Review of the CD Symphonc Elegy - Ernst Krenek, was published in the March issue of the British magazine The Strad (not in February as it was announced earlier)
[…]  The Leopoldinum Orchestra […] reveals an impressive sense of ensemble.  Its conductor Ernst Kovacic has obviously devoted much time in shaping phrases to give a corporate sense of unity, but there is also a welcome sense of individuality when solos emerge from the textures.  […]
Matthew Rye, The Strad, March 2010

2009-11-14 Magdalena Talik

Cudze chwalicie, swego nie znacie. Stare przysłowie sprawdza się w przypadku Wrocławskiej Orkiestry Kameralnej "Leopoldinum" w stu procentach.(...)

 

Więcej na: kulturaonline.pl

For fans of Ernst Krenek, this Capriccio disc of his music for string orchestra by the Polish Leopoldinum Orchestra under the direction of Ernst Kovacic will be an unexpected blessing. […]
In every case, the Leopoldinum Orchestra plays with style, strength, sensitivity, and a full measure of virtuosity, while conductor Kovacic leads with power, grace, and a complete understanding of the nuances of the music. […]  

CD Beethoven/Schoenberg
CD Accord ACD 145-2 – premiere October 2009
[...] LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic plays very professionally and, especially in the Great Fuge, with great bravura.  CD is very nicely issued and consists very detailed musicological article in it.  Due to the very interesting repertoire it is a valuable enrichment  for all music lovers.
Piotr Nowak, Gazeta Wyborcza 26.10.2009

CD Symphonic Elegy Ernst Krenek -
Capriccio 5033 - premiere September 29, 2009
Performers:    Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
Program:    Ernst Krenek    Symphonic Elegy Op.105
                Seven Easy Pieces Op.146
                Adagio and Fuge
                Five short pieces for strings Op. 116
                Symphonic piece Op.86
                Sinfonietta a Brasileira Op.131   

[…]  One aspect of this music that works consistently is that Krenek's command of string  orchestra scoring is of such transparency that the music never becomes mired in its own, often complex polyphony, and the LEOPOLDINUM  orchestra – which  is  a chamber ensemble – realizes  that sound beautifully  in both the best and worst of this literature.   Krenek often gets a bad rep for being inaccessible,  but there's really  nothing here that listeners  accustomed to standard string underscoring for motion pictures can't stomach.[…]  Capriccio's Ernst Krenek: Symphonic Elegy  is  generally  a tasty one.
Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide, September 2009

[…] Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of energetic Ernst Kovacic achieved already new sound and proficiency that allowed them to present beautiful and delectable Viennese program. […]  The real star of this program was Agata Zubel, who in Zemlinsky’s Maiblumen and especially in Krenek’s Die Nachtigall presented warm and full of brightness coloratura, beautiful piano and truly convincing interpretation […]
Dorota Kozińska, Ruch Muzyczny no 22, November 2009

Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of energetic Ernst Kovacic achieved already new sound and proficiency that allowed them to present beautiful and delectable Viennese program
September 9, 2009
Wratislavia Cantans - festival, St Elisabeth Church, Wroclaw
Performers:     Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Soloists:    Agata Zubel soprano
                Henryk Böhm baritone
                Ernst Kovacic violin
Program:    Alexander Zemlinsky         Waldgespräch
                                   Ballade für Sopranstimme,
Streichorchester, Harfe und zwei Hörner (Text J.v.Eichendorff)
Maiblumen blühen überall     
                            Für Sopran und Streichsextett
                            (Text Richard Dehmel)
Ernst Krenek            Sieben leichte Stucke Op. 146
Hanns Eisler            Erste Gesänge
Arnold Schönberg        Notturno                   
                                                               für Solovioline  Harfe und Streichorchester          
Ernst Krenek             Die Nachtigall  op.68 a   
        Gottfried von Einem       Kammergesänge op.32            
Gottfried von Einem       Serenade für doppeltes Str-orch.,  op.10   

[…] I just came back from the very interesting concert performed by the Wroclaw Chamber Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM.  Its artistic  director, violinist  and  conductor, Ernst Kovacic, is doing an excellent work by not only keeping the level of performances high but by enlarging repertoire by not known compositions – especially frorm the 20c.  The title of tonight’s concert was: In the World of the Musical Vienna – but very specific Vienna: works of Alexander Zemlinsky, Ernst Krenek, Hans Eisler, Arnold  Schönberg, Gottfried von Einem
Performance  of Agata Zubel was beautiful and very dramatic, Henryk Böhm – excellent.  It is so satisfactory to leave the concert hall with the happy felling that it was possbile to get to know so much of unknown good music.
Dorota Szwarcman  blog, September 2009

May 24-31, 2009 LEO FESTIVAL, Wroclaw

24.05.2009     Philharmonic Concert Hall MARIONETTEN OPERA
Performers:     Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Soloists:    Agnieszka Drozdzewska, Colombina
                Jerzy Butryn, Hanswurst
                Karol Kozlowski, Leander/Odoardo
                Przemyslaw Borys, Steckel/Geist
        Actors of the Wroclaw Puppetry Theater
        Artistic Director Robert Skolmowski
        Music Director Ernst Kovacic
Program:    Joseph Haydn                 Die Feuersbrunst

26.5.2009.1National Museum – MUSIC-SCULPTURE-DANCE
Performers:    Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Tanz Atelier Wien – Sebastian Prantl, choreography
Program:    Karlheinz Stockhausen    Zodiak
        Joseph Matthias Hauer    Zwölftonspiel
        Igor Stravinsky        Apollon Musagete

Museum exhibit:
The Beauty of Shape – European sculpture from 19c and beginning of 20c
Romulad Nowak curator

28.05.2009     Evangelical Church – LEOPOLDINUM’S PORTRAIT
Performers:    Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
Program:    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart                Divertimento F-dur KV138
                      Giacomo Puccini    Crisantemi-Andante mesto   
                      Felix  Mendelssohn-Bartholdy    Octet in E flat Major Op.20
- Scherzo
Arvo Pärt                Festina Lente
Hector Parra                Fibrillian – Chamber Symphony no 2
Jean Françaix                Sei preludi

31.05.2009     Art Center Impart – CHILDREN  OPERA   
Performers:    Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM  under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Choir Con Brio – G. Bacewicz Elementary Music  School
        Malgorzta Podzielny, choir director
        Michal Derlatka,  staging
        Micha¬ Dracz, scenography
Program:    Paul Hindemith        Wir bauen eine Stadt
Kamil Kosecki        Our Forest (1st prize – children  opera competition organised by LEOPOLDINUM
 

LEOPOLDINUM  became  host of the very original and interdisciplinar  LEO  FESTIVAL [...] in the future Ernst Kovacic would like to include other arts like f.e.x film. [...]
 
Die Feuersbrunst of Haydn was composed for the Marionett Theatre at the Esterhazy Palace. [...] The orchestra was lead and played with great precision and bravura [...]
 
[...]  By presenting  simple  and obviously  improvised  gestures along with  more complicated dance movements following classcal  traditions,  five dancers created very dynamic and fascinating presentation.  Music of Stravinsky  was created with stylistic piquantery and  enjoyment.
Mystic music of Stockhausen, with its overall beauty, brightness and full of colors, with  its rough constructivism  and originality, sounded astonishing.  And Hauer – very  elegant and full of finesse.   […]

Outstanding sound of the orchestra showed in the Evangelical church known for its great acoustic.  […] The most interesting interpretations  were  Festina Lente, Fibrillian   and beautiful, neo-classic  Sei preludi by Françaix.   But high  art of ensemble playing   was also shown in Divertimento,  sentimental Crisantemi and the sparkling  Scherzo from the Mendelssohn’s Octet op.20 […]

This small new Wroclaw  festival convinced  us with its great variety and richdom of artistic visions.  We appreciate it as a very valuable  and attractive cultural proposal. […]
Kazimierz Kosciukiewicz  Ruch Muzyczny no 15, July 2009

March 31, 2009
XIII Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, National Philharmonic Concert Hall, Warsaw
Performers:     Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Soloist: Ernst Kovacic, violin
Program:    Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy         Symphony No. 9“La Suisse”
Ludwig van Beethoven        Konzertstück in C major for
                                           solo violin  and orchestra WoO5
                                               (arr. Joan Manén, 1929)
Alban Berg                3 Pieces from the Lyric Suite
           for string orchestra (arr. A. Berg)
Ludwig van Beethoven         Great Fugue in B flat major
            Op. 133 (arr. F. Weingartner)
   
The mix of juvenilia  and mature works seemed to be an excellent idea behind the programme of concert performed by Wroclaw Chamber Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM. Even the most passionate music lover would admit that an early Sinfonia  by Felix Mendelssohn or Beethoven’s Konzertstück in C major for violin and orchestra  do come from distant land of musical  experience. Those works were confronted with Beethoven’s Great Fugue in B flat major Op. 133, a demanding work to both listener and performer that was played in orchestral arrangement by Felix Weingartner. Last but not least the fragments from Alban Berg’s Lyric  Suite completed the refined selection from what 140 years of European music had to offer.  The evening begun in a charming way with the announcement of courteous Ernst Kovacic, explaining the changes in the order of the programme. Therefore 3 Pieces from Lyric Suite by Berg were to be played first, just before Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 9 for Strings. This resulted in a monographic second part of the concert that was devoted to Beethoven. This revised order proved to be successful, not only because the beginning and closure were matching in musical substance (Lyric Suite and Great Fugue) but also because the concert commenced with the best performance of the evening. Kovacic, an Austrian violinist and conductor as well as LEOPOLDINUM artistic director, is  well-known  and highly esteemed performer of contemporary music. He dealt with difficulties of Lyric Suite with confidence. Particularly interesting was  Allegro misterioso, full of articulation nuances and enchanting, refined sound of string orchestra. […]
I was looking forward to hearing the Konzertstück in C major  for violin and orchestra by Ludwig van Beethoven. This rarely performed work was an approach to the violin  concerto that never saw its completion. Kovacic’s solo playing was full of brilliancy  and  virtuosity  as well as the sheer joy of playing.  A convincing performance!
At the end of the evening the courteous Ernst Kovacic offered a quiz to the audience. In fact, he did not mention the name of the composer of the work played as an encore. Alas, he had to tell the answer himself ( an early waltz of Arnold Schönberg), as the quiz was of extreme difficulty indeed.
Marcin Majchrowski (Polish Radio) March 2009

September 21, 2008
Warsaw Autumn - festival, National Philharmonic Chamber Hall, Warsaw
Performers:     Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Soloists:
Lutoslawski Piano Duo – Emilia  Sitarz  and Bartlomiej Wasik,
electronics - Cezary Duchnowski, Pawel Hendrich
Program:    Zbigniew Penherski            Little  litany  for strings
        Beat Furrer                Antichesis
        Hector Parra                Fibrillian–Chamber Sym. no 2
                            (world premiere)
        Cezary Duchnowski            Rzeczywistosc na
            rozciagnietych szelkach z okna
Mario Lavista                        Reflejos de la noche
        Aleksander Nowak            Last days of Wanda B.
   
[...] performers  were the true celebrities  of this concert […], Warsaw Autumn debut for LEOPOLDINUM. [… ]
30 years old orchestra went through an astonishing awakening during last months. […] Its traditional repertoire  was  enlarged by works  of  f.i.   Schönberg, Andriessen, Enescu, Britten,, Glass […]  and Polish  contemporary music.  Its performance at the Musica Polonica Nova wa a great success. […]
The prime mover and creator of this change is Ernst Kovacic, Austrian conductor – since Janury 2007  artistic  director of LEOPOLDINUM.  To say that he is a good conductor is not enough.  He is a true musician! […] And expert in the field  of contemporary music. […] Cooperation with Ernst Kovacic gives the orchestra a chance for the brilliant development.  If such tempo will be kept – in few years this orchestra will  be the ensemble with the most broad repertoire.  Music  of Beat Furrer   Antichesis shows the ensembles courage to approach the most difficult  scores.   Furrer’s  work  offers many   new ideas , f.i.  subtle alteration of articulation,  sophisticated narration,  complex instrumental  colours. […] It was the most demanding piece  for the orchestra in this program. […]
.. Hector Parra – Chamber Symphony Fibrillian  no  2 was commissioned by LEOPOLDINUM and Kovacic. …  very interesting  and rich  in  colours. …
Monika Pasiecznik, Ruch Muzyczny no 23, November 2008

February 18, 2008
Musica Polonica Nova - festival, Philharmonic Concert Hall, Wroclaw
Performers:     Orchestra LEOPOLDINUM under the direction of Ernst Kovacic
        Soloists:Anna Maria Staskiewicz and Linda Jankowska, violins

Program:    Bartosz Kowalski-Banasewicz     The Study of Space
        Ryszard Osada                Autumn Music
        Hanna Kulenty                Breath
        Zygmunt Krauze            Rhapsod
        Slawomir Czarnecki            Concerto Liliowe
                                    For 2 violins and string orchestra               
[…] next concert was full of artistic understanding […] 
Autumn Music of Ryszard Osada was presented as a composition  rich  in  sound and colours. […]
This interpretation  showed us the capability  of the LEOPOLDINUM  orchestra: precision in articulation,  commitment in solo parts […] 
Ernst Kovacic […] understands universality  of art of sound.  Not only this score was thouroughly  interpreted reveiling  its  great potential  but also Hanna Kulenty’s  Breath showed  bravura  in  performers’  interpretation. […]
Monika Pasiecznik, Ruch Muzyczny no 8, April 2008