Simon Laks String Quartet no. 3 On Polish Folk Themes

Simon Laks String Quartet no. 3 On Polish Folk Themes

1. I Allegro quasi presto
2. II Poco lento, sostenuto
3. IV Allegro moderato, giusto

 

Simon Laks String Quartet no. 3 On Polish Folk Themes

Szymon Laks (1901-1983) was a Polish Jewish composer, violinist and translator, prisoner 49543 at Birkenau-Auschwitz concentration camp.

His String Quartet no. 3 On Polish Folk Themes was written in 1945 after the composer’s release from the death camp. The piece is based on seven folk songs from Wielkopolska, Mazowsze and Podhale regions. String Quartet no. 3 is a unique fusion of folk vitality and contemplative nature. It can be saud that in the context of the author’s biographical experience, the quartet got an additional ethical, esthetic and spiritual dimension. Laks has composed five string quartets of which only the last three were found.