Romuald Twardowski

Hommage a Bach

Hommage a Bach is a kind of musical tribute made by a contemporary composer to the great Kantor in Leipzig on the 250th anniversary of his death. That's because his music allowed the author of those words - even at the dawn of his creative path - to explore the meaning and essence of the phenomenon of music as the most perfect emanation of Harmony and Beauty finding its expression in a form of excellence, mastery of technique and depth of expression. In all five cells of the cycle, constantly recurring ''Bach notes'' manifest themselves - we recognise them in the many recitatives, fast runs and figurations, and reminiscences, as is the case for example in the final Toccata. They are joined by the same thought - striving for synthesis of tradition and modernity as an expression of the recognition of the primacy of EVOLUTION in art over REVOLUTION, a synonym of apparent progress and source of destruction. This idea, to which I have been faithful from the beginning of my compositional attempts, found its fullest expression in Hommage. The first performance took place on February 15, 2001 in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), played by Magdalena Adamek. [Romuald Twardowski]