian (resident in Poland) pianist Vlasta TraczykFind albums by this artist, violinist Kinga KloczkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam WardziakFind albums by this artist and drummer Karol KrasinskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original songs, all composed by Traczyk, with lyrics by Polish, Russian (Anna AkhmatovaFind albums by this artist), French (Christine de PisanFind albums by this artist), American (Emily DickinsonFind albums by this artist) and British (Edgar Allan PoeFind albums by this artist) poets and two original texts by Mianowana. Two of the songs have lyrics in English and the rest feature Polish lyrics, including translations into Polish. The music is a typical example of the Polish Sung Poetry idiom, which is an extremely fruitful and popular sub-genre of the Polish Pop / Art Pop music, with a long and glorious tradition in Polish music scene and which is a companion to the Polish Jazz & Poetry idiom. Not surprisingly the music is mostly influenced by Traczyk, who composed all the songs, and offers an amalgam of Russian Classical Music influences and East European lyricism and melancholy with a dash of poetic Progressive Rock nostalgia. They are well structured melodically and harmonically, and have a tad of Siberian wintriness in them, which takes a while to get into, but which manages to create a unique atmosphere. Mianowana is an accomplished vocalist with a beautiful voice and great range. Her career and experience in musicals results in a certain over-theatrical approach, which is not naturally suited for Sung Poetry, which relays first and foremost on feeling and empathy with the poetic contents rather than a display of vocal mastery. But having said that, this is not really an issue here and she manages to deliver these songs very impressively. All four instrumentalists are well educated and highly trained, and all perform their parts without a hitch, as expected. The violinist is a bit hidden in the mix and might have been featured more prominently INHO. For Prog fans, the piano / vocals dominance brings fond memories of the RenaissanceFind albums by this artist / Annie HaslamFind albums by this artist albums – Prog-heads check it out! Overall this is a very solid and classy debut album, which should keep connoisseurs of Sung Poetry / Art Pop / Prog extremely happy. Definitely worth investigating and warmly recommended – good job Ladies and Gents!

Updated: 23/10/2020Posted: 03/04/2020

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MALGORZATA ZALEWSKA ~ THE TRAVELER / TRIPTYCH & IMPROVISATION ORPHEE CLASSICS 221201 (Barcode: 5902205589197) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish harpist Malgorzata ZalewskaFind albums by this artist, on which she presents the chamber suite “The Traveler”, composed by her husband, the American (residing in Warsaw) composer Gary GuthmanFind albums by this artist, performed by a quartet comprising of soprano singer Kaja MianowanaFind albums by this artist, flautist Lukasz DlugoszFind albums by this artist, cellist Tomasz StrahlFind albums by this artist and Zalewska, and two compositions for solo harp by Polish composer Tadeusz PaciorkiewiczFind albums by this artist, also performed by her. “The Traveler” is based on a series of poems written by Guthman in 1992, which were incorporated into the thirteen-part suite for chamber quartet during the early months of the Covid pandemic in 2020. “Triptych” (1975) a three-part piece for solo harp and “Improvisation” (1951) a miniature for solo harp were composed by Paciorkiewicz, one of the very few contemporary Polish composers writing music for harp. The chamber suite is a series of wonderful “songs”, splendidly correlated and put together, which offers a wide range of stylistic influences, from Early Music, Celtic and American Folk, musicals and Classical Music. Guthman was blessed by a great talent to weave highly melodic themes, without compromising aesthetic values, which is clearly evident herein. The quartet is absolutely superb: Mianowana, whom I had the pleasure to hear live several times, has a beautiful voice and great theatrical presentation, Dlugosz is a truly irresistible piper of Hamlyn, Strahl knows exactly how to caress the right strings, and finally Zalewska, with her magic fingers, makes the harp to sing ever so sweetly. The solo harp pieces are obviously closer to contemporary Classical Music idiom, but Paciorkiewicz also loved a good melody and his dedication to the harp is quite evident here, which leaves Zalewska to interpret the music, which she of course does in her own elegant way and with a perfect touch. Overall, although the quartet and the solo harp pieces are quite different from each other, the album offers a beautiful, intimate atmosphere of divine melodic tranquility and soothing, heartwarming musical experience, which is accessible to a wide audience, not just Classical Music listeners, but every true music-loving listener out there. The album is certainly a balm for the ears in these traumatic times we all go through, an elegant, honest, highly aesthetic and Artistic heart to heart for everybody willing to listen. Thank you for the music, my Friends!

Updated: 12/03/2023Posted: 12/03/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend