Gears of Time
ABOUT
“Gears of Time” is a symphony for violin and orchestra.
The piece was commissioned from Pawel Pudlo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Zabrze city gaining municipal rights. The symphony was premiered at the inauguration of the 73rd artistic season of the Zabrze Philharmonic on September 9th, 2022.
The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland under the program 'Collections' – the priority 'Composition Commissions,' implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance.
PERFORMERS OF THE PREMIERE
Sławomir Chrzanowski - conductor
Zofia Olesik - violin solo
Zabrze Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
STORY BEHIND THE MUSIC
It is a musical narrative of the last century of the city of Zabrze. During the concert, industrial mining sounds, echoes of the Silesian Uprisings battles, and the sound of a human heartbeat could be heard. The first part, 'The Biggest Village of Europe’ tells the story of the town's early history, before gaining municipal rights. The second part, 'Silesian Storms' depicts the dynamic and perilous times of the Silesian Uprisings. The third part, 'Mining the Future' portrays the city's development through the relentless work of miners. The final part, 'Heart of the Nation’ takes the listeners to the town's recent history, focusing on its achievements and the development of cardiac surgery, with which Zabrze has been associated for many years.
REVIEWS
'The composition 'Gears of Time' not only delights but truly moves.'
Dr. Malgorzata Manka-Szulik - Mayor of the city of Zabrze
''Gears of Time' is an excellent, condensed, and coherent work, very demanding for both the soloist and the orchestra. Great energy, pulse, and 'heartbeat' are very clearly captured and maximally exploited here, to the extent that when performing this piece, you involuntarily merge with it. The composition is not easy, but in the end, it proved to be a superbly composed gift for Zabrze on its 100th birthday. Conducting the world premiere was a great pleasure for me!'
Slawomir Chrzanowski - conductor, director of the Zabrze Philharmonic
‘The entire composition is maintained in the popular and dynamic atmosphere of contemporary music for top-notch action and adventure movies. [...] Pudlo is a master of this style [...] he belongs to the group of the best’
Glos Zabrza Weekly
‘The selection of repertoire met with exceptional approval from the audience.’
City Hall of Zabrze
' [...] there's much to remember! [...] the world premiere of the symphony 'Gears of Time' [...] with a full audience [...] An incredibly interesting piece, showcasing the entire range of violin sounds combined with the contrasting part of the symphony orchestra.'
Zabrze Philharmonic