The Polish String Quartet was founded in 2002 and is made up of Polish members of the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin: Tomasz Tomaszewski (first violin), Piotr Prysiażnik (second violin), Sebastian Sokoł (viola), and Maryjka Pstrokońska-Mödig (cello). After its successful debut at the festival Koblenzer Musiktage, the ensemble has performed in Germany, Italy, Poland, and Norway, and gained an excellent reputation for the performance of contemporary Polish music. Apart from the classical canon of works by established Polish composers of the twentieth century, such as Szymanowski, Bacewicz, Lutosławski, Panufnik, Baird, Tansman, Penderecki, Meyer, Stachowski, and Górecki, the Polish String Quartet focuses on repertoire by unjustly neglected Polish composers, including Ignatz Waghalter and Józef Nowakowski. The quartet initiated a well-received concert cycle organized by the University of the Arts in Berlin, presenting works of Franz Schreker's Polish students, which led to renewed interest in the music of Jerzy Fitelberg, Karol Rathaus, and Ignace Strasfogel. The ensemble's interest in Polish music led to the creation in 2012 of the European Forum for Polish Music in Berlin, whose honorary president is Krzysztof Penderecki. One of the projects realized through the EFPM was a concert cycle entitled "Poland Abroad", which is dedicated to the presentation of Polish composers, such as Alexandre Tansmann, Simon Laks, Andrzej Panufnik, André Tchaikowsky, Piotr Moss, and Witold Szalonek, who lived and worked in exile. The Polish String Quartet already appeared on EDA 42 "en homage Józef Koffler" with the world premiere recording of Koffler's Second String Quartet "Ukrainian Sketches".
Photo: (c) Marlena Troch
