Fallen Angel

This concerto for violin, piano and symphony orchestra is an eight-movement story poised between jazz improvisation and symphonic drama. Smoczyński drew inspiration both from the provocative phrase — and the piano concerto — by John Adams, “Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?”, and from the biblical motif of revolt, fall and redemption.

The composer weaves the classical concerto form together with his own fascinations: Chopin, Brahms, Szymanowski and contemporary rock. The piece has two equal solo voices — the violin, played by the composer himself, and the piano, originally entrusted to Janusz Olejniczak, a master of Chopin interpretation, to whom “Fallen Angel” is dedicated and who gave its premiere. On the recording the piano part was taken by Dominik Wania — an outstanding jazz improviser — who brought a new dimension of expression and musical intuition to the work.

“Fallen Angel” is a musical parable — of revolt, madness and mourning, leading towards the light. Smoczyński guides the listener through extremes of sound, joining the freedom of jazz improvisation with the sweep of the symphony orchestra, in homage to an artist who had inspired him for years with the depth of his expression.