Mickiewicz-flavoured Pudding
Katarzyna Jackowska
Nikola Kołodziejczyk, well-known to the Szczecin audience as a composer, arranger, and conductor, has crafted grand orchestral compositions based on Adam Mickiewicz's Ballads and Romances with contemporary literary interpretations by Jacek "Budyń" Szymkiewicz.
The result of this explosive mixture is the suite Budyń o smaku Mickiewicza (Mickiewicz-flavoured Pudding). Kołodziejczyk's seventeen-member ensemble features an unusual combination of instruments – the rhythm section and vocalists are accompanied by handpans, vibraphone, electric guitars, alto flute, trumpet, saxophone, bass trombone, and bass clarinet.
The vocal performances by Tomasz Organek, Aga Kiepuszewska, Natalia Grosiak, and Maciej Starnawski blur stylistic boundaries and draw the listener's attention to the content. Commissioned by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the Year of Polish Romanticism, this work reinterprets the oeuvre of the Polish bard through Szymkiewicz's unique texts and innovative compositions. The project highlights the timeless nature of Mickiewicz's work and encourages audiences to revisit the original texts.
