Volkstümliche Polonaise - MVSR1724 | Musica

Pavel Stanék was born in 1927 in Prague. He finished his studies at the conservatory there, in 1950, and from this year up to 1954 he was conductor of the Folk Ensemble. During his military service he conducted the Central Band of the Ministery of the Interior and was their director and artistic leader almost for almost six years. From 1961 to 1963 he was conductor of the light opera theatre "Na Fidlovacce" and in 1963 he was appointed as director of the Ostrava Radio Orchestra, until 1990. During this period and after he was often invited as guest conductor. As a composer, Pavel Stanék influenced the development of wind music by his extraordinary compositions. He was often inspired by folk music of his homeland.

Pavel Stanék is also influenced by music of Baroque and Renaissance, a fact that becomes quite obvious in his composition "Volkstümliche Polonaise" (Folksy Polonaise). A Polonaise is a solemnly stridden dance, after 1700 commonly written in three-four time. As it was very popular, many great composers wrote polonaises, like Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin. Today, a polonaise often opens a festive ball. Pavel Stanék wonderfully combined traditional folk-like music and great dignity.