The Viola as a Way of Telling Stories About the World. Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf
Interview conducted by: Serhiy Savchenko — artist, artistic director of Savchenko Gallery.
We live in a difficult and dramatic time — the world is experiencing successive wars and conflicts, filled with tension and suffering. How do you see the role of music today, especially chamber music?
We live in a difficult and dramatic time — the world is experiencing successive wars and conflicts, filled with tension and suffering. How do you see the role of music today, especially chamber music?
In today’s world, full of tensions and conflicts, the role of music becomes a form of an ethical “anchor” and a manifestation of community in the face of suffering. Musical art, which in its essence is a dialogue based on mutual respect and attentiveness, is a powerful metaphor for peaceful coexistence. I perceive it as a kind of “soft power” — a subtle yet extremely effective force of culture that can build understanding where other means fail. It is a space where we can, even for a moment, regain a sense of humanism and remind ourselves of the enduring values that unite people beyond divisions. This music does not offer simple answers, but it provides shelter and strength to preserve inner dignity in dramatic circumstances. It is a quiet yet firm voice of protest against destruction, promoting building rather than tearing down.
Does history show that in times of crisis art gains a special dimension? How, in your opinion, does music live and function in such times?
History has repeatedly shown that in moments of the greatest historical crises, art takes on a special, almost existential dimension, becoming a kind of spiritual “nourishment” for those in need of solace. In such times, music ceases to be decoration and becomes a necessity — almost a sacred sphere in which human dignity and hope can survive despite the surrounding darkness. It acts like a living tissue that connects us with what is most noble within us, offering catharsis and a sense of meaning where words fail. I believe that today our creative work serves a similar function, proving that beauty and the creative will of humanity can survive even the most destructive conflicts. In the spirit of the phrase Inter arma non silent Musae — in times of war, the Muses do not remain silent — art remains our most enduring bastion of humanism.
When you create a concert program, what is most important to you — dramaturgy, dialogue between eras, intuition? Does it happen that a piece “comes” to you at a particular moment in your life?
When creating a concert program, I always focus on a coherent dramaturgy that leads the listener through a carefully constructed narrative, often based on a dialogue between distant eras. Intuition plays a key role here, as it suggests combinations of works that — although stylistically different — resonate with each other on a deeper level of ideas. Sometimes a particular piece “comes” to me at a specific moment in life, resonating with my current state of mind and demanding interpretation. I try to ensure that each of my performances becomes a kind of story, where history meets the present, creating a new and fascinating whole. The final shape of the playlist is therefore a compromise between cool theoretical analysis and the pure impulse of the heart.
Do you also create your own music as a composer? If so — how does performing your own work differ from interpreting a piece written by someone else?
After hours spent exploring the complex structures of works by I. Xenakis, L. Berio, G. Ligeti, or G. Kurtág, my own work becomes a natural and deeply necessary breath and balance. In these personal explorations, I often discover that the sound of the viola can — and should — resemble a dense, evocative cinematic soundtrack, building entire worlds in the listener’s imagination.
Although interpretation remains my main domain, I occasionally reach for the “pen” of composition and improvisation, which allows me to explore a completely different sphere of artistic freedom. Performing my own music, especially at the intersection of classical and experimental electronics — as in my projects with my uncle Władysław Gudonis Komendarek or MonoTony Ænsemble with Zuzanna Ossowska OS.SO — is a deeply personal act in which the boundary between the creator and the instrument almost completely disappears. This differs significantly from interpreting works by other masters, where I humbly try to read the composer’s intention, acting merely as a custodian of their ideas. My own work is a direct transmission of current experiences — a kind of artistic carpe diem, giving me a sense of total fascination with the creative process “here and now.”
What have you been most proud of recently? What are you working on now — can you reveal a bit of your plans?
Recently, I have been most proud of the success of the album Violand (Polish Radio Music Agency), which presents a holistic spectrum of Polish viola literature and is my tribute to my native culture. I am also very excited about April 17 this year, when the debut album LANDING PLACE by my ensemble MonoTony Ænsemble will be released. The album will be published by the legendary Hungarian label Hungaroton Records and will be available in a full range of formats: CD, collector’s vinyl, and across all streaming platforms. I see this as another extremely important step in my international artistic journey.
Currently, my efforts are also focused on further developing the social campaign ReVIOLAtion, aimed at bringing the viola into the mainstream and securing its full autonomy as an instrument of the future. At the same time, with unwavering enthusiasm, I continue to take on new academic challenges at institutions in Gdańsk and Bydgoszcz, as well as pedagogical work at the Music School in Gdynia. My plans include further recording projects, concert tours, and performing as a soloist in the monumental symphonic poem “Harold in Italy” by Hector Berlioz with the Świętokrzyska Philharmonic Orchestra. I hope that all these activities will contribute to the further popularization of this extraordinary “Lady” of string instruments — the viola.
And finally, a more personal question: if your music had a color, what would it be? And do you have a favorite note?
If my music were to take on a specific color, it would probably be a deep, royal purple interwoven with streaks of aged, patinated gold — a shade reflecting the timbre of the viola and its noble dignity. As for a favorite note, without hesitation I would point to the open C string of my instrument, whose rich, organic depth is for me a symbol of sonic truth and the foundation of the viola’s soul. It is this sound that resonates most strongly with me and my nature, serving as a constant point of reference for all my artistic explorations.
This low tone contains a kind of primordial calm and reminds me of my family roots, of nature, and of the wood from which I draw music. Returning to this sound, I in a way complete the circle of my story — from childhood lessons at my mother’s side, through years of searching for my own path, to the maturity of today. I believe that in art the most important thing is a return to authenticity; therefore, my guiding principle remains Ad fontes — to the sources, where the heart of true beauty beats.
Thank you very much for this deeply inspiring and meaningful conversation.