Music
Music
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Inspired by the discovery of a long-lost concert program, performed in secret against all odds, the
Forbidden Concert Project
was created to shed light on a little-known area of WWII history.
During WWII, the citizens of Poland dared to defy Hitler's orders by organizing, attending, or performing concerts of Chopin's music, while risking punishment of torture or death. Why?
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Keep Reading Below and Explore the Pages of this Website to find the Answer and the Amazing Stories of Those Who Dared!
photo credit: Upadły Fortepian - Fallen Piano by Aleksander Janicki
"the oppression grew harsh. They denied us our language in schools, and in courts of law. They denied us our culture, our traditions, our history, our pride. The only thing they couldn't deny us was the music of Chopin. And yet, it was precisely there you can find everything that they denied! You can find echoes of past glories, traditions, songs and dances, prayers, pride, soul. That was Chopin's gift to the nation."
- Ignacy Jan Paderewski
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1860-1941
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Renowned International Concert Pianist,
Diplomat and former Prime Minister of Poland
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The image at the top depicts a piano that has been denied its voice. This particular piano was created in 1847 during Chopin's lifetime by his favorite piano maker, Pleyel.
Fortunately, I discovered this photo of an art installation in Kraków called UpadÅ‚y Fortepian (Fallen Piano) by the remarkable Polish artist Aleksander Janicki. He took inspiration from Cyprien Norwid's poem, Chopin's Piano, to create this dramatic work.
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The piano has been silenced, but its message speaks volumes. It's strong emotional impact and complexity of references were perfect for the Forbidden Concert Project.
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In addition, there was a happy coincidence - the initials of the logo "FC"
echo the same initials of Fryderyk Chopin.
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- Robyn Carmichael
Pianist and Founder