19th century Tbilisi cathedral to celebrate links with Polish composer Gorski with concert

A historic Roman Catholic cathedral in downtown Tbilisi is set to host a concert honouring 19th century ties between the city and Polish composer Konstanty Gorski on Tuesday.

Celebrating the legacy of the composer and virtuoso violinist who lived and worked in the city in the 1880s, the performance will feature artists from Poland and Georgia.

With Adam Tański on organ, Lela Mtchedlidze on violin and mezzo soprano Yoanna Ayers, the roster of artists will treat their audience to works by the composer.

Adam Tański, one of the artists in the event line-up, rehearsing on organ at the Tbilisi cathedral. Photo: Teona Goderdzishvili.

They will be joined at the St Peter and Paul Cathedral by Tbilisi Baroque Choir, established by conductor Giorgi Margvelashvili.

Instruments used in the event will include an 1894 organ built by Polish organ master Jan Śliwiński at the cathedral located in the Georgian capital.

The cathedral itself was built by Polish exiles removed to the Caucasus following their unsuccessful 1863–1864 January Uprising against the Imperial Russian rule over Poland.

Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre Orchestra Principal Concert Master Lela Mtchedlidze is part of the artist roster for the event.

They constructed the venue between 1870-1877, a few years before Konstanty Gorski’s arrival in Tbilisi.

Born in the Vilnius Governorate in 1859, Gorski spent most of his life in various corners of the territory under the Tsarist Russian authority.

Having studied music under the tutorship of Apollinaire de Kontski, a former pupil of Niccolò Paganini, Gorski later joined a violin class at the St Petersburg Conservatory as well as a course of instrumentation and composition.

Vocalist Yoanna Ayers will perform in the tribute performance. Photo: Francois de Ribaucourt.

The musician arrived in the Georgian capital in 1883, before starting work as concert master at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre. He also featured in concerts held in the city and taught violin as professor at the Tiflis School of Music.

Before departing for a residence in Kharkov, Gorski met the famed Russian composed Pyotr Tchaikovsky in Georgia’s capital.

Biographers have noted Tchaikovsky’s appreciation of the Polish violinist as the best performer of his Violin Concerto in D-dur and Melancholy Serenade in B-moll.

An interior view of the St Peter and Paul Cathedral on Javakhishvili Street.

Returning to independent Poland in 1919, Gorski worked as the concert master of the Grand Theatre of Poznan until his death in 1924.

His body of work includes two operas, two symphonies and over 100 songs, most of which has not been preserved.

With an aim of restoring and safeguarding the biography of the musician, organisers of the concert have also launched a competition for those interested in discovering and researching links between Gorski and Tbilisi.

The performance dedicated to the connection will be open to public and hosted at the cathedral located on 55, Javakhishvili Street.