Interview with Janusz Wojtarowicz the leader of Motion Trio - a star of Polonia Carioca Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rz: Will the three Polish accordion players gain heart of Rio?

Janusz Wojtarowicz: We gave concerts in 30 countries already, but not in Brazil. I hope that the experience of playing on street will be an asset. This time we'll be playing on the Copacabana beach together with Brazilian National Orchestra conducted by Krzesimir Dębski. We'll take the opportunity that the accordion is very popular in Brazil.

It has stereotyped connotations in Poland.

True, most commonly with a wedding or Stasiek Wielak at best. We are trying to present the accordion in many ways. As laureates of Competition of Penderecki' Contemporary Chamber Music we have played music of Penderecki, Górecki, Kilar. On Copacabana we'll play own compositions showing our vitality. We are natural on stage pulling silly faces and hoping legs. We like unconventional plays and the accordion gives unlimited possibilities - harmonic play, imitation of other instruments. The only limit is a good taste.

Can your music be defined?

Somewhere between Kronos Quartet and Bobby McFerrin with whom we have played couple of times. In a contrary to Kronos we write own compositions. We admire McFerrin for the passion, erudition and unique contact with the audience. He is an achievable example for us, I think. Our music is equally original, subtle and acoustic, which in the times of electronics is unusual. Our inspirations in various tends of music can be heard in our records.

Is the recent one a result of your concerts abroad?

"Metropolis" having its premiere in October is a tale of the cities we have visited. During recording we had in mind words of Leopold Staff that one reaches somewhere else than wished. Literary illustration of the cities tradition does was not our interest. We search our own expression. Certainly echoes of Shostakovich and Stravinsky can be heard in tale of Moscow for example, but the references are not direct. Beside Moscow the record includes New York, Krakow, Paris and Jerusalem.

You give concerts more often abroad than in Poland. Haven't you found understanding here?

Polish audience is wonderful; we always play for full halls. But Polish record industry is focused on quick brutal profit. It reminds selling pretzels, which must be sold right away. These conditions are unfavorable for artistic activity. Organizers of festivals in Poland still blindly adore foreign artists.

Does the experience of street playing help you to gain the audience worldwide?

It gave us reliability and unity with the instrument. On street the accordion is everything - love, teacher of life and the money making machine. I played on squares of Vienna, London, and Paris to pay for the studies. It was a hard job, nothing in common with tourism. I was a rebel, expelled form the Academy short before the final exams. I rejected the rigid vision of the accordion with transcriptions of Bach and Chopin. That is why I am here. In January we'll be first accordionists concerting in Carnegie Hall. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of Andrzej Krzanowski - the greatest Polish accordionist. I hope that the concert will start a new thinking of the accordion.

Interviewed Paulina Wilk

14.09.2007